Note Type
Historical NoteNote
Belle Follansbee 1882-1966
Stage actress and comic, Belle Follansbee, also known as Belle Ashlyn, arrived in Fort Lauderdale in 1931. Newly married, Belle quickly fell in love with Fort Lauderdale and established a permanent residency by 1933. As an actress and comedian, Belle was best known for the ability to manipulate her face into hilarious and grotesque shapes. A talent she took from Chicago, to New York, and eventually London during WWI.
A Chicago native, Belle quickly involved herself in the life and community of Fort Lauderdale. An advocate for what she believed in, Belle was devoted to causes which supported active military and veterans. Her brother, Harold Volk, served in WWI while Belle, herself, drove ambulances during the Great War. During WWII, she donated the use of her home to recovering soldiers. Belle’s support for the war effort led to her stance against a tunnel going under the New River at the Federal Bridge crossing. Opposed to the New River Tunnel, Belle instead offered a Memorial Bridge for soldiers, sailors, marines, and aviators.