Alice Ghostley

Infobox actor
name = Alice Ghostley


birthname = Alice Margaret Ghostley
birthdate = Birth date|1923|8|14
birthplace = Eve, Vernon County, Missouri
deathdate = Death date and age|2007|9|21|1923|8|14
deathplace = Studio City, California
yearsactive = 1953–2007
spouse = Felice Orlandi (1953-2003)
tonyawards = Best Featured Actress in a Play
1965 "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window"

Alice Margaret Ghostley (August 14 1923 – September 21 2007) [Ancestry.com 1930 census image & Social Security Death Index record her date of birth as 1923, not 1926 as is listed in other sources] [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/22/arts/television/22ghostley.html?_r=1&ref=arts&oref=slogin Ghostley's New York Times obit] ] was a Tony Award-winning American actress. She was best known for her roles as Esmeralda on "Bewitched" (in which she had a recurring role from 1969 to 1972), as Cousin Alice on "Mayberry R.F.D." (1970-1971) andas Bernice Clifton on "Designing Women" (1986-1993) (Emmy Nomination, Best Supporting Actress; 1992).

Biography

Alice Ghostley was born in Eve, Vernon County, Missouri, where her father worked as a telegraph operator. She grew up in Henryetta, Oklahoma. After graduating from high school, she attended the University of Oklahoma but dropped out to pursue a career in theatre. [cite news | url=http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/tv/story/246953.html | title=Actress Alice Ghostley dies at 81 | date=2007-09-22 | work=The Miami Herald | accessdate=2007-09-22]

Career

Television

A veteran of early television, Ghostley appeared as Joy, one of the ugly stepsisters in the landmark 1957 musical television production of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's "Cinderella", which starred Julie Andrews in the title role. She also had a recurring role of Ida Mae Brindle in the sitcom "Small Wonder", which ran from 1985 to 1989.

As a character actress, Ghostley's uneasy and sometimes staccato delivery was reminiscent of fellow comic performers Charlotte Rae, Charles Nelson Reilly, Billy DeWolfe, and "Bewitched" alum Paul Lynde.

Apart from her stage recognition, Ghostley portrayed several well-known recurring characters on situation comedies, beginning with Esmeralda, a shy witch who served as a maid and babysitter to the Stephens' household beginning in season six of "Bewitched". Ghostley's role of Esmerelda was created after the death in May 1968 of Marion Lorne, who portrayed the lovable, forgetful Aunt Clara. Rather than replace the character, "Bewitched" producers opted to create a new, befuddled character with Esmerelda. Interestingly, Lorne and Ghostley appeared side-by-side in "The Graduate" as partygoers Miss DeWitte and Mrs. Singleman the year before Lorne's passing. "Bewitched" fans have often joked that Lorne was passing her torch on to Ghostley.cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = When Esmeralda Sneezed
work =
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date =
url = http://www.harpiesbizarre.com/Esmeralda.htm
format =
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accessdate = 2007-10-01] Ghostley's "Esmerelda" appeared in 15 episodes between 1969 and 1972. Ghostley had previously guest starred once as a mortal character, "Naomi", during "Bewitched" 's second season.cite web
last =
first = Paul
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = When Esmeralda Sneezed
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url = http://www.harpiesbizarre.com/Esmeralda.htm
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accessdate = 2007-04-27]

During this period she also joined the cast of "Mayberry R.F.D.", playing Cousin Alice after Frances Bavier's character, Aunt Bee, was written off the series. She appeared in 14 episodes. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Ghostley continued to lend her recognizable voice and her nervously concerned style as a character actress to memorable episodes of popular situation comedies such as "Good Times", "Maude", "One Day at a Time", "The Odd Couple" and "What's Happening!!".

Between 1986 and 1993, Ghostley portrayed Bernice Clifton on "Designing Women". She later played Irna Wallingsford in six episodes of "Evening Shade". 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". Ghostley also made a few guest appearances on the daytime drama "Passions" in 2000, playing the ghost of Matilda Matthews , a former friend (and later enemy) of the witch Tabitha Lenox.

tage

Ghostley first came to Broadway in Leonard Sillman's "New Faces of 1952" and in the film version released in 1954. 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).

She won the 1965 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role as Mavis Parodus Bryson in Lorraine Hansberry's "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window". In 1978 she succeeded Dorothy Loudon, who had created the role of Miss Hannigan in the original Broadway run of the musical "Annie".

Film

Among her roles in motion pictures, Ghostley appeared in "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1962), playing Stephanie Crawford, the fussy neiborhood gossip. She also appeared in the film version of "Grease" as shop teacher Mrs. Murdock (a non-existent role in the Broadway version).

Personal life

Ghostley was married to Felice Orlandi, an Italian-American actor, for fifty years (from 1953 until his death from lung cancer on May 21 2003); they had no children.

Alice Ghostley died at her home in Studio City, California on September 21 2007 after a long battle with colon cancer and several strokes. Following her funeral, a "Celebration of Life" service took place at her home, where the actress was fondly remembered by family, friends, and former costars. She is survived by a sister, Gladys Ghostley.

References

External links

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* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/22/arts/television/22ghostley.html Alice Ghostley, Comic TV and Stage Actress, Dead at 81]
* [http://www.wildvoice.com/RonNasty/Posts/Alice-Ghostley-Not-A-Regular-Face-In-The-Crowd The Final Taxi Podcast on Alice Ghostley]
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