Actress. She is best remembered for her recurring portrayal of the wholesome housekeeper Ms. Hawkins on the sitcom "Matlock". After attaining her degree in theatrical arts from the Actors Studio in New York, New York, she began her career as a leading lady on the stage appearing in such productions as "Brigadoon," "But For Whom Charlie," "Bloomer Girl," "Connecticut Yankee," "Oklahoma," and "After The Fall." While attending a luncheon at the prestigious Russian Tea Room, she was introduced to actor Phil Silvers. Impressed by her hourglass figure, reddish good looks, and soft-spoken voice, he took notice of her potential and arranged for her to begin a career in the film industry beginning with her appearing alongside him in his own syndicated program "The Phil Silvers Show". From there, she would go on to flourish as a notable character actress appearing in over 30 features; often typecast as wives, mothers, old maids, grandmothers, educators, white-collared workers, secretaries, beauticians, manicurists, historical figures, mythical creatures, retail clerks, waitresses, businesswomen, politicians, judges, therapists, nurses, landladies, neighbors, curmudgeons, eccentrics, femme fatales, women with a past, clergywomen, authority figures, busybodies, snobs, dowagers, and matriarchs. She appeared in such feature films as "The Reivers" (1969), "Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate" (1971), "Deadhead Miles" (1972), "The Night Strangler" (1973), "Long Way Home" (1975), "The Last Tycoon" (1976), and "First Affair" (1983). On television, she appeared in various guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "The Outsider," "The Monkees," "Daktari," "Ironside," "Bonanza," "The Bold Ones: The Lawyers," "Mannix," "Harry O," "Gunsmoke," The Manhunter," "All in the Family," "Visions," "Insight," "The Nancy Walker Show," "The Feather and Father Gang," "Backstairs at the White House," "Trapper John, M.D.," "Mrs. Columbo," "Stone," "Little House on the Prairie," "Days of Our Lives," "The Incredible Hulk," "Nero Wolfe," "Buck James," "Cagney & Lacey," and "Galtar and Golden Lance". During her career, she was an honorary member of Actors Equity, was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, had been a member of the Hollywood Democratic Committee, was a regular parishioner of the Temple Israel of Hollywood, presided on her local charters of the American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity, had been a theatrical instructor for the Pasadena Playhouse, was a theatrical instructor for the UCLA, had been among the founding members of the Actors and Writers Lab, was an author of several books, had been the celebrity spokeswoman for Walgreen's Drug Stores and Playtex, and she was married to character actor Michael Strong from 1969 until his death (their union produced no children). Upon her 1990 retirement, she spent the remainder of her life being a regular attendee at autograph conventions and was a generous benefactor for several state parks and public libraries, until her death.