Welford's stage debut came as a member of the ensemble for
Mimic World. As early as 1921, she was active in vaudeville. In 1922, she appeared at the
Fulton Theatre on Broadway in the musical
Orange Blossoms by
Victor Herbert. In 1923, a caption of a photograph in the
New York Daily News described her as the prima donna of a musical comedy and noted, "She has come up from the chorus and come to stay." She next joined the
Gallagher and Shean duo in their performances. This was followed by the role of Mary Wheeler in the hit 1928 musical
Rain or Shine. She acted in five films between 1929 and 1933. She is probably today mostly known for starring in the 1929
Warner Brothers musical
Gold Diggers of Broadway. ==Personal life==