Beatrice Pons

Beatrice Pons
Born January 28, 1906(1906-01-28)
Died June 1991
Occupation Actress
Years active 1964–1987
Spouse David Ross (19??–1975; his death); 1 child

Beatrice Pons (January 28, 1906 – June 1991)[1] was an American stage, television and film actress, best-known for her recurring television roles on Sgt. Bilko and Car 54, Where Are You?. She appeared as "Mother" in the independent cult horror film Mother's Day under the name Rose Ross.

Contents

Life and career

Pons' first television appearance was on the NBC anthology series Goodyear Television Playhouse. She may be best-remembered for her recurring roles as Mrs. Emma Ritzik on the television sitcom The Phil Silvers Show and as Lucille Toody on the sitcom Car 54, Where Are You?, with her husband in both series played by veteran comedic actor Joe E. Ross. She also made appearances on the long-running American radio-turned-television series The Goldbergs, The United States Steel Hour, and the CBS prime time drama The Nurses.

In her later years, Pons began appearing in films. In 1964 she made her film debut in the comedy Diary of a Bachelor. In 1980 she played her last role, that of "Mother" in the cult classic horror film Mother's Day, in which she chose to be credited as Rose Ross (her real-life husband's surname was Ross).[2] [3]

Later film credits include Rachel, Rachel, which starred Joanne Woodward and was directed by Woodward's husband, actor Paul Newman, and Forever, Lulu, which starred Deborah Harry and Alec Baldwin.

Personal life

Pons was married to radio personality David Ross (died November 12, 1975, Manhattan), by whom she had a son, Jonathan.[4]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1964 Diary of a Bachelor Thelma
1968 Rachel, Rachel
1980 Mother's Day Mother credited as Rose Ross
1984 Rent Control Leonard's mother
1987 Forever, Lulu Fortune Teller
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1952 Goodyear Television Playhouse episode: "The Twenty-Third Mission"
1956 The Goldbergs Head nurse episode: "Nurse's Aide"
1958 The United States Steel Hour Danka episode: "Top Secret Mission"
1956–1959 The Phil Silvers Show Mrs. Emma Ritzik recurring role; 11 episodes
1959 Keep in Step Mrs. Emma Ritzik TV Movie
1961–1963 Car 54, Where Are You? Lucille Toody recurring role; 21 episodes
1964 The Nurses Mrs. Radnitz episode: "So Some Girls Play the Cello", other title: The Doctors and the Nurses

References

  1. ^ Ancestry.com years of birth and death
  2. ^ "TRAUMA-MOMMAS: 10 most Horrifying Movie Moms". kindertrauma.com. http://www.kindertrauma.com/?p=362. Retrieved April 5, 2011. 
  3. ^ "Interview With Mother's Day Actress Nancy Hendrickson" by John Klyza • August 12, 2009 "Btw, Rose Ross was actually Beatrice Pons who played the cook's wife on the 50′s TV series, “Sgt. Bilko”, starring Phil Silvers. She was also a regular [as] Officer Toody's wife) on the 1960′s show “Car 54, Where Are You?” Since she's passed away now and the statute of limitations is up, I think her true identity can be revealed without getting her in any trouble with the Screen Actors Guild."
  4. ^ New York Times obituary, Friday, November 14, 1975 "DAVID ROSS DIES; POET-ANNOUNCER; Radio Personality, 84 ... Surviving are his wife, the former Beatrice Pons, an actress; a son, Jonathan ... and two children by a prior marriage, David Ross Jr. and Helen Webber; died Wednesday of a heart attack at Lenox Hill Hospital. He was 84 years old and lived at 829 Park Avenue.

External links