Irene Tedrow

A venerable character actress, Irene Tedrow appeared in an incredible number of films and TV series, almost invariably in supporting roles. She was a founding member of the Old Globe Theater, and most of her early roles cast her as the ingénue. During World War II, she was a featured actress in radio dramas and had a regular role in the comedy "Meet Corliss Archer," a role she reprised on television in 1951, after a series of bit parts in films. For the rest of the 1950s and 1960s she made regular appearances in a wide range of TV shows, usually as a supporting player. Shows she appeared in during that time include the iconic family comedy "Leave It to Beaver," the western "Rawhide," and the spooky sitcom"The Addams Family." She had recurring roles on the melodrama "Peyton Place," the comedy "Father of the Bride," and most notably, as neighbor Mrs. Lucy Elkins on the TV adaptation of the comic strip "Dennis the Menace" from 1959 to 1963. She also appeared in films such as the classic western "The Cincinnati Kid" and the original "Parent Trap" in 1961. In the 1970s and 1980s she continued appearing in many TV series and reached career milestones with two Emmy nominations for work on the issue-oriented show "James at 16" and the historical miniseries "Eleanor and Franklin."