Career Agnes Moorehead

1 career

1.1 mercury theatre
1.2 metro-goldwyn-mayer
1.3 radio
1.4 films of 1950s–1960s
1.5 television
1.6 bewitched
1.7 later years

career

moorehead s career unsteady, , although able find stage work, unemployed. later recalled going 4 days without food, , said had taught value of dollar . found work in radio , in demand, working on several programs in single day. believed offered excellent training , allowed develop voice create variety of characterizations. moorehead met actress helen hayes, encouraged enter films, first attempts met failure. when rejected not being right type , moorehead returned radio.

mercury theatre

moorehead met orson welles, , 1937 1 of principal mercury players, along joseph cotten. performed in mercury theatre on air radio adaptations, , had regular role opposite welles in serial shadow margo lane. in 1939, welles moved mercury theatre hollywood, started working rko pictures. several of radio performers joined him, , moorehead made film debut mother of own character, charles foster kane, in citizen kane (1941), considered 1 of best films ever made. moorehead featured in welles s second film, magnificent ambersons (1942), , received new york film critics award , academy award nomination performance. appeared in journey fear (1943), mercury film production.

moorehead received positive reviews performance in mrs. parkington golden globe award best supporting actress , academy award nomination. moorehead played strong role in big street (1942) henry fonda , lucille ball, , appeared in 2 films failed find audience, government girl (1943) olivia de havilland , youngest profession (1944) adolescent virginia weidler.

metro-goldwyn-mayer

by mid-1940s, moorehead became metro-goldwyn-mayer contract player, negotiating $6,000-a-week contract provision perform on radio, unusual clause @ time. moorehead explained mgm refused allow actors play on radio actors didn t have knowledge or taste or judgment appear on right sort of show. in 1943–1944, moorehead portrayed matronly housekeeper mrs. mullet , offering candied opinion , in mutual radio s adventures of leonidas witherall; inaugurated role on cbs radio.

throughout career, moorehead skillfully portrayed puritanical matrons, neurotic spinsters, possessive mothers, , comical secretaries. played parthy hawks, wife of cap n andy , mother of magnolia, in mgm s hit 1951 remake of show boat. in dark passage , since went away. moorehead in broadway productions of don juan in hell in 1951–1952, , lord pengo in 1962–1963.

radio

in first radio role, moorehead appeared replacement dorothy denvir s role min gump in gumps. during 1940s , 1950s, moorehead 1 of in-demand actresses radio dramas, on cbs show suspense. during 946-episode-run of suspense, moorehead cast in more episodes other actor or actress. introduced on show first lady of suspense . moorehead s successful appearance on suspense in play sorry, wrong number, written lucille fletcher, broadcast on may 18, 1943. moorehead played selfish, neurotic woman overhears murder being plotted via crossed phone wires , realizes intended victim. recreated performance 6 times suspense , several times on other radio shows, using original, dog-eared script. in 1952, recorded album of drama, , performed scenes story in one-woman show in 1950s. barbara stanwyck played role in 1948 film version.

in 1941, moorehead played maggie in short-lived bringing father program on blue network. 1942 1949, moorehead played role of mayor s housekeeper in radio version of mayor of town. starred in amazing mrs. danberry, situation comedy on cbs in 1946. moorehead s title character described lively widow of department store owner has tongue sharp hatpin , heart warm summer. moorehead played 1 of last roles on january 6, 1974, mrs. ada canby in inaugural episode of cbs radio mystery theater.

moorehead in bat (1959)


films of 1950s–1960s

in 1950s, moorehead continued work in films , appeared on stage across country. roles included national tour of shaw s don juan in hell, co-starring charles boyer, charles laughton, , cedric hardwicke, , pre-broadway engagements of new musical pink jungle. appeared hypochondriac mrs. snow in disney s hit film pollyanna (1960). starred bette davis, olivia de havilland, mary astor, , joseph cotten in hush… hush, sweet charlotte (1964) maid velma, role nominated best supporting actress academy award.

television

in 1959, moorehead guest starred on many series, including rebel , alcoa theatre. role in radio play sorry, wrong number inspired writers of cbs television series twilight zone script episode moorehead in mind. in invaders (broadcast january 27, 1961) moorehead played woman isolated farm plagued mysterious intruders. in sorry, wrong number, moorehead offered famed, bravura performance using voice, , invaders , offered script had no dialogue @ all.

moorehead had guest roles on channing, custer, rawhide in incident @ poco tiempo sister frances, , rifleman. on february 10, 1967, portrayed miss emma valentine in night of vicious valentine on wild wild west, performance won primetime emmy award outstanding supporting actress in drama series.

bewitched

moorehead bewitched castmates dick york , elizabeth montgomery



moorehead endora in bewitched

in 1964, moorehead accepted role of endora, samantha s (elizabeth montgomery) mortal-loathing, quick-witted witch mother in situation comedy bewitched. later commented had not expected succeed , felt trapped success. however, had negotiated appear in 8 of every 12 episodes made, therefore allowing sufficient time pursue other projects. felt television writing below standard , dismissed many of bewitched scripts hack in 1965 interview tv guide. role brought level of recognition had not received before bewitched in top 10 programs first few years aired.

moorehead received 6 emmy award nominations, quick remind interviewers had enjoyed long , distinguished career. despite ambivalence, remained bewitched until run ended in 1972. commented new york times in 1974, ve been in movies , played theater coast coast, quite known before bewitched, , don t particularly want identified witch. later year, said had enjoyed playing role, not challenging , show not breathtaking , although flamboyant , colorful character appealed children. expressed fondness show s star elizabeth montgomery , said had enjoyed working her. co-star dick sargent, in 1969 replaced ill dick york samantha s husband darrin stephens, had more difficult relationship moorehead, caustically describing tough old bird.

in fall 1964, moorehead participated in five-minute commercial spot featuring casts of both bonanza , bewitched, announcing new 1965 chevrolet line. moorehead featured dan blocker extolling virtues of new 65 chevy ii.

later years

in 1970, moorehead appeared dying woman haunts own house in night gallery episode shadows on wall . reprised role in don juan in hell on broadway , on tour, all-star cast featured edward mulhare, ricardo montalban, , paul henreid.

moorehead memorably supplied voice of friendly mother goose in hanna-barbera s 1973 adaptation of e.b. white s children s book charlotte s web.

for 1973 broadway adaptation of gigi, moorehead portrayed aunt alicia , performed various songs, including contract original cast recording. fell ill during production, forcing arlene francis replace her. moorehead died shortly afterward.

three months before death in january 1974, moorehead performed in 2 episodes (including first) of cbs radio mystery theater, popular series produced old-time radio master himan brown.