Anne Seymour

Anne Seymour Eckert (September 11, 1909 – December 8, 1988) was an American film and television character actress.

Early life and education Anne Seymour Eckert was born in Manhattan to William Stanley and May Davenport (née Seymour) Eckert, an actress and later curator of the Museum of the City of New York. She was the seventh generation of a theatrical family traceable to 18th century Ireland. Seymour, her mother, and her brother (Bill Seymour) were all active in radio concurrently.

Her great-uncle was character actor Harry Davenport, and her cousins were writer James Seymour and actor John Seymour.

After attending St. Mary's for "her conventional education", Seymour studied at the American Laboratory Theatre.

Radio Seymour debuted on radio in Cincinnati in 1932. and starred as Mary Marlin in The Story of Mary Marlin, both on NBC.

Television Seymour's first venture in television was a three-month role in Follow Your Heart, an NBC soap opera. "I hated every minute of it," she said. In 1961, she starred opposite Ed Wynn, in the “Rawhide” episode “25 Santa Clauses.” She also "had a running part on a CBS soap opera called The First Hundred Years."

She was a guest star on many American television series in the 1960s and 1970s. She appeared in two episodes of Perry Mason; in 1963 she played Hettie Randall in "The Case of the Festive Felon", and in 1964 she played Bonnie Mae Wilmet in "The Case of the Bullied Bowler". She portrayed Amelia Tarbell in Pollyanna (1960), and Miss Tilford in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. In a 1965 episode of Hazel entitled "A 'Lot' to Remember", she played Laura Kirkland. In 1966, she was a guest star in season 3, episode 12 of Bewitched.

Seymour played Ms. Frost in "A Visit to Upright", a 1972 episode of Bonanza, as well as three different characters in four episodes of Gunsmoke: "Snow Train Parts 1 & 2", "The Wake", and "Kitty's Injury". In the spring of 1970, she was a regular cast member of the situation comedy The Tim Conway Show, playing airport and airline owner Mrs. K. J. Crawford during the shows 12-episode run. She guest-starred on Emergency! in the episodes "Foreign Trade" which first aired on November 16, 1974 (Season 4, Episode 9) and "Involvement" which first aired on January 24, 1976 (Season 5, Episode 17). She played the role of Millie Eastman, a retired head nurse of Rampart General who tried to commit suicide by overdosing on pills. During her recovery at Rampart, she is placed in a semi-private room with Jean Clark (Dawn Lyn), whom she starts mentoring for emotional support.

She played Esther in the episode "Final Escape" of Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985).

Film An early film appearance by Seymour was in All the King's Men (1949) as Mrs. Lucy Stark. Her last performance was in 1989, as Veda Ponikvar in the feature film Field of Dreams, which was released after her death.

Death Seymour died of heart failure in Los Angeles, on December 8, 1988, at the age of 79. She is interred in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery.

Radio appearances Year Program Episode/source1946 Inner Sanctum Mystery No Rest for the Dead 1948 Quiet, Please Green Light

Film appearances Year Title Role Notes1949 All the King's Men Mrs. Lucy Stark 1951 The Whistle at Eaton Falls Mary London 1957 Four Boys and a Gun Mrs. Richards 1957 Man on Fire Judge Randolph 1958 The Gift of Love Miss McMasters 1958 Desire Under the Elms Eben's Mother 1958 Handle with Care Matilda Iler 1960 Home from the Hill Sarah Halstead 1960 Pollyanna Mrs. Amelia Tarbell 1960 All the Fine Young Cannibals Mrs. Bixby 1960 The Subterraneans Charlotte Percepied 1961 Misty Grandma Beebe 1964 Stage to Thunder Rock Myra Parker 1964 Good Neighbor Sam Irene 1964 Where Love Has Gone Dr. Sally Jennings 1965 Mirage Mrs. Frances Calvin 1966 Blindfold Smitty 1966 Waco Ma Jenner 1967 How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Gertrude Biggley Uncredited1967 Fitzwilly Grimsby 1968 Stay Away, Joe Mrs. Hawkins 1969 How to Commit Marriage Molly - Baby's Nurse Uncredited1970 Gunsmoke Sarah Snow Train1972 The Man Ma Blore 1973 So Long, Blue Boy Martha 1974 Seven Alone Narrator (adult Catherine) 1975 Gemini Affair Agnes Wilson 1975 Hearts of the West Nietz' Housekeeper Uncredited1980 Never Never Land Zena 1983 Triumphs of a Man Called Horse Elk Woman 1984 Trancers Chairman Ashe 1988 Big Top Pee-wee Pearl 1989 Field of Dreams Chisolm Newspaper Publisher (final film role)