Bess Flowers


Bess Flowers was an American actress best known for her work as an extra in hundreds of films. She was known as "The Queen of the Hollywood Extras," appearing in more than 350 feature films and numerous comedy shorts in her 41-year career.
She holds the record for appearances in films nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Career

Born in Sherman, Texas, Flowers' film debut came in 1923, when she appeared in Hollywood. She made three films that year, and then began working extensively. Many of her appearances are uncredited, as she generally played non-speaking roles.
By the 1930s, Flowers was in constant demand. Her appearances ranged from Alfred Hitchcock and John Ford thrillers to comedic roles alongside Charley Chase, the Three Stooges, Leon Errol, Edgar Kennedy, and Laurel and Hardy.
She appeared in the following five films which won the Academy Award for Best Picture: It Happened One Night, You Can't Take it with You, All About Eve, The Greatest Show on Earth, and Around the World in 80 Days. In each of these movies, Flowers was uncredited. Including these five movies, she had appeared in twenty-three Best Picture nominees in total, making her the record holder for most appearances in films nominated for the award. Her last movie was Good Neighbor Sam in 1964.
Flowers's acting career was not confined to feature films. She was also seen in many episodic American TV series, such as I Love Lucy, notably in episodes, "Lucy Is Enceinte", "Ethel's Birthday", and "Lucy's Night in Town", where she is usually seen as a theatre patron.
Outside her acting career, in 1945, Flowers helped to found the Screen Extras Guild, where she served as one of its first vice-presidents and recording secretaries.

Personal life

Flowers was first married on September 2, 1923, in Ventura County, California, to Cullen Tate, an assistant director for Cecil B. DeMille. They had a daughter, and were divorced in 1928 in Los Angeles.

Death

Flowers died on July 28, 1984, at age 85 in the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California.

Selected filmography

;1920s
  • Hollywood as Hortense Towers
  • The Silent Partner as Mrs. Nesbit
  • Irene as Jane Gilmour
  • Lone Hand Saunders as Alice Mills
  • Hands Across the Border as Ysabel Castro
  • Glenister of the Mounted as Elizabeth Danrock
  • Old Ironsides
  • Blondes by Choice as Olga Flint
  • Show People
  • We Faw Down as Mrs. Laurel
  • The Saturday Night Kid as Customer
  • Their Own Desire as Miriam the Polo Player
;1930s
  • Ten Cents a Dance as Bridge Player
  • Strangers May Kiss as Diner
  • A Free Soul as Birthday Party Guest
  • Monkey Business as Indian's Wife
  • Possessed as Party Guest
  • Sinister Hands as Mary Browne
  • Sin's Pay Day as Jane Webb
  • It Happened One Night - Agnes, Gordon's Secretary
  • One Exciting Adventure
  • Star of Midnight as Mary Smith
  • The Whole Town's Talking as Miss Gower, the Secretary
  • A Night at the Opera as Ship Passenger
  • Mr. Deeds Goes to Town as Party Guest
  • Forgotten Faces as Nurse
  • Two-Fisted Gentleman as Matron
  • My Man Godfrey as Mrs. Merriweather
  • Dodsworth as Ship Passenger
  • Theodora Goes Wild as Reception Guest
  • Topper as Nightclub Patron
  • The Big Game as Woman at Dance
  • The Awful Truth as Viola Heath
  • Nothing Sacred as Nightclub Patron
  • Paid to Dance as Suzy
  • The Shadow as Marianne
  • Ever Since Eve as Woman at Dance
  • Termites of 1938 as Mrs. Muriel Van Twitchell
  • Holiday as Dorothy the Party Guest
  • You Can't Take It with You as Martin's Neighbor
  • Mutts to You as Mrs. Manning
  • The Lady Objects as Miriam Harper
  • Midnight as Party Guest
  • Rose of Washington Square as Dinner Guest
  • The Roaring Twenties as Nightclub Patron
  • Ninotchka as Gossip
  • Gone with the Wind as Hospital Nurse
;1940s
  • A Plumbing We Will Go as Mrs. Hadley
  • The Boys from Syracuse as Woman
  • Boom Town as Office Worker
  • Mr. & Mrs. Smith as Nightclub Patron
  • The Lady Eve as Party Guest
  • Meet John Doe as Mattie
  • Ziegfeld Girl as Palm Beach Casino Patron
  • An Ache in Every Stake as Mrs. Lawrence
  • The Man Who Came to Dinner as Fan at Train Station
  • I Married an Angel as Woman
  • The Palm Beach Story as Gerry's Maid of Honor / Nightclub Extra
  • The Glass Key
  • Now, Voyager as Concert Audience Member
  • I Married a Witch as Matron of Honor
  • Springtime in the Rockies as Mrs. Jeepers
  • Tahiti Honey as Nightclub Patron
  • Heaven Can Wait as Party Guest
  • Phantom Lady as Courtroom Spectator
  • Mr. Skeffington as Mrs. Thatcher
  • Double Indemnity as Norton's Secretary
  • Hail the Conquering Hero as Woman at Train Station
  • Laura as Party Guest
  • The Woman in the Window as Bar Patron
  • Hollywood Canteen as Hostess
  • A Song for Miss Julie as Woman in Audience
  • The Affairs of Susan as Party Guest
  • Mildred Pierce as Restaurant Patron
  • I'll Remember April as Telephone Operator
  • Micro-Phonies as Party Guest
  • Gilda Gambler at Roulette Table
  • The Blue Dahlia as Cocktail Party Guest
  • Notorious as Party Guest
  • The Big Sleep as Woman with Bumped Man
  • The Razor's Edge as Party Guest
  • Humoresque as Boray Fan
  • Dead Reckoning as Nightclub Patron
  • The Farmer's Daughter as Party Guest
  • The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer as Nightclub Patron
  • The Secret Life of Walter Mitty as Illustrator
  • Song of the Thin Man as Jessica Thayer
  • Cass Timberlane as Mary Ann Milligan
  • A Double Life as Theater Patron
  • The Bride Goes Wild as Wedding Guest
  • The Big Clock as Conference Room Stylist
  • The Noose Hangs High as Fainting Psychiatrist's Patient
  • Romance on the High Seas as Ship Passenger
  • A Date with Judy as Nightclub Patron
  • A Song Is Born as Nightclub Patron
  • Neptune's Daughter as Woman at Swimsuit Show
  • The Great Gatsby as New York Woman
  • Mighty Joe Young as Nightclub Patron
  • Sky Liner as Mother
  • My Friend Irma as Gypsy Tea Room Diner
;1950s
  • Paid in Full as Saleslady in Dress Shop
  • Young Man with a Horn as Galba's Patron
  • No Man of Her Own as Woman at Country Club Dance
  • The Damned Don't Cry as Nightclub Patron
  • Father of the Bride as Wedding Reception Guest
  • Born to Be Bad as Mrs. Worthington
  • All About Eve as Sarah Siddons Awards Well-Wisher
  • Lullaby of Broadway as Ship Passenger
  • Show Boat as Racetrack Spectator
  • The Greatest Show on Earth as Spectator
  • Singin' in the Rain as Audience Member
  • The Bad and the Beautiful as Joe's Friend at Party
  • Angel Face as Shirley, Bennett's Secretary
  • Murder Without Tears as Bank Customer
  • Gentlemen Prefer Blondes as Nightclub Patron
  • The Band Wagon as Lady on Train / Investor / Girl Hunt Ballet Extra
  • The Robe as Trial Bystander
  • Torch Song as Woman at Rehearsal
  • Calamity Jane as Officer's Life in Reception Line
  • Easy to Love as Nightclub Patron
  • Executive Suite as Woman at Bar
  • Dial M for Murder as Woman Departing Ship
  • The Student Prince as Restaurant Patron
  • Rear Window as Songwriter's Party Guest with Poodle
  • A Star Is Born as Academy Awards Attendee
  • White Christmas as Nightclub Patron
  • Désirée as Lady of the Court Holding Baby
  • Interrupted Melody as Party Guest
  • To Catch a Thief as Woman at Costume Ball
  • You're Never Too Young as Lobby Extra
  • Guys and Dolls as Spectator at Hot Box Club
  • I'll Cry Tomorrow as Nightclub Patron
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Club Patron
  • Ride the High Iron as Nightclub Patron
  • Never Say Goodbye as Restaurant Patron
  • Anything Goes as Ship's Passenger
  • Giant as Guest at Banquet
  • Around the World in 80 Days as Tourist at Bombay Baggage Check
  • The Man Who Knew Too Much as Woman in Albert Hall
  • Funny Face as Fashion Show Guest
  • Designing Woman as Lady at Fashion Show
  • Sweet Smell of Success as Patron at 21
  • Jailhouse Rock as Van Alden Party Guest
  • Pal Joey as Charity Ball Guest
  • Witness for the Prosecution as Courtroom Spectator
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Club Patron
  • Vertigo as Diner at Ernie's
  • Houseboat as Country Club Patron / Wedding Guest
  • I Married a Monster from Outer Space as Wedding Guest
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Party Guest
  • Imitation of Life as Geraldine Moore
  • North by Northwest as Hotel Lounge Patron
;1960s
  • Please Don't Eat the Daisies as Elevator Passenger
  • Where the Boys Are as Nightclub Patron
  • The Absent-Minded Professor as Wedding Guest
  • Return to Peyton Place as Townswoman at Meeting
  • Blue Hawaii as Maile's Tourist Customer
  • Judgment at Nuremberg as Concert Attendee
  • Pocketful of Miracles as Pedestrian Entering Club
  • The Notorious Landlady as Courtroom Spectator
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Meeting Guest
  • Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Bookstore Customer
  • Sweet Bird of Youth as Finley Supporter at Rally
  • The Manchurian Candidate as Gomel's Lady Counterpart
  • The Alfred Hitchcock Hour as Mrs. Pradanos
  • Who's Minding the Store? as Gourmet Department Shopper
  • Move Over, Darling as Seymour's Wife
  • 7 Faces of Dr. Lao
  • The Carpetbaggers as Wedding Guest
  • Good Neighbor Sam as Mrs. Burke