Patsy Garrett
Encyclopedia
Virginia "Patsy" Garrett (born May 4, 1921, Atlantic City, New Jersey
) is an actress best known for her recurring roles as
nosy neighbor Mrs. Florence Fowler on TV's Nanny and the Professor
(1970–1971), school secretary Miss Hogarth on Room 222 (1972–1973) and as Mary Gruber in the Benji
series of motion pictures beginning in 1974.
by age seven. At the age of seventeen, Garrett was a regular on Fred Waring
's national radio show as a comic singer. Soon, she was approached by Cole Porter
to promote a ballad ("Begin the Beguine
") which he had written for a new musical. Garrett appeared on a classic Chesterfield
cigarette print advertisement from 1940 (shown at left).
In the late 1960s, Garrett provided cartoon voiceovers for a number of Hanna-Barbera
projects, including The Banana Splits Adventure Hour. A small part as the mayor's wife in a 1969 Elvis Presley
movie, The Trouble with Girls, reportedly led to a lifelong friendship with the singer. While working on the film, Garrett frequently baked cookies for the cast. Presley's schedule usually meant his arriving late on the set, which in turn meant that he missed out on the treats. Garrett baked him a special batch which he brought with him to Las Vegas
where he was scheduled to perform. As she was passing through Las Vegas, Garrett reportedly phoned Presley not for tickets, but for the return of her baking tin.
U.S. television audiences of the 1960s and 1970s will remember Garrett for another recurring role in a series of commercial messages as the "Purina Cat Chow Lady." A post-production trick involving the controlled forward motion and reversal of the film had Garrett dancing the "chow-chow-chow" with a cat in a good-humored parody of the cha-cha
.
cable television channel aired the original Purina commercials as part of their "Retromercials" series of fondly remembered national television ads of the past. She continues to appear in local theater productions in and around the Palm Springs, California
area. On November 28, 2004, the area's Desert Theater League awarded Garrett its lifetime achievement award. On May 7, 2011, family and friends gathered in Palm Desert, California
to toast Garrett for her 90th birthday.
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
) is an actress best known for her recurring roles as
nosy neighbor Mrs. Florence Fowler on TV's Nanny and the Professor
Nanny and the Professor
Nanny and the Professor is a U.S. fantasy situation comedy created by AJ Carothers and Thomas L. Miller for 20th Century Fox Television. During pre-production, the proposed title was Nanny Will Do. The series first aired as a mid-season replacement on January 21, 1970, on ABC and was last telecast...
(1970–1971), school secretary Miss Hogarth on Room 222 (1972–1973) and as Mary Gruber in the Benji
Benji
Benji is the name of a fictional dog who has been the focus of several movies from 1974 through the 2000s. It is also the title of the first film in the Benji series....
series of motion pictures beginning in 1974.
Career
Active on stage, screen and television beginning with a dance recital at age four, Garrett had her own children's radio show in Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
by age seven. At the age of seventeen, Garrett was a regular on Fred Waring
Fred Waring
Fredrick Malcolm Waring was a popular musician, bandleader and radio-television personality, sometimes referred to as "America's Singing Master" and "The Man Who Taught America How to Sing." He was also a promoter, financial backer and namesake of the Waring Blendor, the first modern electric...
's national radio show as a comic singer. Soon, she was approached by Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
to promote a ballad ("Begin the Beguine
Begin the Beguine
"Begin the Beguine" is a song written by Cole Porter . Porter composed the song at the piano in the bar of the Ritz Hotel in Paris. In October 1935, it was introduced by June Knight in the Broadway musical Jubilee produced at the Imperial Theatre in New York City.-Music:The beguine music and dance...
") which he had written for a new musical. Garrett appeared on a classic Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
cigarette print advertisement from 1940 (shown at left).
In the late 1960s, Garrett provided cartoon voiceovers for a number of Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
projects, including The Banana Splits Adventure Hour. A small part as the mayor's wife in a 1969 Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
movie, The Trouble with Girls, reportedly led to a lifelong friendship with the singer. While working on the film, Garrett frequently baked cookies for the cast. Presley's schedule usually meant his arriving late on the set, which in turn meant that he missed out on the treats. Garrett baked him a special batch which he brought with him to Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
where he was scheduled to perform. As she was passing through Las Vegas, Garrett reportedly phoned Presley not for tickets, but for the return of her baking tin.
U.S. television audiences of the 1960s and 1970s will remember Garrett for another recurring role in a series of commercial messages as the "Purina Cat Chow Lady." A post-production trick involving the controlled forward motion and reversal of the film had Garrett dancing the "chow-chow-chow" with a cat in a good-humored parody of the cha-cha
Cha-cha-cha (dance)
The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953...
.
Later years
In 2000, the TV LandTV Land
TV Land is an American cable television network launched on April 29, 1996. It is owned by MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, which also owns Paramount Pictures, and networks such as MTV and Nickelodeon...
cable television channel aired the original Purina commercials as part of their "Retromercials" series of fondly remembered national television ads of the past. She continues to appear in local theater productions in and around the Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
area. On November 28, 2004, the area's Desert Theater League awarded Garrett its lifetime achievement award. On May 7, 2011, family and friends gathered in Palm Desert, California
Palm Desert, California
Palm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately east of Palm Springs. The population was 48,445 at the 2010 census, up from 41,155 at the 2000 census...
to toast Garrett for her 90th birthday.