Alice Pearce

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Alice Pearce
Born Alicia Pearce
(1917-10-16)October 16, 1917
New York City, New York, U.S.
Died March 3, 1966(1966-03-03) (aged 48)
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1943–1966
Spouse John Rox (1948–1957)
Paul Davis (1964–1966)

Alicia “Alice” Pearce (October 16, 1917 – March 3, 1966) was an American actress. Brought to Hollywood by Gene Kelly to reprise her Broadway performance in the film version of On the Town (1949), Pearce played comedic supporting roles in several films, before being cast as Gladys Kravitz in Bewitched in 1964. She won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series posthumously after the second season of the series. She died from ovarian cancer in 1966.

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[edit] Early life and career

Born in New York City, Pearce was educated in Europe and returned to the United States as an adult. She began working in nightclubs as a comedian and was cast in the original Broadway production of On the Town (1944-1946). Gene Kelly was so impressed by her that she became the only cast member to be included in the film version in 1949. Her comedic performance was well received by critics and public alike, and she was given her own television variety show. More movie roles followed, and she made appearances on Broadway, where she met her husband, director Paul Davis, during a production of Bells Are Ringing.

Frank Sinatra, Pearce, Jules Munshin, Gene Kelly, Betty Garrett and Ann Miller in the film version of On the Town (1949)

In 1964 she joined the cast of the television series Bewitched. As the nagging and nosy neighbor, Gladys Kravitz, Pearce's scenes were almost entirely reactions to acts of witchcraft she had witnessed at the house across the street. Her hysterical accusations against Samantha, played by Elizabeth Montgomery, and the disbelief of her husband Abner (George Tobias), provided a common thread through many of the series' early episodes. Pearce was posthumously awarded an Emmy Award for this role.

[edit] Personal life

Pearce was married twice; in 1948, she married composer John Rox. In 1957, Rox died of a heart attack. In 1964, she married stage manager Paul Davis. Pearce had no children.

Pearce was also a good friend of actor and photographer Cris Alexander. When Alexander was working on the illustrations for Patrick Dennis's bestseller Little Me he asked Pearce to appear in the work as Winnie, the reform school friend of Belle Poitrine, the biography's subject. She also appeared as several characters in Dennis' and Alexander's later project, First Lady: My Thirty Days at the White House.

[edit] Death

Pearce was diagnosed with terminal cancer before Bewitched began. Pearce kept her illness a secret but died from ovarian cancer during the second season of the series at age 48. Pearce was cremated and her ashes were scattered at sea.

After Pearce's death, the role of Gladys Kravitz was played by Sandra Gould.

[edit] Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
1949 On the Town Lucy Shmeeler
1952 The Belle of New York Elsie Wilkins
1955 How to Be Very, Very Popular Miss "Syl" Sylvester
1956 The Opposite Sex Olga
1962 Lad: A Dog Hilda, the Nurse
1963 My Six Loves Bus Driver
Tammy and the Doctor Millie Baxter, Nurse
The Thrill of It All Irving's wife
1964 Dear Heart Miss Moore
The Disorderly Orderly Miss Fuzzibee, Talkative Patient
Kiss Me, Stupid Mrs. Mulligan
1965 Dear Brigitte Unemployment Office Clerk
Bus Riley's Back in Town Housewife
1966 The Glass Bottom Boat Mabel Fenimore Alternative title: The Spy in Lace Panties
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1949 The Alice Pearce Show Host Unknown episodes
1951 Goodyear Television Playhouse 1 episode
1952–1953 Broadway Television Theatre 2 episodes
1953 The Jean Carroll Show The Neighbor Uncredited, 1 episode
The Motorola Television Hour Hagga 1 episode
1953–1954 Jamie Annie Moakum 3 episodes
1955 Studio One Regina 1 episode
Alice in Wonderland Dormouse Television movie
Kraft Television Theatre 1 episode
1955–1959 Hallmark Hall of Fame Dormouse
Miss Talmay
2 episodes
1959 The Real McCoys Emmy 1 episode
1960–1961 Shirley Temple's Storybook Rebecca
Goblin Queen
2 episodes
1961 The Twilight Zone Mrs. Nielsen 1 episode
The Ann Sothern Show Ethel 2 episodes
Look Up and Live Miss Flip 1 episode
1962 General Electric Theater Mrs. Ledbetter 1 episode
Dennis the Menace Miss Tarbell 2 episodes
1963 The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis Ma Baker 1 episode
The Donna Reed Show Adele 1 episode
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Haila French 1 episode
1964–1966 Bewitched Gladys Kravitz 27 episodes
1967 Vacation Playhouse Music Teacher 1 episode
Aired posthumously

[edit] Awards

Year Award Category Series
1966 Emmy Award Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy Bewitched
2003 TV Land Awards Nosiest Neighbor

[edit] External links

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