txfilmfan wrote: ↑July 31st, 2023, 1:09 pm
I just learned today, by reading the comments on an unrelated story on metv.com, that Inga Swenson passed away on July 23. Though she didn't make a lot of movies (The Miracle Worker stands out), she is best known for her role on ABC's Benson spinoff of Soap. She was also active in theatre.
She was 90, Soap was one of my favorite sitcoms and it seems like most members of the cast lived to ripe old ages-
Katherine Helmond-89
Robert Mandan -86
Billy Crystal -75^
Jennifer Salt-78^
Robert Guillaume-89
Jay Johnson-74^
Donnelly Rhodes -81
Arthur Peterson -83
Some of you were probably this many years old today when you learned Charlie chaplain’s daughter started in a porno film based on the comedic poetry of Geoffrey Chaucer.
txfilmfan wrote: ↑July 31st, 2023, 1:09 pm
I just learned today, by reading the comments on an unrelated story on metv.com, that Inga Swenson passed away on July 23. Though she didn't make a lot of movies (The Miracle Worker stands out), she is best known for her role on ABC's Benson spinoff of Soap. She was also active in theatre.
She was 90, Soap was one of my favorite sitcoms and it seems like most members of the cast lived to ripe old ages-
Katherine Helmond-89
Robert Mandan -86
Billy Crystal -75^
Jennifer Salt-78^
Robert Guillaume-89
Jay Johnson-74^
Donnelly Rhodes -81
Arthur Peterson -83
*= still alive as of today
Inga Swenson went to Northwestern University (my alma mater) and worked mostly in the theater.
To the general audience, she's probably best known for her role of Miss Krause on the sitcom BENSON.
She previously appeared on SOAP (from which BENSON was spun-off) as Ingrid Svenson, the biological mother Corrine Tate, who had been adopted by Jessica Tate (played by the wonderful Katherine Helmond). Corrine's biological father was Jessica's brother Randolph, who was played by Bernard Fox (probably best known for his role of Dr. Bombay on BEWITCHED). I think Randolph only appeared on one episode of SOAP.
Much of the humor of the Ingrid Svenson character was derived from her Swedish accent.
""Vell luke who's here, the yailbird!"
Susan Harris (the creator of SOAP and later THE GOLDEN GIRLS) was a brilliant comic writer.
I wish there was a release of the complete episodes of SOAP, either streaming versions or on DVD.
For some episodes only the syndicated versions are currently available.
Oh wow, my cousin and I saw William Friedkin at this year's TCM Film Festival after the screening of The Exorcist.
He was quite a character and so full of energy.
Gloria Fickling, who with husband Forest, wrote the Honey West novels which became the focus of a 1965 TV series starring Anne Francis, passed yesterday. Gloria lived in Laguna Beach, CA and my piano jamming buddy and Gloria were very close friends, and he was with her at the very end. I would go to Art Walk and jazz concerts with the two of them. Gloria had a very vibrant personality and always made everyone around her smile.
Here is Gloria and Forest on You Bet Your Life. Rest in peace dear lady.