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 Agnes was born of Anglo-Irish ancestry near Boston, the daughter of a Presbyterian minister (her mother was a mezzo-soprano) who encouraged her to perform in church pageants. Aged three, she sang 'The Lord is my Shepherd' on a public stage and seven years later joined the St. Louis Municipal Opera as a dancer and singer for four years. In keeping with her father's dictum of finishing her education first (then being permitted to do whatever she wished with her career), Agnes attended Muskingum College (Ohio), and, subsequently, the University of Wisconsin. She graduated with an M.A. in English and public speaking and later added a doctorate in literature from Bradley University to her resume. When her family moved to Reedsburg, Wisconsin, where her father had a pastorate, Agnes taught public school English and drama for five years. In between, she went to Paris to study pantomime with Marcel Marceau.In 1928, she began training at the American Academy for Dramatic Arts and graduated with honors the following year. In order to supplement her income , Agnes had turned to radio early on. She had her first job in 1923 as a singer for a St. Louis radio station. Her love for that medium remained with her all her life. From the 1930s to the 50s, she appeared on numerous serials, dramas and children's programs. She was Min Gump in "The Gumps" (1934), the 'dragon lady' in "Terry and the Pirates" (1937), Margot Lane of classic comic strip fame in "The Shadow", Mrs.Danvers in "Rebecca" and the bed-ridden woman about to meet her end in "Sorry, Wrong Number". Acting on the airwaves was so important to her that she would insist on its continuation as a precondition of a later contract with MGM. Significantly, through her radio work on "The Shadow"and "March of Time" in 1937, she met and befriended fellow actor Orson Welles. Welles soon invited her to join him and Joseph Cotten as charter members of his Mercury Theatre on the Air. Agnes was involved in the famous "War of the Worlds" broadcast of 1938 which attracted nationwide attention and resulted in a lucrative $100,000 per picture deal with RKO in Hollywood. The Mercury players (the other principals were Ray Collins, Everett Sloane, Paul Stewart and George Coulouris) packed up and went west.An ebullient and versatile character actress, Agnes was impossible to typecast: she could play years older than her age, appear as heroine or villainess, tragedienne or comedienne. In her first film, the iconic Citizen Kane (1941), she played the titular character's mother. She received her greatest critical acclaim for her emotive second screen performance as Aunt Fanny Minafer in The Magnificent Ambersons (1942). In addition to being voted the year's best female performer by the New York Film Critics she was also nominated for an Academy Award. Through the years, Agnes would be nominated three more times: for her touching portrayal of the jaded but sympathetic Baroness Conti in Mrs. Parkington (1944); for her role as the title character's Aunt Aggie in Johnny Belinda (1948) and for playing Velma, the hard-boiled, suspicious housekeeper of Bette Davis in Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), co-starring her old friend Joseph Cotten. Other notable film appearances included Jane Eyre (1943), with Orson Welles, The Woman in White (1948) as Countess Fusco), The Lost Moment (1947) (as a 105-year old woman) and Dark Passage (1947), a classic film noir in which she had third billing behind Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall as the treacherous , malevolent Madge Rapf. She had a rare starring role in the campy horror flick The Bat (1959), giving (according to the New York Times of December 17) 'a good, snappy performance'.On Broadway, she appeared in such acclaimed plays as "All the King's Men" and "Candlelight". She enjoyed success with "Don Juan in Hell", touring nationally: the first time (1951-2) with Charles Laughton and Cedric Hardwicke, the second time (though receiving fewer critical plaudits) with Ricardo Montalban and Paul Henreid in 1973. She also starred with Joseph Cotten in "Prescription Murder" (1962). While not a great critical success, this was much liked by audiences and it introduced a famous detective named Lieutenant Columbo. From 1954, she also toured the U.S. and Europe with her own a one-woman show entitled "The Fabulous Redhead". Agnes performed numerous times on television before landing the role of Endora on Bewitched (1964). One particularly interesting part came her way through the director Douglas Heyes who remembered her from "Sorry, Wrong Number". He cast her in the starring - and indeed, only role in The Invaders (1961). As the lonely old woman confronted by tiny alien invaders in her remote farmhouse, Agnes never utters a single word and cleverly acts her scenes as a pantomime of unspoken terror.Of course, the genial Agnes Moorehead has been immortalized as Elizabeth Montgomery's flamboyant witch-mother, Endora, although that was not a role the actress wished to be remembered for (in spite of several Emmy Award nominations). Indeed, she had thought this whole witchcraft theme to be rather far-fetched and was somewhat taken aback by the show's huge popularity. Agnes had a special clause inserted in her contract which limited her appearances to eight out of twelve episodes which gave her the opportunity to also work on other projects. Commenting on the acting profession in one of her many interviews (New York Times, May 1, 1974), she found the key to success in being " sincere in your work " and to "just go right on whether audiences or critics are taking your scalp off or not".
Bio:
Agnes was born of Anglo-Irish ancestry near Boston, the daughter of a Presbyterian minister (her mother was a mezzo-soprano) who encouraged her to perform in church pageants. Aged three, she sang 'The Lord is my Shepherd' on a public stage and seven years later joined the St. Louis Municipal Opera as a dancer and singer for four years. In keeping with her father's dictum of finishing her education first (then being permitted to do whatever she wished with her career), Agnes attended Muskingum College (Ohio), and, subsequently, the University of Wisconsin. She graduated with an M.A. in English and public speaking and later added a doctorate in literature from Bradley University to her resume. When her family moved to Reedsburg, Wisconsin, where her father had a pastorate, Agnes taught public school English and drama for five years. In between, she went to Paris to study pantomime with Marcel Marceau.In 1928, she began training at the American Academy for Dramatic Arts and graduated with honors the following year. In order to supplement her income , Agnes had turned to radio early on. She had her first job in 1923 as a singer for a St. Louis radio station. Her love for that medium remained with her all her life. From the 1930s to the 50s, she appeared on numerous serials, dramas and children's programs. She was Min Gump in "The Gumps" (1934), the 'dragon lady' in "Terry and the Pirates" (1937), Margot Lane of classic comic strip fame in "The Shadow", Mrs.Danvers in "Rebecca" and the bed-ridden woman about to meet her end in "Sorry, Wrong Number". Acting on the airwaves was so important to her that she would insist on its continuation as a precondition of a later contract with MGM. Significantly, through her radio work on "The Shadow"and "March of Time" in 1937, she met and befriended fellow actor Orson Welles. Welles soon invited her to join him and Joseph Cotten as charter members of his Mercury Theatre on the Air. Agnes was involved in the famous "War of the Worlds" broadcast of 1938 which attracted nationwide attention and resulted in a lucrative $100,000 per picture deal with RKO in Hollywood. The Mercury players (the other principals were Ray Collins, Everett Sloane, Paul Stewart and George Coulouris) packed up and went west.An ebullient and versatile character actress, Agnes was impossible to typecast: she could play years older than her age, appear as heroine or villainess, tragedienne or comedienne. In her first film, the iconic Citizen Kane (1941), she played the titular character's mother. She received her greatest critical acclaim for her emotive second screen performance as Aunt Fanny Minafer in The Magnificent Ambersons (1942). In addition to being voted the year's best female performer by the New York Film Critics she was also nominated for an Academy Award. Through the years, Agnes would be nominated three more times: for her touching portrayal of the jaded but sympathetic Baroness Conti in Mrs. Parkington (1944); for her role as the title character's Aunt Aggie in Johnny Belinda (1948) and for playing Velma, the hard-boiled, suspicious housekeeper of Bette Davis in Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), co-starring her old friend Joseph Cotten. Other notable film appearances included Jane Eyre (1943), with Orson Welles, The Woman in White (1948) as Countess Fusco), The Lost Moment (1947) (as a 105-year old woman) and Dark Passage (1947), a classic film noir in which she had third billing behind Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall as the treacherous , malevolent Madge Rapf. She had a rare starring role in the campy horror flick The Bat (1959), giving (according to the New York Times of December 17) 'a good, snappy performance'.On Broadway, she appeared in such acclaimed plays as "All the King's Men" and "Candlelight". She enjoyed success with "Don Juan in Hell", touring nationally: the first time (1951-2) with Charles Laughton and Cedric Hardwicke, the second time (though receiving fewer critical plaudits) with Ricardo Montalban and Paul Henreid in 1973. She also starred with Joseph Cotten in "Prescription Murder" (1962). While not a great critical success, this was much liked by audiences and it introduced a famous detective named Lieutenant Columbo. From 1954, she also toured the U.S. and Europe with her own a one-woman show entitled "The Fabulous Redhead". Agnes performed numerous times on television before landing the role of Endora on Bewitched (1964). One particularly interesting part came her way through the director Douglas Heyes who remembered her from "Sorry, Wrong Number". He cast her in the starring - and indeed, only role in The Invaders (1961). As the lonely old woman confronted by tiny alien invaders in her remote farmhouse, Agnes never utters a single word and cleverly acts her scenes as a pantomime of unspoken terror.Of course, the genial Agnes Moorehead has been immortalized as Elizabeth Montgomery's flamboyant witch-mother, Endora, although that was not a role the actress wished to be remembered for (in spite of several Emmy Award nominations). Indeed, she had thought this whole witchcraft theme to be rather far-fetched and was somewhat taken aback by the show's huge popularity. Agnes had a special clause inserted in her contract which limited her appearances to eight out of twelve episodes which gave her the opportunity to also work on other projects. Commenting on the acting profession in one of her many interviews (New York Times, May 1, 1974), she found the key to success in being " sincere in your work " and to "just go right on whether audiences or critics are taking your scalp off or not".
Tivia:
Initially turned down the role of Endora in Bewitched (1964), but reconsidered when Elizabeth Montgomery asked her in person, when they met in a department store. Moorehead joined the cast not expecting the series to last more than one season, let alone become a long-running hit.Taught high school, directed school plays and coached the oratory team in Soldiers Grove, WI. The team won numerous contests.Received her Bachelor's degree, with a major in biology, from Muskingum University in New Concord, OH. She later received an honorary Litt.D degree from the university.Died of cancer, as did Susan Hayward, John Wayne and director Dick Powell, as well as other cast and many crew members on the film, The Conqueror (1956). Some people strongly believe that, unknown by those involved with it at the time, the film was shot on location at a site which received heavy fallout from atmospheric nuclear testing at the (then) Nevada Proving Grounds.First woman to co-host the Academy Awards (with Dick Powell) (1948).Received her Master's degree in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.During the first season of Bewitched (1964) she did not like aspects of the scripts, but felt she could not complain to director William Asher because he was star Elizabeth Montgomery's husband.She was the favorite actress of Joan Crawford, who especially enjoyed watching her as Endora on Bewitched (1964).Took in foster son Sean shortly after final separation from first husband Jack G. Lee.She did not enjoy filming Bewitched (1964), since it forced her to get up at 4:45 a.m., start makeup at 6:00 a.m. and continue filming often until 8:00 p.m.With Orson Welles, she was founder and charter member of the famous Mercury Theater Players.Survived by her mother, Mary Mildred (1883-1990), who was ninety when Agnes died in 1974. Mary (known as Mollie) died aged 106, in the year Agnes would have turned ninety.A devoutly religious woman, she often came to set with her script in one hand and her Bible in the other.She appeared in five Best Picture Oscar nominees: Citizen Kane (1941), The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), Since You Went Away (1944), Johnny Belinda (1948) and How the West Was Won (1962).She was the surrogate grandmother of Erin Murphy while working on 'Bewitched', in real-life Murphy never got to spend time with her own grandparents.Her limousine is on display at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.She has appeared in four films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Citizen Kane (1941), The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), All That Heaven Allows (1955) and How the West Was Won (1962).On August 27, 2018, she was honored with a day of her film work during the TCM Summer Under The Stars.Although her death has been reported as being caused by lung cancer, this is not true--it started in her uterus and spread to her lungs.Survived by her mother, who outlived her by 16 years, dying at the age of 106 in 1990.Remembered by many as the magical mother-in-law Endora on Bewitched (1964), though she preferred to be remembered for other roles.Daughter of Presbyterian minister Dr. John Henderson Moorehead.Following her death, she was interred at Dayton Memorial Park in Dayton, OH.She was awarded a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame at 6604 Delmar Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri on May 15, 1994.Orson Welles became enamored of her while she filmed the brief role of Charles Kane's mother in Citizen Kane (1941) but they remained friends and collaborators over a few subsequent films.She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1719 Vine Street in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.Alumna of the AADA (American Academy of Dramatic Arts), Class of 1929.Attended New York's Academy of Dramatic Arts, studying alongside Rosalind Russell.She was a staunch Republican and Christian conservative who supported the presidencies of men like Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon.Attended and graduated from Central High School in St. Louis, MO.Biography in "Actresses of a Certain Character: Forty Familiar Hollywood Faces from the Thirties to the Fifties" by Axel Nissen.She was portrayed by Earlene Davis in the FX series, "Feud (2017)".In Italy, she was often dubbed by Wanda Tettoni, Giovanna Scotto or Franca Dominici. Occasionally, she was dubbed by Tina Lattanzi, Rina Morelli or by Dhia Cristiani. |
| Name: |
Agnes Moorehead |
Type: |
Actress,Additional Crew,Soundtrack (IMDB) |
| Area: |
All World |
Platform: |
IMDB |
| Category: |
|
Business scope: |
Actress,Additional Crew,Soundtrack |
| Products for sale: |
Actress,Additional Crew,Soundtrack |
| Last update: |
2024-07-01 05:24:41 |
| Height: |
5' 6?' (1.69 m) |
| Biography: |
Agnes was born of Anglo-Irish ancestry near Boston, the daughter of a Presbyterian minister (her mother was a mezzo-soprano) who encouraged her to perform in church pageants. Aged three, she sang \'The Lord is my Shepherd\' on a public stage and seve |
| Trivia: |
Initially turned down the role of Endora in Bewitched (1964), but reconsidered when Elizabeth Montgomery asked her in person, when they met in a department store. Moorehead joined the cast not expecting the series to last more than one season, let alone become a long-running hit.Taught high school, directed school plays and coached the oratory team in Soldiers Grove, WI. The team won numerous contests.Received her Bachelor's degree, with a major in biology, from Muskingum University in New Concord, OH. She later received an honorary Litt.D degree from the university.Died of cancer, as did Susan Hayward, John Wayne and director Dick Powell, as well as other cast and many crew members on the film, The Conqueror (1956). Some people strongly believe that, unknown by those involved with it at the time, the film was shot on location at a site which received heavy fallout from atmospheric nuclear testing at the (then) Nevada Proving Grounds.First woman to co-host the Academy Awards (with Dick Powell) (1948).Received her Master's degree in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.During the first season of Bewitched (1964) she did not like aspects of the scripts, but felt she could not complain to director William Asher because he was star Elizabeth Montgomery's husband.She was the favorite actress of Joan Crawford, who especially enjoyed watching her as Endora on Bewitched (1964).Took in foster son Sean shortly after final separation from first husband Jack G. Lee.She did not enjoy filming Bewitched (1964), since it forced her to get up at 4:45 a.m., start makeup at 6:00 a.m. and continue filming often until 8:00 p.m.With Orson Welles, she was founder and charter member of the famous Mercury Theater Players.Survived by her mother, Mary Mildred (1883-1990), who was ninety when Agnes died in 1974. Mary (known as Mollie) died aged 106, in the year Agnes would have turned ninety.A devoutly religious woman, she often came to set with her script in one hand and her Bible in the other.She appeared in five Best Picture Oscar nominees: Citizen Kane (1941), The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), Since You Went Away (1944), Johnny Belinda (1948) and How the West Was Won (1962).She was the surrogate grandmother of Erin Murphy while working on 'Bewitched', in real-life Murphy never got to spend time with her own grandparents.Her limousine is on display at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.She has appeared in four films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Citizen Kane (1941), The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), All That Heaven Allows (1955) and How the West Was Won (1962).On August 27, 2018, she was honored with a day of her film work during the TCM Summer Under The Stars.Although her death has been reported as being caused by lung cancer, this is not true--it started in her uterus and spread to her lungs.Survived by her mother, who outlived her by 16 years, dying at the age of 106 in 1990.Remembered by many as the magical mother-in-law Endora on Bewitched (1964), though she preferred to be remembered for other roles.Daughter of Presbyterian minister Dr. John Henderson Moorehead.Following her death, she was interred at Dayton Memorial Park in Dayton, OH.She was awarded a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame at 6604 Delmar Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri on May 15, 1994.Orson Welles became enamored of her while she filmed the brief role of Charles Kane's mother in Citizen Kane (1941) but they remained friends and collaborators over a few subsequent films.She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1719 Vine Street in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.Alumna of the AADA (American Academy of Dramatic Arts), Class of 1929.Attended New York's Academy of Dramatic Arts, studying alongside Rosalind Russell.She was a staunch Republican and Christian conservative who supported the presidencies of men like Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon.Attended and graduated from Central High School in St. Louis, MO.Biography in "Actresses of a Certain Character: Forty Familiar Hollywood Faces from the Thirties to the Fifties" by Axel Nissen.She was portrayed by Earlene Davis in the FX series, "Feud (2017)".In Italy, she was often dubbed by Wanda Tettoni, Giovanna Scotto or Franca Dominici. Occasionally, she was dubbed by Tina Lattanzi, Rina Morelli or by Dhia Cristiani. |
| Trademarks: |
Often played arrogant or haughty characters
Frequently worked with Orson Welles, Jane Wyman and Debbie Reynolds.
Seductive thick voice with New England accent
Red Hair |
| Quotes: |
[on failing to receive an Academy Award after her fourth nomination] I guess I'll remain a bridesmaid for the rest of my life.
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<hr>
[when asked if there will be Brotherhood in the 1970s] Unless the country and the people in it go back to some Christian principles, there will be no peace. We must really care for each other. Just being polite is caring for your fellow man, but these times call for a great deal more than that. There is nothing more inspiring or so infectious as a good example. I am a religious person and I think that the hope of the world is in the Prince of Peace whose principles, if they were followed, would bring a great understanding between human beings.
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<hr>
[commenting that the youth of 1970 need more discipline] Materialism has brought about confusion and decadence. The youth of today have their eyes open to what harm has been done by measuring a man by the size of his bank account, and I feel sorry that so few of them know where to turn because they have lost respect for those closest to them.
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<hr>
Permissiveness in society springs from a lack of standards. There must be a rule of behavior, an appreciation of basic values.
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<hr>
[on "Oh, Calcutta", a play in which most of the cast sheds its clothes and appears nude onstage] Nudity begins at home. After all, who wants to see everybody flying around in their birthday suit? It takes all the magic and illusion out of the theatre. |
| Salaries: |
Citizen Kane (1941) - $2,000 /week |
| Job title: |
Actress,Additional Crew,Soundtrack |
| Others works: |
(1951) Stage: Appeared (as "Dona Anna"; Broadway debut) in "Don Juan in Hell" on Broadway. Comedy. Written by George Bernard Shaw. Stage Manager: William Cottrell. Directed by Charles Laughton (also appearing as "Devil"). New |
| Spouse: |
Robert Gist (February 14, 1953 - March 11, 1958) (divorced)Jack G. Lee (June 5, 1930 - June 11, 1952) (divorced) |
| Parents: |
Mary Mildred McCauley
John Henderson Moorehead |
|
