Irene Hervey

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Irene Hervey
Hervey in 1937
Born
Beulah Irene Herwick

(1909-07-11)July 11, 1909
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedDecember 20, 1998(1998-12-20) (aged 89)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
EducationVenice High School
OccupationActress
Years active1933-1981
Spouse(s)William Fenderson
(m. 1929; div. 193?)
​
​
(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 Emma Dunn, a friend of her mother. She signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1933, appearing in several films for the studio–including The Stranger's Return (1933), opposite Lionel Barrymore–before landing a supporting role as Valentine de Villefort in United Artists' The Count of Monte Cristo (1934). She signed a contract with Universal Pictures, appearing in numerous films for the studio, including the Western Destry Rides Again (1939) opposite 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 Night Monster (1942) opposite Bela Lugosi, the fantasy Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid (1948), and the film noir A Cry in the Night (1956). Beginning in the mid-1950s, Hervey transitioned to television, appearing as a guest star on Perry Mason, Honey West, and My Three Sons, the latter of which earned her a 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 on December 20, 1998, of heart failure in Los Angeles. She had two children, one of whom is pop singer Jack Jones.

Early life[edit]

Hervey was born Beulah Irene Herwick on July 11, 1909 in Venice, Los Angeles, California.[i][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 in Venice, Los Angeles, where she appeared in school theater productions.[7]

Career[edit]

Early films[edit]

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 United Artists' The Count of Monte Cristo (1934) and 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 Universal Pictures.[6] While at Universal, Hervey appeared in The League of Frightened Men (1937) and Destry Rides Again (1939) with Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart.[9] She also intermittently freelanced at other studios, appearing in such films as 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[edit]

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, California 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[edit]

Hervey with second husband Allan Jones, 1941.

As a teenager, Hervey married her first husband William Fenderson in 1929 and had a daughter, Gail; they divorced.[9] In the mid-1930s, she was [15] engaged to Robert Taylor. In 1936, she met and married actor Allan Jones. The couple had a son, singer Jack Jones, born in 1938.[16] They divorced in 1957.[6][9]

Hervey died of heart failure on December 20, 1998; she was 89[17] and was residing at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.[1] She was cremated, and her ashes returned to her surviving daughter.[18]

Honors[edit]

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

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1933 The Stranger's Return Nettie Crane [19]
Turn Back the Clock Uncredited [20]
The Women in His Life Doris Worthing [19]
1934 Three on a Honeymoon Millicent Wells [19]
Hollywood Party Show Girl Uncredited [19]
Let's Try Again Marge Phelps [19]
The Count of Monte Cristo Valentine de Villefort [19]
The Dude Ranger Anne Hepburn [19]
1935 The Winning Ticket Mary Tomasello [19]
Motive for Revenge Muriel Webster King [19]
Honeymoon Limited Judy Randall [19]
Hard Rock Harrigan 'Andy' Anderson [19]
His Night Out Peggy Taylor [19]
Charlie Chan in Shanghai Diana Woodland [19]
A Thrill for Thelma Thelma Black Short film; uncredited [21]
White Lies Mary Mallory [19]
1936 Three Godfathers Molly Also known as: Miracle in the Sand [19]
Absolute Quiet Laura Tait [19]
Along Came Love Emmy Grant [19]
1937 Woman in Distress Irene Donovan [19]
The League of Frightened Men Evelyn Hibbard [19]
The Girl Said No Pearl Proctor / Peep-Bo [19]
The Lady Fights Back Heather McHale [19]
1938 Say It in French Auriol Marsden [19]
Society Smugglers Joan Martin [19]
1939 East Side of Heaven Mona Barrett [19]
The House of Fear Alice Tabor [19]
Missing Evidence Linda Parker [19]
Destry Rides Again Janice Tyndall [19]
1940 Three Cheers for the Irish Heloise Casey [19]
The Crooked Road Louise Dalton [19]
The Boys from Syracuse Adriana [19]
The San Francisco Docks Kitty Tracy [19]
1941 Mr. Dynamite Vicki Martin [19]
1942 Bombay Clipper Frankie Gilroy Wilson [19]
Frisco Lil Lillian Grayson / Frisco Lil [19]
Unseen Enemy Gen Rand [19]
Gang Busters Vicki Logan [22]
Halfway to Shanghai Vicky Neilson [19]
Destination Unknown Elena Varnoff [19]
Night Monster Dr. Lynn Harper [19]
Keeping Fit Irene - Dick's Wife Short film [23]
1943 He's My Guy Terry Allen [19]
1946 Studio Visit [24]
1948 Mickey Louise Williams [19]
Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid Mrs. Polly Peabody [19]
1949 The Lucky Stiff Mrs. Eve Childers [19]
Manhandled Ruth / Mrs. Alton Bennet [19]
Chicago Deadline Belle Dorset [19]
1956 A Cry in the Night Helen Taggart [19]
Teenage Rebel Helen Sheldon McGowan [19]
1958 Going Steady Grace Turner [19]
Crash Landing Bernice Willouby [19]
1960 O'Conner's Ocean Victoria Arden Television film [25]
1969 Cactus Flower Mrs. Durant [26]
Roberta Mrs. Teale Television film [27]
1971 Play Misty for Me Madge [19]
1981 Goliath Awaits Carrie Television film [28]

Television[edit]

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 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[edit]

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][29]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Obituaries in the Performing Arts cites Hervey's birthdate as July 11, 1909;[2] this is corroborated by California Vital Statistics' Birth Index, which lists Beulah Irene Herwick's birthdate as July 11, 1909.[3] Hervey's birth name is corroborated by a 1936 article in the Oakland Tribune.[4]

References[edit]

  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. ^ "Allen [sic] Jones Too Busy, So Bride-to-Be Gets License". Oakland Tribune. California, Oakland. United Press. July 23, 1936. p. 17. Retrieved July 13, 2016 – via 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. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  14. ^ "Goliath Awaits (1981)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  15. ^ "Seeing Stars with Mitzi". Photoplay: 98. July 1935 – via Internet Archive. Free access icon
  16. ^ "Allan Jones Adopts Stepchild as Heir". The Pittsburgh Press. United Press. February 16, 1937. p. 17. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  17. ^ "Irene Hervey". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  18. ^ Wilson, Scott (August 17, 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. ISBN 9780786479924 – via Google Books.
  19. ^ 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.
  20. ^ American Film Institute. American Film Institute Catalog: Feature Films 1931-1940, Volumes 1–3. University of California Press. p. 330. ISBN 978-0-520-07908-3.
  21. ^ Halliwell 1996, p. 259.
  22. ^ Mayer 2017, p. 134.
  23. ^ "Keeping Fit". Films in Review. 24. National Board of Review of Motion Pictures: 529. 1973. ISSN 0015-1688.
  24. ^ "Studio Visit (1946)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  25. ^ "Civil War Drama Planned For NBC". The Daily Reporter. Dover, Ohio. December 10, 1960. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  26. ^ Roberts 2003, p. 89.
  27. ^ Roberts 2003, p. 219.
  28. ^ "Goliath Awaits". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  29. ^ "Production history". The Cape Playhouse. Retrieved April 15, 2018.[permanent dead link]

Works cited[edit]

External links[edit]

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