Betty Briggs

“Everybody ready?”

Screenshot of Charlotte Stewart as Betty Briggs, from David Lynch’s Twin Peaks.
© Lynch/Frost & Twin Peaks Productions.

Sarah Palmer calls Betty Briggs when she can’t find Laura

That terrible morning in February 1989, when Sarah Palmer finds her daughter’s bed empty, her first impulse is to call Betty Briggs. She’s Laura’s boyfriend’s mother. Sarah Palmer sounds upset and informs whether Laura is with Betty’s son Bobby.

Betty Briggs is unable to confirm as Bobby Briggs left early for morning practice but she reassures Sarah Palmer there’s nothing to worry about.

Betty Briggs’ story

Betty Briggs, Major Briggs’ meek wife

Betty Briggs is married to Major Garland Briggs, who’s described by Betty herself as an extraordinary human being. “A deeply weird individual” according to her son Bobby.

Betty Briggs spends her time cleaning the house and preparing family meals. She has learnt to live with the fact that she doesn’t know all about Major Briggs’ work, that is classified.

Her husband is described by his superior as the best damn pilote he ever met. Major Briggs uses to disappear for days on a fairly regular basis, but where he travels to, no one knows.

Betty Briggs, Bobby Briggs’ loving mother

Betty Briggs hates to see Bobby alienate from his father Garland Briggs, who’s – with his preposterous and formal way of speaking – an easy mark for his son to rebel against. At times that her son and husband quarrel, Betty Briggs uses her bright smile to help ease tensions.

Sweet and good-natured as she is, Betty Briggs worries about her son quite a bit. She thinks Bobby is using drugs as he’s been spending more and more of his time alone in his room. She’s embarrassed about her son’s public fighting, both at the Roadhouse and Laura Palmer’s funeral.

Betty puts all her hopes in family therapy with Dr Jacoby


Betty knows how to handle neither her rebellious son nor her secretive husband. She puts all her hopes in family counselling with Dr Jacoby, who’s more interested in seeing each family member separately. Especially Bobby, who Jacoby questions about Laura Palmer.

“Alcohol is a drug.”

Garland’s disappearance during a fishing trip worries Betty Briggs

Although Major Briggs has disappeared before, Agent Cooper has Betty Briggs worried when he tells her about what happened during the fishing trip. She sits up at night alone and waits on her husband.

Disappearing is part of the way Major Briggs operates. The fact that it happened in the woods doesn’t come as a surprise to Betty Briggs as her husband talks about them constantly.

Whether Major Briggs has been trying to contact some element that lives down the woods, she cannot confirm. That’s classified.

When Garland returns two days later, he kisses Betty Briggs passionately but he is unable te reassure his wife who asks if everything is all right.

Betty Briggs – Quotes

“We’re here for you, Bobby.”

“Everybody ready?”

“He’s been spending more and more of his time alone in his room.”

“Terrible mood swings.”

“Alcohol is a drug. Alcohol doens’t count?”

“There’s certainly no manual to be married to it.”

“Sometimes when I’m sleeping, he runs his fingers through my hair”