Jean Carson
Encyclopedia
Jean Carson was an American
stage, film and television actress best known for her work on the classic 1960s sitcom The Andy Griffith Show
as one of the "fun girls".
, first governor of the Colony of Connecticut), Jean Carson first became interested in show business as a child, playing a "bad little Indian girl". At age 12 she got her first acting job, five dollars for a small part in a production of Carmen that traveled through Charleston.
In high school she was voted Girl Most Likely to Succeed as an Actress. Carson told her mother she was going to be on Broadway
and in 1948, after studies at Carnegie Mellon University
, Carson made her Broadway debut in George S. Kaufman
's Bravo. Other Broadway work included Anniversary Waltz with Macdonald Carey
, Two Blind Mice with Melvyn Douglas
, and Bird Cage, which garnered her a Tony Award
nomination.
Carson went on to appear in many pioneering television series, including Studio One
, NBC Presents, The Twilight Zone
(as Paula in A Most Unusual Camera
, a part written especially for her by Rod Serling
) and The Ford Theatre Hour. She continued to make guest starring appearances throughout the 1950s, as well as a regular role on 1959's The Betty Hutton Show
(Carson described Hutton as a "foulmouthed old biddy" and said that was the only acting experience she did not enjoy) and roles in films such as 1955's The Phenix City Story and 1958's I Married a Monster from Outer Space. Carson felt she was typecast by some of these roles ("I'm what you call a 'second woman' or 'second tomato.' They never get the man." ) and that they helped her get work on The Andy Griffith Show.
Carson had a brief role as Naomi in a 1962 episode, but her most popular role was Daphne, one of the "fun girls
", who appeared with Joyce Jameson
on a recurring basis from 1962 to 1965. Daphne was a notorious flirt who greeted her objects of affection with a throaty "Hello Doll". )
Carson earned fourth billing in the 1968 Peter Sellers
comedy The Party
, perhaps her best known film. For the first half of the 1970s Carson had a drinking problem which limited her acting career. Her last film role was 1977's Fun with Dick and Jane. She retired early in the next decade, save for some plays in the Palm Springs area (where she had moved to be close to her children). She was active with Alcoholics Anonymous
. She associated herself with The Andy Griffith Show for many years, attending cast performances, conventions, and other meetings and writing back to fans personally until she suffered a severe stroke which left her incapacitated in September 2005. On November 2, 2005, Carson died from complications of the stroke
; she was 82 years old. Although her raspy voice suggested otherwise, she was not a smoker.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
stage, film and television actress best known for her work on the classic 1960s sitcom The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised by CBS between October 3, 1960, and April 1, 1968. Andy Griffith portrays a widowed sheriff in the fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina...
as one of the "fun girls".
Biography
Born to Alexander W. Carson and Sadie (nėe Leete; a descendant of William LeeteWilliam Leete
Governor William Leete was Governor of the Colony of New Haven from 1661 to 1665 and Governor of the Colony of Connecticut from 1676 to 1683....
, first governor of the Colony of Connecticut), Jean Carson first became interested in show business as a child, playing a "bad little Indian girl". At age 12 she got her first acting job, five dollars for a small part in a production of Carmen that traveled through Charleston.
In high school she was voted Girl Most Likely to Succeed as an Actress. Carson told her mother she was going to be on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and in 1948, after studies at Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
, Carson made her Broadway debut in George S. Kaufman
George S. Kaufman
George Simon Kaufman was an American playwright, theatre director and producer, humorist, and drama critic. In addition to comedies and political satire, he wrote several musicals, notably for the Marx Brothers...
's Bravo. Other Broadway work included Anniversary Waltz with Macdonald Carey
Macdonald Carey
Edward Macdonald Carey was an American actor, best known for his role as the patriarch Dr. Tom Horton on NBC's soap opera Days of our Lives...
, Two Blind Mice with Melvyn Douglas
Melvyn Douglas
Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg , better known as Melvyn Douglas, was an American actor.Coming to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man , Douglas later transitioned into more mature and fatherly roles as in his Academy Award-winning performances in Hud...
, and Bird Cage, which garnered her a Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
nomination.
Carson went on to appear in many pioneering television series, including Studio One
Studio One (TV series)
Studio One is a long-running American radio–television anthology series, created in 1947 by the 26-year-old Canadian director Fletcher Markle, who came to CBS from the CBC.-Radio:...
, NBC Presents, The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
(as Paula in A Most Unusual Camera
A Most Unusual Camera
"A Most Unusual Camera" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.-Synopsis:Two thieves, Chester and Paula, rob a curio shop, and among the things they steal is a strange camera. The pair come to realize that its pictures reveal the future, specifically five...
, a part written especially for her by Rod Serling
Rod Serling
Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form...
) and The Ford Theatre Hour. She continued to make guest starring appearances throughout the 1950s, as well as a regular role on 1959's The Betty Hutton Show
The Betty Hutton Show
The Betty Hutton Show is an American sitcom that aired on CBS's Thursday night schedule during the 1959-1960 season. The show was sponsored by General Foods' Post Cereals, and was produced by Desilu and Hutton Productions....
(Carson described Hutton as a "foulmouthed old biddy" and said that was the only acting experience she did not enjoy) and roles in films such as 1955's The Phenix City Story and 1958's I Married a Monster from Outer Space. Carson felt she was typecast by some of these roles ("I'm what you call a 'second woman' or 'second tomato.' They never get the man." ) and that they helped her get work on The Andy Griffith Show.
Carson had a brief role as Naomi in a 1962 episode, but her most popular role was Daphne, one of the "fun girls
The Fun Girls
The Fun Girls were fictional recurring characters on the 1960s American television sitcom, The Andy Griffith Show....
", who appeared with Joyce Jameson
Joyce Jameson
Joyce Jameson was an American actress best remembered for her blonde bimbo roles during the Marilyn Monroe period...
on a recurring basis from 1962 to 1965. Daphne was a notorious flirt who greeted her objects of affection with a throaty "Hello Doll". )
Carson earned fourth billing in the 1968 Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
comedy The Party
The Party (film)
The Party is a 1968 comedy film directed by Blake Edwards, starring Peter Sellers and Claudine Longet. The film has a very loose structure, and essentially serves as a series of set pieces for Sellers's improvisational comedy talents...
, perhaps her best known film. For the first half of the 1970s Carson had a drinking problem which limited her acting career. Her last film role was 1977's Fun with Dick and Jane. She retired early in the next decade, save for some plays in the Palm Springs area (where she had moved to be close to her children). She was active with Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
. She associated herself with The Andy Griffith Show for many years, attending cast performances, conventions, and other meetings and writing back to fans personally until she suffered a severe stroke which left her incapacitated in September 2005. On November 2, 2005, Carson died from complications of the stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
; she was 82 years old. Although her raspy voice suggested otherwise, she was not a smoker.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | NBC Presents | TV, 1 episode | |
| The Philco Television Playhouse The Philco Television Playhouse The Philco Television Playhouse, a live television anthology series sponsored by Philco, was telecast from 1948 to 1955. Produced by Fred Coe, the NBC series was seen on Sundays from 9:00pm to 10:00pm... |
TV, 1 episode | ||
| 1949–1952 | Studio One | Mary Warren | TV, 3 episodes |
| 1950 | The Ford Theatre Hour | TV, 1 episode | |
| The Trap | TV, 1 episode | ||
| Robert Montgomery Presents Robert Montgomery Presents Robert Montgomery Presents is an American dramatic television series which was produced by NBC from January 30, 1950 until June 24, 1957. The live show had several sponsors during its seven-year run, and the title was altered to feature the sponsor, usually Lucky Strike cigarettes, for example,... |
TV, 1 episode | ||
| 1951 | The Adventures of Ellery Queen The Adventures of Ellery Queen The Adventures of Ellery Queen is the title of a radio series and four separate television series made from the 1950s through the 1970s. They were based on the fictional character and pseudonymous writer Ellery Queen.-Radio:... |
TV, 2 episodes | |
| 1952 | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, is a weekly CBS anthology television series, was telecast on Friday nights from 1951 until 1959. Offering both comedies and drama, the series was sponsored by Schlitz beer... |
Model | TV, 1 episode |
| 1953 | Eye Witness | TV, 1 episode | |
| 1954 | Inner Sanctum | Vera Craig | TV, 1 episode |
| The Mask | TV, 1 episode | ||
| The Man Behind the Badge | TV, 1 episode | ||
| 1955 | The Phenix City Story The Phenix City Story The Phenix City Story is a film noir directed by Phil Karlson and written by Daniel Mainwaring and Crane Wilbur. The drama features John McIntire, Richard Kiley, among others.-Plot:... |
Cassie | |
| 1957 | The 20th Century Fox Hour The 20th Century Fox Hour The 20th Century Fox Hour is an American drama anthology series televised in the United States on CBS from 1955 to 1957. Some of the shows in this series were restored, remastered and shown on the Fox Movie Channel in 2002 under the title Hour of Stars... |
Ethel Marzack | TV, 1 episode |
| The Gale Storm Show The Gale Storm Show The Gale Storm Show is an American sitcom starring Gale Storm. The series premiered on September 29, 1956, and ran until 1960 for 143 half-hour black-and-white episodes, initially on CBS and in its last year on ABC... |
Josephine | TV, 1 episode | |
| The Court of Last Resort | Myra North | TV, 1 episode | |
| M Squad M Squad M Squad is an American police drama television series that ran from 1957 to 1960 on NBC. Its format would later inspire the creation of spoof TV show Police Squad! Its sponsor was the Pall Mall cigarette brand; Lee Marvin, the program's star, appeared in its commercials during the... |
Doris Colby | TV, 1 episode | |
| 1958 | Sugarfoot Sugarfoot Sugarfoot is the title of a TV western that aired from 1957 to 1961. The series featured Will Hutchins as fledgling frontier lawyer Tom Brewster and Jack Elam as sidekick Toothy Thompson... |
Lilly | TV, 1 episode |
| Bachelor Father | TV, 1 episode | ||
| The Phil Silvers Show The Phil Silvers Show The Phil Silvers Show is a comedy television series which ran on CBS from 1955 to 1959 for 142 episodes, plus a 1959 special. The series starred Phil Silvers as Master Sergeant Ernest G... |
Bidgett Hepperwhite | TV, 1 episode | |
| I Married a Monster from Outer Space I Married a Monster from Outer Space I Married a Monster from Outer Space is a 1958 science fiction film, directed by Gene Fowler Jr. and starring Tom Tryon and Gloria Talbott.... |
Helen Alexander Benson | ||
| Death Valley Days Death Valley Days Death Valley Days is an American radio and television anthology series featuring true stories of the old American West, particularly the Death Valley area. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program was broadcast on radio until 1945. It continued from 1952 to 1975 as a syndicated television series... |
TV, 1 episode | ||
| Peter Gunn Peter Gunn Peter Gunn is an American private eye television series which aired on the NBC and later ABC television networks from 1958 to 1961. The show's creator was Blake Edwards... |
Pearl | TV, 1 episode | |
| 1959 | Frontier Doctor Frontier Doctor For the NBC program similarly named, see Frontier .Frontier Doctor is an American Western television series starring Rex Allen that aired in syndication from September 26, 1958, until June 20, 1959.-Synopsis:... |
Flo Warren | TV, 1 episode |
| The Sound and the Fury | Mary Ellen | Uncredited | |
| General Electric Theater General Electric Theater General Electric Theater is an American anthology series hosted by Ronald W. Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations.-Radio:... |
Dorris Krosky | TV, 1 episode | |
| Here Come the Jets | Jean | ||
| The Walter Winchell File | Florrie | TV, 1 episode | |
| The Millionaire | Marie | TV, 1 episode | |
| 1959–1960 | The Betty Hutton Show The Betty Hutton Show The Betty Hutton Show is an American sitcom that aired on CBS's Thursday night schedule during the 1959-1960 season. The show was sponsored by General Foods' Post Cereals, and was produced by Desilu and Hutton Productions.... |
Rosemary | TV, unknown episodes |
| 1960 | The Chevy Mystery Show | Donna | TV, 1 episode |
| Lock-Up Lock-Up (TV series) Lock-Up is an American legal drama series that premiered in syndication in September 1959 and concluded in June 1961. The half-hour episodes had little time for character development or subplots and presented a compact story without embellishment.... |
TV, 1 episode | ||
| The Twilight Zone The Twilight Zone The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist... |
Paula Diedrich | TV, 1 episode | |
| 1961 | Ripcord Ripcord (TV series) Ripcord is an American syndicated television series that ran for 76 episodes from 1961 to 1963 about the exploits of a skydiving operation by the same name.-Overview:... |
Blanche Telford | TV, 1 episode |
| Dante | Ginny Kane | TV, 1 episodes | |
| Sanctuary | Norma | ||
| The Tom Ewell Show | Diane | TV, 1 episodes | |
| COronado 9 | Lois Dixon | TV, 1 episode | |
| The Untouchables The Untouchables (1959 TV series) The Untouchables is an American crime drama that ran from 1959 to 1963 on ABC. Based on the memoir of the same name by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley, it fictionalized the experiences of Eliot Ness, a real-life Prohibition agent, as he fought crime in Chicago during the 1930s with the help of a... |
Sylvia Orkins | TV, 1 episode | |
| 1962 | The Joey Bishop Show | TV, 1 episode | |
| Stoney Burke Stoney Burke (TV series) Stoney Burke is a short-lived Western television series broadcast on the ABC television network from October 1, 1962 until May 20, 1963. The series starred Jack Lord, who would later go on to star in the popular television series, Hawaii Five-O.... |
Merle | TV, 1 episode | |
| 1963 | 77 Sunset Strip 77 Sunset Strip 77 Sunset Strip is an hour-length American television private detective series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Roger Smith, and Edd Byrnes.... |
Viola Dorn | TV, 1 episode |
| 1962–1965 | The Andy Griffith Show The Andy Griffith Show The Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised by CBS between October 3, 1960, and April 1, 1968. Andy Griffith portrays a widowed sheriff in the fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina... |
Daphne | TV, 4 episodes |
| 1964 | Perry Mason Perry Mason (TV series) Perry Mason is an American legal drama produced by Paisano Productions that ran from September 1957 to May 1966 on CBS. The title character, portrayed by Raymond Burr, is a fictional Los Angeles defense attorney who originally appeared in detective fiction by Erle Stanley Gardner... |
Mrs. Mitchell | TV, 1 episode |
| One Man's Way | Woman Who Shoots Husband | ||
| Burke's Law Burke's Law Burke's Law is a detective series that ran on ABC from 1963 to 1965 and was revived on CBS in the 1990s. The show starred Gene Barry as Amos Burke, millionaire captain of Los Angeles police homicide division, who was chauffeured around to solve crimes in his Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud... |
Eagle Eye | TV, 1 episode | |
| Wendy and Me Wendy and Me Wendy and Me is an American sitcom that aired on ABC during the 1964–1965 television season, primarily sponsored by Consolidated Cigar's "El Producto"... |
Mrs. Talbot | TV, 1 episode | |
| 1966 | Chamber of Horrors | Uncredited | |
| 1967 | Warning Shot Warning Shot Warning Shot is a 1967 movie about a police sergeant who kills a man in self-defense while on a stakeout. He must clear his name when the gun pulled on him disappears... |
Cocktail Waitress | Unredited |
| Gunn Gunn (film) Gunn is an American 1967 mystery film directed by Blake Edwards, and starring Craig Stevens. It featured the same lead character from the 1958-1961 television series Peter Gunn, and a Henry Mancini score but the characters of Gunn's singing girlfriend Edie Hart and Police Lieutenant Jacoby were... |
Waitress | Uncredited | |
| 1968 | The Party The Party (film) The Party is a 1968 comedy film directed by Blake Edwards, starring Peter Sellers and Claudine Longet. The film has a very loose structure, and essentially serves as a series of set pieces for Sellers's improvisational comedy talents... |
Nanny | |
| The Outsider | Mary Potter | TV, 1 episode | |
| 1969 | Anatomy of a Crime | Mary Potter | Television movie |
| 1977 | Fun with Dick and Jane Fun with Dick and Jane (1977 film) Fun with Dick and Jane is a 1977 American film starring George Segal and Jane Fonda as an upper-middle-class couple who lose their jobs, fall through the cracks of society in the United States and then become high-class thieves to get back all they lost. The comedy was directed by Ted Kotcheff and... |
Paula |