Mabel Albertson

Early years

Mabel Ida Albertson was born on July 24, 1901, in Haverhill, Massachusetts, to Flora Craft and Leopold Albertson, who were Russian-born Jewish immigrants. Her younger brother was actor Jack Albertson. Albertson's mother, a stock actress, supported the family by working in a shoe factory.

Albertson graduated from the New England School of Speech and Expression.

Albertson traced her show business career back to age 13, when she was paid $5 per performance to play piano behind palm trees for a reader. She later moved to California and became involved with the Pasadena Playhouse.

She "moved directly into professional stage work in stock, vaudeville, and night clubs, appearing with Jimmy Durante."

Television

Albertson was best known for her role as Phyllis Stephens, Darrin's neurotic, interfering mother, on the television sitcom Bewitched,^:97 who invariably ended her stays at the Stephens' home by saying to her husband, "Frank, take me home. I have a sick headache." She appeared in at least one episode of the courtroom drama series, Perry Mason: as Carrie Wilson in the season 6, 1962 episode entitled "The Case of the Hateful Hero". Albertson also guest starred as character Agnes Daly, the mother of Marilyn's would-be suitor, in the "Munster Masquerade" episode of The Munsters, which aired Sep 24, 1964.

Albertson played the mother of Barbara Whiting Smith and Margaret Whiting in Those Whiting Girls. She also played Susannah's mother in Accidental Family, Alice's mother in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,^:119 Donald Hollinger's mother on That Girl,^:1065 Irene Brady in The Tom Ewell Show,^:1092 Howard Sprague's mother on The Andy Griffith Show, Miss Ramsey on Hazel, Mrs. White on The Lucy Show episode "Lucy and the Missing Stamp", Eileen Ruby, Harry Ruby's wife in Make Room For Daddy episode "Danny Goes On USO Tour", Dick Van Dyke's mother on The New Dick Van Dyke Show, and Ethel Kendricks on the Mary Tyler Moore Show episode "Anyone Who Hates Kids and Dogs".

Radio

Albertson was heard on Dress Rehearsal, Joe Rines' Dress Rehearsal, and the Phil Baker Show. She was also a writer for radio programs.

Film

A memorable early film role for Albertson was as a proper banker's wife who is repulsed by the bucolic title characters in Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki (1955). She was also seen in She's Back on Broadway, About Mrs. Leslie, Forever, Darling, The Long, Hot Summer, Don't Give Up the Ship, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever and as Mrs. Van Hoskins, a wealthy woman whose jewels are stolen, in the screwball comedy film What's Up, Doc? (1972).

Stage

Albertson's Broadway credits include The Egg (1962) and Xmas in Las Vegas (1965).

Personal life

Albertson's son George Englund was once married to actress Cloris Leachman.

Death

According to her ex-daughter-in-law, Cloris Leachman, Mabel Albertson died on September 28, 1982, of Alzheimer's disease at St. John's Hospital, after suffering seven years of poor health in Santa Monica, California at age 81. Her ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean. Her brother Jack Albertson, who had died 10 months before, also had his ashes scattered there.