Josephine Hutchinson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Josephine Hutchinson
Josephine Hutchinson in 1934
Born	(1903-10-12)October 12, 1903 Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Died	June 4, 1998(1998-06-04) (aged 94) New York City, U.S.
Education	Cornish College of the Arts
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1917–1974
Spouse(s)	Robert W. Bell ​ ​ (m. 1924; div. 1930)​ James F. Townsend ​ ​ (m. 1935; his death 1970)​ Staats Cotsworth ​ ​ (m. 1972; his death 1979)​
Parent(s)	Leona Roberts (mother)

Josephine Hutchinson (born October 12, 1903 – died June 4, 1998) was an American actress. She had a long career, acting in many theater plays and films. Some of her famous movies include Son of Frankenstein and North by Northwest. She also appeared in many television shows, like The Twilight Zone.

Early Life and Education

Josephine Hutchinson was born in Seattle, Washington. Her mother, Leona Roberts, was also an actress. Leona Roberts was well-known for playing Mrs. Meade in the movie Gone with the Wind.

Josephine started acting in films when she was just 13 years old. She appeared in The Little Princess (1917), which starred Mary Pickford. Later, she studied at the Cornish School in Seattle. She earned her diploma in 1929.

Her Acting Career

After finishing school, Josephine moved to New York City. There, she began her career in theater. By the late 1920s, she was one of the few actors who successfully moved from silent movies to movies with sound, known as talkies.

Film Roles

In 1934, Josephine Hutchinson signed a contract with Warner Bros.. She moved to Hollywood and made her debut in the film Happiness Ahead. She acted opposite Dick Powell in this movie.

She was even featured on the cover of Film Weekly magazine in 1935. In 1936, she appeared in The Story of Louis Pasteur. At Universal, she played a main character, Elsa von Frankenstein, in Son of Frankenstein (1939). This was one of her most remembered roles. She acted alongside famous actors like Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, and Bela Lugosi in this film.

Later, in the 1957 movie Gun for a Coward, she played the mother of a character played by Fred MacMurray. She was only five years older than him! In 1959, she played Mrs. Townsend in North by Northwest. She also appeared as Mrs. Macaboy in Love Is Better Than Ever, which starred Elizabeth Taylor.

Stage Performances

Josephine Hutchinson made her first appearance on Broadway in a play called The Bird Cage in 1925. She performed in many other Broadway plays throughout her career. Some of these included The Cherry Orchard, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan. She was a dedicated stage actress for many years.

Television Appearances

Josephine also had a busy career in television. She made four guest appearances on the popular show Perry Mason. She played different characters in episodes like "The Case of the Screaming Woman" (1958) and "The Case of the Spanish Cross" (1959).

In 1959, she was in the Gunsmoke episode "Johnny Red." She also appeared in The Rifleman in 1960. In 1962, she acted in an episode of Rawhide. One of her most notable TV roles was in The Twilight Zone episode "I Sing the Body Electric" (1962).

Later in her career, she appeared in Bonanza (1970) and The Waltons television movie The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971). In The Waltons movie, she played Mamie Baldwin, one of two sisters who made moonshine whiskey. Her final television role was in Little House on the Prairie in 1974. Josephine continued to work steadily in film, radio, and television until the 1970s.

Personal Life

Josephine Hutchinson was married three times. Her first marriage was to Robert W. Bell, a stage director, in 1924. They later divorced in 1930.

In 1935, she married James F. Townsend. This marriage also ended in divorce. Her last marriage was to actor Staats Cotsworth in 1972. Staats Cotsworth passed away in 1979.

Later Years and Death

Josephine Hutchinson passed away on June 4, 1998, at the age of 94. She died at the Florence Nightingale Nursing Home in Manhattan. Her ashes were scattered near her niece's home in Springfield, Oregon.

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