In Memoriam

Before he became the most famous butler in comic book and television history Alan Napier was one of the stage and screen's busiest character actors. He spent a lot of time on Broadway during the 1940's. He appeared in 87 films between 1930 and 1974. Some of the more notable projects are Lassie Come Home, The Song of Bernadette, Lured, Johnny Belinda, Macbeth, Joan of Arc, The Blue Veil, Marnie and My Fair Lady. Some of his television credits include "Fireside Theatre", "Four Star Playhouse", "Letter to Loretta", "General Electric Theater", "Playhouse 90", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", "Tales of Wells Fargo", "Don't Call Me Charlie", "The Lloyd Bridges Show", "The Twilight Zone", "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour", "Daniel Boone", "The Beverly Hillbillies", "Night Gallery", "Ironside" and "Kojak." In 1965, he signed on to ...

She was a tiny little burst of energy. Irene Ryan began in vaudeville and eventually ended up on radio. She was a regular performer on "The Bob Hope Show" from 1948 until 1950. She appeared in 46 films between 1935 and 1966. On television she appeared on "The NBC Comedy Hour", "The Andy Williams Show", "Password", "The Hollywood Squares", "The Hollywood Palace", "The Bob Hope Show", "Make Room for Daddy", "The Real McCoys", "General Electric Theater", "Wagon Train" and "Love, American Style." In 1962, she was given the role that would define her career. That was the year she was cast as Daisy Moses better known as Granny on the sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies." Joining actors Buddy Ebsen, Donna Douglas, Max Baer, Jr., Raymond Bailey, Bea Benaderet, Nancy Kulp, and Harriet E. MacGibbon the show debuted in the fall of 1962 and would go onto run for nine seas...

Edith Meiser spent most of her career on the Broadway stage. She did very little television and even fewer films only appearing in five to be exact. But during her long career on stage she did work with some amazing people including Vivian Vance. Her television credits: "Kraft Television Theatre" "Goodyear Television Playhouse" "Broadway Television Theatre" "Producers' Showcase" "Playwrights '56" "The United States Steel Hour" "The Defenders" "Naked City" And of course... "I Love Lucy" Yes in 1952 she appeared in two season one episodes playing Mrs. Phoebe Littlefield, wife of Tropicana Nightclub owner Mr. Alvin Littlefield (Gale Gordon). Her first appearance in "Lucy's Schedule" is rather prominent but her second in "Ricky Asks for a Raise" is much smaller. In "Lucy's Schedule" she reacts in horror when she finds Lucy stuck with a wax apple in her...

Between 1935 and 1990 Elvia Allman was one of the busiest character actresses in Hollywood. She began on radio, appearing on such programs as "Burns and Allen" (as Tootsie Stagwell), "The Abbott and Costello Show" (various) and "My Favorite Husband" (various). She had a regular role on "Blondie" as Cora Dithers. In 1935 she lent her voice to the first of many Walt Disney animated shorts. She originated the role of Clarabelle Cow. When television took over Allman was no stranger. She appeared on numerous programs including "The Abbott and Costello Show", "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show", "I Married Joan", "Our Miss Brooks", "Duffy's Tavern", "The Gale Storm Show", "December Bride", "The People's Choice", "The Ann Sothern Show", "The Bob Cummings Show", "The Ford Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show", "The Westinghouse Desilu...

Here is another character actress that was perfect in the society matron role. She is in television's history books as Mrs. Margaret Drysdale, a role she played in 55 episodes of "The Beverly Hillbillies" between 1962 and 1969. Some of her more memorable performances were in the episodes "The Clampetts Meet Mrs. Drysdale", "Mrs. Drysdale's Father" and "The Dahlia Feud." She was the perfect adversary for Irene Ryan's Granny. Her other television credits include "Robert Montgomery Presents", "General Electric Theater", "The Ann Sothern Show", "Hennesey", "Peter Loves Mary", "Hazel", "Route 66", "Dr. Kildare", "Ben Casey", "That Girl", "Dragnet 1967", "Bewitched", "The Mod Squad", "Love, American Style" and "The Doris Day Show." Long before she appeared on television she spent many years ...

As I have said many times on this blog, during the past eighty-years there has been nothing more important to the greatest productions than character actors. And this lady is right up there with the best of them. Eleanor Audley was ideal whenever a landlady, mother-in-law, aunt, society matron or neighbor was needed. She began on stage and she even appeared in a few films but television was where her great talent was used the most. Her image and voice was used twice in Walt Disney productions, the first being Lady Tremaine in 1950's Cinderella and the second being Maleficent in 1959's Sleeping Beauty. On radio she had a recurring role as Mrs. Laticia Cooper, mother-in-law of Liz Cooper (Lucille Ball) on the domestic comedy "My Favorite Husband." She could also be heard on "Escape", "Suspense" and as the Anderson's neighbor on "Father Knows Best." Now onto television...her credits include "Studio 57", "Our Miss Brooks...

Ethel Merman was one of the greatest stars that ever shined on the Broadway stage. With her great stage presence and booming voice she was able to make any role she played believable. Among her Broadway credits are Stars in Your Eyes, Girl Crazy, Something for the Boys, Anything Goes (her understudy was Vivian Vance), DuBarry was a Lady (her role in the film version was played by Lucille Ball), Call Me Madam, Hello, Dolly! and Annie Get Your Gun. In 1959, she was the first actress to play Mama Rose in the play Gypsy which was based on memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee. In 1936 she appeared in the film version of Anything Goes opposite Bing Crosby and Ida Lupino and in 1953 she appeared in the film version of Call Me Madam opposite Donald O'Connor and George Sanders. On television she appeared as herself on dozens of programs including "The Milton Berle Show", "The Colgate Comedy Hour", "The DuPont Show of the Month", "The Dinah Shore Chevy Show", ...

Ann Sothern is the perfect example of Hollywood royalty. The dainty actress made her first film appearance in Broadway Nights in 1927. 71 more films would follow into the late 1980's. One of her more notable films was The Blue Gardenia in 1953 with Anne Baxter and George Reeves. On television she appeared on "The Jack Benny Program", "The Perry Como Show", "The Steve Allen Show", "Person to Person", "Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse", "Password", "The Andy Williams Show", "I've Got a Secret", "What's My Line?", "Letter to Loretta", "The DuPont Show with June Allyson", "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour", "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.", "Family Affair", "Love, American Style" and "The Virginian." In 1953, she began playing Susan "Susie" Camille MacNamara on the sitcom "Private Secretary." The show ran unt...