Irene Hervey

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Irene Hervey
Hervey in 1937
Born
Beulah Irene Herwick

(1909-07-11)July 11, 1909
Venice, California, U.S.
DiedDecember 20, 1998(1998-12-20) (aged 89)
Woodland Hills, California, U.S.
EducationVenice High School
OccupationActress
Years active1933-1981
Spouses
William Fenderson
​
​
(m. 1929; div. 1933)​
​
​
(m. 1936; div. 1957)​
Children2, including
Jack Jones

Irene Hervey (born Beulah Irene Herwick; July 11, 1909 – December 20, 1998) was an American film, stage, and television actress who appeared in over fifty films and numerous television series spanning her five-decade career.[1]

A native of Los Angeles, Hervey was trained in her youth by British stage and film actress

Jimmy Stewart and Marlene Dietrich, the mystery The House of Fear (1939), and the musical The Boys from Syracuse (1940), the latter of which she appeared opposite her then-husband Allan Jones
.

She appeared in films throughout the 1940s into the 1950s, including the horror film

Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. Hervey appeared in occasional minor film roles in her later career, such as Gene Saks's Cactus Flower (1969) and Clint Eastwood's thriller Play Misty for Me
(1971).

Hervey died of heart failure in 1998. She had two children, one of whom was pop singer

Jack Jones
.

Early life

Hervey was born Beulah Irene Herwick on July 11, 1909, in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles.[2][3][4][5] Her father was a sign painter, and her mother a Christian Science practitioner whose pupil was English actress Emma Dunn.[6] Dunn agreed to become Hervey's acting coach during her childhood.[6] Hervey attended Venice High School, where she appeared in school theater productions.[7]

Career

Early films

Hervey in 1934

She began her acting career after being introduced to a casting agent from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). After a successful screen test, she was signed by the studio and made her screen debut in the 1933 film The Stranger's Return, opposite Lionel Barrymore.[6]

Though signed by MGM, Hervey was loaned by the studio and appeared in several films including

With Words and Music, released by Grand National Films Inc.[6] In 1934, she was cast as the murderess Myra in the thriller Rendezvous at Midnight, but was replaced by Irene Ware.[8]

In 1936, Hervey left MGM and signed with

Grand National Pictures' The Girl Said No (1937), a musical comedy featuring music by Gilbert and Sullivan.[10]

At Universal from 1940 to 1943, Hervey had the lead in 11 B pictures, one A (The Boys from Syracuse) and one serial (Gang Busters).

In 1943, Hervey was seriously injured in a car accident and was forced to retire from acting for five years.[6] Though she did briefly return to acting for the stage play No Way Out, where she played Dr. Enid Karley, in 1944.[11]

Later career

Hervey returned to acting in 1948 with the film Mickey, followed by Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid. By the early 1950s, she began appearing in television. Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, Hervey appeared in several television series, including the crime dramas Richard Diamond, Private Detective, Peter Gunn, and Hawaiian Eye. She also made three guest appearances on Perry Mason: in 1958, she played Helen Bartlett in "The Case of the Black-Eyed Blonde"; in 1961, she played Grace Davies in "The Case of the Jealous Journalist", and in 1963, she played Jill Garson in "The Case of the Lawful Lazarus". She returned to theater with a role opposite Hans Conried in Take Her, She's Mine, a comedy written by Henry and Phoebe Ephron, which had regional performances in Massachusetts and Connecticut in the summer of 1963.[12] A reviewer from a local publication noted that Hervey "registers effectively" in her role.[12] In 1965, she landed a regular role on The Young Marrieds, followed by a stint on the short-lived Anne Francis series Honey West as the titular character's Aunt Meg.

In 1969, Hervey was nominated for an

Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for her appearance on My Three Sons.[13] After her roles as Mrs. Durant in the comedy Cactus Flower and as Madge in the 1971 thriller film Play Misty for Me with Clint Eastwood, Hervey retired from acting. She took a job working at a travel agency in Sherman Oaks and briefly returned to acting in 1978 with a role in Charlie's Angels. In 1981, she made her last on-screen appearance in the television movie Goliath Awaits, which centers on a community of survivors from a World War II shipwreck who have survived decades living underwater.[14]

Personal life

Hervey with second husband Allan Jones, 1941.

In 1929, Hervey married musician William Fenderson, with whom she had a daughter, Gail (1930–2020).

Jack Jones (1938–2024).[17] They divorced in 1957.[6][9]

Death

Hervey died of heart failure on December 20, 1998; she was 89 and was residing at the

Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills.[1][18] She was cremated, and her ashes returned to her surviving daughter.[19]

Honors

For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Hervey has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6336 Hollywood Boulevard.[1]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1933 The Stranger's Return Nettie Crane [20]
Turn Back the Clock Uncredited [21]
The Women in His Life Doris Worthing [20]
1934 Three on a Honeymoon Millicent Wells [20]
Hollywood Party Show Girl Uncredited [20]
Let's Try Again Marge Phelps [20]
The Count of Monte Cristo Valentine de Villefort [20]
The Dude Ranger Anne Hepburn [20]
1935 The Winning Ticket Mary Tomasello [20]
Motive for Revenge Muriel Webster King [20]
Honeymoon Limited Judy Randall [20]
Hard Rock Harrigan 'Andy' Anderson [20]
His Night Out Peggy Taylor [20]
Charlie Chan in Shanghai Diana Woodland [20]
A Thrill for Thelma Thelma Black Short film; uncredited [22]
White Lies
 Mary Mallory [20]
1936 Three Godfathers Molly Also known as: Miracle in the Sand [20]
Absolute Quiet Laura Tait [20]
Along Came Love Emmy Grant [20]
1937 Woman in Distress Irene Donovan [20]
The League of Frightened Men
 Evelyn Hibbard [20]
The Girl Said No Pearl Proctor / Peep-Bo [20]
The Lady Fights Back Heather McHale [20]
1938 Say It in French Auriol Marsden [20]
Society Smugglers Joan Martin [20]
1939 East Side of Heaven Mona Barrett [20]
The House of Fear Alice Tabor [20]
Missing Evidence Linda Parker [20]
Destry Rides Again Janice Tyndall [20]
1940 Three Cheers for the Irish Heloise Casey [20]
The Crooked Road Louise Dalton [20]
The Boys from Syracuse Adriana [20]
The San Francisco Docks Kitty Tracy [20]
1941
Mr. Dynamite
 Vicki Martin [20]
1942 Bombay Clipper Frankie Gilroy Wilson [20]
Frisco Lil Lillian Grayson / Frisco Lil [20]
Unseen Enemy Gen Rand [20]
Gang Busters Vicki Logan [23]
Halfway to Shanghai Vicky Neilson [20]
Destination Unknown Elena Varnoff [20]
Night Monster Dr. Lynn Harper [20]
Keeping Fit Irene - Dick's Wife Short film [24]
1943 He's My Guy Terry Allen [20]
1946 Studio Visit [25]
1948 Mickey Louise Williams [20]
Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid Mrs. Polly Peabody [20]
1949 The Lucky Stiff Mrs. Eve Childers [20]
Manhandled Ruth / Mrs. Alton Bennet [20]
Chicago Deadline Belle Dorset [20]
1956 A Cry in the Night Helen Taggart [20]
Teenage Rebel Helen Sheldon McGowan [20]
1958 Going Steady Grace Turner [20]
Crash Landing Bernice Willouby [20]
1960 O'Conner's Ocean Victoria Arden Television film [26]
1969 Cactus Flower Mrs. Durant [27]
Roberta Mrs. Teale Television film [28]
1971 Play Misty for Me Madge Brenner [20]
1981 Goliath Awaits Carrie Television film [29]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1952
The Gulf Playhouse
 Episode: "Our Two Hundred Children"
1953–55 The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse 2 episodes
1953–56 Lux Video Theatre Susan Arnold / Lucille / Patricia 4 episodes
1954–55 Fireside Theatre Miss Vickers / Louise 2 episodes
1954 Stage 7 Fran Abbelard Episode: "The Time of Day"
1954
The Lone Wolf
 Mae East Episode: "The Runaway Story (a.k.a. Death of a Lawyer)"
1955 Studio 57 Ann Randall 2 episodes
1955 The Public Defender Mrs. Harris Episode: "Mama's Boy"
1955–57 Climax! Nancy Blount 2 episodes
1955–58 The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show Clara Bagley / Florence Henderson 5 episodes
1955–58
Matinee Theatre
 Margaret March / Stella Martyn / Myra Gordon 8 episodes
1955 Damon Runyon Theater Episode: "Small Town Caper"
1956 The Millionaire Maxine Episode: "The Candy Caldwell Story"
1956 Sneak Preview Episode: "The Way Back"
1956 The Charles Farrell Show Mrs. Andrews Episode: "Charlie's Love Secret"
1957 Circus Boy Martha Neilson Episode: "Farewell to the Circus"
1957 Panic! Gretchen Beresford Episode: "Two Martinis"
1958
Studio One
 Beth Byrnes Episode: "The Lonely Stage"
1958–63 Perry Mason Jill Garson / Grace Davies / Helen Bartlett 3 episodes
1959 Playhouse 90 Mrs. McBurnie Episode: "A Quiet Game of Cards"
1959 Richard Diamond, Private Detective Mary Forsythe Episode: "The Sport"
1959 The Ann Sothern Show Lorraine Episode: "The Ugly Bonnet"
1959 The Donna Reed Show Louise Collier Episode: "A Penny Earned"
1960 Bourbon Street Beat Alice Nichols Episode: "False Identity"
1960 Markham Mrs. Franklin Episode: "The Silken Cord"
1960
Thriller
 Mrs. Edith Pettit Episode: "The Watcher"
1960 The Case of the Dangerous Robin Thelma Henderson Episode: "Temporary Window"
1961 Peter Gunn Madelon Ridgely Episode: "Blind Item"
1961 The DuPont Show with June Allyson Gladys Episode: "The Guilty Heart"
1961 Shirley Temple's Storybook Esperanza Episode: "The Princess and the Goblins"
1961 Surfside 6 Mrs. Gardner Episode: "Little Mister Kelly"
1961–62 Hawaiian Eye Mary Kirk / Marjorie Lloyd / Harriet Regan 3 episodes
1962
Target: The Corruptors
 Nora Tremaine Episode: "One for the Road"
1962 Follow the Sun Jeanette Episode: "The Last of the Big Spenders"
1962 77 Sunset Strip Ellen Gilmore Episode: "Framework for the Badge"
1962
The Wide Country
 Dorothy Stannard Episode: "Our Ernie Kills People"
1962 Dr. Kildare Martha Kildare Episode: "An Ancient Office"
1963 The Eleventh Hour Valerie Prentice Episode: "The Wings of Morning"
1964 The Twilight Zone Martha Tillman Episode: "Black Leather Jackets"
1964 Burke's Law Mrs. Tilson Episode: "Who Killed April?"
1964 The Baileys of Balboa Marie Episode: "Won't You Come Home, Sam Bailey"
1964–65 The Young Marrieds Irene Forsythe #1
1965–66 Honey West Aunt Meg 16 episodes
1967 Love on a Rooftop Helen Cavendish Episode: "One Too Many Cooks"
1968
Ironside
 Margaret Whitfield Episode: "Reprise"
1968 The Mod Squad Mrs. Sanderson Episode: "A Quiet Weekend in the Country"
1968–70 Family Affair Mrs. Eldridge / Miss Scranton 2 episodes
1969–72 My Three Sons Sylvia Anderson / Beatrice Brady 2 episodes
Nominated –
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding
Single Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role[13]
1976 Most Wanted Mrs. Morrison Episode: "The Ten-Percenter"
1978 Charlie's Angels Samantha McKendrick Episode: "The Jade Trap"
1979 Delta House Trustee Episode: "The Fall of Dean Wormer"

Stage credits

Year Title Role Venue(s) Notes Ref(s).
1944 No Way Out Dr. Enid Karley Cort Theatre Broadway production [11]
1963 Take Her, She's Mine Anne Michaelson Westport Country Playhouse
The Cape Playhouse (Cape Cod) 		Regional touring production [12][30]


References

  1. ^ a b c "Irene Hervey". Los Angeles Times. L.A. Times Hollywood Star Walk. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  2. ^ Lentz 1999, p. 102.
  3. ^ "The Birth of Beulah I. Herwick". California Birth Index. California Vital Statistics. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  4. Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ "Irene Hervey". The Swedish Film Database (in Swedish). Swedish Film Institute. 11 July 1909. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Vallance, Tom (December 29, 1998). "Obituary: Irene Hervey". The Independent. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  7. ^ Oliver, Myrna (December 23, 1998). "Irene Hervey; Film and Television Actress". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  8. ^ "Cutting Room Floor". Motion Picture Herald: 45, 48. November 17, 1934.
  9. ^ a b c New York Times Staff (December 26, 1998). "Irene Hervey, 89, Film Actress Hailed in 'Destry Rides Again'". The New York Times. Retrieved April 15, 2018. Free access icon
  10. ^ "The Girl Said No" (PDF) (Press release). Al Greenstone. 1937. pp. 1–16. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 7, 2010 – via William K. Everson Collection (New York University).
  11. ^ a b "No Way Out". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  12. ^ a b c "Passing show". The Bridgeport Post. Bridgeport, Connecticut. August 6, 1963. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  13. ^ a b "Awards Search ("Irene Hervey")". Television Academy: Emmys. Archived from the original on 2018-04-06. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  14. ^ "Goliath Awaits (1981)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  15. ^ https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/burbank-ca/gail-christensen-9312327
  16. ^ "Seeing Stars with Mitzi". Photoplay: 98. July 1935 – via Internet Archive. Free access icon
  17. ^ "Allan Jones Adopts Stepchild as Heir". The Pittsburgh Press. United Press. February 16, 1937. p. 17. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  18. ^ "Irene Hervey". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  19. ISBN 9780786479924
    – via Google Books.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw "Irene Hervey filmography". American Film Institute Catalog. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  21. ISBN 978-0-520-07908-3
    .
  22. ^ Halliwell 1996, p. 259.
  23. ^ Mayer 2017, p. 134.
  24. ISSN 0015-1688
    .
  25. ^ "Studio Visit (1946)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  26. ^ "Civil War Drama Planned For NBC". The Daily Reporter. Dover, Ohio. December 10, 1960. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  27. ^ Roberts 2003, p. 89.
  28. ^ Roberts 2003, p. 219.
  29. ^ "Goliath Awaits". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  30. ^ "Production history". The Cape Playhouse. Retrieved April 15, 2018.[permanent dead link‍]

Works cited

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