Inga Swenson (born December 29, 1932) is an American actress and singer. She appeared in multiple Broadway productions and received two Tony nominations. She also spent seven years portraying Gretchen Kraus in the ABC comedy series ''

Benson Benson may refer to: Animals *Benson (fish), largest common carp caught in Britain Places Geography Canada *Rural Municipality of Benson No. 35, Saskatchewan; rural municipality *Benson, Saskatchewan; hamlet United Kingdom * Benson, Oxfordshire ...

''.

Early years

Inga Swenson was born in

Omaha Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest city ...

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...

, the only child of Geneva Pauline ( Seeger) and Axel Carl Richard "A.C.R." Swenson. She graduated from

Omaha Central High School Omaha Central High School, originally known as Omaha High School, is a fully accredited public high school located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It is one of many public high schools located in Omaha. As of the 2015-16 academic year, ...

in 1950. While attending OCHS, as a junior, Swenson won the state title in the

National Forensic League The National Speech and Debate Association is an American student debating society. It was established in 1925 as the National Forensic League; the name was changed in 2014. It is one of four major national organizations that direct high school ...

's speech contest and later, she won the NFL's national contest. As a high school senior she was considered the school's best vocalist and she was also the president of the Central High Players. She studied drama at

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

under Alvina Krause, among others, and was a member of the

Alpha Phi Alpha Phi International Women's Fraternity (, also known as APhi) is an international sorority with 172 active chapters and over 250,000 initiated members. Founded at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York on September 18, 1872, it is the fo ...

sorority.

Family

She married sound engineer Lowell Harris in 1953. The couple had two sons, one of whom predeceased his parents.

Career

Early in her career, Swenson had supporting roles in the films ''

Advise and Consent Advice and consent is an English phrase frequently used in enacting formulae of bills and in other legal or constitutional contexts. It describes either of two situations: where a weak executive branch of a government enacts something previ ...

'' (1962) and ''

The Miracle Worker ''The Miracle Worker'' refers to a broadcast, a play and various other adaptations of Helen Keller's 1903 autobiography '' The Story of My Life''. The first of these works was a 1957 ''Playhouse 90'' broadcast written by William Gibson and st ...

'' (1962) in which she played Helen Keller's mother. Swenson is a trained lyric

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

and starred 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 ''New Faces'' (c. 1956), and ''

The First Gentleman ''The First Gentleman'' is a 1948 British historical drama film directed by Alberto Cavalcanti, and starring Jean-Pierre Aumont, Joan Hopkins, and Cecil Parker. It portrays the relationships and marriage of George, Prince Regent and his tense ...

'' (1959), receiving

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

nominations for Best Actress in a Musical for her performances in '' 110 in the Shade'' (1964) and ''

Baker Street Baker Street is a street in the Marylebone district of the City of Westminster in London. It is named after builder William Baker, who laid out the street in the 18th century. The street is most famous for its connection to the fictional detec ...

'' (1965). A life member of

The Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 44th Street (Manhattan), West 44th Street between Ninth Avenue (Manhattan), Ninth and Tenth Avenue (Manhattan), Tenth avenues in the ...

, she said her favorite role was Lizzie Currie in the musical '' 110 in the Shade''. Swenson appeared in two episodes of ''

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 ...

'': "Inger, My Love" (1962) and "Journey Remembered" (1963). She portrayed Gretchen Kraus, the autocratic and acerbic German cook (later head housekeeper and budget director) in the TV sitcom ''

''. Her portrayal garnered three Emmy nominations. She was cast after appearing in a multi-episode stint as the conniving revenge-seeking Ingrid Svenson, the Swedish birth mother of Corinne Tate (

Diana Canova Diana Canova (born June 1, 1953) is an American actress, director, and professor. She is best known for her role as Corinne Tate on ''Soap'' (1977-1980). Early life Canova was born Diane Canova Rivero in West Palm Beach, Florida, to actress an ...

), on the TV sitcom ''

Soap Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used in a variety of cleansing and lubricating products. In a domestic setting, soaps are surfactants usually used for washing, bathing, and other types of housekeeping. In industrial settings, soaps are use ...

''. (''Benson'' was a spinoff of ''Soap'' and shared the same producers.) She also appeared as northern matriarch Maude Hazard in the mini-series ''

North and South North and South may refer to: Literature * ''North and South'' (Gaskell novel), an 1854 novel by Elizabeth Gaskell * ''North and South'' (trilogy), a series of novels by John Jakes (1982–1987) ** ''North and South'' (Jakes novel), first novel ...

'' in 1985 and again in 1986. Swenson retired in 1998.

Stage credits

*Stage debut – Maid, ''

Peg O' My Heart "Peg o' My Heart" is a popular song written by Alfred Bryan (words) and Fred Fisher (music). It was published on March 15, 1913 and it featured in the 1913 musical ''Ziegfeld Follies''. The song was first performed publicly by Irving Kaufman ...

'', Berkshire Playhouse, Stockbridge, MA, 1949. *Broadway debut – Singer, ''New Faces of '56 (revue)'',

Ethel Barrymore Theatre The Ethel Barrymore Theatre is a Broadway theater at 241 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1928, it was designed by Herbert J. Krapp in the Elizabethan, Mediterranean, and Adam styles ...

, 1956. *London debut – Lizzie Currie, ''110 in the Shade'', Palace Theatre, 1967.

Principal stage appearances

* Princess Alexandria, ''The Swan'', Minnie Fay, ''

The Merchant of Yonkers ''The Merchant of Yonkers'' is a 1938 play by Thornton Wilder. History ''The Merchant of Yonkers'' had its origins in a 1835 one-act farce ''A Day Well Spent'', by the English dramatist John Oxenford. In 1842 ''A Day Well Spent'' was extended int ...

'', singer, ''Sing Out, Sweet Land'', and extra, ''

Othello ''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...

'', all Playhouse Theatre,

Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania Eagles Mere is a borough in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 151 at the 2020 census. History Eagles Mere was laid out in 1877 and incorporated in 1899. The Eagles Mere Historic District was added to the National R ...

, 1952. * Aunt Anna Rose, ''Treasure Hunt'', Monica, ''The Medium'', Lucy, ''The Telephone'', Dunyasha, ''The Cherry Orchard'', Alizon Elliot, ''The Lady's Not for Burning'', and Isabelle, ''Ring 'round the Moon'', all Playhouse Theatre, Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania, 1953. * Georgie Elgin, ''The Country Girl'', Celia Copplestone, ''The Cocktail Party'', Mrs. Larue, ''Mrs. McThing'', Countess Aurelia, ''The Madwoman of Chaillot'', and Angelique, ''The Imaginary Invalid'', all Playhouse Theatre, Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania, 1954. * Olivia, ''Twelfth Night'', Jan Hus Playhouse, New York City, 1954. * Princess Charlotte, ''The First Gentleman'',

Belasco Theatre The Belasco Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 111 West 44th Street, between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York Ci ...

, New York City, 1957. * Madge, ''Picnic'', and Amy Kittridge, ''A Swim in the Sea'', both Royal Poinciana Playhouse,

Palm Beach, FL Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida. Located on a barrier island in east-central Palm Beach County, the town is separated from several nearby cities including West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach by the Intracoast ...

, 1958. * Ophelia, ''Hamlet'', Helena, ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'', and Perdita, ''The Winter's Tale'', all American Shakespeare Festival,

Stratford, CT Stratford is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is situated on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Housatonic River. Stratford is in the Bridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was settled by ...

, 1958. * Amy Kittridge, ''A Swim in the Sea'',

Walnut Street Theatre The Walnut Street Theatre, founded in 1809 at 825 Walnut Street, on the corner of S. 9th Street in the Washington Square West neighborhood of Philadelphia, is the oldest operating theatre in the United States. The venue is operated by the Walnut ...

Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, 1958. * Juliet, ''Romeo and Juliet'', American Shakespeare Festival, 1959. * Solveig, ''Peer Gynt'', Phoenix Theatre, New York City, 1960. * Julie Jordan, ''Carousel'', Melody Top Theatre, Hillside, IL, 1962. * Gillian, ''Bell, Book, and Candle'', Kiamesha Playhouse,

Kiamesha Lake, New York Kiamesha Lake is a hamlet (and census-designated place) in the town of Thompson, in east-central Sullivan County, New York, United States. The zip code for Kiamesha Lake is 12751. Kiamesha Lake is located on Route 42, between Monticello and Fa ...

, 1962. * Desdemona, ''Othello'',

Arena Stage Arena Stage is a not-for-profit regional theater based in Southwest, Washington, D.C. Established in 1950, it was the first racially integrated theater in Washington, D.C. and its founders helped start the U.S. regional theater movement. It is ...

, Washington, DC, 1963. * Magnolia, ''Show Boat'',

Kenley Players The Kenley Players was an Equity summer stock theatre company which presented hundreds of productions featuring Broadway, film, and television stars in Midwestern cities between 1940 and 1996. ''Variety'' called it the "largest network of theater ...

Warren, OH Warren is a city in and the county seat of Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. Located in northeastern Ohio, Warren lies approximately northwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 39,201 at the 2020 census. The his ...

, then

Columbus, OH Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and ...

, both 1963. * Lizzie Currie, ''110 in the Shade'',

Broadhurst Theatre The Broadhurst Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 235 West 44th Street (Manhattan), 44th Street in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1917, the theater was designed ...

, New York City, 1963. * Irene Adler, ''Baker Street'',

Broadway Theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...

, New York City, 1965. * title role, ''Mary Stuart'',

Parker Playhouse The Parker Playhouse is a 1,191-seat theatre in southern Florida. The Playhouse was established by Dr. Louis Parker. The curtain rose for the first time on February 6, 1967 as E.G. Marshall and Dennis O'Keefe starred in Neil Simon’s '' The Odd ...

, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 1967. *

Eliza Doolittle Eliza Doolittle is a fictional character and the protagonist in George Bernard Shaw's play ''Pygmalion'' (1913) and its 1956 musical adaptation, ''My Fair Lady''. Eliza (from Lisson Grove, London) is a Cockney flower woman, who comes to Profe ...

, ''My Fair Lady'', City Center Light Opera Company, City center theater, New York City, 1968. * Lady Alice More, ''A Man for All Seasons'',

Center Theatre Group Center Theatre Group is a non-profit arts organization located in Los Angeles, California. It is one of the largest theatre companies in the nation, programming subscription seasons year-round at the Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson Theatre and th ...

Ahmanson Theatre The Ahmanson Theatre is one of the four main venues that compose the Los Angeles Music Center. History The theatre was built as a result of a donation from Howard F. Ahmanson Sr, the founder of H.F. Ahmanson & Co., an insurance and savings an ...

, Los Angeles, 1979. *

The Crucible ''The Crucible'' is a 1953 play by American playwright Arthur Miller. It is a dramatized and partially fictionalized story of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during 1692–93. Miller wrote the play as a ...

, Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre, 1972 * ''The Four Poster'', New Stage Theatre,

Jackson, MS Jackson, officially the City of Jackson, is the capital of and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city is also one of two county seats of Hinds County, along with Raymond. The city had a population of 153,701 at the ...

, 1979.

Major theatrical tours

* Marie Louise, '' My Three Angels'', U.S. cities, 1957. * Julie Jordan, ''

Carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (List of sovereign states, international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in South Australia, SA) is a type of amusement ...

'', U.S. cities, 1960. * Lizzie Currie, '' 110 in the Shade'', U.S. cities, 1963

Movie credits

* Ellen Anderson, ''

'', Columbia, 1962 * Kate Keller, ''

'',

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the studi ...

, 1962 * Sister Monica, ''

Lipstick Lipstick is a cosmetic product used to apply coloration and texture to lips, often made of wax and oil. Different pigments are used to produce color, and minerals such as silica may be used to provide texture. The use of lipstick dates back to ...

'',

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...

, 1976 * Mrs. Craddock, ''

The Betsy ''The Betsy'' is a 1978 American Romance film, romantic Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Daniel Petrie, from a screenplay by William Bast and Walter Bernstein, based on the 1971 novel of the same name by Harold Robbins. It sta ...

'', Allied Artists, 1978 * Singer, ''

The Mountain Men ''The Mountain Men'' is a 1980 American Adventure Western film directed by Richard Lang and starring Charlton Heston and Brian Keith. Heston's son, Fraser Clarke Heston authored the screenplay. Plot Bill Tyler is an argumentative, curmudgeon ...

'', Columbia, 1980

Television credits

Television debut – Singer, Chrysler Special, CBC (Canadian television), 1957.

Television series

* Gretchen Kraus, ''

'',

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

, 1979–86.

Television mini-series

* Amelia Foster, ''Testimony of Two Men'', syndicated, 1977. * Maude Hazard, ''

'', ABC, 1985. * Maude Hazard, ''North and South, Book II'', ABC, 1986. * Marilyn Bradshaw Reagan, ''Nutcracker: Money, Madness, and Murder'', NBC, 1987.

Television episodes

* Liza, "The Best Wine", ''

Goodyear Playhouse ''Goodyear Television Playhouse'' is an American anthology series that was telecast live on NBC from 1951 to 1957 during the first Golden Age of Television. Sponsored by Goodyear, Goodyear alternated sponsorship with Philco, and the ''Philco Tel ...

'',

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

, 1957 * Marjorie, "The World of Nick Adams", ''

The Seven Lively Arts ''The Seven Lively Arts'' is an American anthology series that aired on Sunday afternoons in 1957 on CBS television. The series was executive produced by John Houseman, and hosted by '' New York Herald Tribune'' critic John Crosby. Alfredo Anto ...

'',

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

, 1957 * Maria, "Heart of Darkness", ''

Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' was an American television anthology series, anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology dr ...

'', CBS, 1958 * Milly Theale, "Wings of the Dove", ''Playhouse 90'', CBS, 1958 * Vera, "Goodbye, But It Doesn't Go Away", '' U.S. Steel Hour'', CBS, 1958 * Rose Maylie, "Oliver Twist", ''

DuPont Show of the Month ''DuPont Show of the Month'' was a 90-minute television anthology series that aired monthly on CBS from 1957 to 1961. The DuPont Company also sponsored a weekly half-hour dramatic anthology series hosted by June Allyson, ''The DuPont Show with Jun ...

'', CBS, 1959 * Lady Jane, "Victoria Regina", ''

Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in t ...

'', NBC, 1961 * Inger Borgstrom Cartwright, "Inger, My Love" and "Journey Remembered", ''

'', NBC, 1962 * Henrietta Higgins, "The Sod House Woman", ''

Sara Sara may refer to: Arts, media and entertainment Film and television * ''Sara'' (1992 film), 1992 Iranian film by Dariush Merhjui * ''Sara'' (1997 film), 1997 Polish film starring Bogusław Linda * ''Sara'' (2010 film), 2010 Sri Lankan Sinhal ...

'', CBS, 1976 * Marie Barrett, "Hitchhike To Terror", ''

Barnaby Jones ''Barnaby Jones'' is an American detective television series starring Buddy Ebsen as a formerly retired investigator and Lee Meriwether as his widowed daughter-in-law, who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles, California. The show was or ...

'', CBS, 1978 * Ingrid Swenson, ''

'', 1978, 1979 * Helen's mother, "Sex & Violence" (unaired), ''

Highcliffe Manor ''Highcliffe Manor'' is an American sitcom with a gothic horror background focused on the events in a mansion with crazy scientists and strange figures. The series starred Shelley Fabares and aired on NBC from April 12 to May 3, 1979. Summary The ...

'', NBC, 1979 * Sonya Green, ''Hotel'', ABC, 1988 * Holly Lindstrom, ''

The Golden Girls ''The Golden Girls'' is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Bea Arthur, Betty White ...

'', NBC, 1989 * Madelyn Stone, ''

Newhart ''Newhart'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from October 25, 1982, to May 21, 1990, with a total of 184 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons. The series stars Bob Newhart and Mary Frann as an author and his wife, ...

'', CBS, 1989.

Other television

* '' The Defenders'', CBS, 1961 and 1962 * ''

Dr. Kildare Dr. James Kildare is a fictional American medical doctor, originally created in the 1930s by the author Frederick Schiller Faust under the pen name Max Brand. Shortly after the character's first appearance in a magazine story, Paramount Pictur ...

'', NBC, 1962 * ''Bonanza'', NBC, 1963 * '' The Nurses'', CBS, 1963 * '' American Musical Theatre'', CBS, 1964 * ''

The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 201 ...

'', NBC, 1964 * ''My Father and My Mother'', CBS Playhouse, CBS, 1968 * '' Medical Center'', CBS, 1970 and 1971 * ''The Tape Recorder'',

NET Playhouse ''NET Playhouse'' was an American dramatic television anthology series produced by National Educational Television. NET subsequently merged with WNDT Newark to form WNET, and was superseded by the Public Broadcasting Service, though the NET title ...

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

, 1970

Television movies

* Ilyana Kovalefskii, ''

Earth II ''Earth II'' is a 1971 pilot, aired November 28 (and released theatrically outside North America), for a television series about a colony established in orbit around the Earth. A WABE Production in association with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Televis ...

'', ABC, 1971. * Nora Bayes, '' Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women'', NBC, 1978. * Matty Kline, ''Bay Cove'', NBC, 1987.

Television specials

* Lavinia, ''Androcles and the Lion'', NBC, 1967. * Mrs. Trimble, ''My Dear Uncle Sherlock'', ABC Short Story Specials, ABC, 1977. * Mrs. Marston, ''The Terrible Secret''.

ABC Afterschool Special ''ABC Afterschool Special'' is an American television anthology series that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from October 4, 1972, to January 23, 1997, usually in the late afternoon on weekdays. Most episodes were dramatically presen ...

, ABC, 1979. * Kate, ''The Gay Deceivers'', CBC, 1956.

Notes

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Swenson, Inga 1932 births Living people 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Omaha, Nebraska American stage actresses American film actresses American television actresses Northwestern University alumni Omaha Central High School alumni