Hope Summers

Sarah Hope Summers (June 7, 1902 – June 22, 1979) was an American actress known for her work on The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D., portraying Clara Edwards.

Early life Hope Summers was born in Mattoon, Illinois, the daughter of the town doctor and future U.S. Representative John W. Summers, and Jennie (née Burks). She was raised in Illinois and later in Walla Walla, Washington, where her father was elected to the House. Summers attended Northwestern University, graduating in 1923 from its Northwestern School of Speech. She stayed in Evanston, teaching speech and diction, then moved to Peoria, Illinois in 1926 when she became the head of the Speech Department at Bradley University. While in Peoria, Summers started giving private acting lessons and became involved as a volunteer, and soon a director, in local theatre. In radio, she had parts in the anthology Destination Freedom, a series written by Richard Durham, dedicated to the retelling the lives of notable Negros in the Americas. Summers did not break into network television until her late 40s when she made her debut in 1951 on the soap opera Hawkins Falls, broadcast from Chicago. While she had a few uncredited background roles in short films, she did not make her first Hollywood feature film until 1957, with a small credited role in Zero Hour!. She continued in films as a character player.

Summers first attracted attention in 1958 in the semi-regular role as shopkeeper Hattie Denton on the Western series The Rifleman, starring Chuck Connors. She guest-starred on dozens of series, including Maverick, Wagon Train, State Trooper, Rescue 8, Peter Gunn, Dennis the Menace, It's a Man's World, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Hazel, Gunsmoke, The Danny Thomas Show, M*A*S*H, My Three Sons, Petticoat Junction, Love on a Rooftop, The Pruitts of Southampton, The Second Hundred Years, Adam-12 and The Paul Lynde Show, and was a regular in the cast of the short-lived 1978 sitcom, Another Day. She made 36 appearances on The Andy Griffith Show, playing Aunt Bee's best friend, during the 1960s, and made five appearances on the post-Griffith spinoff Mayberry R.F.D..

While her film work usually was in small parts, often unbilled, she had a credited part as Mrs. Gilmore, one of the members of the witches' coven at the heart of Roman Polanski's 1968 film Rosemary's Baby.

For nearly 20 years, from 1961 until her death, Summers was the voice of Mrs. Butterworth in commercials for Mrs. Butterworth's.

Personal life Summers met local businessman Claude James Witherell in 1926, the year she moved to Peoria to teach; the couple married in 1927 and had two children.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1951–1952 Hawkins Falls Belinda Catherwood Unknown episodes 1956 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Marie Tallendier Season 1 Episode 24: "The Perfect Murder" 1957 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Mrs. Gillespie's Housekeeper / Maid Season 2 Episode 22: "The End of Indian Summer" 1957 Private Secretary Della Loganbury Episode: "Not Quite Paradise" 1957 Zero Hour! Mrs. Summers 1957 Wagon Train Unnamed passenger Episode: "The Ruth Owens Story" 1958 Gunsmoke Ellen Cade Episode: "Gypsum Hills Feud” 1958 Wagon Train Mae O'Malley Episode: "The Luke O'Malley Story" 1958 I Want to Live! Ethel, Policewoman on bus Uncredited 1958–1960 The Rifleman Hattie Denton 16 episodes 1959 Maverick Martha Abbott Episode: "Brasada Spur" 1959 Rescue 8 Dora Episode: "If the Bough Breaks" 1959 Hound-Dog Man Jewell Crouch 1959 Edge of Eternity Motel Attendant Uncredited 1960 Inherit the Wind Mrs. Krebs - Righteous Townswoman 1960 Gunsmoke Della Bass Episode: “Old Fool” 1961 Parrish Mary Uncredited 1961 Angel Baby Woman at Revival Meeting Uncredited 1961 Homicidal Mrs. Martha Adrims Uncredited 1961 Claudelle Inglish Ernestine Peasley Uncredited 1961 The Children's Hour Agatha (Tilford's maid) Alternative title: The Loudest Whisper 1961–1968 The Andy Griffith Show Clara Edwards/Clara Johnson/Bertha Edwards 32 episodes 1962 The Couch Mrs. Quimby 1962 Rome Adventure Mrs. St. Uwell UncreditedAlternative title: Lovers Must Learn 1962 It's a Man's World The Salvation Army Woman Episode: "Drive over to Exeter" 1963 Spencer's Mountain Mother Ida 1963GunsmokeJenEpisode: "Legends Don't Sleep" 1964 My Living Doll Edwina Episode: "I'll Leave It to You" 1964 One Man's Way Mrs. Elwood Thompson 1964 Hazel Edna Episode: "Hot Potato a la Hazel" 1965 The Hallelujah Trail Mrs. Hasselrad 1965 Petticoat Junction Mabel Denton Episode: "The Crowded Wedding Ring" 1966 The Ghost and Mr. Chicken Suzanna Blush Uncredited 1966 Penelope Shop Lady Uncredited 1968–1970 Mayberry R.F.D. Clara Edwards 5 episodes 1968 Rosemary's Baby Mrs. Gilmore 1968 The Shakiest Gun in the West Celia 1968 5 Card Stud Female customer in general store Uncredited 1969 The Learning Tree Mrs. Kiner 1970 Marcus Welby, M.D. Mrs. Whittaker Episode: "Epidemic" 1970 Bewitched Carolyn Episode: "Samantha's Old Man" 1971 Hawaii Five-O Minnie Leona Moroney Episode: "The Bomber and Mrs. Moroney" 1972 Get to Know Your Rabbit Mrs. Beeman 1972 Where Does It Hurt? Nurse Throttle 1973 Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies Laura 1973 M*A*S*H Nurse Meg Cratty Episode: "The Trial of Henry Blake" 1973 Charley Varrick Mess Vesta Alternative title: Kill Charley Varrick 1974 Our Time Biology Teacher Starsky and Hutch 1975 Chico and the Man Lucille Nelson Episode: "Garage Sale" 1975 Welcome Back, Kotter Ms. Riley Episode: "Mr. Kotter, Teacher" 1975 Starsky and Hutch Sarah Wilson Episode: "Savage Sunday" 1976 Little House on the Prairie Addie Bjornesen Episode: "The Collection" 1977 Evil Town Alice Wylie 1978 Another Day Olive Gardner Regular cast member (4 episodes) 1978 Foul Play Ethel 1978 Smokey and the Good Time Outlaws Marcie (final film role)