Jean Engstrom

Jean Engstrom (born Flora Jean Bovie; July 25, 1920 – March 20, 1997) was an American actress active in regional theater, movies, and television in the 1950s and 1960s.

Background Engstrom was born in Detroit, Michigan, on July 25, 1920, born to Clarence Augustus Bovie, an artist and Nona Iola Cochrun. After her father's death, When Engstrom was 16, the family moved to Southern California and lived for a while with her maternal grandmother, On June 30, 1942, their only child, daughter Liana Jeanne Moon (later to be actress Jena Engstrom) was born. Flora Jean and Richard Moon divorced, and in about 1947 she married her second husband, had a mastectomy in July 1985, Her most notable stage appearance may have come in January 1961 when she appeared in the title role of George Bernard Shaw's Candida, co-starring Jeff Morrow and directed by John Newland. The play was produced by the Los Angeles-based acting, writing and directing group Projects '58 and televised by KNXT television in Los Angeles and shown by television stations across the country.

Movie career A theatrical appearance with a stock company in Tucson, Arizona, led to a short-lived contract with Paramount Pictures. starring Mickey Rooney and in A Star Is Born (1954) starring Judy Garland and James Mason. In 1956, she used the name Flora Jean Engstrom for the only time when she appeared in a small role in The Search for Bridey Murphy, starring Teresa Wright. Her larger roles came in more modest productions, receiving featured billing in the 1957 production Voodoo Island and the 1958 production The Space Children, which are now cult classics. Her character Claire Winter in Voodoo Island is presented as a lesbian. She also appeared as a party guest in the 1958 film The Party Crashers.

Her final movie appearance was a starring role in the 1965 Billy Graham-produced The Restless Ones in which she played Mrs. Harris, the alcoholic mother of April, played by Kim Darby.

Television career Engstrom began appearing in television in 1953 in which mother Jean played a wealthy woman who with her husband (played by Richard Arlen) adopt a baby through an adoption mill. The police get involved when the baby's natural mother, played by daughter Jena, tries to get her baby back. The third television show in with they appeared together is an unidentified 30-minute religious program presented in 1961 in which they played mother and daughter. In this story a girl (Jena) has trouble relating to her parents until a session with teenagers at a church is recorded and the recording made available to the parents to listen to. Appearing in this show with Jean and Jena Engstrom are Robert Stevenson as Jena’s father and Richard Evans as her boyfriend. This film, minus the opening and closing credits, has been posted on-line.

Confused credits The acting credits of mother Jean and daughter Jena were confused at the time they were active together in the business resulting in mixed credits in newspapers and problems with pay checks. The mixed credits appear in some Internet databases, but the situation is improving as site managers are posting corrections as the errors are discovered.

DVDs Several of the television series listed below have been released by their studios on DVD that are available for sale or for rent. Those marked "Yes" include sets with the episodes featuring Jean Engstrom.

Television roles

Note: "Episode" column: 2.9 indicates Season 2, Episode 9, etc.

AIR DATE SHOW EPISODE EPISODE TITLE CHARACTER NOTES DVD 1953-1955 My Favorite Husband Nurse Blakeny 1st of 3 appearances on this show. Yes Sep. 15, 1955 Medic 2.1 "All the Lonely Nights"

Marian Castle 2nd of 3 appearances on this show. YesOct. 31, 1955 Medic 2.7 "When Mama Says Jump" Mrs. Dixon 3rd of 3 appearances on this show. Yes Nov. 15, 1955 Big Town 6.6 "Prison Riot" May 1, 1957 State Trooper 1.32 "Diamonds Come High" Deputy Sheriff Lili Haskell YesMay 3, 1957 The West Point Story Colonel’s Wife Yes Dec. 24, 1957 Telephone Time 3.16 "A Picture of the Magi" Elga Yes Jan. 6, 1958 Highway Patrol 3.14 "Hideout"" Flo Durfee YesApr. 6, 1958 General Electric Theater 6.26 "No Hiding Place" Mrs. Lindsay Jul. 15, 1958 Shirley Temple Theatre 1.9 "The Little Lame Prince" Snow Maiden Apr. 6, 1959 Peter Gunn 1.28 "Pay Now, Kill Later" Lady Customer 1st of 2 appearances on this show. Yes Dec. 6, 1960 Thriller 1.12 "The Big Blackout" Nurse Sue 1st of 2 appearances on this show. Yes Jan. 17, 1961 Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond 3.17 "Dead Man's Tale" Jan Werris Feb. 13, 1961 Peter Gunn 3.19 "I Know It's Murder" Helene Eustis 2nd of 2 appearances on this show. Yes Feb. 16, 1961 Gunslinger 1.2 "The Hostage Fort" Mrs. Barnes Mar. 18, 1961 Have Gun, Will Travel 4.26 "The Gold Bar" Leah 1st of 2 appearances on this show. Yes Apr. 16, 1961 Rawhide 3.24 "Incident of the Lost Idol" Mrs. Manson Daughter Jean Engstrom also appears in this episode. Yes Oct. 16, 1961 87th Precinct 1.4 "The Modus Man" Mrs. Renfew Yes Dec. 7, 1961 The Investigators 1.10 "Panic Wagon" Frieda Gregory Jan 16,1962 The New Breed 1.16 "To Sell Another Human Being" Peg Gamble Yes Sep. 1958 The Party Crashers bit role Uncredited Yes Dec. 2, 1965 The Restless Ones Mrs. Harris (April's Mother) Yes