Florence Ravenel

Florence Ravenel (March 18, 1896 – December 18, 1975) also known as Florence Ray, was an American stage, radio and film actress, perhaps best known for her work on the radio series The Court of Missing Heirs, and on the TV sitcom The Farmer's Daughter.

Early life and career Born in Michigan, Ravenel attended Hunter College and the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.

Stage Ravenel made her professional dramatic debut—billed as Florence Ravanel—in the fall of 1923 with the William Augustin Players in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Shortly thereafter, Ravenel found more lucrative employment with the Al Luttringer Players. Towards the end of a three-week engagement with that troupe at the Music Hall Theatre in Akron, Ohio (featuring The Cat and the Canary, Getting Gertie's Garter, Guy Bolton's Polly, Preferred, and My Irish Cinderella ), The Beacon Journal singled out Ravenel's contribution, noting that the actress had tackled "hard roles and won praise from her audience."

Between 1925 and 1927, Ravenel appeared in stock company revivals of Lightnin' (portraying Mildred Buckley, "and doing it with a certain charm"), Parlor, Bedroom and Bath as Angelica Irving (a role previously played onscreen by Kathleen Kirkham, and subsequently by Dorothy Christy ) and, as Madeleine, in the Goodman-Knoblock adaptation of Robert Keable's Simon Called Peter. Also in 1927, she appeared "to splendid advantage" alongside Jack Davis and William Rath as Keala Leilani in the premiere of Tropical Love, a South Seas-set melodrama staged at the Majestic Theatre in Waukegan, Illinois. At that same venue the following month, Ravenel was the main attraction in Anita Loos' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, "giv[ing] an absorbing performance of the part—i.e. Lorelei Lee—which was played by June Walker in New York"

As of February 1928, Ravenel appears to have taken up residence in Chicago, Illinois, where her membership in that city's Associate Players was advertised in the Southtown Economist. In March, the company's production of Avery Hopwood's The Alarm Clock featured Ravenel as Mrs. Dunsmore. That summer, Ravenel toured with Jeanne Eagels' company in a vaudeville recreation of scenes from Eagels' recent vehicle, The Cardboard Lover. The following year, she gave a well-received performance as Arlette in a revival of Seventh Heaven staged by the Guy and Eloda Beach stock company in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Radio In 1933, Ravenel was promoted from the ranks of KYW staffers to host the station's daily noontime dance program featuring Rex Maupin's orchestra. Beginning in the fall of 1937, Ravenel was heard, alongside Jack Brinkley, Elizabeth Reller, Dorothy Day, Henry Saxe, John Goldsworthy, Bob Middleton, and others in The Court of Missing Heirs. She was also featured as Mrs. Sniffer on Arnold Grimm's Daughter. On January 30, 1943, Ravenel was one of the few non-singing performers heard in Chicago Theater of the Air'''s production of Victor Herbert's Sweethearts. In 1948, Ravenel, Parley Baer, Jerry Farber and announcer Patrick McGeehan were among those featured on the Catholic program, The Hour of St. Francis. Beginning in 1951, she co-starred with Lamont Johnson, Raymond Burr and Ruth Swanson in The Pendleton Story, produced by the Armed Forces Radio Service, described as the service's "first family series for overseas release."

Between 1950 and 1952, Ravenel also appeared in at least two episodes each of Dr. Christian and NBC Theater, most notably in the latter's production of Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, starring Virginia Christine and featuring Ravenel as Aunt Julie.

Making a brief return to the stage in 1956, Ravenel appeared with Naomi Stevens and many others in what The Hollywood Reporter's Marvin Smith judged a much-improved revival of Sumner Locke Elliott's unsuccessful Broadway comedy, Buy Me Blue Ribbons'', providing an ideal showcase for the show's star, a young Paul Smith.

Filmography Film + Year Title Role Notes 1952 Love Is Better Than Ever Mother uncredited 1953 By the Light of the Silvery Moon Gossip 1953 The Twonky Nurse uncredited 1955 Violent Saturday Miss Shirley uncredited 1955 I'll Cry Tomorrow Stage Mother uncredited 1958 Going Steady Mrs. Potter 1961 All in a Night's Work Matron uncredited 1965 Zebra in the Kitchen Town Gossip uncredited 1966 The Ghost and Mr. Chicken Minor role uncredited

Television Year Title Role Notes 1952 Big Town Episode: "Father and Son" 1952 I Married Joan Episode: "Jitterbug" 1953 I Married Joan Mrs. Miller Episode: "Little Girl" 1953 Schlitz Playhouse Eunice (uncredited) Episode: "The Governess" 1955 The Mickey Rooney Show Maggie Episode: "Scoop Mulligan" 1956 The Adventures of Superman Mrs. Cooper - Landlady Episode: "Jimmy the Kid" 1956 Star Stage Episode: "The Man in the Black Robe" 1956 Studio 57 Caroline Episode: "Little Miss Bedford" 1957 Official Detective Mrs. Richards Episode: "Take Him Alive" 1960 The Millionaire Mrs. Tenney (as Florence Ravenal) Episode: "Millionaire Margaret Stoneham" 1961 Day in Court NA Episode: NA 1961 Day in Court NA Episode: NA 1962 The Brighter Day NA Episode: NA 1963 The Farmer's Daughter Cook Episode: "The Speechmaker" 1964 The Farmer's Daughter Cook (as Florence Ravenal) Episode: "Mrs. Golden's Opportunity" 1964 The Farmer's Daughter Millie Episode: "Nobody's Perfect" 1964 The Farmer's Daughter Cook Episode: "Rendezvous for Two" 1964 The Farmer's Daughter Cook (as Florence Ravenal) Episode: "The Waiting Game" 1965 My Three Sons Woman Episode: "Monsters and Junk Like That"

Personal life and death On December 18, 1975, Ravenel died at age 79 in Los Angeles of undisclosed causes,