Inga Swenson (December 29, 1932 – July 23, 2023) was an American actress and singer. She appeared in multiple Broadway productions and was nominated twice for the

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

for Best Actress in a Musical for her performances as Lizzie Curry in '' 110 in the Shade'' and

Irene Adler Irene Adler is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A former opera singer and actress, she was featured in the short story " A Scandal in Bohemia", published in July 1891. Adler is one of the ...

in ''

Baker Street Baker Street is a street in the Marylebone district of the City of Westminster in London. It is named after builder James Baker. The area was originally high class residential, but now is mainly occupied by commercial premises. The street is ...

''. She also spent seven years portraying Gretchen Kraus in the ABC comedy series '' Benson''.

Early years

Inga Swenson was born in

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

, on December 29, 1932, the youngest of three children of Geneva Pauline ( Seeger) and Axel Carl Richard "A.C.R." Swenson. Her father died in a car accident when she was 15. Swenson graduated from Omaha Central High School in 1950. While attending OCHS, as a junior, Swenson won the state title in the

National Forensic League The National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) is the largest interscholastic speech and debate organization serving middle school and high school students in the United States. It was formed as the National Forensic League in 1925 by Bruno Er ...

's speech contest and later, she won the NFL's national contest. As a high school senior she was considered the school's best vocalist and she was also the president of the Central High Players. She studied drama at

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

under Alvina Krause, among others.

Career

Early in her career, Swenson had supporting roles in the films '' Advise & Consent'' (1962) and ''

The Miracle Worker ''The Miracle Worker'' refers to a broadcast, a play and various other adaptations of Helen Keller's 1903 autobiography '' The Story of My Life''. The first of these works was a 1957 ''Playhouse 90'' broadcast written by William Gibson and sta ...

'' (1962) in which she played

Helen Keller Helen Adams Keller (June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968) was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer. Born in West Tuscumbia, Alabama, she lost her sight and her hearing after a bout of illness when ...

's mother. Swenson was a trained

lyric Lyric may refer to: * Lyrics, the words, often in verse form, which are sung, usually to a melody, and constitute the semantic content of a song * Lyric poetry is a form of poetry that expresses a subjective, personal point of view * Lyric, from t ...

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

and starred on Broadway in ''New Faces'' (c. 1956), and '' The First Gentleman'' (1959), receiving

nominations for Best Actress in a Musical for her performances in '' 110 in the Shade'' (1964) and ''

'' (1965). A life member of

The Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights located on West 44th Street in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, Hell's Kitchen in New York City. The studio is best known for its work refining ...

, she said that her favorite role was Lizzie Currie in the musical '' 110 in the Shade''. Swenson appeared in two episodes of ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 12, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 431 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running Western, the second-longest-running Western series on ...

'': "Inger, My Love" (1962) and "Journey Remembered" (1963) as Hoss's mother. She portrayed Gretchen Kraus, the autocratic and acerbic German cook (later head housekeeper and budget director) in the TV sitcom '' Benson''. Gretchen's catchphrase was, "I hear you!" and known for childhood stories, starting with, "When I was a little girl in Bavaria..." Her portrayal garnered three Emmy nominations. She was cast after having appeared in a multi-episode stint as the conniving revenge-seeking Ingrid Svenson, the Swedish birth mother of Corinne Tate ( Diana Canova), on the TV sitcom ''

Soap Soap is a salt (chemistry), salt of a fatty acid (sometimes other carboxylic acids) used for cleaning and lubricating products as well as other applications. In a domestic setting, soaps, specifically "toilet soaps", are surfactants usually u ...

''. (''Benson'' was a spinoff of ''Soap'' and shared the same producers.) She also appeared as Northern matriarch Maude Hazard in the mini-series '' North and South'' in 1985 and again in 1986. Swenson retired from acting in 1998.

Personal life and death

Swenson married actor/singer Lowell Harris in 1953, and the couple had two sons: Mark and James. James died in a motorcycle accident in 1987, at the age of 26. Mark is retired from the motion picture and television film editing field and the financial services industry. Swenson died in Los Angeles on July 23, 2023, at the age of 90.

Stage credits

*Stage debut – Maid, '' Peg O' My Heart'', Berkshire Playhouse, Stockbridge, MA, 1949. *Broadway debut – Singer, ''New Faces of '56 (revue)'',

Ethel Barrymore Theatre The Ethel Barrymore Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 243 West 47th Street (Manhattan), 47th Street in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1928, it ...

, 1956. *London debut – Lizzie Currie, ''110 in the Shade'', Palace Theatre, 1967.

Principal stage appearances

* Princess Alexandria, ''The Swan'', Minnie Fay, '' The Merchant of Yonkers'', singer, ''Sing Out, Sweet Land'', and extra, ''

Othello ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'', often shortened to ''Othello'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulat ...

'', all Playhouse Theatre, Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania, 1952. * Aunt Anna Rose, ''Treasure Hunt'', Monica, ''The Medium'', Lucy, ''The Telephone'', Dunyasha, ''The Cherry Orchard'', Alizon Elliot, ''The Lady's Not for Burning'', and Isabelle, ''Ring 'round the Moon'', all Playhouse Theatre, Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania, 1953. * Georgie Elgin, ''The Country Girl'', Celia Copplestone, ''The Cocktail Party'', Mrs. Larue, ''Mrs. McThing'', Countess Aurelia, ''The Madwoman of Chaillot'', and Angelique, ''The Imaginary Invalid'', all Playhouse Theatre, Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania, 1954. * Olivia, ''Twelfth Night'', Jan Hus Playhouse, New York City, 1954. * Princess Charlotte, ''The First Gentleman'', Belasco Theatre, New York City, 1957. * Madge, ''Picnic'', and Amy Kittridge, ''A Swim in the Sea'', both Royal Poinciana Playhouse, Palm Beach, FL, 1958. * Ophelia, ''Hamlet'', Helena, ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'', and Perdita, ''The Winter's Tale'', all American Shakespeare Festival, Stratford, CT, 1958. * Amy Kittridge, ''A Swim in the Sea'',

Walnut Street Theatre Walnut Street Theatre, founded in 1808 at 825 Walnut Street, on the corner of S. 9th Street in the Washington Square West neighborhood of Philadelphia, is the oldest operating theatre in the United States. The venue is operated by Walnut Str ...

Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, 1958. * Juliet, ''Romeo and Juliet'', American Shakespeare Festival, 1959. * Solveig, ''Peer Gynt'', Phoenix Theatre, New York City, 1960. * Julie Jordan, ''Carousel'', Melody Top Theatre, Hillside, IL, 1962. * Gillian, ''Bell, Book, and Candle'', Kiamesha Playhouse, Kiamesha Lake, New York, 1962. * Desdemona, ''Othello'', Arena Stage, Washington, DC, 1963. * Magnolia, ''Show Boat'',

Kenley Players The Kenley Players was an Actors' Equity Association, Equity summer stock theatre company which presented hundreds of productions featuring Broadway theatre, Broadway, film, and television stars in Midwestern cities between 1940 and 1995. ''Variet ...

, Warren, OH, then

Columbus, OH Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...

, both 1963. * Lizzie Currie, ''110 in the Shade'',

Broadhurst Theatre The Broadhurst Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 235 West 44th Street (Manhattan), 44th Street in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1917, the thea ...

, New York City, 1963. * Irene Adler, ''Baker Street'',

Broadway Theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences#-re, -er, American and British English spelling differences), many of the List of ...

, New York City, 1965. * title role, ''Mary Stuart'', Parker Playhouse, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 1967. *

Eliza Doolittle Eliza Doolittle is a fictional character and the protagonist in George Bernard Shaw's play '' Pygmalion'' (1913) and its 1956 musical adaptation, ''My Fair Lady''. Eliza (from Lisson Grove, London) is a Cockney flower seller, who comes to Prof ...

, ''My Fair Lady'', City Center Light Opera Company, City center theater, New York City, 1968. * Lady Alice More, ''A Man for All Seasons'',

Center Theatre Group Center Theatre Group is a non-profit arts organization located in Los Angeles, California. It is one of the largest theatre companies in the nation, programming subscription seasons year-round at the Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson Theatre and th ...

, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 1979. *

The Crucible ''The Crucible'' is a 1953 play by the American playwright Arthur Miller. It is a dramatized and partially fictionalized story of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Province of Massachusetts Bay from 1692 to 1693. Miller wrote ...

, Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre, 1972 * ''The Four Poster'', New Stage Theatre, Jackson, MS, 1979.

Major theatrical tours

* Marie Louise, '' My Three Angels'', U.S. cities, 1957. * Julie Jordan, ''

Carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (International English), or galloper (British English) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The seats are tradit ...

'', U.S. cities, 1960. * Lizzie Currie, '' 110 in the Shade'', U.S. cities, 1963

Movie credits

* Ellen Anderson, '' Advise & Consent'', Columbia, 1962 * Kate Keller, ''

'',

United Artists United Artists (UA) is an American film production and film distribution, distribution company owned by Amazon MGM Studios. In its original operating period, it was founded in February 1919 by Charlie Chaplin, D. W. Griffith, Mary Pickford an ...

, 1962 * Sister Monica, ''

Lipstick Lipstick is a cosmetics, cosmetic product used to apply coloration and texture to lips, often made of wax and oil. Different pigments are used to produce color, and minerals such as silica may be used to provide texture. The use of lipstick ...

'',

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. **Paramount Picture ...

, 1976 * Mrs. Craddock, '' The Betsy'', Allied Artists, 1978 * Singer, '' The Mountain Men'', Columbia, 1980

Television credits

Television debut – Singer, Chrysler Special,

CBC CBC may refer to: Media * Cadena Baja California or Grupo Cadena, a radio and television broadcaster in Mexico * Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada's radio and television public broadcaster ** CBC Television ** CBC Radio One ** CBC Music ** ...

(Canadian television), 1957.

Television series

* Gretchen Kraus, '' Benson'', ABC, 1979–86.

Television mini-series

* Amelia Foster, ''Testimony of Two Men'', syndicated, 1977. * Maude Hazard, '' North and South'', ABC, 1985. * Maude Hazard, ''

North and South, Book II ''North and South'' is a trilogy of American television miniseries broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company network in 1985, 1986, and 1994. Set before, during, and immediately after the American Civil War, they are based on the 1980s tri ...

'', ABC, 1986. * Marilyn Bradshaw Reagan, ''Nutcracker: Money, Madness, and Murder'', NBC, 1987.

Television episodes

* Liza, "The Best Wine", '' Goodyear Playhouse'',

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

, 1957 * Marjorie, "The World of Nick Adams", '' The Seven Lively Arts'',

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

, 1957 * Maria, "Heart of Darkness", ''

Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' is an American television anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 134 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology drama series of t ...

'', CBS, 1958 * Milly Theale, "Wings of the Dove", ''Playhouse 90'', CBS, 1958 * Vera, "Goodbye, But It Doesn't Go Away", ''

The United States Steel Hour ''The United States Steel Hour'' is an anthology series which brought hour-long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the United States Steel Corporation (U.S. ...

'', CBS, 1958 * Rose Maylie, "Oliver Twist", '' DuPont Show of the Month'', CBS, 1959 * Lady Jane, "Victoria Regina", ''

Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas Citybased greeting card company. It is the longest-ru ...

'', NBC, 1961 * Inger Borgstrom Cartwright, "Inger, My Love" and "Journey Remembered", ''

'', NBC, 1962 * Henrietta Higgins, "The Sod House Woman", '' Sara'', CBS, 1976 * Marie Barrett, "Hitchhike To Terror", ''

Barnaby Jones ''Barnaby Jones'' is an American detective fiction, detective television series starring Buddy Ebsen as a formerly retired investigator and Lee Meriwether as his widowed daughter-in-law. They run a private detective firm in Los Angeles, Califor ...

'', CBS, 1978 * Ingrid Svenson, ''

'', ABC, 1978–79 * Helen's mother, "Sex & Violence" (unaired), '' Highcliffe Manor'', NBC, 1979 * Sonya Green, "Till Death Do Us Part", ''

Hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...

'', ABC, 1988 * Holly Lindstrom, "Little Sister", ''

The Golden Girls ''The Golden Girls'' is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. The show's ensemble cast stars Beatrice Arthur, Betty ...

'', NBC, 1989 * Madelyn Stone, "George and the Old Maid", ''

Newhart ''Newhart'' is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS from October 25, 1982, to May 21, 1990, with a total of 184 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons. The series stars Bob Newhart and Mary Frann as an author and his wife, respe ...

'', CBS, 1989.

Other television

* '' The Defenders'', CBS, 1961 and 1962 * '' Dr. Kildare'', NBC, 1962 * '' The Nurses'', CBS, 1963 * '' American Musical Theatre'', CBS, 1964 * ''

The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has been broadcast on NBC since 1954. The program has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2 ...

'', NBC, 1964 * ''My Father and My Mother'', CBS Playhouse, CBS, 1968 * '' Medical Center'', CBS, 1970 and 1971 * ''The Tape Recorder'',

NET Playhouse ''NET Playhouse'' is an American dramatic television anthology series produced by National Educational Television. NET subsequently merged with WNDT Newark to form WNET, and was superseded by the Public Broadcasting Service, though the NET titl ...

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

, 1970

Television movies

* Ilyana Kovalefskii, ''

Earth II ''Earth II'' is a 1971 pilot, aired November 28 (and released theatrically outside North America), for a television series about a colony established in orbit around the Earth. A WABE Production in association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Tele ...

'', ABC, 1971. * Nora Bayes, '' Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women'', NBC, 1978. * Matty Kline, ''Bay Cove'', NBC, 1987.

Television specials

* Kate, ''The Gay Deceivers'', CBC, 1958. * Lavinia, ''Androcles and the Lion'', NBC, 1967. * Mrs. Trimble, ''My Dear Uncle Sherlock'', ABC Short Story Specials, ABC, 1977. * Mrs. Marston, ''The Terrible Secret'', ''

ABC Afterschool Special ''ABC Afterschool Special'' is an American anthology television series that aired on ABC from October 4, 1972, to January 23, 1997, usually in the late afternoon on weekdays. Most episodes were dramatically presented situations, often controve ...

'', ABC, 1979.

Notes

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Swenson, Inga 1932 births 2023 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Omaha, Nebraska American stage actresses American film actresses American television actresses Northwestern University alumni Omaha Central High School alumni