Edith Evanson ( Carlson; April 29, 1896 – November 29, 1980) was an American actress of film, character and television during the

Golden Age of Hollywood Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall * Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestersh ...

Life and career

She was born Edith Carlson in

Tacoma, Washington Tacoma ( ) is the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, Washington, Olympia, and northwest of Mount ...

."Coincidence." ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.'' November 3, 1949. Her first job was as a

court reporter A court reporter, court stenographer, or shorthand reporter is a person whose occupation is to capture the live testimony in proceedings using a stenographic machine, thereby transforming the proceedings into an official certified transcript ...

in Bellingham. On March 15, 1923, she married Morris Otto Evanson (1893-1975). The couple had no children. Her first film role came in ''The Man Who Wouldn't Talk'' (1940) in an uncredited role. In the 1940s she was in supporting roles mostly as a maid, a busybody, landladies, or middle-aged secretaries. Some of her other film roles include parts in ''

Citizen Kane ''Citizen Kane'' is a 1941 American drama film produced by, directed by, and starring Orson Welles. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Herman J. Mankiewicz. The picture was Welles' first feature film. ''Citizen Kane'' is frequently cited ...

'' (1941), ''

Blossoms in the Dust ''Blossoms in the Dust'' is a 1941 American biographical film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Felix Bressart, Marsha Hunt, Fay Holden and Samuel S. Hinds. It tells the true story of Edna Gladney, who help ...

'' (1941), '' Woman of the Year'' (1942), ''

Reunion in France ''Reunion in France'' is a 1942 American war film distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer starring Joan Crawford, John Wayne, and Philip Dorn in a story about a woman in occupied France who, learning her well-heeled lover has German connections, ai ...

'' (1942), '' The Strange Woman'' (1947), '' I Remember Mama'' (1948), ''

Rope A rope is a group of yarns, plies, fibres, or strands that are twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have tensile strength and so can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger than similarly ...

'' (1948), '' The Damned Don't Cry'' (1950), ''

The Day the Earth Stood Still ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'' (a.k.a. ''Farewell to the Master'' and ''Journey to the World'') is a 1951 American science fiction film from 20th Century Fox, produced by Julian Blaustein and directed by Robert Wise. It stars Michael Renn ...

'' (1951) and

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

's '' Toby Tyler'' (1960). During her time in Hollywood, she co-starred opposite some of its greatest legends, including

Greer Garson Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson (29 September 1904 – 6 April 1996) was an English-American actress and singer. She was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer who became popular during the Second World War for her portrayal of strong women on the h ...

Walter Pidgeon Walter Davis Pidgeon (September 23, 1897 – September 25, 1984) was a Canadian-American actor. He earned two Academy Award for Best Actor nominations for his roles in ''Mrs. Miniver'' (1942) and ''Madame Curie'' (1943). Pidgeon also starred in ...

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion pic ...

, Michael Rennie,

Glenn Ford Gwyllyn Samuel Newton "Glenn" Ford (May 1, 1916 – August 30, 2006) was a Canadian-American actor who often portrayed ordinary men in unusual circumstances. Ford was most prominent during Hollywood's Golden Age as one of the biggest box-offic ...

Patricia Neal Patricia Neal (born Patsy Louise Neal, January 20, 1926 – August 8, 2010) was an American actress of stage and screen. A major star of the 1950s and 1960s, she was the recipient of an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and two ...

, James Stewart,

Irene Dunne Irene Dunne (born Irene Marie Dunn; December 20, 1898 – September 4, 1990) was an American actress who appeared in films during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She is best known for her comedic roles, though she performed in films of other genr ...

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two conse ...

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

, and

Hedy Lamarr Hedy Lamarr (; born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler; November 9, 1914 January 19, 2000) was an Austrian-born American film actress and inventor. A film star during Hollywood's golden age, Lamarr has been described as one of the greatest movie actress ...

. With the coming of

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication Media (communication), medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of Transmission (telecommunications), television tra ...

in the late 1940s she expanded in her career appearing on such shows as '' You Are There'', ''

The Loretta Young Show ''The Loretta Young Show'' (originally known as ''Letter to Loretta'') is an American anthology drama television series broadcast on Sunday nights from September 2, 1953, to June 4, 1961, on NBC for a total of 165 episodes. The series was hoste ...

'', '' Chevron Hall of Stars'', '' Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre'', '' The Millionaire'', '' Zane Grey Theater'', ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was r ...

'', '' The Frank Sinatra Show'', '' Bachelor Father'', '' Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond'', and ''

Lassie Lassie is a fictional female Rough Collie dog and is featured in a short story by Eric Knight that was later expanded to a full-length novel called '' Lassie Come-Home''. Knight's portrayal of Lassie bears some features in common with another ...

''. A stage actress as well as film star, Evanson often appeared in productions which were staged in the Los Angeles area. She played a Swedish mother reminiscing about the births, deaths, and lives of her children in DeWitt Bodeen's play, ''Harvest of Years'' in 1946 (Evanson's performance was called "poignant" by the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...

''). Although Evanson had played one of the aunts in the 1948 film ''I Remember Mama'', she portrayed Mama herself on stage just a year later. Director

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head of ...

, a friend of Evanson, asked her to coach

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

on a Swedish accent for Monroe's role in the unfinished film ''

Something's Got to Give ''Something's Got to Give'' is an unfinished American feature film shot in 1962, directed by George Cukor for 20th Century Fox and starring Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin and Cyd Charisse. A remake of '' My Favorite Wife'' (1940), a screwball comed ...

'' (from which Monroe was eventually fired). Evanson spent several months with Monroe, and spoke to her just days before the troubled actress's death. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Evanson found herself getting little work in Hollywood due to her advancing age; though she was credited with an appearance on ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central chara ...

'' in 1964, playing “Nell”, an old senile housekeeper in the episode “Father’s Love” (S9E24) and in 1974 she made her last appearance in an episode of ''

Apple's Way ''Apple's Way'' is an American drama television series that aired on CBS from February 10, 1974, to January 12, 1975. It was created by Earl Hamner Jr. Premise The Apples of Los Angeles—architect George, his wife Barbara, their children Paul ...

''. Evanson was a lifelong Democrat who supported the campaign of

Adlai Stevenson Adlai Stevenson may refer to: * Adlai Stevenson I (1835–1914), U.S. Vice President (1893–1897) and Congressman (1879–1881) * Adlai Stevenson II (1900–1965), Governor of Illinois (1949–1953), U.S. presidential candida ...

during the 1952 presidential election. Following her retirement, she lived in

Riverside, California Riverside is a city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States, in the Inland Empire metropolitan area. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River. It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire and ...

, until her death from heart failure on November 29, 1980. Her ashes were scattered into the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contine ...

Selected filmography

*'' The Man Who Wouldn't Talk'' (1940) - Hannah (uncredited) *'' Life with Henry'' (1940) - Anne - Swedish Maid (uncredited) *''

'' (1941) - Leland's Nurse (uncredited) *''

'' (1941) - Hilda, Mrs. Kahly's Maid (uncredited) *'' Woman of the Year'' (1942) - Alma *'' Girl Trouble'' (1942) - Huida *'' Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant'' (1942) - Hilda (uncredited) *''

'' (1942) - Genevieve *'' Chetniks! The Fighting Guerrillas'' (1943) - Mother (uncredited) *''

The Moon Is Down ''The Moon Is Down'' is a novel by American writer John Steinbeck. Fashioned for adaptation for the theatre and for which Steinbeck received the Norwegian King Haakon VII Freedom Cross, it was published by Viking Press in March 1942. The story t ...

'' (1943) - Ludwig's Wife (uncredited) *''

Bomber's Moon ''Bomber's Moon'' is a 1943 American wartime propaganda film, produced by 20th Century Fox, based on an unpublished magazine serial "Bomber's Moon" by Leonard Lee. Plot Captain Jeff Dakin ( George Montgomery) is shot down over Germany on a bomb ...

'' (1943) - Elsa (uncredited) *'' There's Something About a Soldier'' (1943) - Mrs. Emma Edwards (uncredited) *'' Swing Out the Blues'' (1943) - Mrs. T.W. (uncredited) *'' Four Jills in a Jeep'' (1944) - French Maid (scenes deleted) *''The Soul of a Monster'' (1944) - Mrs. Jameson, Housekeeper (uncredited) *'' And Now Tomorrow'' (1944) - Mrs. Vankovitch (uncredited) *''

Youth on Trial ''Youth on Trial'' is a 1945 American crime drama film noir mystery film directed by Budd Boetticher (as Oscar Boetticher Jr.) and starring Cora Sue Collins, David Reed, Eric Sinclair, Georgia Bayes and Robert B. Williams.Budd Boetticher: The La ...

'' (1945) - Mother (uncredited) *'' The Jade Mask'' (1945) - Louise Harper *'' Captain Eddie'' (1945) - Nurse (uncredited) *''

The Fighting Guardsman ''The Fighting Guardsman'' is a 1946 American adventure film directed by Henry Levin. It was a swashbuckler starring Willard Parker based on a novel by Alexander Dumas. Plot A French baron ( Willard Parker) leads rebels like a Robin Hood, stea ...

'' (1946) - Mame. Paquin (uncredited) *'' The Scarlet Horseman'' (1946) - Lu (uncredited) *'' The Notorious Lone Wolf'' (1946) - Olga - Carla's Maid *'' Mysterious Intruder'' (1946) - Mrs. Ward (uncredited) *'' Don't Gamble with Strangers'' (1946) - Mrs. Fielding - Swedish Maid *'' The Bachelor's Daughters'' (1946) - Secretary (uncredited) *'' The Strange Woman'' (1946) - Mrs. Coggins (uncredited) *'' Fun on a Weekend'' (1947) - Mr. Cowperwaithe's Secretary (uncredited) *'' The Corpse Came C.O.D.'' (1947) - Rose's Assistant (uncredited) *''

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

'' (1947) - Mrs. Edith Barnes *'' Forever Amber'' (1947) - Sarah (uncredited) *'' I Remember Mama'' (1948) - Aunt Sigrid *''

'' (1948) - Mrs. Wilson *'' The Gallant Blade'' (1948) - Bit (uncredited) *''

You Gotta Stay Happy ''You Gotta Stay Happy'' is a 1948 American romantic comedy film directed by H.C. Potter and starring Joan Fontaine, James Stewart and Eddie Albert. It was distributed by Universal-International and produced by Karl Tunberg. The film was writte ...

'' (1948) - Mrs. Racknell *'' Big Jack'' (1949) - Widow Simpson (uncredited) *''

Madame Bovary ''Madame Bovary'' (; ), originally published as ''Madame Bovary: Provincial Manners'' ( ), is a novel by French writer Gustave Flaubert, published in 1856. The eponymous character lives beyond her means in order to escape the banalities and em ...

'' (1949) - Mother Superior (uncredited) *'' Perfect Strangers'' (1950) - Mary Travers *'' The Damned Don't Cry'' (1950) - Mrs. Castleman *'' Caged'' (1950) - Miss Barker (uncredited) *''

Union Station A union station (also known as a union terminal, a joint station in Europe, and a joint-use station in Japan) is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to ...

'' (1950) - Mrs. Willecombe (uncredited) *'' The Magnificent Yankee'' (1950) - Annie Gough *''

The Company She Keeps ''The Company She Keeps'' is a 1951 drama film starring Lizabeth Scott, Jane Greer and Dennis O'Keefe. The film was directed by John Cromwell, whose film the previous year, ''Caged'', also concerned a woman sent to prison. It marked Jeff ...

'' (1951) - Mrs. Holman (uncredited) *'' The Redhead and the Cowboy'' (1951) - Mrs. Barrett *'' Rawhide'' (1951) - Mrs. Hickman (uncredited) *'' Ace in the Hole'' (1951) - Miss Deverich (uncredited) *''

'' (1951) - Mrs. Crockett (uncredited) *''

Elephant Stampede ''Elephant Stampede'' is a 1951 American adventure film directed by Ford Beebe and starring Johnny Sheffield, Donna Martell and Edith Evanson. It was the sixth in the 12-film Bomba, the Jungle Boy series. The film's sets were designed by the a ...

'' (1951) - Miss Banks *''

Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales. Andersen's fairy tales, consist ...

'' (1952) - Mrs. Berta (uncredited) *'' Down Among the Sheltering Palms'' (1953) - Mrs. Edgett (uncredited) *'' It Happens Every Thursday'' (1953) - Mrs. Peterson *'' Shane'' (1953) - Mrs. Shipstead *''

The Stranger Wore a Gun ''The Stranger Wore a Gun'' is a 1953 American Western film directed by Andre DeToth and starring Randolph Scott and Claire Trevor. Based on the short story "Yankee Gold" by John W. Cunningham, the film is about a former spy who moves to Arizo ...

'' (1953) - Mrs. Martin (uncredited) *''

The Big Heat ''The Big Heat'' is a 1953 American film noir crime film directed by Fritz Lang starring Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, and Jocelyn Brando about a cop who takes on the crime syndicate that controls his city. William P. McGivern's serial in ''The ...

'' (1953) - Selma Parker *'' About Mrs. Leslie'' (1954) - Mrs. Fine *'' Désirée'' (1954) - Queen Hedwig (uncredited) *'' The Road to Denver'' (1955) - Mrs. Garrett (uncredited) *'' The Silver Star'' (1955) - Belle Dowdy *'' City of Shadows'' (1955) - Mrs. Fellows (uncredited) *'' The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing'' (1955) - Josie (uncredited) *'' The Leather Saint'' (1956) - Stella *'' Storm Center'' (1956) - Mrs. Simmons (uncredited) *'' The Quiet Gun'' (1957) - Mrs. Merrick *'' Drango'' (1957) - Mrs. Blackford *'' The Young Stranger'' (1957) - Lotte, the Dittmar Cook (uncredited) *''

The Restless Gun ''The Restless Gun'' is an American Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is an ...

'' (1958) - Aunt Minnie in Episode "A Pressing Engagement" *''

'' (1959) - Episode "The Sweet Sisters" *''

Journey to the Center of the Earth ''Journey to the Center of the Earth'' (french: Voyage au centre de la Terre), also translated with the variant titles ''A Journey to the Centre of the Earth'' and ''A Journey into the Interior of the Earth'', is a classic science fiction novel ...

'' (1959) - Innkeeper (uncredited) *'' Toby Tyler'' (1960) - Aunt Olive *'' Swingin' Along'' (1961) - Woman (uncredited) *'' The Clown and the Kid'' (1961) - Mother Superior *''

Twice-Told Tales ''Twice-Told Tales'' is a short story collection in two volumes by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The first volume was published in the spring of 1837 and the second in 1842. The stories had all been previously published in magazines and annuals, hence th ...

'' (1963) - Lisabetta, the landlady *''

The Prize The Prize may refer to: * ''The Prize'' (novel), a 1962 novel by Irving Wallace ** ''The Prize'' (1963 film), a 1963 film based on the novel * ''The Prize'' (1950 film), a 1950 French film * ''The Prize'' (2011 film), a 2011 Mexican film * * ...

'' (1963) - Mrs. Ahlquist (uncredited) *''

Marnie ''Marnie'' is an English crime novel, written by Winston Graham and first published in 1961. It has been adapted as a Marnie (film), film, a stage play and an Marnie (opera), opera. Plot ''Marnie'' is about a young woman who makes a living by em ...

'' (1964) - Rita - Cleaning Woman *''

Penelope Penelope ( ; Ancient Greek: Πηνελόπεια, ''Pēnelópeia'', or el, Πηνελόπη, ''Pēnelópē'') is a character in Homer's ''Odyssey.'' She was the queen of Ithaca and was the daughter of Spartan king Icarius and naiad Periboea. ...

'' (1966) - Newsstand Proprietor (uncredited) *'' The Split'' (1968) - Woman in Police Station (uncredited) *''

The Seven Minutes ''The Seven Minutes'' is a novel by Irving Wallace published in 1969 and released by Simon & Schuster. The book is a fictional account of the effects of pornography and the related arguments about freedom of speech. Synopsis A novel titled ' ...

'' (1971) - Cassie

References

External links

*
in the trailer for ''Rope'' (1948)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Evanson, Edith 1896 births 1980 deaths Actresses from Tacoma, Washington People from Riverside County, California American film actresses American television actresses American Protestants California Democrats 20th-century American actresses