Verna Martha Wentworth (June 2, 1889 – March 8, 1974) was an American actress. Her vocal variety led to her being called the "Actress of 100 Voices".
Biography
Wentworth was born on June 2, 1889 in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. After graduating from public school, she attended the National School of Expression. She was one of Minnie Maddern Fiske's proteges and appeared in several stage productions, beginning when she was 17 years old.
Wentworth's long radio career began in the early 1920s. She played The Wintergreen Witch on ''
The Cinnamon Bear
''The Cinnamon Bear'' is an old-time radio program produced by Transco (Transcription Company of America), based in Hollywood, California. The series was specifically designed to be listened to six days a week between Thanksgiving and Christmas ...
'' (1937) radio program, Annie Wood and Mrs. Littlefield on '' Crime Classics'' (1953), and Ma Danields on ''The Gallant Heart'' (1944). She portrayed Joe Penner's mother on ''The Park Avenue Penners''. She also had semi-regular roles on '' Broadway Is My Beat'', '' On Stage'', ''
The Witch's Tale
''The Witch's Tale'' is a horror-fantasy radio series which aired from May 21, 1931, to June 13, 1938, on WOR, the Mutual Radio Network, and in syndication. The program was created, written, and directed by Alonzo Deen Cole (February 22, 1897, St ...
The Captain and the Kids
''The Katzenjammer Kids'' is an American comic strip created by Rudolph Dirks in 1897 and later drawn by Harold Knerr for 35 years (1914 to 1949).Red RyderWestern films. She is in ''Lassie'' as neighbor Bertha, first aired on March 22, 1959's season 5 episode 29. She voiced roles in two
Walt Disney Productions
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October 1 ...
ZaSu Pitts
Zasu Pitts (; January 3, 1894 – June 7, 1963) was an American actress who starred in many silent dramas, including Erich von Stroheim's epic 1924 silent film ''Greed'', and comedies, transitioning successfully to mostly comedy films with the ...
,
Mae West
Mae West (born Mary Jane West; August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American stage and film actress, playwright, screenwriter, singer, and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned over seven decades. She was known for her breezy ...
Looney Tunes
''Looney Tunes'' is an American animated comedy short film series produced by Warner Bros. starting from 1930 to 1969, concurrently with its partner series '' Merrie Melodies'', during the golden age of American animation. ...
'' short) - The Mad Bomber (voice, uncredited)
*'' Prison Shadows'' (1936) - Mrs. Murphy (uncredited)
*'' I Love to Singa'' (1936, ''
Merrie Melodies
''Merrie Melodies'' is an American animated series of comedy short films produced by Warner Bros. starting in 1931, during the golden age of American animation, and ending in 1969. Then some new cartoons were produced from the late 1970s to the ...
'' short) - Mother Owl (voice, uncredited)
*''The Old House'' (1936, short) - Radio Witch (voice, uncredited)
*''
Toby Tortoise Returns
''Toby Tortoise Returns'' is a 1936 animated Technicolor cartoon in Walt Disney's ''Silly Symphonies'' series. It was directed by Wilfred Jackson. It is a sequel to the 1935 short ''The Tortoise and the Hare'', and premiered on August 22, 1936.
...
'' (1936, short) - Jenny Wren (voice, uncredited)
*'' At Your Service Madame'' (1936, ''Merrie Melodies'' short) - Mrs. Hamhock (voice, uncredited)
*''
Don't Look Now
''Don't Look Now'' ( it, A Venezia... un Dicembre rosso shocking, lit=In Venice... a shocking red December) is a 1973 English-language film in the thriller genre directed by Nicolas Roeg, adapted from the 1971 short story by Daphne du Mauri ...
'' (1936, ''Merrie Melodies'' short) - Lady Woodpecker (voice, uncredited)
*'' The CooCoo Nut Grove'' (1936, ''Merrie Melodies'' short) - Mae West (voice, uncredited)
*''Little Cheeser'' (1936, short) - Mother (voice, uncredited)
*'' Pigs Is Pigs'' (1937, ''Merrie Melodies'' short) - Mrs. Hamhock (voice, uncredited)
*''The Masque Raid'' (1937, short) - Witch (voice, uncredited)
*''Cleaning House'' (1938, short) - Mama (voice, uncredited)
*''Blue Monday'' (1938, short) - Mama (voice, uncredited)
*''The Captain's Pup'' (1938, short) - Mama (voice, uncredited)
*''A Day at the Beach'' (1938, short) - Mama (voice, uncredited)
*''Old Smokey'' (1938, short) - Mama (voice, uncredited)
*''The Kangaroo Kid'' (1938, short) - Mother Kangaroo (voice, uncredited)
*''Petunia Natural Park'' (1939, short) - Mama (voice, uncredited)
*''The Bookworm'' (1939, short) - Witch (voice, uncredited)
*'' Peace on Earth'' (1939, short) - Mother Squirrel (voice, uncredited)
*''
A Rainy Day
''A Rainy Day'' is an American animated short from MGM released in 1940. It tells the story of a father bear
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eigh ...
'' (1940, short) - Mama Bear (voice, uncredited)
*'' Waterloo Bridge'' (1940) - Tart on Bridge at the End (uncredited)
*''
Wildcat Bus
''Wildcat Bus'' is a 1940 American action film directed by Frank Woodruff and written by Lou Lusty. The film stars Fay Wray, Charles Lang, Paul Guilfoyle, Don Costello and Paul McGrath. The film was released on August 23, 1940, by RKO Pictures.
...
'' (1940) - Mrs. Waters (uncredited)
*''Papa Gets the Bird'' (1940, short) - Mama Bear (voice, uncredited)
*''
Who Killed Aunt Maggie?
''Who Killed Aunt Maggie?'' is a 1940 American mystery film directed by Arthur Lubin and starring John Hubbard, Wendy Barrie and Mona Barrie. It was produced and distributed by Republic Pictures.
Plot
Radio-mystery script writer Sally Ambler is ...
'' (1940) - Housekeeper (uncredited)
*''
Bowery Blitzkrieg
''Bowery Blitzkrieg'' is a 1941 film and the sixth installment of the East Side Kids series. The film "introduced" Huntz Hall in his first of the East Side Kids film series.
It was released in the United Kingdom under the title ''Stand and Deliv ...
'' (1941) - Mrs. Brady
*'' Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'' (1941) - Landlady (uncredited)
*''The Field Mouse'' (1941, short) - Ma Mouse (voice, uncredited)
*'' Fraidy Cat'' (1942, ''
Tom and Jerry
''Tom and Jerry'' is an American animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Best known for its 161 theatrical short films by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the series centers on the ...
Fallen Angel
In the Abrahamic religions, fallen angels are angels who were expelled from heaven. The literal term "fallen angel" never appears in any Abrahamic religious texts, but is used to describe angels cast out of heaven"Mehdi Azaiez, Gabriel Said ...
'' (1945) - Hotel Maid (uncredited)
*''
Adventure
An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme ...
Stagecoach to Denver
''Stagecoach to Denver'' is a 1946 American Western film and one of the Republic Pictures Red Ryder film series directed by R. G. Springsteen.
Plot
Red is working as a stagecoach driver with one of his passengers being Dickie, a recently orph ...
'' (1946) - The Duchess (Red's Aunt)
*''
Vigilantes of Boomtown
''Vigilantes of Boomtown'' is a 1947 American Western film in the Red Ryder film series directed by R. G. Springsteen, written by Earle Snell, and starring Allan Lane, Robert Blake, Martha Wentworth, Roscoe Karns, Roy Barcroft and Peggy Stewar ...
Love Nest
''Love Nest'' is a 1951 American comedy-drama film directed by Joseph Newman and starring June Haver, William Lundigan, Frank Fay, and Marilyn Monroe.
The post- World War II comedy features an early supporting role for Monroe. It is one of t ...
'' (1951) - Mrs. Thompson (uncredited)
*'' She Couldn't Say No'' (1952) - Mrs. Holbert (uncredited)
*'' Young Man with Ideas'' (1952) - Mrs. Hammerty
*''Willie the Kid'' (1952, short) - Myrtle Smith (voice, uncredited)
*'' You for Me'' (1952) - Lucille's Mother (uncredited)
*'' O. Henry's Full House'' (1952) - Mrs. O'Brien (segment "The Last Leaf") (uncredited)
*'' My Man and I'' (1952) - Nancy's Landlady (uncredited)
*'' The Clown'' (1953) - Neighbor (uncredited)
*'' One Girl's Confession'' (1953) - Old Lady
*'' The Human Jungle'' (1954) - Marcy, Janitress (uncredited)
*'' Jupiter's Darling'' (1955) - Widow Titus
*''
Blackboard Jungle
''Blackboard Jungle'' is a 1955 American social drama film about an English teacher in an interracial inner-city school, based on the 1954 novel ''The Blackboard Jungle'' by Evan Hunter and adapted for the screen and directed by Richard Brooks. I ...
'' (1955) - Mrs. Lucy Brophy (uncredited)
*''
Artists and Models
''Artists and Models'' is a 1955 American musical romantic comedy film in VistaVision directed by Frank Tashlin, marking Martin and Lewis's 14th feature together as a team. The film co-stars Shirley MacLaine and Dorothy Malone, with Eva Gabor ...
'' (1955) - Fat Lady (uncredited)
*''
Good Morning, Miss Dove
''Good Morning, Miss Dove'' is a 1955 DeLuxe Color and CinemaScope film that tells the sentimental story of a beloved schoolteacher who reflects back on her life and former students when she is hospitalized. It stars Jennifer Jones, Robert Stack, ...
'' (1955) - Annie Holloway (uncredited)
*'' The Man with the Golden Arm'' (1955) - Vangie (uncredited)
*'' The Killer Is Loose'' (1956) - Apartment House Manager's Wife (uncredited)
*''
Rock Around the Clock
"Rock Around the Clock" is a rock and roll song in the 12-bar blues format written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers (the latter being under the pseudonym "Jimmy De Knight") in 1952. The best-known and most successful rendition was record ...
Mary Poppins It may refer to:
* ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fantasy novels that introduced the character.
* Mary Poppins (character), the nanny with magical powers.
* ''Mary Poppins'' (film), a 1964 Disney film star ...
'' (1964) - Cockney Cow (voice) (final film role)
References
* Wollstein, Hans J., ''
AllMovie
AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne.
History
AllMovie was founded by popular-cul ...