Lurene Tuttle
| Lurene Tuttle | |
|---|---|
Tuttle in 1947
|
|
| Born |
August 29, 1907 Pleasant Lake, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | May 28, 1986 (aged 78) Encino, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Cancer |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1934–1986 |
| Spouse(s) |
Melville Ruick (m. 1928; div. 1945) Frederick W. Cole (m. 1950; div. 1956) |
| Children | Barbara Ruick |
| Relatives | Joseph Williams (grandson) |
Lurene Tuttle (August 29, 1907 – May 28, 1986) was an American character actress and acting coach, who made the transition from vaudeville to radio, and later films and television. Her most enduring impact was as one of network radio's more versatile actresses. Often appearing in 15 shows per week, comedies, dramas, thrillers, soap operas, and crime dramas, she became known as the "First Lady of Radio".
Tuttle was born August 29, 1907, at Pleasant Lake, Indiana, into a family with strong ties to entertainment. Her father, O.V. Tuttle, had been a performer in minstrel shows before becoming a station agent for a railroad. Her grandfather, Frank Tuttle, managed an opera house and taught drama. She discovered her own knack for acting after moving with her family to Glendale, Arizona. She later credited a drama coach there for "making me aware of life as it really is—by making me study life in real situations."
After her family moved to Southern California, Tuttle appeared in productions at the Pasadena Playhouse before joining the vaudeville troupe Murphy's Comedians. By the time of the Great Depression, Tuttle had put her remarkable vocal versatility to work in radio, and within a decade, she became one of the most in-demand actresses in the medium.
Tuttle's radio debut came in 1936 when she appeared on Hollywood Hotel with Dick Powell. Despite having never performed before a microphone, Tuttle's audition won her a three-year contract with the program.
Thirteen years later, one newspaper columnist called her "quite possibly the most-heard woman in America."
On radio's The Adventures of Sam Spade she played just about every female role as well as Spade's secretary Effie Perrine. She appeared in such shows as The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and concurrently appeared on The Great Gildersleeve as the niece Marjorie Forrester. Tuttle had regular roles in such shows as Brenthouse,Dr. Christian, Duffy's Tavern, One Man's Family, The Red Skelton Show (as Junior's mother and as Daisy June, roles that she shared with Harriet Nelson), Hollywood Hotel, and Those We Love.
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