Marion Lorne | |
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Credits | |
Role | Aunt Clara |
Biographical Information | |
Birth Name | Marion Lorne MacDougall |
Birthdate | August 12, 1883 |
Birthplace | West Pittston, Pennsylvania, United States |
Death Date | May 9, 1968 (age 84) |
Death Place | New York, New York, United States |
Marion Lorne portrayed Aunt Clara, Samantha's favorite aunt, whose magic often goes astray.
Forever embraced as the mumbling, bumbling Aunt Clara on the Bewitched (1964) television series, endearing character actress Marion Lorne had a five-decade-long career on the stage before ever becoming a familiar television household name.
Life and Career[]
Born Marion Lorne MacDougall on August 12, 1883 (other sources list 1885 and 1888), she grew up in her native Pennsylvania, the daughter of Scottish and English immigrants. Trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, she appeared in stock shows, and was on the Broadway boards by 1905. She married English playwright Walter C. Hackett and performed in many of his plays throughout the 1920s and 1930s, including "Hyde Park Corner" and "The Gay Adventure". They at one point settled in England where they co-founded the Whitehall Theater. It was there that Lorne began to sharpen and patent her fidgety comedy eccentrics in such plays as "Pansy's Arabian Knight," "Sorry You've Been Troubled," "Espionage" and "London After Dark". Upon Hackett's death in 1944, she returned to the States and again, after a brief retirement, became a hit in such tailor-made stage shows as "Harvey".
Lorne made a definitive impression via her movie debut at age 60+ in Alfred Hitchcock's immortal suspenser "Strangers on a Train" (1951) as murderer Robert Walker's clueless, smothering mother. Surprisingly Hollywood used her only a couple more times on film after that auspicious beginning - a grievously sad waste of a supremely talented comedienne. Lorne wisely turned to television instead and proved a dithery delight in such sitcoms as "Mister Peepers" (1952) and "Sally" (1957), gaining quirky status as well as part of the comedy ensemble on "The Garry Moore Show" (1958).
Bewitched[]
It was, however, her role as Elizabeth Montgomery's befuddled, muttering, doorknob-collecting witch-aunt on Bewitched (1964) - whether bouncing into walls or conjuring up some unintended piece of witchcraft - that put a lasting sheen on her long career. For that role she deservedly won an Emmy trophy for "Best Supporting Actress Award" - albeit posthumously. Sadly, Lorne succumbed to a heart attack on May 9, 1968, just ten days before the actual ceremony. Elizabeth Montgomery gave a touching acceptance speech on her behalf.
Bewitched Credits[]
Episode | Airdate |
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The Witches Are Out | October 29, 1964 |
Samantha Meets the Folks | December 17, 1964 |
There's No Witch Like an Old Witch | April 1, 1965 |
Alias Darrin Stephens | September 18, 1965 |
We're in for a Bad Spell | September 30, 1965 |
Take Two Aspirins and Half a Pint of Porpoise Milk | October 21, 1965 |
The Very Informal Dress | November 4, 1965 |
Aunt Clara's Old Flame | November 25, 1965 |
Samantha Meets the Folks (repeat) | January 27, 1966 |
The Moment of Truth | September 22, 1966 |
Witches and Warlocks Are My Favorite Things | September 29, 1966 |
Accidental Twins | October 6, 1966 |
The Short, Happy Circuit of Aunt Clara | November 10, 1966 |
My Friend Ben | December 8, 1966 |
Samantha for the Defense | December 15, 1966 |
A Gazebo Never Forgets | December 22, 1966 |
The Corn Is as High as a Guernsey's Eye | January 26, 1967 |
The Trial and Error of Aunt Clara | February 2, 1967 |
Aunt Clara's Victoria Victory | March 6, 1967 |
Bewitched, Bothered and Infuriated | April 13, 1967 |
Out of Sync, Out of Mind | November 2, 1967 |
That Was No Chick, That Was My Wife | November 9, 1967 |
Allergic to Macedonian Dodo Birds | November 16, 1967 |
Samantha's Thanksgiving to Remember | November 23, 1967 |
Samantha's Da Vinci Dilemma | December 28, 1967 |
McTavish | February 15, 1968 |
A Majority of Two | April 11, 1968 |
Samantha's Secret Saucer | April 18, 1968 |
Source[]
Marion Lorne on the Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on November 29, 2019.