Jeanne Arnold

Jeanne Arnold (July 30, 1921 – September 20, 1996) was an American actress and singer known for her work in Broadway and Off-Broadway theater, television, cabaret, and regional theater. She appeared in productions including The Threepenny Opera, Coco, The Happy Time, and the daytime soap opera Guiding Light. Later in her career she became associated with Michigan's Meadow Brook Theatre.

Early life and education

Arnold was born on July 30, 1921, in Berkeley, California, the daughter of George Arnold and Agnes Kirkman Arnold, and was raised in San Francisco.

As a child she performed in school assemblies and theatrical activities. She attended a convent school and later studied acting at a Jesuit college before enrolling at the University of California, Berkeley, where she concentrated in speech and history and graduated in 1943. She later recalled auditioning for a USO entertainment unit while working as a tour guide at Rockefeller Center.

She first gained significant critical attention in New York for playing Lucy in a revival of The Threepenny Opera.

Arnold also performed and recorded as a singer. Her best-known recording was the satirical song "Gristedes" from the album Take Five with Ronnie Graham.

Arnold also appeared as a guest on the television talk program Girl Talk alongside Brenda Vaccaro and Virginia Graham.

Her film roles include an uncredited role as Rita in Dear Heart (which original title was "The Out-of-Towners"), Grace Munster in Munster, Go Home! (1966) and Gertrude in What's So Bad About Feeling Good? (1968).

Arnold became a prominent performer at Meadow Brook Theatre at Oakland University near Rochester, Michigan.

Her Meadow Brook performances included She Stoops to Conquer, Picnic, The Corn Is Green, Blithe Spirit, The Dining Room, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Deathtrap, and What I Did Last Summer.

Arnold frequently received favorable critical notices for her versatility and comic range.

She also performed one-woman musical and theatrical shows in Michigan, including Jeanne Arnold Sings!!! at Buckham Alley Theatre in Flint in 1992.

Personal life and death In 1978 Arnold married William C. Stevens, chairman of Henry H. Stevens Moving and Storage Company of Flint, Michigan, who she had 3 stepchildren.

Arnold died of cancer in 1996 at the age of 75 in Flint, Michigan.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes 1964 Dear Heart Rita Uncredited 1966 Munster, Go Home! Grace Munster 1968 What's So Bad About Feeling Good? Gertrude 1971 Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones Joan Hartlane Television film 1971 The Pompeii Way Senilita Television film

Television

Years Title Role Notes 1964 My Three Sons Helen Powell 1 episode 1964–1965 The Cara Williams Show Mary Hammilmeyer / Mary Hammiimeyer 16 episodes 1965 Camp Runamuck Diana 1 episode 1965 I Spy Mme. Chulock 1 episode 1965–1966 Please Don't Eat the Daisies Mrs. Podesta 3 episodes 1966 The Farmer's Daughter Jan Cummings / Ellen 2 episodes 1966 The Monkees Maria 1 episode 1969–1973 Guiding Light Ellen Mason 1266 episodes 1972 Bewitched Maude Hickman / Martha Norton 2 episodes