JEANNE BATES loved making horror and surreal films, from her first blood-curdling scream as Bela Lugosis victim in "The Return of the Vampire" to her creepy Mother in David Lynch's bizarre 1977 cult classic "Eraserhead" to her eerie portrayal of the creepy Older Woman from the Other Side on the airplane in David Lynch's Oscar nominated "Mullholland Dr.," her final screen appearance. And Emily Dwyer, the title role in her 1991 film "Mom," was one of her favorites. "Call her mad, call her a monster, just make sure you call her once a week!" read the tagline for the film. This slightly modified version of the original trailer was included as part of a video retrospective, created by her longtime friend, Tony Award-nominated actor, writer, director and producer Walter Willison, first show at Ms. Bates Memorial Tribute in February, 2008. Bates, who was know to millions of TV viewers from 1961- to 1963 as Nurse Wills on TV's "Ben Casey," who defended the title character [played by Vince Edwards] under the watchful eye of Dr. Zorba [Sam Jaffee] for 153 episodes from, was one of the few actors who could boast a career in radio, films, television and the theatre that spanned 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 Keith's 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 also include 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." Mom, written & directed by Patrick Rand, also stars Mark Thomas Miller, with a knockout cameo by Stella Stevens as prostitute Beverly Hills, Maray Ayres, Brion James, Mary Beth McDonough. [more info at imdb.com] [No Rights Implied]
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Oh,PLEASE tell me this is available on dvd,lol.It looks like it's a treat to watch!
popazz1 6 months ago
@popazz1 -- As far as I know, I don't think it is on DVD -- yet. But sooner or later I'm sure it will be. But if you still have that old VHS, tape copies turn up on eBay quite frequently. Hope you find it. It is indeed a treat to watch.
Best, WW
BroadwayGoldnAge 6 months ago
great scary movie
Hljakes 10 months ago
@Hljakes -- Indeed!
Best, WW
BroadwayGoldnAge 6 months ago
the bed at 1:24 is exactly like my bed!!
obscure1992 1 year ago
@obscure1992 -- Hmmm? Are you sure it ISN'T your bed????
Best, WW
BroadwayGoldnAge 6 months ago