Kasey Rogers (born Josie Imogene Rogers; December 15, 1925 – July 6, 2006) was an American actress and writer, best known for playing the second Louise Tate in the sitcom '' Bewitched''.

Life and career

Rogers was born Josie Imogene Rogers in

Morehouse, Missouri Morehouse is a city in New Madrid County, Missouri, New Madrid County, Missouri, United States. The population was 741 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. History Morehouse was established as a lumber camp in the 19th century. It was ...

, the daughter of Ina Mae (Mocabee) and Eben E. Rogers. She moved with her family to

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

at the age of two. As a child, her prowess at the game of

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

led her friends to nickname her Casey (after the famous poem "

Casey at the Bat Casey may refer to: Places Antarctica * Casey Station * Casey Range Australia * Casey, Australian Capital Territory * City of Casey, Melbourne * Division of Casey, electoral district for the House of Representatives Canada * Casey, Ontari ...

"). While under contract to Paramount, she used the stage name Laura Elliot. In 1955, she began working with a press agent in Hollywood, Walter Winslow Lewis III (aka "Bud"). It was Bud who suggested that she use the nickname with her maiden name and changed the "C" to a "K". They later married and had four children. Rogers began work under the names Laura Elliott and Laura Elliot for

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

. She appeared in movies such as ''

Special Agent In the United States, a special agent is an official title used to refer to certain investigators or detectives of federal, military, tribal, or state agencies who primarily serve in criminal investigatory positions. Additionally, some special ...

'', '' Samson and Delilah'', '' Silver City'', '' Paid in Full'', '' Two Lost Worlds'', and, in perhaps her best-known film role,

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...

's '' Strangers on a Train'', playing Miriam, the scheming, adulterous wife of Guy Haines ( Farley Granger). In the mid-1950s, Rogers began working on television. She guest-starred on various series, such as '' Sergeant Preston'', ''

Stage 7 ''Stage 7'' is a 30-minute American TV drama anthology series that was broadcast on CBS from December 12, 1954, through September 25, 1955. This program premiered in December 1954 with the title ''Your Favorite Playhouse'' with all episodes being ...

'', ''

The Restless Gun ''The Restless Gun'' is an American Westerns on television, Western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne (actor), John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Ci ...

'', ''

The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture. He first appeared in 1933 in a ...

'', ''

Bat Masterson Bartholemew William Barclay "Bat" Masterson (November 26, 1853 – October 25, 1921) was a U.S. Army scout, lawman, professional gambler, and journalist known for his exploits in the late 19th and early 20th-century American Old West. He was bo ...

'', '' Maverick'', '' Yancy Derringer'', '' Perry Mason'', as Francie Keene in the '' Wanted: Dead or Alive'' episode "Railroaded", and many other programs. In 1964 she landed a starring role on '' Peyton Place'', portraying the character Julie Anderson, the mother of Betty Anderson ( Barbara Parkins). She left the series in 1966 to replace

Irene Vernon Irene Vernon (born Irene Vergauwen, January 16, 1922 – April 21, 1998) was an American actress. Background Vernon was born Irene Vergauwen in Mishawaka, Indiana, and graduated from Mishawaka High School. Following graduation, she moved to ...

in the role of Louise Tate on '' Bewitched''. In 1972, she performed as Louise Tate for the final time in the episode "Serena's Youth Pill". She then retired from acting, appearing in only a few guest television spots and making appearances on the '' Bewitched'' edition of '' E! True Hollywood Story''. A Democrat, she supported the campaign of

Adlai Stevenson Adlai Stevenson may refer to: * Adlai Stevenson I Adlai Ewing Stevenson (October 23, 1835 – June 14, 1914) was an American politician and diplomat who served as the 23rd vice president of the United States from 1893 to 1897 under President Gr ...

during the 1952 presidential election. She was a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

Death

After battling

throat cancer Head and neck cancer is a general term encompassing multiple cancers that can develop in the head and neck region. These include cancers of the mouth, tongue, gums and lips ( oral cancer), voice box ( laryngeal), throat ( nasopharyngeal, orophar ...

for many years, Rogers went into

cardiac arrest Cardiac arrest (also known as sudden cardiac arrest CA is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When the heart stops beating, blood cannot properly Circulatory system, circulate around the body and the blood flow to the ...

. She then suffered a

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

and died in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, on July 6, 2006, aged 80.Kasey Rogers, Veteran Actress, dies at 80
articles.latimes.com, July 13, 2006; accessed May 7, 2015. She was buried at the Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Other achievements

In the 1970s, she became involved with motorcycles after her son began riding and then racing at the age of nine. Rogers became involved in the world of

motocross Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom. History Motocross first evolved in Britain from motorcycle trials competi ...

racing. She worked closely with the AMA and established PURR ("PowderPuffs Unlimited Riders and Racers"), an association that brought women into the male-dominated sport, in 1974. PURR would later evolve into what is now the Women's Pro-Class division.

Books

Rogers wrote five books with Mark Wood. The first was ''The Bewitched Cookbook: Magic in the Kitchen'' (1996), a cookbook based on the television series ''Bewitched'' with the foreword written by Rogers' co-star and friend Sandra Gould. Her other books are ''Halloween Crafts: Eerily Elegant Décor'' (2001), ''Character Wreaths: Holiday Projects for Year 'Round Decor'' (2002), ''Decorating for Christmas'' (2003), and ''Create a Bewitched Falloween: 55 Projects for Decorating and Entertaining'' (2003). In 2013, ''Bewitched and Beyond: The Fan Who Came to Dinner'' by Mark Wood (with Eddie Lucas) was published by BearManor Media, a book that recounts Wood's friendship with Rogers. The title of Charles Tranberg's biography of

Agnes Moorehead Agnes Robertson Moorehead (December 6, 1900April 30, 1974) was an American actress. In a career spanning five decades, her credits included work in radio, stage, film, and television.Obituary '' Variety'', May 8, 1974, page 286. Moorehead was th ...

, ''I Love the Illusion'', derives from Rogers' recounting how Moorehead used this expression when asked about acting.

Partial filmography

*''

'' (1949) - Lucille Peters *'' Top o' the Morning'' (1949) - Larkin's Secretary *'' Chicago Deadline'' (1949) - Marcia Grantland (uncredited) *'' Samson and Delilah'' (1949) - Spectator *'' The File on Thelma Jordon'' (1950) - Dolly - Cleve's Secretary *'' Paid in Full'' (1950) - Tina, Bridesmaid *''

Girls' School Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education, same-sex education, same-gender education, and gender-isolated education, is the practice of conducting education with male and female students attending separate classes, perhaps in se ...

'' (1950) - Lucille Farnsworth *'' No Man of Her Own'' (1950) - Friend of the Family (uncredited) *'' Riding High'' (1950) - Spectator (uncredited) *''

Union Station A union station, union terminal, joint station, or joint-use station is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway company, railway companies, allowing passengers to connect conveniently bet ...

'' (1950) - Jenny - Clerk (uncredited) *'' Dark City'' (1950) - Stewardess (uncredited) *'' Two Lost Worlds'' (1951) - Elaine Jeffries *'' The Mating Season'' (1951) - Bridesmaid / Party Guest (uncredited) *'' A Place in the Sun'' (1951) - Miss Harper (uncredited) *'' Strangers on a Train'' (1951) - Miriam Joyce Haines *'' When Worlds Collide'' (1951) - Stewardess (uncredited) *'' Here Comes the Groom'' (1951) - Maid (uncredited) *'' Silver City'' (1951) - Josephine *'' My Favorite Spy'' (1951) - Maria (uncredited) *'' Something to Live For'' (1952) - Actress at Audition (uncredited) *'' Denver and Rio Grande'' (1952) - Linda Prescott *'' Jamaica Run'' (1953) - Janice Clayton *'' The French Line'' (1953) - Katherine 'Katy' Hodges *'' About Mrs. Leslie'' (1954) - Felice *'' The McConnell Story'' (1955) - Claire (uncredited) *'' Yancy Derringer'' (1958) - Black-eyed Susan *'' Wanted Dead or Alive'' (1959) -- episode entitled "Railroaded" *'' The Gunfight at Dodge City'' (1959) - Molly Day (uncredited) *''

'' (1959) - Episode "A Trial for Jenny May" *'' Ask Any Girl'' (1959) - Girl in Tub (uncredited) *'' Perry Mason'' (1960, TV Series) - Lois Langely, Irate Inventor s3e25 *'' Colt 45 (TV series) (1957) Return To El Paso. Jeanne Delgado *''

'' (1960) - Dixie Mayhew /Francine Wallace *'' The Naked Flame'' (1964) - Elena *'' Peyton Place'' (1964-1965) - Julie Anderson (103 episodes) *'' Bewitched'' (1966-1972, TV Series) - The 2nd Mrs Louise Tate (33 episodes)

References

External links

* *
autographed portrait
archived) {{DEFAULTSORT:Rogers, Kasey 1925 births 2006 deaths Actresses from Missouri American film actresses American television actresses Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) Deaths from esophageal cancer in California People from New Madrid County, Missouri Actors from Missouri Writers from Missouri Missouri Democrats California Democrats American Presbyterians 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American women