Eleanor Audley
Eleanor Audley was an American actress with a distinctive voice and a diverse body of work. She played Oliver Douglas's mom, Eunice Douglas, on the CBS sitcom Green Acres, and provided two [The Walt The Walt Disney Company|Disney Company|Disney] animated classics with the voices of the two iconic villainesses: Lady Tremaine, Cinderella's evil stepmother in Cinderella, and Maleficent, the wicked fairy in Sleeping Beauty. She had roles in live-action films, but was most active in radio programs such as My Favorite Husband as Liz Cooper's mother-in-law, Mrs. Cooper, and Father Knows Best as the Anderson family's neighbor, Mrs. Smith. Audley's television appearances include those in I Love Lucy, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mister Ed, Hazel, The Beverly Hillbillies, Pistols 'n' Petticoats, and My Three Sons.
Early and personal life
Eleanor Zellman was born in Newark, New Jersey on November 19, 1905. Her family had moved to West 86th Street in Manhattan, New York City, by 1917.Zellman began using the stage name "Eleanor Audley" sometime before 1940.
Career
Stage and radio
Audley made her Broadway debut at age 21 in the 1926 production of Howdy, King. Her other stage appearances included On Call ; Pigeons and People; Thunder on the Left ; Kill That Story; Ladies' Money ; Susan and God ; and In Bed We Cry.Audley worked extensively in the 1940s and 1950s in radio, notably playing Liz Cooper's aristocratic mother-in-law, Mrs. Cooper, who typically looks down on her, on My Favorite Husband, and the Anderson family's neighbor, Mrs. Smith, on Father Knows Best. In addition, Audley performed on radio as a frequent performer on Romance, Escape, Suspense, Lux Radio Theatre, The Story of Dr. Kildare, The Railroad Hour, and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. She played the stepmother in one-shot adaptations of the "Cinderella" story on the anthology series Hallmark Playhouse, and the weekly western series The Six Shooter, that starred James Stewart.
Film and animation
Audley's first onscreen appearance was an uncredited role as a parole board member in the 1949 noir film The Story of Molly X starring June Havoc. Other film appearances followed, including: Pretty Baby ; Gambling House ; Cell 2455, Death Row ; The Unguarded Moment; Full of Life ; Spoilers of the Forest ; Home Before Dark ; a cameo as the mother and slain victim of suspect Jack Graham in The FBI Story ; The Second Time Around ; and Hook, Line and Sinker. Audley was uncredited dubbing the lines of actors playing small parts in films such as I Was a Male War Bride and Broken Arrow.In the animated film industry, Audley provided her distinctive voice to Lady Tremaine, Cinderella's cruel stepmother, in the 1950 Disney film Cinderella; and Princess Aurora's wicked fairy nemesis, Maleficent, in Disney's 1959 version of Sleeping Beauty. For those films, animators Frank Thomas and Marc Davis designed the characters' facial features and expressions to be closely similar to Audley's. In addition to providing their voices, she served as the performance model for both characters for live-action referencing to help the animators. Audley had initially turned down the role of Maleficent because she was battling tuberculosis at the time.
Audley provided the voice for Madame Leota, the spirit of a psychic medium, in the Haunted Mansion attractions in Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Television
Audley's first television appearance was in the pilot episode of The Mickey Rooney Show as Bessie Frost, a terrible actress who stars in a series called The Trials and Tribulations of Auntie Julia on the fictional IBC network where Mickey Mulligan works as a page. From 1954 to 1970, she appeared regularly on television, including episodes of: The People's Choice; I Love Lucy; Crossroads; Perry Mason ; The Real McCoys; Richard Diamond, Private Detective; The Twilight Zone; Dennis the Menace; Mr. Lucky; The Tab Hunter Show; Pete and Gladys; and Hazel. Audley had recurring roles on The Dick Van Dyke Show as the P.T.A. head Mrs. Billings, on The Beverly Hillbillies as the school headmistress Mrs. Potts, on Mister Ed as Wilbur Post's aunt Martha, on Pistols 'n' Petticoats as Mrs. Teaseley, on My Three Sons as Mrs. Vincent, and on Green Acres as Oliver Douglas's disapproving mother, Eunice Douglas, despite being only five months older than actor Eddie Albert who played the role of her son.Death
Audley died from respiratory failure on November 25th, 1991, six days after her 86th birthday. She is interred at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.Filmography
Television
Studio 57 as Miss Anna HuntThe Loretta Young Show as Miss Bennett, as Edith LandowGeneral Electric Theatre as Woman in Restaurant,, as Alice MartinThe Pepsi-Cola Playhouse Front Row Center as Carlotta VanceDamon Runyon Theater as CynthiaCelebrity Playhouse The Ford Television Theatre as Tina,, as Constance PerksThe Millionaire as Cynthia Semple, as Gloria Van Enger/ColumnistOur Miss Brooks as Mrs. Maya PryorThe 20th Century-Fox Hour as Governor's Wife/Mrs. Lucy Hammond/Mrs. Julie MorganClimax! Screen Directors Playhouse as Judith BrennerThe People's Choice as Moderator/Mrs. Kimbeley "Kim" PriceThe Adventures of Jim Bowie as Miss PeabodyFather Knows Best as Saleslady/Woman giving spare change /Bookstacker in LibraryCrusader as Mrs. Erika WatsonLux Video Theatre as Mrs. Sandy Lane, as Aunt AdaThe George Burns and Gracie Allen Show as The Lady Customer, as Mrs. Felicity Crowley/Mrs. Winthrop, as The SalesladyThe Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna as Passenger, as Mrs. Michelle Gardiner, as Bess PomeroyThe Bob Hope Specials Cavalcade of America as Mrs. Stacey LittlefieldI Love Lucy as Eleanor Spaulding/Flower JudgeCrossroads as Mrs. Sophie SandThe Lineup as Maryanne CarstairesThe Gray Ghost as Mrs. Joan MaddoxHow to Marry a Millionaire as Gertrude Van DyneFrontier Doctor as Hattie BlackThe Old Testament Scriptures as NaomiJane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre as Mrs. Emily TrumbullPerry Mason as Lois Gilbert, as Headmistress LorimerWagon Train as Mrs. Winston, as Mother Albright, as Minerva AmesThe Real McCoys as Dr. Laurence KirkwoodThe Ann Sothern Show as Mrs. Jenny ThompsonMike Hammer as Mrs. Wendy MilfordHennesey Richard Diamond, Private Detective as Mrs. DenekenThe Twilight Zone as Mrs. Whitney Walt Disney Presents as Mrs. Annie VideauJohnny Midnight as Mrs. Mia RiceThe Untouchables as Mrs. Micheline CrossThe Man From Blackhawk as Comtesse De VilonDennis the Menace as Mrs. Andrea PomptonPeter Gunn as Laura ScottMr. Lucky as Mrs. Alice DuboisMake Room for Daddy as Mrs. Anette WilloughbyShirley Temple's Storybook as Miss Felicity CollingwoodNew Comedy Showcase Have Gun - Will Travel as Cynthia Palmer, as School Teacher, as Mrs. Hannah Randolph QuincyThe Tab Hunter Show as ColumnistThe Tom Ewell Show as Madame DefargeThe Joey Bishop Show as Mrs. Adrianne Willoughby, as Fashion Announcer/Mrs. Penny Fitch as ClubwomanPete and Gladys as Mrs. Linda Brenner, as Mrs. Elisa ClibberThe Dick Van Dyke Show as Party Goer, as Mrs. Peggy BillingsMister Ed as Aunt MarthaHazel as Customer, as Mrs. Totter, as Mrs. Loretta Green, as Mrs. Katie HardyThe Best of the Post as Mrs. Jackie Hill Ichabod and Me The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis as Irma LumpkinThe Detectives as Liz RobertsThe Beverly Hillbillies as Mrs. Millicent Schuyler-PottsThe Dick Powell Theatre as LadyThe New Phil Silvers Show as Mrs. Allison OsborneMcHale's Navy as Mrs. Millicent HardseyMany Happy Returns as Mrs. Pernandina AtwoodBob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre as Mrs. Johnson/Lil Schaeffer/Buttercup FuchisaThe Farmer's Daughter as Simone, as MildredThe Cara Williams Show as Mrs. Lorence AshfordThe Man From U.N.C.L.E. as Mrs. Laura FarnhamThe Jack Benny Program as Mrs. Jeanna LewisKentucky Jones as Mrs. Winnona EdgertonPeyton Place as Miss Martha O.K. Crackerby! as Mrs. Ameila WilloughbyThe Lucy Show as The ColumnistThe Big Valley as Mother CallahanMy Brother the Angel as Mrs. Evelyne EttingerGreen Acres as Mother Eunice DouglasHoney West as Mrs. Juniper Carlton MurdockSummer Fun as Mother-in-lawThe Phyllis Diller Show as Mrs. Elsa FenwickPistols 'n' Petticoats as Mrs. Jenny TeasleyMy Three Sons as Mrs. Beatrice VincentThe Wonderful World of Disney as Lady Tremaine /Maleficent Disney's Wonderful World as Matron Walt Disney as Lady Tremaine /Maleficent The Wonderful World of Disney as MaleficentRadio
The Bishop and the Gargoyle Adventure Ahead Romance, episodes include "Pride and Prejudice" and "The Long Way Home"Words at War The Eternal Light Encore Theatre The Big Story Escape, episodes include "Back for Christmas" and "The Man Who Could Work Miracles"The Adventures of Ellery Queen Suspense, episodes include repeats of "Sorry, Wrong Number" and "The Man Who Wanted to Be Edward G. Robinson" The Whistler- Lux Radio Theatre Sealtest Variety Theatre My Home Town This Is Your FBI Richard Diamond, Private Detective NBC University Theatre Pursuit The Hotpoint Holiday Hour, "The Man Who Came to Dinner"The Story of Dr. Kildare as Molly ByrdMy Favorite Husband as Mrs. Leticia CooperThe Railroad Hour Father Knows Best as Mrs. Elizabeth SmithThe Life of Riley The Halls of Ivy The Adventures of Christopher London The Saint Screen Directors Playhouse Family Theatre Night Beat Hollywood Star Playhouse Hallmark Playhouse, includes "The Story Of Cinderella"The Six Shooter as Mrs. Abbey AmesFibber McGee and Molly Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar
- ''The CBS Radio Workshop''
Theme parks
- Haunted Mansion as Madame Leota
- HalloWishes as Madame Leota