Esther Howard (April 4, 1892 – March 8, 1965) was an American stage and film

character actress A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to be ...

who played a wide range of supporting roles, from man-hungry

spinster ''Spinster'' is a term referring to an unmarried woman who is older than what is perceived as the prime age range during which women usually marry. It can also indicate that a woman is considered unlikely to ever marry. The term originally den ...

s to amoral criminals, appearing in 108 films in her 23-year screen career.

Early life

Howard was born in Butte, Montana on April 4, 1892 to Martha Esther Howard (''née'' Boggs) and James Howard Jr., a music teacher who was employed as the conductor of the Butte Opera House. Her paternal grandfather, James Howard Sr., was a prominent physician from California who had established a medical practice in Butte and

Dillon, Montana Dillon is a city in and the county seat of Beaverhead County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,880 at the 2020 census. The city was named for Sidney Dillon (1812–1892), president of Union Pacific Railroad. History Dillon was fo ...

, and at one time served as the coroner of Silver Bow County. When Howard was five years old, her family relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, where her father had lived prior to relocating to Montana. In Boston, Howard attended the Girls' Latin School.

Career

Howard began her stage career performing in stock theater in

Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn is the eighth-largest municipality in Massachusetts and the largest city in Essex County. Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, north of the Boston city line at Suffolk Downs, Lynn is part of Greater Boston's urban inner core. Settled by E ...

, before making her

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut in 1917 in a play called ''Eve's Daughter'', which was not a success. Over the next twelve years she performed on Broadway in eleven more comedies and musicals, including the hit shows ''

Wildflower A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows in the wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. The term implies that the plant probably is neither a hybrid nor a selected cultivar that is in any way different from the ...

'' (1923) and ''

The New Moon ''The New Moon'' is an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Mandel, and Laurence Schwab. The show was the third in a string of Broadway hits for Romberg (after ''The Student Prince'' (1924) ...

'' (1929), which was her final Broadway production. In 1930, Miss Howard was still slender and beautiful when she changed her focus to making movies, appearing in a

Vitaphone Vitaphone was a sound film system used for feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects made by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National from 1926 to 1931. Vitaphone was the last major analog sound-on-disc system and the only one ...

comedy short, ''The Victim'' (1930). From that point until her retirement in 1952, she worked regularly – at least one film she appeared in was released every year. She was often cast as an oversexed dowager, a decrepit old hag, and occasionally, a glamorous society dame. Known for her versatility and expressive face,Erickson, Ha
Biography (Allmovie
/ref> notable among her many roles were the gorgeous Miss Prescott in '' Meet the Mayor'' (1932), frowsy Jessie Florian in Raymond Chandler's '' Murder My Sweet'' (1944), an aunt who has a crush on Oliver Hardy in Laurel and Hardy's '' The Big Noise'' (1944), diner waitress Holly in ''

Detour __NOTOC__ A detour or (British English: diversion) is a (normally temporary) route taking traffic around an area of prohibited or reduced access, such as a construction site. Standard operating procedure for many roads departments is to route an ...

'' (1945), bawdy Filthy Flora in ''

Dick Tracy vs. Cueball ''Dick Tracy vs. Cueball'' is a 1946 American action film based on the 1930s comic strip character of the same name created by Chester Gould. The film stars Morgan Conway as Dick Tracy in the second installment of the ''Dick Tracy'' film serie ...

'' (1946), the determined Mrs. Kraft out to solve a murder in '' Born to Kill'' (1947), and as Kirk Douglas' mother in ''

Champion A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, a ...

'' (1949). Miss Howard's lovely singing voice was used to ghost sing (dub in) for bigger-name stars who had no singing talent, but she never sang onscreen for herself. From 1940 to 1949, Howard was part of

Preston Sturges Preston Sturges (; born Edmund Preston Biden; August 29, 1898 – August 6, 1959) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and film director. In 1941, he won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the film '' The Great McGinty'' (1940), h ...

' unofficial "stock company" of character actors, appearing in seven films written and directed by Sturges. From 1937, Howard was a regular player in short-subjects produced at

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

, where she was frequently cast opposite comedian Andy Clyde. Her last film was a Columbia comedy short, ''Caught on the Bounce'' (1952), in which she played

Joe Besser Joe Besser (August 12, 1907 – March 1, 1988) was an American actor, comedian and musician, known for his impish humor and wimpy characters. He is best known for his brief stint as a member of The Three Stooges in movie short subjects of 1957� ...

's aunt.

Death

Howard died of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California, on March 8, 1965, aged 72. She is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14000 Famous Persons by Scott Wilson

Selected filmography

* '' The Vice Squad'' (1931) – Josie * ''

Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe * '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...

'' (1931) – Minor Role (uncredited) * '' The Yellow Ticket'' (1931) – Prisoner (uncredited) * ''

Ladies of the Big House ''Ladies of the Big House'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama film directed by Marion Gering and written by Ernest Booth, William Slavens McNutt and Grover Jones. The film stars Sylvia Sidney, Gene Raymond, Wynne Gibson, Earle Foxe, Rockl ...

'' (1931) – Clara Newman * '' A Fool's Advice'' (1932) – Mrs. Prescott * ''

The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood ''The Cohens and Kellys in Hollywood'' is a 1932 American pre-Code comedy film directed by John Francis Dillon and written by Howard J. Green. The film stars George Sidney, Charles Murray, June Clyde, Norman Foster, Esther Howard, and Emma Du ...

'' (1932) – Mrs. Maggie Kelly * '' Merrily We Go to Hell'' (1932) – Vi * '' Winner Take All'' (1932) – Ann – Joan's Friend * '' Life Begins'' (1932) – Mrs. Tubby's Friend (uncredited) * '' Rackety Rax'' (1932) – 'Sister' Carrie * ''

Second Hand Wife ''Second Hand Wife'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film written and directed by Hamilton MacFadden. The film stars Sally Eilers, Helen Vinson, Ralph Bellamy, and Victor Jory. The film was released on January 8, 1933 by Fox Film Corporation ...

'' (1933) – Mrs. Trumbull (uncredited) * ''The Iron Master'' (1933) – Mrs. Stillman * ''

Grand Slam Grand Slam most often refers to: * Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to: Games and sports * Grand slam, winning category te ...

'' (1933) – Mary (uncredited) * ''

Sweepings ''Sweepings'' is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by John Cromwell, written by Lester Cohen, and starring Lionel Barrymore, Eric Linden, William Gargan, Gloria Stuart and Alan Dinehart. It was released on April 14, 1933, by RKO Pictu ...

'' (1933) – Violet's Madame (uncredited) * '' Below the Sea'' (1933) – Lily * ''

Cockeyed Cavaliers ''Cockeyed Cavaliers'' is a 1934 American pre-Code comedy film starring the comedy duo of Wheeler & Woolsey. Directed by Mark Sandrich from a screenplay by Edward Kaufman, Grant Garrett, Ralph Spence and Ben Holmes. Also featured in the cast w ...

'' (1934) – Robert's Serving Girl (uncredited) * '' Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round'' (1934) – Passenger Needing 'Hooking' (uncredited) * '' Ready for Love'' (1934) – Aunt Ida * '' The Best Man Wins'' (1935) – Mamie (uncredited) * ''

Death Flies East ''Death Flies East'' is a 1935 American mystery film directed by Phil Rosen and starring Conrad Nagel, Florence Rice and Raymond Walburn. The action takes place on an airline flight with a murderer aboard. The film was an early example of the avi ...

'' (1935) – Mitzi (uncredited) * '' Straight from the Heart'' (1935) – Tired Mother (uncredited) * '' The Farmer Takes a Wife'' (1935) – Klore's New Cook (uncredited) * '' Stars Over Broadway'' (1935) – Mary Sporesgate (uncredited) * ''

Klondike Annie ''Klondike Annie'' is a 1936 American Western film starring Mae West and Victor McLaglen. The film was co-written by West from her play ''Frisco Kate'', which she wrote in 1921 and a story written by the duo Marion Morgan and George Brendan Dowe ...

'' (1936) – Fanny Radler * ''

Florida Special ''Florida Special'' is a 1936 American comedy film directed by Ralph Murphy and written by David Boehm, Marguerite Roberts, Laura Perelman and S. J. Perelman. The film stars Jack Oakie, Sally Eilers, Kent Taylor, Frances Drake, Claude Gilling ...

'' (1936) – Flirtatious Dowager (uncredited) * '' M'Liss'' (1936) – Rose * '' Swing High, Swing Low'' (1937) – Beauty Salon Customer (uncredited) * '' Rhythm in the Clouds'' (1937) – Mrs. Madigan * ''

Dead End Dead End or dead end may refer to: * Dead end (street), a street connected only at one end with other streets, called by many other official names, including ''cul-de-sac''. Film and television * ''The Dead End'' (1914 film), directed by Davi ...

'' (1937) – Neighbor with Coarse Voice (uncredited) * '' Partners in Crime'' (1937) – Mrs. Wagon * '' Stand-In'' (1937) – Mrs. Mack (uncredited) * '' Scandal Street'' (1938) – Birdie Brown * '' Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm'' (1938) – Mother (uncredited) * '' Marie Antoinette'' (1938) – Streetwalker (uncredited) * '' The Texans'' (1938) – Madame (uncredited) * ''

Five of a Kind Five of a kind may refer to: * Five of a kind (poker) In poker, players form sets of five playing cards, called ''hands'', according to the rules of the game. Each hand has a rank, which is compared against the ranks of other hands participati ...

'' (1938) – Thelma – Mother in Hoax (uncredited) * '' Swing, Sister, Swing'' (1938) – Miss Fredericks * '' Broadway Serenade'' (1939) – Mrs. Fellows * '' Missing Daughters'' (1939) – Mother Hawks (uncredited) * '' The Gracie Allen Murder Case'' (1939) – Florist (uncredited) * ''

The Great McGinty ''The Great McGinty'' is a 1940 political satire comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, starring Brian Donlevy and Akim Tamiroff and featuring William Demarest and (in her final screen appearance) Muriel Angelus. It was Sturges's fir ...

'' (1940) – Madame Juliette La Jolla * ''

The San Francisco Docks ''The San Francisco Docks'' is a 1940 American crime drama film directed by Arthur Lubin and starring Burgess Meredith, Barry Fitzgerald, and Irene Hervey. Plot When his sweetheart, barmaid Kitty Tracy, is annoyed by a customer, longshoreman Jo ...

'' (1940) – Jean (uncredited) * '' The Lady from Cheyenne'' (1941) – Landlady (uncredited) * ''

Sullivan's Travels ''Sullivan's Travels'' is a 1941 American comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges. A satire on the film industry, it follows a famous Hollywood comedy director (Joel McCrea) who, longing to make a socially relevant drama, sets out to ...

'' (1941) – Miz Zeffie * '' Sappy Birthday'' (1942, Short) – Mrs. Andy 'Martha' Clyde * '' My Favorite Blonde'' (1942) – Mrs. Topley * '' Jackass Mail'' (1942) – Dancehall Girl (uncredited) * ''

Tales of Manhattan ''Tales of Manhattan'' is a 1942 American anthology film directed by Julien Duvivier. Thirteen writers, including Ben Hecht, Alan Campbell, Ferenc Molnár, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Donald Ogden Stewart, worked on the six stories in this film. Ba ...

'' (1942) – Woman Bumming Cigarette from Joe (Robinson sequence) (uncredited) * ''

The Palm Beach Story ''The Palm Beach Story'' is a 1942 screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, and starring Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor and Rudy Vallée. Victor Young contributed the musical score, including a fast-paced variati ...

'' (1942) – Wife of Wienie King * '' I Married a Witch'' (1942) – Extra (uncredited) * ''

The Miracle of Morgan's Creek ''The Miracle of Morgan's Creek'' is a 1944 American screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, starring Eddie Bracken and Betty Hutton, and featuring Diana Lynn, William Demarest and Porter Hall. Brian Donlevy and Akim Tamir ...

'' (1943) – Sally (uncredited) * '' True to Life'' (1943) – Bit Role (uncredited) * ''

Once Upon a Time "Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 (according to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'') in storytelling in t ...

'' (1944) – Clerk (uncredited) * '' The Great Moment'' (1944) – Dr. Wells' Patient (uncredited) * ''

Hail the Conquering Hero ''Hail the Conquering Hero'' (1944) is a satirical comedy-drama film written and directed by Preston Sturges, starring Eddie Bracken, Ella Raines and William Demarest, and featuring Raymond Walburn, Franklin Pangborn, Elizabeth Patterson ...

'' (1944) – Mrs. Everett J. Noble (uncredited) * '' The Big Noise'' (1944) – Aunt Sophie (uncredited) * '' San Diego, I Love You'' (1944) – Mother (uncredited) * ''

Murder, My Sweet ''Murder, My Sweet'' (released as ''Farewell, My Lovely'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1944 American film noir, directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Dick Powell, Claire Trevor and Anne Shirley (in her final film before retirement). The film ...

'' (1944) – Jessie Florian * '' The Great Flamarion'' (1945) – Cleo * ''

'' (1945) – Diner Waitress * ''

Adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...

'' (1945) – Blister (uncredited) * '' A Letter for Evie'' (1946) – Mrs. Edgewaters * '' The Hoodlum Saint'' (1946) – Elderly Spectator (uncredited) * '' The Falcon's Alibi'' (1946) – Gloria Peabody * '' The Virginian'' (1946) – Mother of Student (uncredited) * ''

Without Reservations ''Without Reservations'' is a 1946 RKO Radio Pictures American comedy film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Claudette Colbert, John Wayne and Don DeFore. The film was adapted by Andrew Solt from the novel ''Thanks, God! I'll Take It From H ...

'' (1946) – Sarah (uncredited) * ''

'' (1946) – Filthy Flora * '' Mr. District Attorney'' (1947) – Bit Role (uncredited) * '' Born to Kill'' (1947) – Mrs. Kraft * '' The Trouble with Women'' (1947) – Mrs. Fogarty (uncredited) * ''

Song of the Thin Man ''Song of the Thin Man'' is a 1947 murder mystery-comedy directed by Edward Buzzell. The sixth and final film in MGM's '' Thin Man'' series, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, characters created by Dashiell Hammett ...

'' (1947) – Sadie – Counterwoman (uncredited) * '' The Velvet Touch'' (1948) – Pansy Dupont * '' June Bride'' (1948) – Mrs. Mitchell (uncredited) * '' Homicide'' (1949) – Mrs. Brucker -Landlady * ''

'' (1949) – Mrs. Kelly * '' The Crooked Way'' (1949) – Hotel Proprietess (uncredited) * '' The Lady Gambles'' (1949) – Gross Lady * ''

The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend ''The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend'' is a 1949 romantic comedy Western film starring Betty Grable and featuring Cesar Romero and Rudy Vallee. It was directed by Preston Sturges and written by him based on a story by Earl Felton. The film ...

'' (1949) – Mrs. Smidlap * '' Hellfire'' (1949) – Birdie * '' Look for the Silver Lining'' (1949) – Mrs. Moffitt (uncredited) * '' No Man of Her Own'' (1950) – Boarding House Owner (uncredited) * '' Caged'' (1950) – Grace (uncredited) * ''All That I Have'' (1951) – Mrs. Dalton * '' Rose of Cimarron'' (1952) – Ma Bruce (uncredited) * ''

Lady in the Iron Mask ''Lady in the Iron Mask'' is a 1952 American adventure film''Lady in the Iron Mask''
at

'' (1952) – Madame Duprez (uncredited)

References

Other sources * *

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Howard, Esther 1892 births 1965 deaths Actresses from Boston Actresses from Montana American film actresses American stage actresses Actresses from Butte, Montana 20th-century American actresses