Search movies and TV series
Acting
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Inga Swenson (December 29, 1932 - July 23, 2023) was an American actress. Inga Swenson was a graduate of Central High School in Omaha, Nebraska, Class of 1950. Swenson was a member of Alpha Phi sorority at Northwestern University where she studied in their famed Drama Department. Swenson is best known to American audiences for her portrayal of Gretchen Kraus, the autocratic and acerbic German cook (later Head Housekeeper and Budget Director) on the TV sitcom "Benson." She got the part by appearing in a multi-episode stint as Ingrid Svenson, birth mother of Corinne Tate (Diana Canova), on the tv sitcom "Soap." Both series were created by Susan Harris and produced by Witt-Thomas-Harris Productions (who later created "The Golden Girls" and "Empty Nest.") She also appeared as northern matriarch Maude Hazard in the acclaimed mini-series "North and South" in 1985 and again in 1986. Earlier in her career, Swenson had a notable turn on the TV western series "Bonanza" in two episodes: "Inger, My Love" (1962) and "Journey Remembered" (1963). Swenson took a brief leave of absence from her starring role in "110 in the Shade" on Broadway to appear in "Journey Remembered." The appearances were significant in that she played Lorne Greene's character's second wife, the mother of Hoss Cartwright, played by Dan Blocker. She was actually four years younger than Blocker. After "Bonanza" ended its 14-year run, Swenson guest starred in an episode of Lorne Greene's short-lived crime drama "Griff." Also early in her career, Swenson had supporting roles in the films "Advise and Consent" (1962) and "The Miracle Worker" (1962) in which she played Helen Keller's mother. She was a trained lyric soprano and starred on Broadway in "New Faces" (circa 1956) and "The First Gentleman" (1959), and received Tony Award nominations for Best Actress in a Musical for her performances in "110 in the Shade" (1964) and "Baker Street" (1965). Swenson was married to actor-singer Lowell Harris, with whom she had two sons, James (deceased) and Mark. Though her Swedish-sounding name and trademark accent on "Benson" suggest otherwise, she was born and raised in the U.S., and normally spoke with an American accent. Description above from the Wikipedia article Inga Swenson, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Broadway's Lost Treasures III: The Best of The Tony Awards
as Self (segment "Rose-Marie") (archive footage)

Doctor Doctor

Bay Coven
as Matty Kline
Nutcracker: Money, Madness & Murder
as Marilyn

North and South
as Maude Hazard

The Golden Girls
as Holly

Night of 100 Stars II
as Self

Newhart

The Mountain Men
as White Singer at the Mountain Men Gathering. (uncredited)

Benson
as Gretchen Kraus

Vega$

Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women
as Nora Bayes

The Betsy
as Mrs. Craddock

Soap
Weekend Special

Testimony of Two Men
as Amelia Foster

Lipstick
as Sister Monica
Griff
as Katherine McAfee

ABC Afterschool Special
as Mrs. Marston

The Rookies

Earth II
as Ilyana Kovalefskii

Androcles and the Lion
as Lavinia
CBS Playhouse
as Kate

The Merv Griffin Show
as Self

Advise & Consent
as Ellen Anderson

The Miracle Worker
as Kate Keller

Victoria Regina
as Lady Jane

Dr. Kildare
as Paula Waller

Heart of Darkness
as Maria

Hallmark Hall of Fame
as Lady Jane