Actress. She is best remembered for her recurring portrayal of the simple-minded schoolteacher Miss Thomas in the television series "Father Knows Best". After attaining her degree in theatrical arts from the Washington University, she began her career as a radio performer who voiced numerous characters on such programs as "Escape," "The Hallmark Playhouse," "Meet Corliss Archer," "Suspense," "My Favorite Wife," "Dragnet," "Let George Do It," "Lux Radio Theatre," "The Whistler," and "The Story of Dr. Kildare." In 1941, she was invited to the offices of Walt Disney who overheard one of her radio plays and was impressed by the articulateness of her voice. Upon providing the dialogue as Prissy the Elephant in the animated feature "Dumbo" (1941), she would go on to enjoy a newfound career in the film industry appearing in over 130 features; often typecast as educators, mothers, old maids, gossips, snobs, aristocrats, matrons, landladies, retail clerks, maids, and secretaries. She appeared in such motion pictures as "The Seventh Victim" (1943), "San Diego, I Love You" (1944), "Wonder Man" (1945), "The Strange Affair of Uncle Henry" (1945), "Ideal Girl" (1946), "One Exciting Week" (1946), "Swell Guy" (1947), "The Fabulous Texan" (1947), "A Double Life" (1948), "Trapped by Boston Blackie" (1948), "Side Street" (1949), "Beyond the Forest" (1949), "Perfect Strangers" (1950), "Jim Thorpe - All-American" (1951), "Mister Scoutmaster" (1952), "Men of the Fighting Lady" (1954), "Battle Cry" (1955), "An Affair to Remember" (1957), "No Time to Be Young" (1957), "Tower of London" (1962), "Taggart" (1964), "Don't Make Waves" (1967), and "The World's Greatest Athlete" (1973). During the advent of television, she became a familiar face appearing in various guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "Sky King," "Hollywood Theatre Time," "The Pride of the Family," "I Love Lucy," "Four Star Playhouse," "The Halls of Ivy," "TV Reader's Digest," "It's a Great Life," "Wire Service," "Cavalcade of America," "Dr. Hudson's Secret Journal," "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show," "You Are There," "Playhouse 90," "Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre," "Crossroads," "Richard Diamond, Private Detective," "M Squad," "The Rifleman," "Bronco," "Wanted: Dead or Alive," "Maverick," "The Real McCoys," "Johnny Ringo," "Tales of Wells Fargo," "Lassie," "Rescue 8," "Pete and Gladys," "Cheyenne," "The Barbara Stanwyck Show," "Death Valley Days," "Daniel Boone," "The Twilight Zone," "Temple Houston," "Breaking Point," "Honey West," "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet," "Bonanza," "Green Acres," "Perry Mason," "Petticoat Junction," "My Three Sons," "Gunsmoke," "Adam-12," and "Rhoda." During her career, she was a vocal instructor for the Pasadena Playhouse, was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, had been an active member of the Hollywood Democratic Committee, presided as a chairwoman for her local charters of the American Red Cross and Planned Parenthood, was one of the founding members of the Canyon Theatre Guild, was a regular parishioner of the Catholic church, and she was married to actor Stanley Wuilger from 1943 to 1944 and businessman Holger Jakobsen from 1945 to 1966 (her first union ended in divorce and her second marriage ended upon Jakobsen's death and produced two children). After appearing in what would be her final appearance in the made for television movie "Friendships, Secrets, and Lies" (1979), she died the first of the following year from complications of cancer.