Kathleen Freeman

Kathleen Freeman (February 17, 1923 – August 23, 2001) was an American actress. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, she portrayed acerbic maids, secretaries, teachers, busybodies, nurses, and battle-axe neighbors and relatives, almost invariably to comic effect. In film, she is perhaps best remembered for appearing in 12 Jerry Lewis comedies in the 1950s and 1960s and The Blues Brothers.

Early life Freeman was born on February 17, 1923 in Chicago, to Jessica Dixon, a soprano known as "The Overseas Girl" at the end of World War I, and Frank Freeman, known as "The Minstrel Man". Dixon entertained American troops in England, France, and post-war Germany, while Freeman headed Freeman's Forty Musical Minstrels in 1918. The couple married in 1922.

Freeman began her career at age 2, She reported that eventually she "got caught" at around age 10, and then began attending school.

Freeman attended the University of California at Los Angeles, majored in music to be a classical pianist, "got in a play and got a laugh". on Santa Monica Boulevard.

Television In 1948, Peggy Webber saw Freeman on stage at the Circle Theatre, and hired her for Webber's live local series "Treasures of Literature", her first television job. From 1988 to 2001, Freeman appeared in more than 50 productions of the California Artists Radio Theatre, which records live performances of classic books and plays for KPCC (FM), KPFK NPR Playhouse, and National Public Radio, for Peggy Webber, the executive director.

In addition to teaching acting classes in the Los Angeles area, Freeman was a familiar presence on television. In 1958–59, she appeared three times on Buckskin, a children's program set in a hotel in a fictitious Montana town. She appeared from the 1950s until her death in regular or recurring roles on many sitcoms, including six episodes of The Bob Cummings Show (as Bertha Krause), Topper (as Katie the maid), and The Donna Reed Show (as Mrs. Celia Wilgus, the Stones' busybody next door neighbor). In 1964, she appeared in five episodes of The Lucy Show. Later, she was cast in a recurring role on Hogan's Heroes as Frau Gertrude Linkmeyer. In 1973, she had a co-starring role with Dom DeLuise in the sitcom Lotsa Luck (based on the British sitcom On the Buses).

She appeared in several episodes of Wagon Train, Funny Face (as Kate Harwell), I Dream of Jeannie (as a grouchy supervisor in a fantasy preview of Major Nelson's future, and later as a hillbilly), the short-lived prehistoric sitcom It's About Time (as Mrs. Boss), and as a nurse in Love, American Style.

Freeman played Sgt. Carter's mother in a 1969 episode of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., as well as appearing as a different character in a 1968 episode of the same series. She also made multiple appearances on The Beverly Hillbillies as various characters.

She appeared as the voice of Peg Bundy's mom, an unseen character in several episodes of Married... with Children. She also appeared in episodes of Mama's Family, Growing Pains, Simon & Simon, ALF, L.A. Law, The Golden Girls, Doogie Howser, M.D., Roseanne, Coach, ER, Home Improvement, and many other shows in the 1980s and 1990s.

Besides her role in The Full Monty, she remained active in her final years with a regular voice role in As Told by Ginger, a voice bit in the animated feature film Shrek, and a guest appearance on the sitcom Becker. In her final episode of As Told by Ginger, "No Hope for Courtney", Freeman's character Mrs. Gordon retires from her teaching job. The script originally was written to have Gordon return to Lucky Elementary School, but Freeman died during production, so the episode was rewritten to have Gordon die as well and was dedicated in Freeman's memory.

Film

For a short time in the early 1950s, Freeman was a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player, appearing mostly in small and uncredited bit parts. Her most notable early role was an uncredited part in the 1952 MGM musical Singin' in the Rain as Jean Hagen's diction coach Phoebe Dinsmore.

Beginning with the 1954 film 3 Ring Circus, Freeman became a favorite foil of Jerry Lewis, playing opposite him in 11 films. These included most of Lewis's better-known comedies, including The Disorderly Orderly as Nurse Higgins, The Errand Boy as the studio boss's wife, and The Nutty Professor as Millie Lemon. Over 30 years later, she made a brief appearance in Nutty Professor II: The Klumps.

Her other film roles included appearances in The Missouri Traveler (1958), The Fly (1958), the Western spoofs Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) and Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971), and appearances in a spate of comedies in the 1980s and 1990s. Freeman played Sister Mary Stigmata (referred to as the Penguin) in John Landis' The Blues Brothers (1980) and Blues Brothers 2000 (1998). She also played a foul-mouthed apartment building manager in Dragnet (1987), a teacher in Hocus Pocus (1993), and a gangster mother in Naked Gun : The Final Insult (1994). She also had cameos in Joe Dante's Innerspace (1987) and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) (as tipsy cooking host Microwave Marge). Her final film role was in Shrek (2001), where she played an old woman, Donkey's original owner, who tried selling him for money.

In the 1973 film The Sting, Freeman appeared in a family photo for Kid Twist’s character (played by Harold Gould) in the Western Union office scene.

Personal life and death Weakened by illness, Freeman was forced to withdraw from the Full Monty cast. Five days later, she died of lung cancer at age 78 at Lenox Hill Hospital.

Freeman never married and had no children. The report of her death in the British newspaper The Guardian mentioned her "long-time companion Helen Ramsey"; and similarly Variety called her Freeman's "best friend". Helen Ramsey and Freeman were University of California at Los Angeles students at the same time.

Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes 1948 The Naked City Stout Girl on Elevated Train Uncredited Casbah American Woman The Saxon CharmNurse Behind Locked Doors 1949 Mr. Belvedere Goes to College Gwendolyn Annie Was a Wonder Annie Swenson Short film The Story of Molly X Seamstress Con Uncredited 1950 No Man of Her Own Clara Larrimore The Secret Fury Jury Member House by the River Effie Ferguson, Party Guest The Reformer and the Redhead Lily Rayton Parker Once a Thief Phoebe Lonely Heart Bandits Bertha Martin A Life of Her Own Switchboard Operator, Betsy Ross Hotel Uncredited The Second Face Shirley 1951 The Company She Keeps Jessie, Parolee with Child Cry Danger Second Cigarette Clerk Cause for Alarm! Woman A Place in the Sun Factory Worker, Prosecution Witness Appointment with Danger Nun Strictly Dishonorable Silent Movie Organist Yes Sir, Mr. Bones Chick Watts Behave Yourself! Pet Shop Proprietor's Wife Come Fill the Cup Lil, Newspaper Switchboard Operator Let's Make It Legal Reporter The Wild Blue Yonder Nurse Baxter 1952 The Greatest Show on Earth Spectator Love Is Better Than Ever Mrs. Kahrney Singin' in the Rain Phoebe Dinsmore Uncredited Talk About a Stranger Rosa, Grocery Clerk Kid Monk Baroni Maria Baroni Skirts Ahoy! Sarcastic Seamstress Uncredited Wait 'til the Sun Shines, Nellie The Burdges' Maid O. Henry's Full House Mrs. Dorset UncreditedSegment: "The Ransom of Red Chief" Monkey Business Mrs. Brannigan, Neighbor Uncredited The Prisoner of Zenda Gertrud Holf The Bad and the Beautiful Miss March 1953 The Magnetic Monster Nelly She's Back on Broadway Annie Uncredited Confidentially Connie Mother of Twins The Glass Wall Zelda, Fat Woman A Perilous Journey Leah Dream Wife Chambermaid Uncredited The Affairs of Dobie Gillis 'Happy Stella' Kowalski Half a Hero Welcomer The Glass Web Mrs. O'Halloran Uncredited 1954 Battle of Rogue River Sis Pringle The Far Country Grits Athena Miss Seely 3 Ring Circus Custard-Pie Gag Victim Uncredited 1955 The Seven Year Itch Woman at Vegetarian Restaurant Artists and Models Mrs. Muldoon 1957 The Midnight Story Rosa Cuneo Pawnee Mrs. Carter Kiss Them for Me Nurse Wilinski Uncredited 1958 The Missouri Traveller Serena Poole Too Much, Too Soon Miss Magruder Uncredited The Fly Emma Houseboat Laundromat Gossip Uncredited The Buccaneer Tina 1960 North to Alaska Lena Nordquist 1961 Madison Avenue Miss Thelma Haley The Ladies Man Katie The Errand Boy Mrs. Helen Paramutual / Mrs. T.P. 1962 Wild Harvest Goldie 1963 The Nutty Professor Millie Lemmon Who's Minding the Store? Mrs. Glucksman 1964 Mail Order Bride Sister Sue The Patsy Katie Uncredited The Disorderly Orderly Nurse Maggie Higgins 1965 The Rounders Agatha Moore That Funny Feeling Woman at Phone Booth Marriage on the Rocks Miss Blight 1966 Three on a Couch Murphy 1967 The Big Mouth Little Old Lady Uncredited Point Blank First Citizen 1968 The Helicopter Spies Mom 1969 Support Your Local Sheriff! Mrs. Danvers Hook, Line & Sinker Mrs. Hardtack, Baby Sitter Death of a Gunfighter Mary Elizabeth The Good Guys and the Bad Guys Mrs. Stone, Mother Love American Style Nurse 1970 The Ballad of Cable Hogue Mrs. Jensen Myra Breckinridge Bobby Dean Loner Which Way to the Front? Bland's Mother 1971 Support Your Local Gunfighter! Mrs. Perkins Head On Nadine 1972 Stand Up and Be Counted Sarah Where Does It Hurt? Mrs. Mazzini The Unholy Rollers Karen's Mother 1973 Your Three Minutes Are Up Mrs. Wilk 1974 So Evil, My Sister Hilda 1975 The Strongest Man in the World Officer Hurley 1978 The Norseman Old Indian Woman 1980 The Blues Brothers Sister Mary Stigmata, a.k.a. The Penguin 1981 Heartbeeps Helicopter Pilot 1986 The Best of Times Rosie Inside Out Mother Voice The Malibu Bikini Shop Loraine Bender 1987 In the Mood Beulah Marver Dragnet Enid Borden Innerspace Dream Lady Teen Wolf Too Admissions Lady 1988 The Wrong Guys Grunskis' Mom 1989 Chances Are Mrs. Handy Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland Dance Teacher Voice The Princess and the DwarfUnknown Hollywood Chaos 1990 Gremlins 2: The New Batch Microwave Marge The Willies Miss Titmarsh 1991 Joey Takes a Cab Lola Dutch Gritzi 1992 FernGully: The Last Rainforest Elder #1 Voice 1993 Reckless Kelly Mrs. Delance Hocus Pocus Miss Olin 1994 Naked Gun : The Final Insult Muriel 1996 Two Guys Talkin' About Girls Rhonda's Grandma Candysack Elderly Marilyn Monroe Impersonator Voice, direct-to-video Carpool Franklin's MomVoice 1997 Hercules Heavyset Woman 1998 Blues Brothers 2000 Mother Mary Stigmata Richie Rich's Christmas Wish Miss Peabody Direct-to-video I'll Be Home for Christmas Tom Tom Girl Gloria 1999 Baby Geniuses Lenny's Noisy Neighbor Uncredited Seven Girlfriends Ms. Hargrove 2000 Ready to Rumble Jane King Nutty Professor II: The Klumps Denise's Nosy Neighbor Uncredited 2001 Joe Dirt Joe Dirt's Foster Mother Shrek Old Woman Voice; final film role

Television Year(s)TitleRoleNotes 1950–1954 Fireside Theatre Mrs. Chernowitz 8 episodes1952 DragnetUnknown Episode: "The Big Death" Big Town Episode: "Marry My Past" I Married Joan Customer in Dress Shop Episode: "Birthday" Our Miss Brooks Miss Atterberry Episode: "The Embezzled Dress" Schlitz Playhouse Ripplehissian Gang Episode: "The Pussyfootin' Rocks"1953 Cavalcade of America Unknown Episode: "The Indomitable Blacksmith" I Married Joan Betty 2 episodes The Loretta Young Show Freida Foss Episode: "Girl on a Flagpole" 1953–1954 Topper Katie 19 episodes 1954 Mr. & Mrs. North Mary Farrell Episode: "The Girl in Cell 13" 1954–1955 Mayor of the Town Marilyn "Marilly" the Housekeeper 39 episodes 1954–1956 The Loretta Young Show Jessie 3 episodes1955 Lux Video Theatre Connie Episode: "Not All Your Tears" The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show Helga Episode: "Harry Morton's Cocktail Party" 1955–1956 Matinee Theatre Village Shopkeeper 3 episodes 1955–1958 The Bob Cummings Show Bertha Krause 6 episodes1956 Father Knows Best Fussy Woman UncreditedEpisode: "The Bus to Nowhere" It's Always Jan Mrs. Johnson 2 episodes Warner Bros. Presents Unknown Episode: "Strange World" The Loretta Young Show Cousin Phemie Episode: "His Inheritance"1958 December Bride Marie Episode: "The Fred MacMurray Show" Tombstone Territory Hannah Woolsey Episode: "The Outcasts" Lassie Mrs. Graff Episode: "The Raffle"1959 Wagon Train Sairy Hogg Episode: "The Kitty Angel Story" Lux Playhouse Emma Episode: "The Miss and Missiles" 1959–1962 General Electric Theatre Girdle Woman 2 episodes 1959–1963 77 Sunset Strip Hannah Wells / Mrs. Ryan / WAF Secretary / Mrs. Holmes 4 episodes 1959–1964 The Donna Reed Show Mrs. Celia Wilgus 4 episodes1960 Hawaiian Eye Opal Jensen Episode: "Then There Were Three" Bourbon Street Beat Elsie Episode: "Wagon Show" The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis Mrs. Metzger Episode: "Rock-A-Bye Dobie" The Case of the Dangerous Robin Unknown Episode: "The Nightmare" 1960–1961 Bachelor Father Hilda 2 episodes 1961 Guestward Ho! Mrs. Laughing Water Episode: "The Hootons Versus Hawkeye"1962 Margie Mrs. Botts Episode: "Flaming Youth" The Detectives Betty Episode: "Pandora's Box" Rawhide Mrs. Beamish Episode: "The Greedy Town" Wagon Train Mrs. Benson Episode: "The Caroline Casteel Story" Laramie Edna Holtzhoff Episode: "Justice in a Hurry" The Dick Powell Theatre Unknown Episode: "Pericles on 31st Street" 87th Precinct Miss Wilson Episode: "Girl in the Case" 1962–1971 The Beverly Hillbillies Mabel Johnson / Agnes / Flo Shaffer 6 episodes1963 Arrest and Trial Mrs. Hinch Episode: "The Quality of Justice" The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Mrs. McCleod Episode: "You'll Be the Death of Me" 1964–1965 The Dick Van Dyke Show Mrs. Campbell / Hotel Maid 2 episodes 1965 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Angela Morrow Episode: "The World's Oldest Motive" 1966–1971 Hogan's Heroes Gertrude Linkmeyer 4 episodes 1967 Dragnet Mrs. Sunshine Pound Episode: "The Gun" 1967–1970 Bonanza Miss Hibbs / Ma Brinker 2 episodes 1968–1969 Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. Alice Whipple / Mom 2 episodes 1969 The Bill Cosby Show Eloise Parker Episode: "A Word from Our Sponsor" 1973 The Mod Squad Martha Episode: "Cry Uncle" 1973–1974 Lotsa Luck Iris Belmont 22 episodes1975 The Daughters of Joshua Cabe Return Essie Television film Kolchak: The Night Stalker Bella Sarkof Episode: "The Youth Killer" 1976 Father O Father Housekeeper Television film1977 Kojak Ma Wonderly Episode: "Case Without a File" ABC Weekend Special Mrs. Stetson Episode: "Soup and Me" 1978 Police Woman Landlady Episode: "Sons" 1980 CHiPs Outraged Lady Episode: "To Your Health" 1983 Sutter's Bay Unknown Television film1985 AfterMASH Mrs. Poulos Episode: "Saturday's Heroes" Snorks Additional Voices VoiceEpisode: "Snorkitis Is Nothing to Sneeze At/The Whole Toot and Nothing But..." Simon & Simon Felix's Customer Episode: "Facets" 1986 My Sister Sam Mrs. Pink Episode: "Patti's Party"1987 Hunter Ann Ridley Episode: "Requiem for Sergeant McCall" Mama's Family Big Joan McCall Episode: "Mama with the Golden Arm" She's the Sheriff Bessie Episode: "Hildy Gets Shot"1988 Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis Marie Television film The Facts of Life Noreen Grisbee 2 episodes The Canterbury Ghost Mrs. Umney Voice, television film Glitz Mrs. Magyk Television film Simon & Simon Stella Brunansky Episode: "The Merry Adventures of Robert Hood" Murphy Brown Mrs. Caldwell Episode: "Respect" ALF Betty Susla Episode: "Alone Again, Naturally"1988–1990 Growing Pains Madge / Marge / Estelle / Sophie 5 episodes The Hogan Family Mother Poole 2 episodes1989 L.A. Law Joan Ackerman Episode: "Izzy Ackerman or Is He Not" TV 101 Landlady Episode: "First Love: Part 3" The Magical World of Disney Mrs. Crackshell Voice, episode: "Super DuckTales" Generations Mrs. Brezinski 7 episodes Mr. Belvedere Woman Episode: "Fear of Flying" Christine Cromwell Kathryn Episode: "Things That Go Bump in the Night"1989–1990 Head of the Class Nurse 2 episodes DuckTales Mrs. Crackshell / Nurse Hatchet Voice, 10 episodes1990 Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers Ma Voice, episode: "Short Order Crooks" A Family for Joe Mrs. Lee Episode: "Law and Order" Sydney Louisa Episode: "36-24-36" The Golden Girls Mother Superior Episode: "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Sophia?"1991 The Munsters Today Grandma Episode: "A House Divided" Sons and Daughters Debbie Episode: "Deep Throat" Out of This World Miss Ogilvy Episode: "Educating Kyle" Tales from the Crypt Mrs. Parker Episode: "Loved to Death" Beverly Hills, 90210 Pawn Shop Clerk Episode: "Anaconda" Matlock Lucy Lewis Episodes "The Witness Killings" MacGyver Rose Magruta Episode: "Off the Wall"1992 Major Dad Edna Episode: "Close Encounters" Martin Saleslady Episode: "The Gift Rapper" Doogie Howser, M.D. Mrs. Mickling Episode: "The Patient in Spite of Himself"1993 Chairman's Choice Unknown Television film Nurses Sister Mary Alma Episode: "Smokin' in the Boys' Room" 1993–1994 Phenom Maureen De La Rosa 2 episodes1994 Herman's Head Mrs. Debusher Episode: "Bedtime for Hermo" Party of Five Mona Episode: "Kiss Me Kate"1995 The Mommies Rona Episode: "Enter Ken" Renegade Felipe's Mother Episode: "Most Wanted" Bless This Mess Jimmy's Mother Voice, episode: "The Postman Always Moves Twice" Married... with Children Peg's Mom Voice, 5 episodes1996 Dave's World Waitress Episode: "Loves Me Like a Rock" Melrose Place Madge Episode: "The Circle of Strife" The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest Mrs. Evans Voice, episode: "Return of the Anasazi" Common Law Danish Lady Episode: "In the Matter of: Luis in Love" Roseanne Seaweed Attendant / Edna 2 episodes ER Rhonda's Patient Episode: "No Brain, No Gain" 1996–1997 Duckman Nurse Voice, 2 episodes 1997 Coach Magda Episode: "The Stench of Death"1998 Cow and Chicken Greta Voice, episode: "Sumo Cow" Night Man Fern Episode: "Bad to the Bone" Home Improvement Gwen Episode: "The Son Also Mooches" Love Boat: The Next Wave Maw-Maw Cranston Episode: "How Long Has This Been Going On?" Clueless Pearl Episode: "Cashless"1999 Caroline in the City Grandma Duffy 2 episodes Arli$$ Helen Krupp Episode: "The Changing of the Guard" Providence Miss Van Gundy Episode: "The Third Thing" Grown Ups Mona Episode: "Online Romance"1999–2000RugratsMargaret, WomanVoice, 2 episodes Detention Eugenia P. Kisskillya Voice, 13 episodes 2000 Becker Edith / Evelyn Episode: "The Hypocratic Oath" Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show Community Center Cook Episode: "Honey, I'm the Wrong Arm of the Law" Batman Beyond Ma Mayhem Voice, episode: "The Eggbaby" 2000–2002 As Told by Ginger Mrs. Gordon Voice, 13 episodes

Video games YearTitleVoice 1997 The Curse of Monkey Island Madame Xima