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.
Sandra Gould | |
|---|---|
 Gould in Bewitched in 1966 | |
| Born | July 23, 1916 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | July 20, 1999 (aged 82) Burbank, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, writer |
| Years active | 1935–1999 |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 1 |
Life and career
editGould 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
editTwice 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
editGould 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
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Maverick | Lucy | Episode: "The Rivals" |
| 1959 | Imitation of Life | Annette | |
| 1959 | Blue Denim | Girl with Orchid | Uncredited |
| 1962 | Boys' Night Out | Miss Plotnik | 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 | |
| 1992 | Deep Cover | Mrs. G. | |
| 1992 | The Nutt House | Ma Belle |
References
edit- ^ a b c "Sandra Gould: Played Gladys Kravitz". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. July 28, 1999. p. 4B.
- ^ a b c d Tucker, David C. (December 21, 2013). "Ab---ner! It's Sandra Gould!". David C. Tucker. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
- ^ Johnson, Erskine (February 2, 1961). "Sandra Gould Scores With Guide for Girls". Progress Bulletin. California, Pomona. Newspaper Enterprise. p. 27. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ An Interview with Sandra Gould, Skip E. Lowe, 1990
- ^ "Sandra Morse Gould; TV Actress". Los Angeles Times. July 24, 1999.
- ^ Wilson, Scott (2016-08-19). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. McFarland. ISBN 9781476625997.
Bibliography
edit- 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.