Sandra Gould (July 23, 1916 – July 20, 1999) was an American actress, known for her role as Gladys Kravitz on the sitcom Bewitched. Gould was the second actress to portray the role, debuting at the start of the third season.

Life and career

Gould was born in Brooklyn, New York. She began acting in films with an uncredited role in T-Men (1947), and was the Phone Operator in Romance on the High Seas (1948), Doris Day's debut film. She appeared in several uncredited roles for the remainder of the decade, and received her first screen credit with The Story of Molly X (1949). During the same decade, Gould enjoyed a four-year run as Miss Duffy, the man-hungry daughter of the forever-unheard owner of radio's Duffy's Tavern.[1][2]

In 1953, Gould appeared as a guest in an episode of Letter to Loretta with Loretta Young. In 1959 she played a secretary in the Academy Award-nominated Imitation of Life with Lana Turner and Juanita Moore. She continued to guest star in the 1950s and 1960s in such television series as I Love Lucy, I Married Joan,[2] December Bride, Maverick, The Flintstones, The Twilight Zone, The Lucy Show, Burke's Law, I Dream of Jeannie; Love, American Style; Gilligan's Island, The Brady Bunch and Mister Ed. She played a prominent supporting role in the film The Ghost and Mr. Chicken in 1966.[1] In 1963, Gould released a comedy single record entitled Hello Melvin (This Is Mama) as an answer to Allan Sherman's hit "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh".

In September 1966, Gould replaced her friend[2] Alice Pearce, who had been battling ovarian cancer during the second season of the ABC-TV situation comedy Bewitched, and had died in March. The producers were undecided about what to do with the character of Gladys, so at first they had actress Mary Grace Canfield brought in to play Harriet Kravitz, Abner's sister, who was visiting him while his wife was visiting her mother. Soon after, Sandra Gould got the role of Mrs. Kravitz when actress-comedian Alice Ghostley turned down the role.

In the role of Gladys, Gould's over-the-top performance and shrill voice were popular with viewers, and she succeeded ultimately in making the character her own. She remained with the series through its 7th season. The Kravitzes were referenced once in the final/8th season (ep 241 "Three Men and a Witch on a Horse") but the characters did not appear. After Bewitched was cancelled in 1972, Gould reprised the role of Gladys five years later in a spin-off of the series, Tabitha. Gould also made appearances on Columbo, The Brady Bunch, Adam-12, Punky Brewster, Friends, and Veronica's Closet.[1]

In 1961, Gould wrote the book Always Say Maybe, "a modern girl's guide to almost everything—but mostly men", published by Golden Press.[3]

Personal life

Twice married, Gould was the widow of broadcasting executive Larry Berns[2] and television/film director Hollingsworth Morse. With Berns she had one son, Michael Berns, in 1965.[citation needed]

Gould adhered to Judaism.[4]

Death

Gould died on July 20, 1999, in Burbank, California of a stroke following heart surgery, she was 82.[5] Upon her death, she was cremated and her ashes returned to her son.[6]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1942 The Gay Nineties Gay Nineties Skit Short
1947 T-Men Woman Uncredited
1948 Romance on the High Seas Telephone Operator Uncredited
1948 June Bride Towne's Secretary Uncredited
1949 City Across the River Shirley Uncredited
1949 My Dream Is Yours Mildred Uncredited
1949 Take One False Step Newspaper Girl Uncredited
1949 It Happens Every Spring Mabel on Telephone Voice, Uncredited
1949 The Girl from Jones Beach Sylvia Uncredited
1949 It's a Great Feeling Train Passenger in Upper Uncredited
1949 The Story of Molly X Vera
1950 Joe Palooka Meets Humphrey Laurine
1951 Fourteen Hours Hotel Switchboard Operator Uncredited
1951 Excuse My Dust Bit Part Uncredited
1951 Rhubarb Housewife Bettor Uncredited
1952 The First Time Telephone Operator Uncredited
1952 No Holds Barred Mildred
1953 The Clown Bunny - Daylor's Secretary Uncredited
1953 Easy to Love Ben's Wife Uncredited
1956 The Great American Pastime Gabby Neighbor Uncredited
1957 Beau James Secretary Uncredited
1958 Teacher's Pet Tess Uncredited
1959 Imitation of Life Annette
1959 Blue Denim Girl with Orchid Uncredited
1962 Boys' Night Out Miss Plotnik - George's Secretary Uncredited
1964 Honeymoon Hotel Mabel - Switchboard Operator
1964 Dear Heart Mrs. Sloan
1966 The Ghost and Mr. Chicken Loretta Pine
1970 Airport Millie Miles - Passenger Uncredited
1971 The Barefoot Executive Mrs. Wilbanks
1973 Heterosexualis
1975 Whiffs Cashier Uncredited
1977 Chatterbox Mrs. Bugatowski
1979 Skatetown USA Mrs. Thorndike
1992 Deep Cover Mrs. G.
1992 The Nutt House Ma Belle

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1949 Arch Oboler's Comedy Theatre Season 1 Episode 5: "Mr. Dydee"
1952 Chevron Theatre Episode: "Dear Little Fool"
1952 Hollywood Opening Night Season 2 Episode 8: "The Singing Years"
1952 The Files of Jeffrey Jones Barfly Episode: "Tag, You're It!"
1952–1955 I Married Joan Mrs. MacGruder / Bernard's Mother (uncredited) / League Member (uncredited) / Elsie / Geraldine / Mildred Webster 12 episodes
1953–1958 Letter to Loretta Milly 2 episodes
1953–1961 The Jack Benny Program Gloria / Zelda 4 episodes
1953–1965 The Red Skelton Show Mrs. Lump Lump / Hortense - Clara's Sister / Mrs. Gertrude Cavendish 3 episodes
1954 The Pride of the Family Cynthia Season 1 Episode 34: "Albie's Discipline Campaign"
1954 The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse Piggy Harvey Season 1 Episode 40: "Dear Little Fool"
1954 Red Skelton Revue Mrs. Appleby Season 1 Episode 8: "The Tooth, the Whole Tooth, and Nothing But the Tooth"
1954–1957 I Love Lucy Nancy Johnson / Train Passenger (uncredited) 2 episodes
1955 Damon Runyon Theater Season 2 Episode 4: "A Star Lights Up"
1955–1956 Our Miss Brooks Nurse Dooley (uncredited) / Grace Lansing 2 episodes
1955–1956 Lux Video Theatre Nurse / Miss Mayo 2 episodes
1956 Man Against Crime Waitress Season 1 Episode 2: "Badger Game"
1956 Ethel Barrymore Theatre Season 1 Episode 14: "Winter and Spring"
1956–1957 December Bride Frieda Manheim 3 episodes
1957 The People's Choice Switchboard Operator Season 2 Episode 16: "Sock's Master Plan"
1957–1958 Make Room for Daddy Doris / Nurse 2 episodes
1958 The Thin Man Secretary Season 1 Episode 15: "Asta Day"
1958 Meet McGraw Millie Season 1 Episode 39: "The Lie That Came True"
1959 Maverick Lucy Season 2 Episode 18: "The Rivals"
1960 Peter Loves Mary Mrs. Stanton Season 1 Episode 5: "Life with Father-In-Law"
1961 Westinghouse Playhouse Sandy Season 1 Episode 17: "Sweet Charity"
1961 Pete and Gladys Mother Season 1 Episode 34: "The Mannequin Story"
1961 Hawaiian Eye Mrs. Gibbs Season 3 Episode 4: "The Doctor's Lady"
1961 Hokey Wolf Juliet (voice) Season 2 Episode 10: "Phony-O and Juliet"
1961 The Flintstones Mrs. Gypsum / Bruce / Kid (uncredited) / Dagmar (voice, uncredited) / Daisy Killgranite (voice) 3 episodes
1961 87th Precinct Mrs. Stradling Season 1 Episode 8: "The Guilt"
1962 The New Breed Winnie Season 1 Episode 25: "The Deadlier Sex"
1962 Room for One More Mrs. Jason Season 1 Episode 16: "What Is It?"
1962 Ensign O'Toole Waitress Season 1 Episode 5: "Operation: Jinx"
1962 The Lucy Show Bank Secretary Season 1 Episode 4: "Lucy Misplaces $2,000"
1962 Wagon Train Edith Season 6 Episode 14: "The Donna Fuller Story"
1962–1964 The Twilight Zone Woman #1 / Woman 2 episodes
1963 The Joey Bishop Show Fainting Woman Season 3 Episode 1: "The Baby's First Day"
1963–1964 My Three Sons Mrs. Fletcher / Receptionist 2 episodes
1964 McHale's Navy The 1st Nurse Season 2 Episode 25: "The Novocain Mutiny"
1964 Burke's Law Mabel Season 1 Episode 30: "Who Killed the Eleventh Best Dressed Woman in the World?"
1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Park Commission Secretary Season 2 Episode 26: "Ten Minutes from Now"
1964 The Bill Dana Show Winnie the Hotel Maid 2 episodes
1965 Dr. Kildare Mrs. Gentry Season 4 Episode 16: "Take Care of My Little Girl"
1965 The Cara Williams Show Miss Landers Season 1 Episode 24: "Variety Is the Spice of Wife"
1965 Mister Ed Gertrude Season 6 Episode 6: "Anybody Got a Zebra?"
1965 I Dream of Jeannie Mrs. Flaherty Season 1 Episode 6: "The Yacht Murder Case"
1966 Gilligan's Island Telephone Operator (uncredited) Season 2 Episode 17: "You've Been Disconnected"
1966 The Farmer's Daughter Season 3 Episode 30: "Half an Anniversary"
1966–1971 Bewitched Gladys Kravitz 29 episodes (Recurring role)
1967 I Spy Diane Season 3 Episode 2: "The Beautiful Children"
1969 The Name of the Game Bonnie Season 2 Episode 7: "Give Till It Hurts"
1969–1973 Love, American Style Ethel / Gladys August / Cora Ashton / Ethel 4 episodes
1971 Make Room for Granddaddy Molly Season 1 Episode 20: "Karate Kate"
1971 Columbo Matron Season 1 Episode 4: "Suitable for Framing"
1971 The Partners Mrs. Kipner Season 1 Episode 10: "Have I Got an Apartment for You!"
1971–1975 Marcus Welby, M.D. Rose Shapiro / Long Distance Operator 2 episodes
1972 Sarge Mrs. Hauser Season 1 Episode 13: "An Accident Waiting to Happen"
1972 Ironside Stella Season 5 Episode 24: "A Man Named Arno"
1972 Adam-12 Woman Season 5 Episode 10: "The Chaser"
1973 Emergency! Lady at Community Center (uncredited) Season 2 Episode 13: "Drivers"
1973 Wait Till Your Father Gets Home (voice) Season 1 Episode 24: "The Neighbors"
1973 Insight Abby Bonneau Season 1 Episode 363: "The Coming of the Clone"
1973 The Brady Bunch Mrs. Gould Season 5 Episode 6: "Getting Greg's Goat"
1973 The Little People Sue Season 2 Episode 12: "Doctor Take Five"
1975 Kolchak: The Night Stalker Landlady Season 1 Episode 13: "Primal Scream"
1976 Good Heavens Lady Season 1 Episode 2: "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"
1976 Big John, Little John Mrs. Kimberly Season 1 Episode 3: "Very Little John"
1976 Arthur Hailey's the Moneychangers Chicken Lady Miniseries
Episode 1: "Part 1"
1977 Tabitha Gladys Kravitz Season 1 Episode 7: "Arrival of Nancy"
1983 The Kid with the 200 I.Q. Bus Passenger #1 TV Movie
1985 All Star Rock 'n' Wrestling Saturday Spectacular Faye Flamboyant TV Movie
1985 Crazy Like a Fox Season 2 Episode 7: "Some Day My Prints Will Come"
1985 Still the Beaver Dorothy Season 1 Episode 25: "A Boy and His Snake"
1988 Punky Brewster Mrs. Yurtzoff Season 4 Episode 8: "Cosmetic Scam"
1990 Gravedale High Miss Webner (voice) 2 episodes
1990 MacGyver Soup Patron Season 6 Episode 7: "Harry's Will"
1996 Friends Old Woman (voice) Season 3 Episode 10: "The One Where Rachel Quits"
1999 Veronica's Closet Mrs. Riley Season 2 Episode 11: "Veronica's from Venus/Josh's Parents Are from Mars"
1999 Boy Meets World Little Old Lady Season 6 Episode 19: "Bee True"

References

  1. ^ a b c "Sandra Gould: Played Gladys Kravitz". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. July 28, 1999. p. 4B.
  2. ^ a b c d Tucker, David C. (December 21, 2013). "Ab---ner! It's Sandra Gould!". David C. Tucker. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
  3. ^ Johnson, Erskine (February 2, 1961). "Sandra Gould Scores With Guide for Girls". Progress Bulletin. Pomona, California. Newspaper Enterprise. p. 27. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ An Interview with Sandra Gould, Skip E. Lowe, 1990
  5. ^ "Sandra Morse Gould; TV Actress". Los Angeles Times. July 24, 1999.
  6. ^ Wilson, Scott (2016-08-19). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. ISBN 9781476625997.

Bibliography

  • Gould, Sandra (1960). Sexpots and Pans. Golden Press.
  • Gould, Sandra; Taylor, Richard (2007). Always Say Maybe: A Modern Girl's Guide To Almost Everything, But Mostly Men. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 978-0548388617.
No tags for this post.