Mabel Albertson
Mabel Ida Albertson | |
---|---|
in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir tv series | |
Born |
Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA | July 24, 1901
Died |
September 28, 1982 81) Santa Monica, California, USA | (aged
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1928–1975 |
Spouse(s) |
Harold Austin Ripley (?-?; divorced; 2 children) Ken Englund (1937-1950; separated) |
Mabel Ida Albertson (July 24, 1901 – September 28, 1982) was an American actress.
Life and career
Albertson was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, the daughter of Russian-born Jewish immigrants Flora Craft and Leopold Albertson.[1][2] Her brother was actor Jack Albertson. Albertson's mother, a stock actress, supported the family by working in a shoe factory.[1]
Albertson was best known as Phyllis Stephens, Darrin's neurotic, interfering mother on the television sitcom Bewitched, who invariably ended her stays at the Stephens' home by saying to her husband, "Frank, take me home. I've got another sick headache."
A memorable early film role was as a proper banker's wife who is repulsed by the bucolic title characters in Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki (1955).[3] Albertson appeared in at least one episode of the courtroom drama series, Perry Mason: as Carrie Wilson in the season 6, 1962 episode entitled "The Case of the Hateful Hero".[4] She also played Donald Hollinger's mother on That Girl, Howard Sprague's mother on The Andy Griffith Show, Miss Ramsey on Hazel, Dick Van Dyke's mother on The New Dick Van Dyke Show, and Mrs. Van Hoskins, a wealthy woman whose jewels are stolen, in the screwball comedy, What's Up, Doc? (1972).
Her son George Englund was once married to Cloris Leachman.
She died of Alzheimer's disease on September 28, 1982, at the age of 81, in Santa Monica, California. Her ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean. Her brother Jack Albertson, who died ten months before and was also cremated, also had his ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Jack Albertson's Kinship to Cloris Leachman and Sharon Stone". genealogymagazine.com. Retrieved 2012-01-23.
- ↑ Berkvist, Robert (1973-01-07). "Jack Spreads A Little Sunshine - Jack Spreads Sunshine - Article - NYTimes.com". select.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-01-23.
- ↑ YouTube clip from Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki
- ↑
External links
- Mabel Albertson at the Internet Movie Database
- Mabel Albertson at AllRovi
- Mabel Albertson at the Internet Broadway Database
- Mabel Albertson at Find a Grave
- Mabel Albertson scrapbook, 1933-1939, held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts