Ann McCrea

Last updated
Ann McCrea
Born (1931-02-25) February 25, 1931 (age 93)
Occupation(s)Film and television actress
Years active1952–1971

Ann McCrea (born February 25, [1] 1931) [2] [3] is an American film and television actress. She is known for playing Midge Kelsey in the American sitcom television series The Donna Reed Show . [4]

Contents

Life and career

McCrea was born in DuBois, Pennsylvania [5] to a Greek mother and Scottish father. [4] At an early age, she decided that she wanted to become an actress after seeing stage plays in New York. [6] McCrea attended a modeling school, and became a cover girl and model. [6] She met Bing Crosby, who encouraged her to move to Hollywood, California. [7]

Mccrea began her acting career in 1952, appearing in the film Deadline – U.S.A. playing the uncredited role of "Sally Gardner". She also guest-starred in television programs including Bachelor Father , Mr. Lucky , The Deputy , Johnny Midnight , Tales of Wells Fargo , Rawhide , Perry Mason , McHale's Navy , The Bob Cummings Show , Family Affair and Wendy and Me . [8] McCrea appeared in films such as Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? , About Mrs. Leslie , Sweethearts on Parade , Welcome to Hard Times , The War Wagon , I Married a Woman , China Doll , Pardners , Singin' in the Rain and The Ladies Man . [7]

From 1963 to 1966, McCrea played Midge Kelsey, the next-door neighbour of the title character, in the American sitcom television series The Donna Reed Show . [4]

Filmography

Films
YearTitleRoleNote
1967 The War Wagon Felicia
1967 Welcome to Hard Times Flo
1962 Girls! Girls! Girls! Mrs. Arthur MorganUncredited
1961 Man-Trap Arlene-AndersUncredited
1960Simon Lash: The Black BookMavisTV movie
1958 Rock-a-Bye Baby SecretaryUncredited
1958 China Doll Mona Perkins
1958 I Married a Woman Luxenburg GirlUncredited
1957 Kiss Them for Me LucilleUncredited
1957 The Sad Sack Girl on TrainUncredited
1957 Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? Gladys
1956 Pardners Dance Hall GirlUncredited
1955 Artists and Models JanetUncredited
1954 About Mrs. Leslie Precious - Nightclub GirlUncredited
1954 River of No Return Dance Hall GirlUncredited
1953 Sweethearts on Parade Flo
1953 The Band Wagon Chorus Member in Hotel SuiteUncredited
1953 I Love Melvin ChorineUncredited
1952 Singin' in the Rain Chorus GirlUncredited
1952 Deadline - U.S.A. Sally GardenerUncredited
Television
YearTitleRoleNote
1966–1971 My Three Sons Mrs. Webber / Nurse #2 / Mrs. Masters / Mrs. Crawford / Betty
1966–1968 Family Affair Clara / Mrs. Bowers
1963–1966 The Donna Reed Show Midge Kelsey / Midge
1964–1965 Wendy and Me Mrs. Ferguson
1964No Time for SergeantsAmelia Taggert
1963 McHale's Navy Carol Kimberly
1962ShannonPhyllis Gray
1961–1962 Surfside 6 Lola Scott / Maggie
1961 Coronado 9 Linda Bowen
1961 Assignment: Underwater May Stanley
1961 The Brothers Brannagan Martha
1959–1960 Bachelor Father Lila West / Diana Rogers
1960 Johnny Midnight Winette 'Winnie' LaRonde / Eileen
1960 The Deputy Helen Swayde
1960 Mr. Lucky Deena
1960 Tales of Wells Fargo Sarah
1952–1960 Death Valley Days Barmaid / Merinda Pratt / Lucy
1960 Black Saddle Liz Buckley
1960 The DuPont Show with June Allyson Ann
1959 One Step Beyond Ann Morris
1959 Rawhide Woman
1959 Tightrope Lucille
1959 Colonel Humphrey Flack Diane
1959 Rescue 8 Janet Pauson
1958 Pursuit
1958 The Thin Man Billie Benson
1958 Perry Mason Margo Garvin
1957–1958 State Trooper Delphine Schigalo / Debbie Lang
1958 Cheyenne Faith Swain
1958The Adventures of McGrawFrancine Denquist
1956 The Bob Cummings Show
1955 The Man Behind the Badge Laura

Related Research Articles

<i>The Donna Reed Show</i> American sitcom (1958–1966)

The Donna Reed Show is an American sitcom starring Donna Reed as the middle-class housewife Donna Stone. Carl Betz co-stars as her pediatrician husband Dr. Alex Stone, and Shelley Fabares and Paul Petersen as their teenage children, Mary and Jeff. The show originally aired on ABC from September 24, 1958, to March 19, 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suzanne Pleshette</span> American actress (1937–2008)

Suzanne Pleshette was an American actress. Pleshette was known for her roles in theatre, film, and television. She received nominations for three Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. For her role as Emily Hartley on the CBS sitcom The Bob Newhart Show (1972–1978) she received two Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series nominations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Hagen</span> American actress (1923–1977)

Jean Hagen was an American actress best known for her role as Lina Lamont in Singin' in the Rain (1952), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Hagen was also nominated three times for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Margaret Williams on the first three seasons (1953–56) of the television series The Danny Thomas Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shelley Fabares</span> American actress and singer (born 1944)

Michele Ann Marie "Shelley" Fabares is a retired American actress and singer. She is best known for her television roles as Mary Stone on the sitcom The Donna Reed Show (1958–1963) and as Christine Armstrong on the sitcom Coach (1989–1997), the latter of which earned her two Primetime Emmy Awards nominations. Her film roles include playing the leading lady to Elvis Presley in Girl Happy, Spinout and Clambake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lynn Hamilton (actress)</span> American actress

Lynn Hamilton is an American retired actress whose acting debut came in 1959 in John Cassavetes' Shadows, She is best known for her recurring role as Donna Harris; Fred's girlfriend and later fiancée on the sitcom Sanford and Son (1972–1977) and as Verdie Foster on The Waltons. She also appeared on the detective series Mannix in the season 3 episode 13 as the wife of a police detective who hires Mannix to save her son.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandy Descher</span> American actress

Sandra Kay Descher is an American former child actress of the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen Nolan</span> American actress; President of the SAG

Kathleen Nolan is an American actress and former president of the Screen Actors Guild. From 1957 to 1962, she played Kate McCoy, a housewife, on the television series The Real McCoys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gigi Perreau</span> American actress

Ghislaine Elizabeth Marie Thérèse Perreau-Saussine, known professionally as Gigi Perreau, is an American film and television actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jo de Winter</span> American actress

Juanita Adamina, known professionally as Jo de Winter, was an American actress most notable for her role in the short-lived television series Gloria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cindy Robbins</span> American actress

Cynthia Chenault is an American television actress and producer/writer active from the mid-1950s to the present. She used the screen name Cindy Robbins in her acting credits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midge Ware</span> American actress (1927–2020)

Midge Ware Colton was an American model and stage, screen and television actress. She had a career lasting over 30 years in the show business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Actman</span> American actress (1949–2018)

Jane Actman was an American actress. She played Barbara Simms Dickerson in the short-lived television sitcom The Paul Lynde Show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lynn Borden</span> American actress (1937–2015)

Lynn Marie Freyse was an American film and television actress. She was known for playing Barbara Baxter in the final season of the American sitcom television series Hazel.

Olive Sturgess is a Canadian former actress who worked in films, television shows, and theatre in the 1950s and 1960s. Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Sturgess. Leonard hosted his own radio show. She came to Hollywood in 1954.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marian Collier (actress)</span> American film and television actress (1931–2021)

Marian Chulay was an American film and television actress. She was known for playing Marilyn Scott in the American drama television series Mr. Novak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shirley Bonne</span> American actress (born 1934)

Shirley Mae Tanner is an American former film and television actress. She is known for playing the role of "Eileen Sherwood" in the American sitcom television series My Sister Eileen.

Leon Lontoc was a Filipino-American film and television actor. He was known for playing the role of Henry in the American detective fiction television series Burke's Law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Helm</span> Canadian-American film and television actor

Peter John Helm Jr. is a Canadian-American film and television actor.

Gino Conforti is an American film, television and theatre actor. He is perhaps best known for his recurring role as kitchen helper/chef Felipe Gomez in the American television sitcom Three's Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eloise Hardt</span> American film and television actress

Florence Eloise Hardt was an American film and television actress.

References

  1. "Birthdays". The Muscatine Journal . Muscatine, Iowa. February 25, 2021. p. A2. Retrieved November 23, 2021 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  2. Lentz, Harris (1996). Western and Frontier Film and Television Credits 1903-1995: Section I. Actors and actresses. Section II. Directors, producers, and writers. McFarland. p. 502. ISBN   9780786401581 via Google Books.
  3. Landesman, Fred (August 13, 2015). The John Wayne Filmography. McFarland. p. 398. ISBN   9781476609225 via Google Books.
  4. 1 2 3 Freeman, Donald (July 14, 1963). "Ann Is 'Jolt of Ginger' for Donna Show". Chicago Tribune . Chicago, Illinois. p. 122. Retrieved November 23, 2021 via Newspapers.com. Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  5. Hess, Earl; Dabholkar, Pratibha (2009). Singin' in the Rain: The Making of an American Masterpiece. University Press of Kansas. p. 256. ISBN   9780700616565 via Google Books.
  6. 1 2 Zylstra, Freida (October 11, 1963). "She Scores as a Neighbor on TV and at Home". Chicago Tribune . Chicago, Illinois. p. 52. Retrieved November 23, 2021 via Newspapers.com. Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  7. 1 2 "Kin of Warrenite in Jerry Lewis Picture". Warren Times Mirror. Warren, Pennsylvania. March 3, 1961. p. 14. Retrieved November 23, 2021 via Newspapers.com. Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  8. "'Ann from 'Wendy'". Los Angeles Times . Los Angeles, California. September 7, 1964. p. 75. Retrieved November 23, 2021 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg