Alice Frost (August 1, 1910 – January 6, 1998) was an American actress. An inaugural member of
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
's
Mercury Theatre
The Mercury Theatre was an independent repertory theatre company founded in New York City in 1937 by Orson Welles and producer John Houseman. The company produced theatrical presentations, radio programs and motion pictures. The Mercury also ...
on radio and the stage, she later performed the role of Pamela North on the
radio
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...
series ''
Mr. and Mrs. North
''Mr. and Mrs. North'' are fictional American amateur detectives. Created by Frances and Richard Lockridge, the couple was featured in a series of 26 Mr. and Mrs. North novels, a Broadway play, a motion picture and several radio and television ...
'' for nearly 10 years.
Early years
Alice Dorothy Margaret Frost
[ ] was born on August 1, 1910, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
[DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 100.] She was the youngest of four children.
Her father, Rev. John A. Frost,
was a Swedish immigrant and served as a minister in the Lutheran church in
Mora, Minnesota
Mora is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Kanabec County. It is located at the junction of Minnesota highways 23 and 65. The population was 3,571 at the 2010 census.
History
Mora was platted in 1882 by Myron Kent. ...
, and her mother was the church's organist.
[ She attended high school in Mora and was active with the school's newspaper, glee club, drama society, and debate society. She enrolled at the University of Minnesota but had to drop out after her father's death. Later, she studied dramatics and voice for two years at the ]MacPhail School of Music
The MacPhail Center for Music is one of the nation's oldest and largest community-based music education centers. Located in the Mills District of Downtown East, Minneapolis, Minnesota, the school has over 16,000 students, providing instruction at ...
in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Frost also worked in a department store's credit department.
Radio
Frost debuted on radio at age 16 as a singer, participating in a duet with a friend on a Minneapolis station. By 1933, she was a member of the cast of ''The Criminal Court''. In 1934, she was "one of the ghost voices during CBS-WABC's ''Forty-Five Minutes In Hollywood''." She was an inaugural member of Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
's Mercury Theatre
The Mercury Theatre was an independent repertory theatre company founded in New York City in 1937 by Orson Welles and producer John Houseman. The company produced theatrical presentations, radio programs and motion pictures. The Mercury also ...
, on radio and on the stage,[ and was one of his favorite actresses.]
An item in a 1939 newspaper noted Frost's "art of mimicry," saying "Alice is known to her friends as 'the girl of a hundred voices'"—a talent which originated from her childhood, when she heard ministers who visited her home "when they returned from their missions in far-off places like Siam, India or Japan... e missionaries delighted in teaching the little girl their various Hindustani, Javanese or Far Eastern dialects." By 1938, she had already played "more than thirty different types of roles." An item in a 1937 newspaper reported: "It's nothing unusual for her to appear in as many as eight network shows in a week, each one calling for a different role. In quick succession, she has been a comedienne, a tragedian, an ingenue, a mother, a daughter and a witch!"
In the 1930s, Frost was "hostess, secretary, heckler and general all-around actress each Sunday" on ''Stoopnagle and Budd
Stoopnagle and Budd were a popular radio comedy team of the 1930s, who are sometimes cited as forerunners of the Bob and Ray style of radio comedy. Along with Raymond Knight ('' The Cuckoo Hour''), they were radio's first satirists.
Musician W ...
''.[ Late in that decade, she appeared regularly on ''Melody and Madness'' and ''Undercover Squad''.
In 1941, Frost starred in ''Are You a Missing Heir?''. Her other roles as a regular cast member included those show in the table below.
She also was heard in ''Song of the Stranger'', '']The Shadow
The Shadow is a fictional character created by magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator, and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by writer Walter ...
'', ''Grand Central Station
Grand Central Terminal (GCT; also referred to as Grand Central Station or simply as Grand Central) is a commuter rail terminal located at 42nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Grand Central is the southern terminus ...
'', '' The Campbell Playhouse'', ''What Would You Have Done'', ''On Broadway'', ''Famous Jury Trials
''Famous Jury Trials'' is a dramatized court show that first appeared on radio, followed by television, and then in the movies. The series ran on radio from 1936 through 1949, then on television from 1949 through 1952, and finally in a movie in 1 ...
'', ''Al Pearce and His Gang'', ''David Harum'', ''Lorenzo Jones
''Lorenzo Jones'' was a daytime radio series which aired on NBC in different timeslots over an 18-year span.
Produced by Frank and Anne Hummert, the series could be classified with its own unique category of "comedy soap opera", highlighted by or ...
'', ''Suspense
Suspense is a state of mental uncertainty, anxiety, being undecided, or being doubtful. In a dramatic work, suspense is the anticipation of the outcome of a plot or of the solution to an uncertainty, puzzle, or mystery, particularly as it aff ...
'',[ '']Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories
''Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories'' is a 15-minute radio drama that aired January 18, 1937, to November 16, 1956, on CBS, sponsored by Spry shortening. The program was heard weekdays at 11:45 a.m. until 1946, when it moved to 12:15 p.m. ...
'', '' The Fat Man'', ''Romance'',[ '' The Big Story'', '']Les Misérables
''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.
In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original ...
'',[ '']The Mercury Theatre on the Air
''The Mercury Theatre on the Air'' is a radio series of live radio dramas created and hosted by Orson Welles. The weekly hour-long show presented classic literary works performed by Welles's celebrated Mercury Theatre repertory company, with mus ...
'',[ '']Mr. District Attorney
''Mr. District Attorney'' is a radio crime drama produced by Samuel Bischoff that aired on NBC and ABC from April 3, 1939 to June 13, 1952 (and in transcribed syndication through 1953). The series focused on a crusading district attorney initia ...
'', ''Johnny Presents'', ''The FBI in Peace and War
''The FBI in Peace and War'' was a radio crime drama inspired by Frederick Lewis Collins' book of the same name.
The idea for the show came from Louis Pelletier who wrote many of the scripts. Among the show's other writers were Jack Finke, Ed Ada ...
'', ''Don Ameche's True Life Stories'', and ''Columbia Workshop
''Columbia Workshop'' was a radio series that aired on the Columbia Broadcasting System from 1936 to 1943, returning in 1946–47.
Irving Reis
The series began as the idea of Irving Reis. Reis had begun his radio career as an engineer and devel ...
''.
Stage
In 1928, Frost appeared on stage in Chautauqua
Chautauqua ( ) was an adult education and social movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua bro ...
performances, playing Lorelei in '' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes''. A year later, she was part of a stock theater company in Miami.[
In 1932, she appeared in ''It's the Law'', a farce presented at the Ritz Theater in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
She appeared on ]Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
in ''Green Grow the Lilacs
Green Grow the Lilacs is a folk song of Irish origin that was popular in the United States during the mid-19th century.
The song title is the source of a folk etymology for the word '' gringo'' that states that the Mexicans misheard U.S. troops ...
'' (1931), ''The Great Lover'' (1932), ''As Husbands Go'' (1933), ''It's a Wise Child'' (1933), the Mercury Theatre
The Mercury Theatre was an independent repertory theatre company founded in New York City in 1937 by Orson Welles and producer John Houseman. The company produced theatrical presentations, radio programs and motion pictures. The Mercury also ...
productions ''Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman people, Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caes ...
'' (1937–38) and ''The Shoemaker's Holiday
''The Shoemaker's Holiday or the Gentle Craft'' is an Elizabethan play written by Thomas Dekker. The play was first performed in 1599 by the Admiral's Men, and it falls into the subgenre of city comedy. The story features three subplots: an ...
'' (1938), ''A Roomful of Roses'' (1955), and ''The Bad Seed
''The Bad Seed'' is a 1954 novel by American writer William March, the last of his major works published before his death.
Nominated for the 1955 National Book Award for Fiction, ''The Bad Seed'' tells the story of a mother's realization that h ...
'' (1955).
In 1967, Frost co-starred with Jack Bailey in a four-week production of ''Ah, Wilderness!
''Ah, Wilderness!'' is a comedy by American playwright Eugene O'Neill that premiered on Broadway at the Guild Theatre on October 2, 1933. It differs from a typical O'Neill play in its happy ending for the central character, and depiction of a ...
'' at the Pasadena Playhouse
The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California, United States. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engage ...
.[ ]
Film
Frost had a role in the independent film ''Damaged Love'' in 1930.[ She worked for the Independent Eastern Pictures company.
]
Television
Frost played Mama Holstrom in 10 episodes of '' The Farmer's Daughter'' and Trina on ''Mama
Mama(s) or Mamma or Momma may refer to:
Roles
*Mother, a female parent
* Mama-san, in Japan and East Asia, a woman in a position of authority
*Mamas, a name for female associates of the Hells Angels
Places
*Mama, Russia, an urban-type settlement ...
.'' She appeared in two episodes of ''Hazel
The hazel (''Corylus'') is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K. (1999). ...
'' and also had the role of Miss Bickle in the unsold pilot of the comedy ''His Model Wife''.[Terrace, Vincent (2011). ''Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . pp. 332, 464, 647.] She was also seen on ''Gunsmoke
''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...
'', ''Goodyear Theatre
''Goodyear Theatre'' (also known as ''Award Theatre'' and ''Golden Years of Television'') is a 30-minute dramatic television anthology series telecast on NBC from 1957 to 1960 for a total of 55 episodes. The live show was directed by many notable ...
'', ''Bus Stop
A bus stop is a place where buses stop for passengers to get on and off the bus. The construction of bus stops tends to reflect the level of usage, where stops at busy locations may have shelters, seating, and possibly electronic passenger ...
'', and ''The Alcoa Hour
''The Alcoa Hour'' is an American anthology television series that was aired live on NBC from 1955 to 1957. The series was sponsored by Alcoa.
Overview
Like the ''Philco Television Playhouse'' and ''Goodyear Television Playhouse'' that had prec ...
''.
In the 1960s, Frost appeared in two episodes of ''The Twilight Zone
''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, su ...
'' ("The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine" and "It's a Good Life"). She also found roles in the decade's popular Westerns, appearing on '' The Tall Man'', '' The Virginian'' and in two episodes of both ''Bonanza
''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...
'' and ''Wagon Train
''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings. It ...
''. As the Westerns gave way to the police and detective dramas of the 1970s, Frost found work on such series as '' Ironside'', ''Adam-12
''Adam-12'' is an American television police procedural crime drama television series created by Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb. The series follows Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers Pete Malloy and Jim Reed as they patrol the stre ...
'', '' Police Woman'', and ''Baretta
''Baretta'' is an American detective television series which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1978.
The show was a revised and milder version of a 1973–1974 ABC series, '' Toma'', starring Tony Musante as chameleon-like, real-life New Jersey police ...
''.
Frost's final television work included a 1978 visit to ''Fantasy Island
''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. Gu ...
'' and a last role in a 1979 episode of '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century''. That final role brought Frost full circle, as the character of Buck Rogers also first found fame in the 1930s.
Recognition
Frost was named the winner in the Radio category among America's 13 Best Dressed Women for 1941. Winners were "selected in an annual poll of 100 leading designers for the Fashion Academy Awards."[ ]
Death
Frost died on January 6, 1998, in Naples, Florida
Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the historical city (i.e. in the immediate vicinity of downtown Naples) was 19,115. Naples is a principal city of the Naples-Marco Island, Flori ...
, aged 87.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Frost, Alice
1910 births
1998 deaths
Actresses from Minneapolis
American radio actresses
American television actresses
20th-century American actresses
People from Mora, Minnesota
American stage actresses
American Lutherans