JEANNE BATES as Nurse Wills in BEN CASEY a tribute

"Man . . . woman . . . birth . . . death . . . infinity." So began this iconic series which captivated TV viewers from 1961 to 1964, which paved the way for St. Elsewhere and all other hospital dramas yet to come, and so begins this brief clip which pays tribute to Jeanne Bates, the veteran actress who, as Nurse Wills, stood staunchly beside the title character [played by Vince Edwards] of ABCs "Ben Casey" for 153 episodes, defending him in his weekly fights against the medical establishment, under the watchful eye of Dr. Zorba [Sam Jaffee], accompanied by the familiar, throbbing beat of Leigh Harlines theme music. This montage, which includes scenes from one of Jeannes favorite episodes, the two-part "A Cardinal Act of Mercy" [which won acclaimed Broadway and film star Kim Stanley a well-deserved 1961 Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in A Leading Role] was created by her longtime friend, Tony Award-nominated actor, writer, director and producer Walter Willison, as part of a video retrospective, first show at her Memorial Tribute in February, 2008. Ms. Bates was one of the few actors who could boast a career in radio, films, television and the theatre that spanned nearly eight decades. Born May 21, 1918, in Berkeley, she began appearing on radio soap operas in San Francisco while attending San Mateo Junior College, played the lead [and supplied the signature scream] on the mystery series "Whodunit?." She married the program's writer, Lew X. Lansworth, in 1943, two years after the show moved to Hollywood. Under contract to Columbia Pictures, Bates made her film debut starring in the 1943 Boston Blackie mystery "The Chance of a Lifetime", starring Chester Morris and was the heroine in the 1943 serial "The Phantom", starring Tom Tyler. A favorite of Harry Cohn and Columbia casting director Mac Arno, during the 40s she starred in twenty-two films, including Bela Lugosi's "The Return of the Vampire," "Sundown Valley" opposite Charles Starrett, "Soul of a Monster," "The Racket Man," "Shadows in the Night," opposite Larry Parks in "Sergeant Mike" and "The Black Parachute" and was personally chosen by Eric Von Stroheim as his leading lady in the suspense classic "The Mask of Dijon." In 1951, Ms. Bates returned to radio to star as Barbara in the popular soap opera "One Man's Family." She continued to appear in such films as Arthur Millers "Death of a Salesman," "Sabaka" starring Boris Karloff, "Tension at Table Rock," "Back From The Dead," "Blood Arrow," "Vice Raid" with Mamie Van Doren, "The Strangler" starring Victor Buono, as Brian Keiths wife in "Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?," Disney s "Gus," and costarred with Joel McCrae and Barbara Stanwyck in "Trooper Hook." In addition to "Ben Casey," her list of over 200 TV appearances from 1950 to 2002, includes "Perry Mason," "Gunsmoke," "Lassie," "Bonanza," "Barnaby Jones," Mayberry R.F.D.," "Wings," "That 70s Show," and as Ellis Hollis in the classic "It's A Good Life" episode of "The Twilight Zone." During the 70s she returned to her soap opera roots to appear as Anne Peters on NBCs "Days of Our Lives" for five years, Edith Mills on "The Young and the Restless" for three years, and the recurring role of Mrs. Dodd on "General Hospital." A student of Less Strasberg, Sanford Meisner, Daniel Mann and Morris Carnovskey, she made her Broadway debut in 1982 as Mrs. Bixby in "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" starring Debby Boone and David Carroll, after touring nationally. A longtime member of Theatre West, in Los Angeles, where she appeared in numerous plays, her extensive regional appearances include Fraulien Schneider in "Cabaret," Mrs. Pearce in "My Fair Lady" starring Susan Watson, Russell Nype and Walter Willison, Sue in "No, No, Nannette" costarring with her High School friend Russell Arms, Karen in "Applause" with Nannette Fabray, Ellie in "Father of the Bride," Irene in "Idiots Delight," Eleanor in "Desperate Hours," and Mrs. Strakosh in the Las Vegas company of "Funny Girl" starring Mimi Hines and Phil Ford, to name just a few. Ms. Bates died of breast cancer at the age of 89 on Wednesday, November 28, at the Motion Picture & Television Fund hospital in Woodland Hills. Her husband, director, writer and novelist Lew X. Lansworth, author of the acclaimed "Over The River, Charlie," passed away in 1981. Her later screen appearances include the title role in "Mom," yet another cult horror favorite, and featured roles in "Initiation: Silent Night, Deadly Night 4," "Die Hard 2: Die Harder" [as the scene stealing Old Lady with the stun gun], "Wild Orchid II: The Shades of Blue," "Dream Lover," "Grand Canyon," and her final film, with her favorite director, David Lynch, as the Older Lady who arrives with Naomi Watts at LAX, in his Oscar nominated classic "Mullholland Dr."

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Jeanne Bates
• David Lynch
• Eraserhead
• Mullholland Dr.
• Eric Von Stroheim
• Mask of Dijohn
• The Phantom
• One Mans Family
• Days of Our Lives
• Ben Casey
• Nurse Wills
• General Hospital
• Anne Peters
• Edith Mills
• Kim Stanley
• Timmy Everett
• Tim Everett
• Bettye Ackerman
• Sam Jaffee
• Vince Edwards
• Emmy Award
• Walter Willison

[brizpeg47]

Thank you so much! I loved this series as a kid, and always felt Jeanne Bates and Harry Landers were the true stalwarts of the show, as far as credibility in their supporting roles. As a nurse all my life, she captured the professionalism of the calling beautifully. To say nothing of how pretty she was. It's lovely to see a tribute to a lesser "star"

[BroadwayGoldnAge]

@brizpeg47 -- Thanks so much for remembering Jeanne. She was one of my dearest friends for nearly forty years, from when I first started out on stage. You may also like the "Who's That Girl" Tribute I posted for her, with clips from her early films, She was not only a talented actress, but an extraordinarily wonderful human being. I loved her very much.

Best, WW

[bobszvetics1]

BEN ONLY RAN FOR THREE YEARS WHAT A CRIME

[BroadwayGoldnAge]

@bobszvetics1 -- Actually, BEN CASEY ran for six years, 1961 through 1966. And it was indeed a quality series with a brilliant regular cast, including Miss Bates, and outstanding star turns y some of the greatest actors of the day. I know Jeanne loved making it, and everyone I know certainly love her in it, myself included.

Best, WW

[bobszvetics1]

@BroadwayGoldnAge Thank you for the info

[BroadwayGoldnAge]

@bobszvetics -- You are most welcome.

Best, WW

[aucksmix]

Thanks for posting the intro, reminded me of the symbols for man, woman, birth, death, infinity.

[westpoint64]

I thought this was a really neat, well-done tribute.

[BroadwayGoldnAge]

@brizpeg47 -- Apologies for taking so long to post your kind comments. I sort of let them stack up and then respond all at once, so thanks for you persistence!

Best, WW

[brizpeg47]

I'm so disappointed my previous post has not appeared (April 13). I loved this show and all the actors, and wanted to pay tribute to this lady too.....

[BroadwayGoldnAge]

Apologies for not seeing this and responding sooner -- dunno how I missed it before now! [Oh -- now I see, I did post a reply 6 mo ago but it posted above as another post instead of as a reply --ah, well -- such a great message, it's worth two responses!] You're right, Casey did deal with all those controversial issues -- I've been watching them again and they just as controversial as anything on TV today and brilliantly acted and written. And yes, I DO remember those T-shirts, too!!!!

Best,

WW

[BroadwayGoldnAge]

Thanks so much. Jeanne worked so hard to make Nurse Wills a strong woman and role model, and I know it would make her as proud to read your comment as it does me.

Best,

Walter Willison