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Alice Ghostley

December 03, 2023

Alice Margaret Ghostley (August 14, 1923 – September 21, 2007) was an American actress and singer on stage, film and television. She was best known for her roles as bumbling witch Esmeralda (1969–72) on Bewitched, as Cousin Alice (1970–71) on Mayberry R.F.D., and as Bernice Clifton (1986–93) on Designing Women, for which she received an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1992. She was a regular on Nichols (1971–72) and The Julie Andrews Hour (1972–73).[2]

Alice Ghostley
Publicity Photo of Alice Ghostley
Born
Alice Margaret Ghostley

(1923-08-14)August 14, 1923
Eve, Missouri, U.S.
DiedSeptember 21, 2007(2007-09-21) (aged 84)
Studio City, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, singer[1]
Years active1953–2007
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1953; died 2003)​

Early life edit

Ghostley was born on August 14, 1923 at a train station in Eve, Missouri, to Edna Muriel (née Rooney) and Harry Francis Ghostley, who worked as a telegraph operator.[3] Ghostley grew up in Henryetta, Oklahoma. She attended the University of Oklahoma, but dropped out to pursue a career in theater.[4]

Career edit

Stage edit

Ghostley first came to Broadway in Leonard Sillman's New Faces of 1952 and in the film version released in 1954.[1] She appeared in the 1960 revue A Thurber Carnival and in The Beauty Part (1962), playing several distinct roles in each. She also performed in several musical comedies, including Shangri-La (1956). In 1978, she succeeded Dorothy Loudon, who had created the role of Miss Hannigan in the original Broadway run of the musical Annie.[citation needed]

Television edit

A veteran of early television, Ghostley appeared as Joy, one of the ugly stepsisters in the 1957 musical television production of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's Cinderella, which starred Julie Andrews in the title role. The other stepsister was played by actress Kaye Ballard. Twelve years later, Ghostley guest-starred as a harried maternity nurse on Ballard's comedy series, The Mothers-in-Law.[5] Ghostley guest-starred on the NBC police comedy, Car 54, Where Are You?, with Joe E. Ross and Fred Gwynne and in two 1961 episodes of The Tom Ewell Show starring Tom Ewell. She was also a favorite of Jackie Gleason, who featured her in his "American Scene Magazine" variety hours of the 1960s. In the recurring sketch "Arthur and Agnes", Gleason played a loudmouthed, inconsiderate braggart talking to Ghostley on her front stoop. Gleason's character treated her thoughtlessly for several minutes before walking away, leaving Ghostley alone to confide to the audience, "I'm the luckiest girl in the world!"

She portrayed recurring characters on several situation comedies, beginning with Bewitched in 1966 in "Maid To Order", in which Ghostley played an inept maid named Naomi, who was hired by Darrin Stephens (played by Dick York) to assist his wife Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) during her pregnancy. Towards the end of the 1965–66 season, actress-comedian Alice Pearce, who was featured as nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz on Bewitched, died. The producers of the series immediately offered the role of Gladys to Ghostley, who refused it. As a result, in the fall of 1966, character actress Sandra Gould assumed the role of Gladys. In September 1969, after the death of actress Marion Lorne, who played Aunt Clara, Ghostley joined Bewitched as a semiregular in the role of Esmeralda, a shy witch who served as a maid and babysitter to the Stephens' household.[2] Ghostley's character of Esmeralda was created to replace Aunt Clara's role as a bumbler of magic.[6][dead link]

Ghostley's Esmeralda appeared in 15 episodes of Bewitched between 1969 and 1972.[7] During her two years on Bewitched, Ghostley also joined the cast of Mayberry R.F.D., playing Cousin Alice after Frances Bavier's character, Aunt Bee, was written out of the series. She appeared in 14 episodes.[6]

On February 22, 1969, she appeared as Aggie on The Ghost & Mrs Muir (starring Edward Mulhare and Hope Lange). The episode was entitled "Make Me A Match". The captain and Mrs. Muir matched her with Claymore Gregg (Charles Nelson Reilly). On March 6, 1970, she appeared on another episode of The Ghost & Mrs Muir, "Curious Cousin". She played nosey Cousin Harriet. She interferes with Mrs Muir's private life. To divert her excessive attention, Claymore, posing as Captain Gregg, comes to court her.[6]

After eight years, Bewitched was cancelled by ABC in the spring of 1972. Later that year in September, Ghostley was hired as a semiregular for the ABC-TV variety series, The Julie Andrews Hour; in addition to participating in songs and sketches, Andrews and Ghostley were featured in a recurring segment as roommates sharing a small apartment. The Julie Andrews Hour was cancelled by ABC in the spring of 1973 after 24 episodes. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Ghostley appeared in episodes of situation comedies such as Hogan's Heroes (alternating with Kathleen Freeman playing Gertrude Linkmaier, General Burkhalter's sister), Good Times, Maude, One Day at a Time, The Odd Couple, and What's Happening!!.[6]

Between 1986 and 1993, Ghostley portrayed Bernice Clifton, the slightly off-kilter, eccentric friend of Julia and Suzanne Sugarbaker's mother, Perky, on Designing Women.[8] She later played Irna Wallingsford in six episodes of Evening Shade. She also had a recurring role of Ida Mae Brindle in the sitcom Small Wonder, which ran from 1985 to 1989. Among many other guest roles, she appeared in a flashback episode as the crazed mother-in-law of Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur) on The Golden Girls. She made a one-time appearance as Great-Grandma in Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Ghostley also made a few guest appearances on the daytime drama Passions in 2000, playing the ghost of Matilda Matthews.[6]

Film edit

Among her roles in motion pictures, Ghostley appeared in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962),[2] playing Stephanie Crawford, the neighborhood gossip. She starred in Gator as Gator's partner in crime who brings her cats along on a burglary. She appeared in the film version of Grease as shop teacher Mrs. Murdock. In 1985, she had a supporting role in the Nancy Allen comedy Not for Publication.[6] Alice played Grandmama in the direct-to-video movie Addams Family Reunion.[citation needed]

Awards edit

Ghostley received a Tony nomination in 1963 for different roles she played in the Broadway comedy The Beauty Part. She also received a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress for her role in The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window.[4] In 1992, she earned an Emmy nomination for her role in Designing Women.[4]

Personal life edit

Ghostley was married to Felice Orlandi, an Italian-American actor, from 1953 until his death in 2003.[4]

Ghostley died at her home in Studio City, California, on September 21, 2007, of colon cancer and a series of strokes.[9][10]

Selected filmography edit

Select television credits edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Arnold, Gary (October 18, 2007). "Familiar New Faces: Spoofs Endure For Cast, Films". The Washington Times. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c Lavietes, Stuart (September 22, 2007). "Alice Ghostley, Comic TV and Stage Actress, Is Dead". The New York Times. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  3. ^ "Honoring Alice Ghostley's life, career for what would have been her 100th birthday ". Tulsa World. August 14, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d . Sunday Gazette-Mail. September 23, 2007. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  5. ^ Foster, Catherine (December 5, 2004). . The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Alice Ghostley". TVGuide.com. TV Guide. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
  7. ^ Paul. "When Esmeralda Sneezed". from the original on June 10, 2007. Retrieved April 27, 2007.
  8. ^ Bornfeld, Steve (July 3, 1990). "Quality-Television Group Picks Nominees For Its Own Awards". Albany Times. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  9. ^ Stuart Lavietes (September 22, 2007). "Alice Ghostley, Comic TV and Stage Actress, Is Dead". The New York Times. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  10. ^ . The Advocate. November 6, 2007. Archived from the original on February 28, 2011. Retrieved November 27, 2012.

External links edit

December 03, 2023
alice, ghostley, alice, margaret, ghostley, august, 1923, september, 2007, american, actress, singer, stage, film, television, best, known, roles, bumbling, witch, esmeralda, 1969, bewitched, cousin, alice, 1970, mayberry, bernice, clifton, 1986, designing, wo. Alice Margaret Ghostley August 14 1923 September 21 2007 was an American actress and singer on stage film and television She was best known for her roles as bumbling witch Esmeralda 1969 72 on Bewitched as Cousin Alice 1970 71 on Mayberry R F D and as Bernice Clifton 1986 93 on Designing Women for which she received an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 1992 She was a regular on Nichols 1971 72 and The Julie Andrews Hour 1972 73 2 Alice GhostleyPublicity Photo of Alice GhostleyBornAlice Margaret Ghostley 1923 08 14 August 14 1923Eve Missouri U S DiedSeptember 21 2007 2007 09 21 aged 84 Studio City California U S Occupation s Actress singer 1 Years active1953 2007SpouseFelice Orlandi m 1953 died 2003 wbr Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2 1 Stage 2 2 Television 2 3 Film 3 Awards 4 Personal life 5 Selected filmography 6 Select television credits 7 References 8 External linksEarly life editGhostley was born on August 14 1923 at a train station in Eve Missouri to Edna Muriel nee Rooney and Harry Francis Ghostley who worked as a telegraph operator 3 Ghostley grew up in Henryetta Oklahoma She attended the University of Oklahoma but dropped out to pursue a career in theater 4 Career editStage edit Ghostley first came to Broadway in Leonard Sillman s New Faces of 1952 and in the film version released in 1954 1 She appeared in the 1960 revue A Thurber Carnival and in The Beauty Part 1962 playing several distinct roles in each She also performed in several musical comedies including Shangri La 1956 In 1978 she succeeded Dorothy Loudon who had created the role of Miss Hannigan in the original Broadway run of the musical Annie citation needed Television edit A veteran of early television Ghostley appeared as Joy one of the ugly stepsisters in the 1957 musical television production of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein s Cinderella which starred Julie Andrews in the title role The other stepsister was played by actress Kaye Ballard Twelve years later Ghostley guest starred as a harried maternity nurse on Ballard s comedy series The Mothers in Law 5 Ghostley guest starred on the NBC police comedy Car 54 Where Are You with Joe E Ross and Fred Gwynne and in two 1961 episodes of The Tom Ewell Show starring Tom Ewell She was also a favorite of Jackie Gleason who featured her in his American Scene Magazine variety hours of the 1960s In the recurring sketch Arthur and Agnes Gleason played a loudmouthed inconsiderate braggart talking to Ghostley on her front stoop Gleason s character treated her thoughtlessly for several minutes before walking away leaving Ghostley alone to confide to the audience I m the luckiest girl in the world She portrayed recurring characters on several situation comedies beginning with Bewitched in 1966 in Maid To Order in which Ghostley played an inept maid named Naomi who was hired by Darrin Stephens played by Dick York to assist his wife Samantha Elizabeth Montgomery during her pregnancy Towards the end of the 1965 66 season actress comedian Alice Pearce who was featured as nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz on Bewitched died The producers of the series immediately offered the role of Gladys to Ghostley who refused it As a result in the fall of 1966 character actress Sandra Gould assumed the role of Gladys In September 1969 after the death of actress Marion Lorne who played Aunt Clara Ghostley joined Bewitched as a semiregular in the role of Esmeralda a shy witch who served as a maid and babysitter to the Stephens household 2 Ghostley s character of Esmeralda was created to replace Aunt Clara s role as a bumbler of magic 6 dead link Ghostley s Esmeralda appeared in 15 episodes of Bewitched between 1969 and 1972 7 During her two years on Bewitched Ghostley also joined the cast of Mayberry R F D playing Cousin Alice after Frances Bavier s character Aunt Bee was written out of the series She appeared in 14 episodes 6 On February 22 1969 she appeared as Aggie on The Ghost amp Mrs Muir starring Edward Mulhare and Hope Lange The episode was entitled Make Me A Match The captain and Mrs Muir matched her with Claymore Gregg Charles Nelson Reilly On March 6 1970 she appeared on another episode of The Ghost amp Mrs Muir Curious Cousin She played nosey Cousin Harriet She interferes with Mrs Muir s private life To divert her excessive attention Claymore posing as Captain Gregg comes to court her 6 After eight years Bewitched was cancelled by ABC in the spring of 1972 Later that year in September Ghostley was hired as a semiregular for the ABC TV variety series The Julie Andrews Hour in addition to participating in songs and sketches Andrews and Ghostley were featured in a recurring segment as roommates sharing a small apartment The Julie Andrews Hour was cancelled by ABC in the spring of 1973 after 24 episodes Throughout the 1970s and 1980s Ghostley appeared in episodes of situation comedies such as Hogan s Heroes alternating with Kathleen Freeman playing Gertrude Linkmaier General Burkhalter s sister Good Times Maude One Day at a Time The Odd Couple and What s Happening 6 Between 1986 and 1993 Ghostley portrayed Bernice Clifton the slightly off kilter eccentric friend of Julia and Suzanne Sugarbaker s mother Perky on Designing Women 8 She later played Irna Wallingsford in six episodes of Evening Shade She also had a recurring role of Ida Mae Brindle in the sitcom Small Wonder which ran from 1985 to 1989 Among many other guest roles she appeared in a flashback episode as the crazed mother in law of Dorothy Zbornak Bea Arthur on The Golden Girls She made a one time appearance as Great Grandma in Sabrina the Teenage Witch Ghostley also made a few guest appearances on the daytime drama Passions in 2000 playing the ghost of Matilda Matthews 6 Film edit Among her roles in motion pictures Ghostley appeared in To Kill a Mockingbird 1962 2 playing Stephanie Crawford the neighborhood gossip She starred in Gator as Gator s partner in crime who brings her cats along on a burglary She appeared in the film version of Grease as shop teacher Mrs Murdock In 1985 she had a supporting role in the Nancy Allen comedy Not for Publication 6 Alice played Grandmama in the direct to video movie Addams Family Reunion citation needed Awards editGhostley received a Tony nomination in 1963 for different roles she played in the Broadway comedy The Beauty Part She also received a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress for her role in The Sign in Sidney Brustein s Window 4 In 1992 she earned an Emmy nomination for her role in Designing Women 4 Personal life editGhostley was married to Felice Orlandi an Italian American actor from 1953 until his death in 2003 4 Ghostley died at her home in Studio City California on September 21 2007 of colon cancer and a series of strokes 9 10 Selected filmography editNew Faces 1954 Herself To Kill a Mockingbird 1962 Miss Stephanie Crawford My Six Loves 1963 Selena Johnson The Flim Flam Man 1967 Mrs Packard The Graduate 1967 Mrs Singleman With Six You Get Eggroll 1968 Molly Viva Max 1969 Hattie Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies 1973 Sister Lite Gator 1976 Emmeline Cavanaugh Blue Sunshine 1977 O Malley s Neighbor Record City 1978 Worried Wife Rabbit Test 1978 Nurse Tumm Grease 1978 Mrs Murdock Not for Publication 1984 Doris Denver The Odd Couple II 1998 Esther the Whiner Addams Family Reunion 1998 TV Movie Grandmama Addams Palmer s Pick Up 1999 Mrs Eleanor Palmer Whispers An Elephant s Tale 2000 Tuskless voice Mothers and Daughters 2006 The Doctor final film role Select television credits editLights Out as Chambers Secretary 1951 Perchance To Dream The Best of Broadway as Clara Hyland 1955 The Show Off Star Stage 1955 A Letter to Mr Priest Playwrights 56 as Mrs Hope 1956 Flight The United States Steel Hour as Ida Routzeng 1959 A Taste of Champagne and 1962 Episode You Can t Escape Dow Hour of Great Mysteries as Charlotte 1960 The Dachet Diamonds Play of the Week 1960 Highlights of New Faces Art Carney Special 1961 Everybody s Doin It The Tom Ewell Show as Polly 1961 The Chutney Caper and as Lavinia Barrington 1961 I Don t See It Car 54 Where Are You as Bonita Kalsheim 1961 Christmas at the 53rd and Love Finds Muldoon Naked City as Clara the Bookkeeper 1963 One Two Three Rita Rakahowski The Trials of O Brien as Eve Roberti 1965 The Trouble with Archie Bewitched as Naomi Hogan 1966 Maid to Order and as Esmeralda 1969 1972 15 appearances Get Smart as Verna 1966 The Last One in Is a Rotten Spy and as Naomi Farkas 1968 The Farkas Fracas Please Don t Eat the Daisies as Miss Feather 1966 Move Over Mozart The Farmer s Daughter as Jane Marshall 1966 The Wife of Your Friend May Not Be a Friend of Your Wife Captain Nice as Mrs Nash 1967 15 appearances Insight as Mother 1968 Watts Made Out of Thread He amp She as Norma Nugent 1968 What s in the Kitty Love American Style as Mrs Silversmith 1969 Mrs Billingsley 1971 Mom 1971 and Gladys 1972 The Mothers in Law as Mrs Irene Wiley 1969 And Baby Makes Four It Takes a Thief as Miss Prillo 1969 The Second Time Around Hogan s Heroes as Gertrude Linkmaier 1969 Watch the Trains Go By and as Mrs Mannheim 1971 That s No Lady That s My Spy The Ghost amp Mrs Muir as Aggie Burns 1969 Make Me a Match and as Cousin Harriet 1970 Curious Cousin The Odd Couple as Mimi 1970 The Breakup Mayberry R F D as Cousin Alice 1970 1971 two appearances Nichols as Bertha 1971 1972 two appearances Here We Go Again as Mrs Nicholson 1973 After the Wedding Bells The New Temperatures Rising Show as Mrs Lindsey 1972 Ellen s Flip Side and as Edwina Moffitt 1974 seven appearances Kolchak The Night Stalker as Doctor Agnes Temple 1974 Bad Medicine Great Performances as Mrs Taylor 1975 Who s Happy Now Big Eddie as Violet Klabber 1975 Crashing Violet Maude as Hazel M Hathaway 1976 Walter s Stigma Mary Hartman Mary Hartman as Gladys Dillworth 1976 two appearances Monster Squad as Queen Bee 1976 Queen Bee All s Fair as Inez 1976 Living Together One Day at a Time as Harriet Loring 1977 1978 two appearances What s Happening as Mrs Turner 1977 The Maid Did It The Nancy Walker Show as Louise 1977 The Partners CHiPS as Mamie 1978 Rustling Police Woman as Manageress 1978 Sunset Carter Country 1978 The Chief s Dressing Gown Family as Mrs Hanley 1978 A Friend of the Family s and others Chico and the Man as Harriett 1978 The Peeping Tom Friends as Mrs Sandler 1979 Gimme a Break as Mrs Falconberg 1982 Love Thy Neighbor Madame s Place as Herself 1982 The Nice Bernadette Trapper John M D as Marge Collins 1984 The Fred Connection Mama Malone as Nedda 1984 Connie s Old Flame amp Shall We Dance Tales from the Darkside as Elinor Colander 1985 Anniversary Dinner Highway to Heaven as Mrs Schtepmutter 1985 Cindy Stir Crazy 1985 The Love Affair Designing Women as Bernice Clifton 1986 1993 Simon amp Simon as Grandma Marie Cooper 1986 Family Forecast The New Leave It to Beaver as Miss Honeywell 1986 Miss Honeywell Comes to Town Punky Brewster as Mrs Winston 1987 Punky s Big Story The Golden Girls as Mrs Zbornak 1988 Mother s Day Small Wonder as Ida Mae Brindle 1988 four appearances B L Stryker as Mrs Parkinson 1990 Night Train Hearts Are Wild as Margaret Sawyer 1992 Pilot Evening Shade as Irna Wallingford 1992 1994 six appearances Daddy Dearest as Aunt Adelaide 1993 Thanks but No Thanks Cobra as Lorinda McClure 1994 Lorinda Diagnosis Murder as Mrs Groviak 1994 You Can Call Me Johnson The Client as Aunt Mabel 1996 Damn Yankees Aaahh Real Monsters as Grandma 1996 voice of Nurse 1996 Eccentric Woman 1997 voice of Wife 1997 Touched by an Angel as Mrs DeWinter 1997 Labor of Love Sabrina the Teenage Witch as Great Grandma 1997 Witch Trash Rugrats as Mrs Holkin 1997 two appearances Channel Umptee 3 as voice of Pandora Rickets 1997 Dharma and Greg as Alice Binns 1998 Dharma and Greg s First Romantic Valentine s Day Weekend Hercules as Miss Cassiopeia 1998 four appearances Passions as Matilda Matthews 2000 four appearances References edit a b Arnold Gary October 18 2007 Familiar New Faces Spoofs Endure For Cast Films The Washington Times Retrieved November 27 2012 a b c Lavietes Stuart September 22 2007 Alice Ghostley Comic TV and Stage Actress Is Dead The New York Times Retrieved November 27 2012 Honoring Alice Ghostley s life career for what would have been her 100th birthday Tulsa World August 14 2023 a b c d Bewitched Actress Alice Ghostley Dies Sunday Gazette Mail September 23 2007 Archived from the original on September 24 2015 Retrieved November 27 2012 Foster Catherine December 5 2004 Rodgers amp Hammerstein s Musical Cinderella Story Returns The Boston Globe Archived from the original on March 12 2016 Retrieved November 27 2012 a b c d e f Alice Ghostley TVGuide com TV Guide Retrieved August 25 2019 Paul When Esmeralda Sneezed Archived from the original on June 10 2007 Retrieved April 27 2007 Bornfeld Steve July 3 1990 Quality Television Group Picks Nominees For Its Own Awards Albany Times Archived from the original on January 26 2013 Retrieved November 27 2012 Stuart Lavietes September 22 2007 Alice Ghostley Comic TV and Stage Actress Is Dead The New York Times Retrieved February 15 2012 Alice Ghostley obituary The Advocate November 6 2007 Archived from the original on February 28 2011 Retrieved November 27 2012 External links editAlice Ghostley at the Internet Broadway Database nbsp Alice Ghostley at IMDb Alice Ghostley at the TCM Movie Database Alice Ghostley at the Internet Off Broadway Database Alice Ghostley Comic TV and Stage Actress Dead at 81 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alice Ghostley amp oldid 1183515155, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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