Eleanor Audley

Eleanor Audley
Audley in costume concept for the role of Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Born	Eleanor Zellman (1905-11-19)November 19, 1905 New York, U.S.
Died	November 25, 1991(1991-11-25) (aged 86) North Hollywood, California, U.S.
Resting place	Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery, Hollywood Hills, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Other names	Elinor Audley
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1926–1970
Known for	Original voice of Lady Tremaine in Disney's Cinderella (1950) Original voice of Maleficent in Disney's Sleeping Beauty (1959) Original voice of Madame Leota in Disney's Haunted Mansion (1969)
Television	Green Acres (1965–1969)

Eleanor Audley (born Eleanor Zellman; November 19, 1905 – November 25, 1991) was an American actress who had a distinctive voice in radio and animation, in addition to her TV and film roles. She is best remembered on television as Oliver Douglas's mother, Eunice Douglas, on the CBS sitcom, Green Acres (1965–69); and for providing Disney animated features with the villainess voices of Lady Tremaine in Cinderella (1950); and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty (1959). She was known in her career for mostly playing characters with snobbish and mean attitudes. Audley provided the voice of Madame Leota, the spirit medium, from Disney's Haunted Mansion attractions.

Early and personal life

Audley was born Eleanor Zellman in New York on November 19, 1905. Her parents' names are unknown as are the details of her early years. Audley adhered to Judaism and was a Democrat who supported the campaign of Adlai Stevenson during the 1952 presidential election.

Career

She made her acting debut at age 20 in the 1926 Broadway production of Howdy, King. Other stage appearances include: On Call (1928); Pigeons and People (1933); Thunder on the Left (1933); Kill That Story (1934); Ladies' Money (1934); Susan and God (1937); and In Bed We Cry (1943). Audley worked extensively in the 1940s and '50s in Hollywood radio on such programs as Escape; Suspense; My Favorite Husband (as mother-in-law, Leticia Cooper); The Story of Dr. Kildare (as receptionist Molly Byrd); and Father Knows Best (as Anderson family neighbor, Elizabeth Smith). She played the stepmother in re-imaginings of the Cinderella story included in episodes of the series, Hallmark Playhouse, and the weekly western series, The Six Shooter, which starred James Stewart.

Audley's film appearances include: Three Secrets (1950); Gambling House (1950); Untamed (1955); Cell 2455, Death Row (1955); All That Heaven Allows (1955); The Unguarded Moment (1956); Full of Life (1956); Voice in the Mirror (1958); Home Before Dark (1958); The Pleasure of His Company (1961); The Second Time Around (1961); and Hook, Line and Sinker (1969).

In the animation film industry, Audley was best known for providing her distinctive voice to Lady Tremaine, Cinderella's evil stepmother, in the 1950 Disney film Cinderella; and Princess Aurora's evil fairy nemesis, Maleficent, in Disney's 1959 version of Sleeping Beauty. For those films, animators Frank Thomas and Marc Davis designed the characters' facial features and expressions to be closely similar to Audley. She was the live-action model for both characters. Audley had initially turned down the role of Maleficent because she was battling tuberculosis at the time.

In 1969, Audley's voice has been used as the voice of Madame Leota, the spirit of a psychic medium, in the Haunted Mansion attractions in Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

From 1954 to 1970, Audley appeared regularly on television, including: I Love Lucy; Crossroads; The People's Choice; Richard Diamond, Private Detective; Perry Mason; Dennis the Menace; Hazel; Pete and Gladys; The Real McCoys; The Twilight Zone; Mr. Lucky; The Dick Van Dyke Show (as Parent-Teacher Association head, Peggy Billings); The Beverly Hillbillies (as Potts School headmistress, Millicent Schuyler-Potts); Mister Ed (as Aunt Martha); and My Three Sons (as mother-in-law, Beatrice Vincent, which was her final role before retiring).

Audley was a series regular on the CBS sitcom Green Acres from 1965–69, playing Oliver Douglas's disapproving mother, Eunice Douglas, despite being only five months older than actor Eddie Albert who played her son. When the cast were reunited for a 1990 TV movie, Return to Green Acres, Audley, who suffered from failing health, could not appear.

Death

Audley died from respiratory failure on November 25, 1991. She is interred at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

Work

Selected film roles

• Cinderella (1950) as Lady Tremaine (voice)
• Pretty Baby (1950) as Miss Karen Brindel
• Gambling House (1951) as Mrs. Fern Livingston
• Cell 2245, Death Row (1955) as Blanche
• The Unguarded Moment (1956) as Mr. Pendleton's Secretary
• Full of Life (1956) as Mrs. Kelly Jameson
• Spoilers of the Forest (1957) as Mrs. Shelby Walters
• Voice in the Mirror (1958) as Speaker at Soup Kitchen (uncredited)
• Step Down in Terror (1958) as Mrs. Felicia Brighton
• Home Before Dark (1958) as Mrs. Jayne Hathaway
• Sleeping Beauty (1959) as Maleficent (voice)
• The Second Time Around (1961) as Mrs. Katie Trask
• Hook, Line and Sinker (1969) as Mrs. Maya Durham

TV roles

• Studio 57 (1954) as Miss Anna Hunt
• The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse (1955)
• Front Row Center (1955) as Carlotta Vance
• Damon Runyon Theater (1955) as Cynthia
• Celebrity Playhouse (1955)
• Our Miss Brooks (1956) as Mrs. Maya Pryor
• The 20th Century-Fox Hour (1956) as Governor's Wife/Mrs. Lucy Hammond/Mrs. Julie Morgan
• Climax! (1956)
• Screen Directors Playhouse (1956) as Judith Brenner
• The People's Choice (1956) as Moderator/Mrs. Kimbeley "Kim" Price
• The Adventures of Jim Bowie (1956) as Miss Peabody
• Father Knows Best (1956) as Saleslady/Woman giving spare change (uncredited)/ Bookstacker in Library
• Crusader (1956) as Mrs. Erika Watson
• The Gray Ghost (1957) as Mrs. Joan Maddox
• How to Marry a Millionaire (1957) as Gertrude Van Dyne
• Cavalcade of America (1957) as Mrs. Stacey Littlefield
• Lux Video Theatre (1956) as Mrs. Sandy Lane, as Aunt Ada (1957)
• The Ford Television Theatre (1955) as Tina (1955), as Constance Perks (1957)
• I Love Lucy (1957) as Eleanor Spaulding'Flower Judge
• Crossroads (1957) as Mrs. Sophie Sand
• The Lineup (1957) as Maryanne Carstaires
• The Old Testament Scriptures (1958) as Naomi
• The Millionaire (1955) as Cynthia Simple (1955), as Glori Van Enter/Columnist (1958)
• Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre (1958) as Mrs. Emily Trumbull
• The Loretta Young Show (1954) as Miss Bennett, (1958) as Edith Landow
• The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1956) as The Lady Customer, (1957) as Mrs. Felicity Crowley/Mrs. Winthrop, (1958) as The Saleslady
• Frontier Doctor (1958) as Hattie Black
• The Real McCoys (1959) as Dr. Laurence Kirkwood
• The Ann Sothern Show (1959) as Mrs. Jenny Thompson
• Mike Hammer (1959) as Mrs. Wendy Milford
• Hennesey (1959)
• Richard Diamond, Private Detective (1959) as Mrs. Deneken
• General Electric Theatre (1954) as Woman in Restaurant, (1955–1956), (1959) as Alice Martin
• Johnny Midnight (1960) as Mrs. Mia Rice
• Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (1960) as Mrs. Annie Videau
• The Twilight Zone (1960) as Mrs. Whitney (uncredited)
• The Gale Storm Show: Oh Susanna (1956) as Passenger, (1957) as Mrs. Michelle Gardiner, (1960) – Bess Pomeroy
• The Untouchables (1960) as Mrs. Micheline Cross
• The Man From Blackhawk (1960) as Comtesse De Vilon
• Dennis the Menace (1960) as Mrs. Andrea Pompton
• Peter Gunn (1960) as Laura Scott
• Mr. Lucky (1960) as Mrs. Alice Dubois
• Make Room for Daddy (1960) as Mrs. Anette Willoughby
• Shirley Temple's Storybook (1960) as Miss Felicity Collingwood
• Perry Mason (1958) as Lois Gilbert, (1960) as Headmistress Lorimer
• The Tab Hunter Show (1961) as Columnist
• The Best of the Post (1962) as Mrs. Jackie Hill (as Elinor Audley)
• Ichabod and Me (1962)
• The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1961–1962) as Irma Lumpkin
• Pete and Gladys (1961) as Mrs. Linda Brenner, (1962) as Mrs. Elisa Clibber
• The Detectives (1962) as Liz Roberts
• The Joey Bishop Show (1961) as Mrs. Arianne Willoughby, (1962) – Fashion Announcer – Mrs. Penny Fitch as Clubwoman
• Have Gun - Will Travel (1960) as Cynthia Palmer, (1961) as School Teacher, (1963) as Mrs. Hannah Randolph Quincy
• The Dick Powell Theatre (1963) as Lady
• The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) as Party Goer, (1962–1963) as Mrs. Peggy Billings
• The New Phil Silvers Show (1963) as Mrs. Allison Osborne
• Wagon Train (1958) as Mrs. Winston, (1961) as Mother Albright, (1963) as Minerva Ames
• McHale's Navy (1964) as Mrs. Millicent Hardsey
• Hazel (1962). – Mrs. Totter
• The Beverly Hillbillies (1962-1963-1964) as Mrs. Millicent Schuyler-Potts
• Many Happy Returns (1964) as Mrs. Pernandina Atwood
• Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre (1964) as Mrs. Johnson/Lil Schaeffer/Buttercup Fuchsia
• Mister Ed (1961–1965) as Aunt Martha
• The Cara Williams Show (1965) as Mrs. lorence FAshford
• The Farmer's Daughter (1964) as Simone, (1965) as Mildred
• The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (1965) as Mrs. Laura Farnham
• The Jack Benny Program (1965) as Mrs. Jeanna Lewis
• Kentucky Jones (1965) as Mrs. Winnona Edgerton
• Peyton Place (1965) as Miss Martha (uncredited)
• O.K. Crackerby! (1965) as Mrs. Ameila Willoughby
• Hazel (1961) as Customer, (1962) as Mrs. Totter, (1963) as Mrs. Loretta Green, (1965) as Mrs. Katie Hardy
• The Lucy Show (1965) as The Columnist
• The Big Valley (1965) as Mother Callahan
• My Brother the Angel (1965) as Mrs. Evelyne Ettinger
• Honey West (1966) as Mrs. Juniper Carlton Murdock
• Summer Fun (1966) as Mother-in-law
• The Bob Hope Show (1956-1957-1966)
• The Phyllis Diller Show (1966) as Mrs. Elsa Fenwick
• Pistols 'n' Petticoats (1966–1967) as Mrs. Jenny Teasley
• Green Acres (1965–1969) as Mother Eunice Douglas
• My Three Sons (1969–1970) as Mrs. Beatrice Vincent
• The Wonderful World of Disney (1977) as Lady Tremaine (voice, archived)/Maleficent (voice, archived)
• Disney's Wonderful World (1979) as Matron (archived)
• The Wonderful World of Disney (1983) as Lady Tremaine (voice, archived)/Maleficent (voice, archived)
• The Wonderful World of Disney (1998) as Maleficent (voice, archived)

Radio appearances

• The Bishop and the Gargoyle (NBC special, July 14, 1940)
• Suspense (CBS, 1940s, not often credited), episodes include repeats of "Sorry, Wrong Number" and "The Man Who Wanted to Be Edward G. Robinson" (both 1948)
• Romance (CBS series, 1944–1954, not often credited), episodes includes "Pride and Prejudice" and "The Long Way Home"
• Adventure Ahead (NBC Red, 1944)
• Words at War (NBC Red, 1945)
• The Eternal Light (NBC, 1945–1946)
• Encore Theatre (CBS, 1946)
• The Big Story (NBC, 1947)
• Escape (CBS, 1947–1948), episodes include "Back for Christmas" and "The Man Who Could Work Miracles"
• The Adventures of Ellery Queen (ABC, 1947–1948)
• The Whistler (CBS, 1948–1950)
• Lux Radio Theatre (CBS, 1948–1954)
• Sealtest Variety Theatre (NBC, 1949)
• My Home Town (NBC, 1949)
• This Is Your FBI (ABC, 1949)
• Richard Diamond, Private Detective (NBC, 1949)
• NBC University Theatre (NBC, 1949)
• Pursuit (CBS, 1949)
• The Hotpoint Holiday Hour (CBS, 1949), "The Man Who Came to Dinner"
• My Favorite Husband (CBS, 1949 -1951) as Mrs. Leticia Cooper
• The Story of Dr. Kildare (syndicated, 1949–1950) as Molly Byrd
• Father Knows Best (NBC, 1949–1954) as Mrs. Elizabeth Smith
• The Railroad Hour (NBC, 1949–1954)
• The Life of Riley (NBC, 1950)
• The Halls of Ivy (NBC, 1950)
• The Adventures of Christopher London (NBC, 1950)
• Screen Directors Playhouse (NBC, 1950–1951)
• Night Beat (NBC, 1950–1952)
• The Saint (NBC, 1950)
• Family Theatre (Mutual, 1950–1951)
• Hollywood Star Playhouse (CBS, 1951)
• The Hallmark Playhouse (CBS, 1951), includes "The Story Of Cinderella"
• The Six Shooter (NBC, 1953–1954) as Mrs. Abbey Ames
• Fibber McGee and Molly (NBC, 1954–1955)
• Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar (CBS, 1955–1960)
• The CBS Radio Workshop (CBS, 1956–1957)

Theme parks

• Haunted Mansion as Madame Leota (voice)
• HalloWishes as Madame Leota (voice)

Discography

• Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1949, RCA/Camden) as Evil Queen
• Walt Disney's Cinderella (1954, RCA/Camden) as Lady Tremaine
• Disney Songs and Story: Sleeping Beauty (2012, Walt Disney Records) as Maleficent

Stage appearances

• Howdy, King as guest in hotel, December 1926 to January 1927
• On Call as Mary Randall, November 1928 to January 1929
• Pigeons and People as Elinore Payne, January 1933 to November 1933
• Thunder on the Left as Ruth Brook, October 1933 to November 1933
• Kill That Story as Millicent, August 1934 to December 1934
• Ladies' Money as Claire Touhey, November 1934 to December 1934
• Susan and God as Charlotte Marley, October 1937 to Jun 1938, December 1943
• In Bed We Cry as Claire Dangerfield, November 1943 to December 23, 1944

External links

• Eleanor Audley at the Internet Broadway Database
• Eleanor Audley on IMDb
• Eleanor Audley at AllMovie
• Eleanor Audley at Find a Grave
• RadioGOLDINdex listing