Shirley Mitchell

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Shirley Mitchell was born in Toledo, Ohio, USA on November 4, 1919. Her first performance as an actor was on the Children's Hour on radio station WSPD. She attended the Universities of Toledo and Michigan and worked as an apprentice at the Cleveland Playhouse.

After moving the Chicago, she appeared in the network broadcast of the First Nighter and played small parts in various soap operas such as the Story of Mary Marlin and the Road of Life.

After moving to Los Angeles, she played opposite to Joan Davis in the Sealtest Village Store. She also starred as Honeybee Gillis in the Life of Riley and joined the cast of Fibber McGee and Molly in 1943 as Alice Darling, a defense plant worker who used expressions as "crim-in-ny" and "Creepers".

Her most famous radio role was that of the charismatic Southern Belle Leila Ransom on the Great Gildersleeve radio show beginning in September of 1942.

Shirley was also active in television work. During 1953-54 she played the part of Marion Strong on I Love Lucy and in 1962 she was Mrs. Colton on the CBS-TV comedy series Pete and Gladys. During 1965-67 she appeared as neighbor Marge Thornton on NBC-TVs Please Don't Eat the Daisies.

She is the widow of songwriter Jay Livingston and has two children from a previous marriage.