Irene Hervey

Irene Hervey (born Beulah Irene Herwick; July 11, 1909Template:Spaced en dashDecember 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.<ref name=lat>Template:Cite web</ref>

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 studioTemplate:En dashincluding The Stranger's Return (1933), opposite Lionel BarrymoreTemplate:En dashbefore 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 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.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her father was a sign painter, and her mother a Christian Science practitioner whose pupil was English actress Emma Dunn.<ref name=ind>Template:Cite web</ref> Dunn agreed to become Hervey's acting coach during her childhood.<ref name=ind/> Hervey attended Venice High School, where she appeared in school theater productions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name=ind/>

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.<ref name=ind/> In 1934, she was cast as the murderess Myra in the thriller Rendezvous at Midnight, but was replaced by Irene Ware.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

In 1936, Hervey left MGM and signed with Universal Pictures.<ref name=ind /> While at Universal, Hervey appeared in The League of Frightened Men (1937) and Destry Rides Again (1939) with Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart.<ref name=nyt/> 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.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

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.<ref name=ind /> Though she did briefly return to acting for the stage play No Way Out, where she played Dr. Enid Karley, in 1944.<ref name=noway>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name=bridgeport/> A reviewer from a local publication noted that Hervey "registers effectively" in her role.<ref name=bridgeport/> 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.<ref name=emmy>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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).<ref>https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/burbank-ca/gail-christensen-9312327</ref> The pair divorced in 1933.<ref name=nyt>Template:Cite web Template:Free access</ref> In the mid-1930s, she was engaged to Robert Taylor.<ref>Template:Cite journal Template:Free access</ref> In 1936, she met and married actor Allan Jones. The couple had a son, Jack Jones (1938–2024).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They divorced in 1957.<ref name=ind /><ref name=nyt/>

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.<ref name=lat/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She was cremated, and her ashes returned to her surviving daughter.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Honors

For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Hervey has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6336 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref name=lat/>

Filmography

Film

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

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 NominatedTemplate:Spaced en dashPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role<ref name=emmy/>
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	Template:Abbr
1944	No Way Out	Dr. Enid Karley	Cort Theatre	Broadway production	<ref name=noway/>
1963	Take Her, She's Mine	Anne Michaelson	Westport Country Playhouse The Cape Playhouse (Cape Cod)	Regional touring production	<ref name=bridgeport>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref><ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref>

Works cited

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External links

• Template:IMDb name
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• Irene Hervey at Virtual History