Jean Engstrom (born Flora Jean Bovie;[1] July 25, 1920 – March 20, 1997) was an American actress active in regional theater, movies, and television in the 1950s and 1960s.
Jean Engstrom | |
|---|---|
 Jean Engstorm in One Step Beyond 1961 | |
| Born | Flora Jean Bovie July 25, 1920 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | March 20, 1997 (aged 76) Hemet, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery |
| Years active | 1954–1966 |
| Spouse(s) | Richard H. Moon (1940 - ?) (divorced) (1 child) Elliott Engstrom (1947-1997) (her death) |
| Children | Jena Engstrom |
Background
editEngstrom was born in Detroit, Michigan, on July 25, 1920,[1][2] the elder of two children [3] born to Clarence Augustus Bovie, [2] [4] an artist[4] and commercial illustrator,[5] and Nona Iola Cochrun.[2] [6] After her father's death,[4] 1930 census records show that she and her mother and younger brother were living with her father's mother (paternal grandmother) in Augusta, Michigan.[3] In 1935, they were living in Battle Creek, Michigan.[7] [8] When Engstrom was 16, the family moved to Southern California[9] and lived for a while with her maternal grandmother,[7] and there she completed high school.[8] On February 14, 1940, Flora Jean Bovie married Richard Harold Moon in Baldwin Park, California. [10] On June 30, 1942, their only child, daughter Liana Jeanne Moon (later to be actress Jena Engstrom) was born.[11] Flora Jean and Richard Moon divorced, and in about 1947 she married her second husband,[9] Elliott E. Engstrom,[2] who later adopted her daughter. They remained married until her death. In the mid-1980s she developed breast cancer,[2] had a mastectomy in July 1985,[2] and died of breast cancer on March 20, 1997, in a convalescent hospital in Hemet, California.[2] Her body is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California.[citation needed]
Career
editEngstrom originally wanted to become a singer, but a crushed breast plate suffered in an automobile accident affected her vocal cords and she turned to modeling.[9] A 1958 TV Guide article states that she began acting in 1940, [9] while a 1962 syndicated news articles states that she began acting in 1951. Whenever her acting career started, she began acting with little theater groups in and around the Hollywood area.[9] She later moved to work in movies and in television and during this time studied with Francis Lederer's improvisation group.[9] She used the name Jean Engstrom professionally and during her career she appeared in over 50 plays, in at least eight movies, and in about 40 television programs before leaving acting.
Theatrical career (regional theater)
editIt is not clear when Engstrom began acting in regional theater, but she spent a lot of time working in theater. By the time of the 1962 syndicated news article she told the interviewer that she had appeared in 52 plays.[12] Her most notable stage appearance may have come in January 1961 when she appeared in the title role of George Bernard Shaw's Candida, co-starring Jeff Morrow and directed by John Newland. The play was produced by the Los Angeles-based acting, writing and directing group Projects '58 and televised by KNXT television in Los Angeles and shown by television stations across the country.[13]
Movie career
editA theatrical appearance with a stock company in Tucson, Arizona, led to a short-lived contract with Paramount Pictures.[14]
Most of Engstrom's movie appearances were in bit parts, and her first recorded appearances began in 1954 with roles as party guests in Drive a Crooked Road[15] starring Mickey Rooney and in A Star Is Born[16] (1954) starring Judy Garland and James Mason. In 1956, she used the name Flora Jean Engstrom for the only time when she appeared in a small role in The Search for Bridey Murphy,[17] starring Teresa Wright. Her larger roles came in more modest productions, receiving featured billing in the 1957 production Voodoo Island[18] and the 1958 production The Space Children, which are now cult classics. Her character Claire Winter in Voodoo Island is presented as a lesbian. She also appeared as a party guest in the 1958 film The Party Crashers.[19]
Her final movie appearance was a starring role in the 1965 Billy Graham-produced The Restless Ones[citation needed] in which she played Mrs. Harris, the alcoholic mother of April, played by Kim Darby.
Television career
editEngstrom began appearing in television in 1953[9] although her earliest TV appearances have not been confirmed. Her first TV appearances recorded in current databases are in three 1955 episodes of Medic[20][21][22] starring Richard Boone. Between 1953 and 1965 she appeared in about 40 TV programs, mostly in supporting roles. She appeared in westerns, crime dramas, comedies, and contemporary dramas in which she often played mothers (including an unwed mother who gives birth during an episode of Have Gun, Will Travel), but she also played wives and widows, a school psychologist, a social secretary, and even a deputy sheriff and a psychotic killer. In addition to her three appearances on Medic[20][21][22] she appeared twice more with Richard Boone in episodes of Have Gun, Will Travel.[citation needed] She also made multiple appearances on other shows, including three appearances on Perry Mason[citation needed] starring Raymond Burr and two appearances each on Peter Gunn[citation needed] starring Craig Stevens, an electrifying turn as a diner keeper turned cold blooded killer on Highway Patrol (1957 U.S. TV series), two on Thriller[citation needed] starring Boris Karloff, and two on Hazel[citation needed] starring Shirley Booth. She appeared as Lonny Chapman's wife in "Dead Man's Tale", series 3 episode 17 of One Step Beyond in 1961.
Mother and daughter
editEngstrom's daughter Liana was also an actress and appeared as Jena Engstrom in at least 37 television episodes between 1960 and 1964 (when it appears that she left acting for health reasons). Most on-line databases and this article have listed only two of the three TV shows in which they appeared together.
The first of the two shows listed is the April 1961 episode of the CBS program Rawhide titled "Incident of the Lost Idol" in which they appeared as mother and daughter. They had only one brief scene together as the story was not about their relationship. The second show listed is the January 1962 episode "To Sell Another Human Being" of ABC's The New Breed, starring Leslie Nielsen,[23] in which mother Jean played a wealthy woman who with her husband (played by Richard Arlen) adopt a baby through an adoption mill. The police get involved when the baby's natural mother, played by daughter Jena, tries to get her baby back. The third television show in with they appeared together is an unidentified 30-minute religious program presented in 1961 in which they played mother and daughter. In this story a girl (Jena) has trouble relating to her parents until a session with teenagers at a church is recorded and the recording made available to the parents to listen to. Appearing in this show with Jean and Jena Engstrom are Robert Stevenson as Jena’s father and Richard Evans as her boyfriend. This film, minus the opening and closing credits, has been posted on-line.[24]
Confused credits
editThe acting credits of mother Jean and daughter Jena were confused at the time they were active together in the business resulting in mixed credits in newspapers and problems with pay checks.[25] The mixed credits appear in some Internet databases, but the situation is improving as site managers are posting corrections as the errors are discovered.
DVDs
editSeveral of the television series listed below have been released by their studios on DVD that are available for sale or for rent. Those marked "Yes" include sets with the episodes featuring Jean Engstrom.
Television roles
editNote: "Episode" column: 2.9 indicates Season 2, Episode 9, etc.
| AIR DATE[14] | SHOW | EPISODE | EPISODE TITLE | CHARACTER | NOTES | DVD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953-1955 | My Favorite Husband[9] | No other information available about this appearance. | ||||
| Jan. 24, 1955 | Medic | 1.15 | "Breath of Life"[20] | Nurse Blakeny | 1st of 3 appearances on this show. | Yes |
| Sep. 15, 1955 | Medic | 2.1 | "All the Lonely Nights"[21] | Marian Castle | 2nd of 3 appearances on this show. | Yes |
| Oct. 31, 1955 | Medic | 2.7 | "When Mama Says Jump"[22] | Mrs. Dixon | 3rd of 3 appearances on this show. | Yes |
| Nov. 15, 1955 | Big Town | 6.6 | "Prison Riot" | |||
| May 1, 1957 | State Trooper | 1.32 | "Diamonds Come High"[26] | Deputy Sheriff Lili Haskell | Yes | |
| May 3, 1957 | The West Point Story[9] | 1.32 | "Flareup"[27] | Colonel’s Wife | Yes | |
| Dec. 24, 1957 | Telephone Time | 3.16 | "A Picture of the Magi"[28][29] | Elga | Yes | |
| Jan. 6, 1958 | Highway Patrol | 3.14 | "Hideout""[30] | Flo Durfee | Yes | |
| Apr. 6, 1958 | General Electric Theater | 6.26 | "No Hiding Place" | Mrs. Lindsay | ||
| Jul. 15, 1958 | Shirley Temple Theatre | 1.9 | "The Little Lame Prince"[31] | Snow Maiden | ||
| Apr. 6, 1959 | Peter Gunn | 1.28 | "Pay Now, Kill Later" | Lady Customer | 1st of 2 appearances on this show. | Yes |
| Dec. 6, 1960 | Thriller | 1.12 | "The Big Blackout" | Nurse Sue | 1st of 2 appearances on this show. | Yes |
| Jan. 17, 1961 | Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond | 3.17 | "Dead Man's Tale" | Jan Werris | ||
| Feb. 13, 1961 | Peter Gunn | 3.19 | "I Know It's Murder" | Helene Eustis | 2nd of 2 appearances on this show. | Yes |
| Feb. 16, 1961 | Gunslinger | 1.2 | "The Hostage Fort" | Mrs. Barnes | ||
| Mar. 18, 1961 | Have Gun, Will Travel | 4.26 | "The Gold Bar" | Leah | 1st of 2 appearances on this show. | Yes |
| Apr. 16, 1961 | Rawhide | 3.24 | "Incident of the Lost Idol"[32] | Mrs. Manson | Daughter Jean Engstrom also appears in this episode. | Yes |
| Oct. 16, 1961 | 87th Precinct | 1.4 | "The Modus Man" | Mrs. Renfew | Yes | |
| Dec. 7, 1961 | The Investigators | 1.10 | "Panic Wagon" | Frieda Gregory | ||
| Jan 16,1962 | The New Breed | 1.16 | "To Sell Another Human Being"[23] | Carol Willets | Daughter Jena Engstrom also appears in this episode. | |
| Feb. 1, 1962 | Hazel | 1.18 | "Hazel's Secret Wish" | Mrs. Camden | 1st of 2 appearances on this show. | Yes |
| Feb 9, 1962 | Route 66 | 2.18 | "How Much a Pound Is Albatross?" | Dr. Bell | Yes | |
| Apr. 9, 1962 | Thriller | 2.28 | "The Innocent Bystanders" | Anne Grant | 2nd of 2 appearances on this show. | Yes |
| Sep. 20, 1962 | Hazel | 2.1 | "Hazel's Cousin" | June Lowell | 2nd of 2 appearances on this show. | Yes |
| Oct. 4, 1962 | Perry Mason | 6.2 | "The Case of the Capricious Corpse" | Claudia Demming | 1st of 3 appearances on this show. | Yes |
| Oct. 6, 1962 | Have Gun, Will Travel | 6.4 | "A Place for Abel Hix" | Mrs. Hix | 2nd of 2 appearances on this show. | Yes |
| Mar. 24, 1963 | This Is the Life | "Side By Side" | Laura Blair | |||
| Apr. 23, 1963 | Empire | 1.29 | "65 Miles Is a Long, Long Way" | Mrs. Sangster | ||
| Oct. 3, 1963 | The Donna Reed Show | 6.3 | "Whatever You Wish" | Ellen Farrell | ||
| Nov. 15, 1963 | The Farmer's Daughter | 1.9 | "Miss Cheese" | Saleslady | ||
| Dec. 20, 1963 | The Great Adventure | 1.11 | "A Boy at War" | Elizabeth | ||
| Jan 9, 1964 | Perry Mason | 7.14 | "The Case of the Accosted Accountant" | Vera Hillman | 2nd of 3 appearances on this show. | Yes |
| Oct. 20, 1964 | Mr. Novak | 2.4 | "Little Girl Lost" | Mrs. Currie | ||
| Apr. 22, 1965 | Dr. Kildare | 4.30 | "Believe and Live" | Dr. Larson's Nurse | ||
| Nov. 14, 1965 | Bonanza | 7.10 | "The Strange One" | Francine | ||
| Dec. 19, 1965 | Perry Mason | 9.14 | "The Case of the Golden Girls" | Corinne Richland | 3rd of 3 appearances on this show. | Yes |
| Dec. 23, 1965 | My Three Sons | 6.14 | "Douglas a Go-Go" | Mrs. Hargrove | ||
| Feb. 2, 1966 | Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | 3.12 | "When Hell Froze" | Hattie House | ||
| Oct. 5, 1966 | Death Valley Days | 15.4 | "Brute Angel" | Esther McBain | ||
| Nov 14, 1966 | Family Affair | 1.9 | "A Matter for Experts" | Edith Morse, Phd. | (final television appearance) | Yes |
Movie roles
edit| RELEASE[14] | TITLE | CHARACTER | COMMENTS | DVD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar. 10, 1954 | Drive a Crooked Road[15] | party guest | Uncredited | |
| Oct. 16, 1954 | A Star Is Born[16] | Malibu party guest | Uncredited | Yes |
| Oct. 1, 1956 | The Search for Bridey Murphy[17] | hysterical woman | As Flora Jean Engstrom, Uncredited | |
| Feb. 1957 | Voodoo Island[18] | Claire Winter | Yes | |
| Jun. 1958 | The Space Children[33] | Peg Gamble | Yes | |
| Sep. 1958 | The Party Crashers[19] | May | Uncredited | |
| Nov. 28, 1961 | The Errand Boy[34] | bit role | Uncredited | Yes |
| Dec. 2, 1965 | The Restless Ones | Mrs. Harris (April's Mother) | Yes |
References
edit- ^ a b "Flora Jean Engstrom: California Death Index, 1940-1997". FamilySearch.org. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g
"State of California, Certificate of Death". State of California, Department of Public Health. Flora Jean Engstrom, State File Number 3 051997 037076, Local Registration Number 3199733002702.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ a b "Michigan, 1930 United States Federal Census". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ a b c "Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953". FamilySearch.org. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
- ^ "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918". FamilySearch.org. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
- ^ "Nona I. Segers: California, Death Index, 1940-1997". FamilySearch.org. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
- ^ a b "California, 1940 United States Federal Census". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ a b "California, 1940 United States Federal Census". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Jean Engstrom: No Time for Stardom". TV Guide. September 6–12, 1958. pp. 28–29.
- ^ "California County Marriages, 1850-1952". FamilySearch.org. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
- ^ "California Birth Index, 1905-1995". FamilySearch.org. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
- ^ Vernon, Terry (16 January 1962). "Mother-Daughter Team On TV". Long Beach (California) Independent. p. C-12.
- ^ Russell, Fred H. (12 April 1961). "Shaw's 'Candida' To Be Feature On Sunday". The Bridgeport (Connecticut) Post. p. 54.
- ^ a b c "Jean Engstrom". TV Guide. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
- ^ a b "Drive a Crooked Road". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
- ^ a b "Movie – A Star Is Born (1954)". Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Retrieved November 9, 2013.
- ^ a b "Movie – The Search for Bridey Murphy (1956)". Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Retrieved November 9, 2013.
- ^ a b "Movie – Voodoo Island (1957)". Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Retrieved November 9, 2013.
- ^ a b "Movie – The Party Crashers (1958)". Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Retrieved November 9, 2013.
- ^ a b c Breath of Life (2011). Medic: Disc 2 (DVD (Disc 2)). Timeless Media Group.
- ^ a b c All the Lonely Nights (2011). Medic: Disc 3 (DVD (Disc 3)). Timeless Media Group.
- ^ a b c When Mama Says Jump (2011). Medic: Disc 4 (DVD (Disc 4)). Timeless Media Group.
- ^ a b Vernon, Terry (16 January 1963). "Tele]Vues: Mother-Daughter Team On TV". The Long Beach (California) Independent, Page C-12. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
- ^ "F-9483". 1961. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
- ^ "The Name's Almost the Same for Jean and Jena Engstrom". San Antonio (Texas) Express and News, Page 10. 13 January 1963. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
- ^ Diamonds Come High (2010). State Trooper: Disc 3 (DVD (Disc 3)). Timeless Media Group.
- ^ Flareup (2013). West Point: Disc 3 (DVD (Disc 3)). Timeless Media Group.
- ^ "Picture of the Magi – Telephone Time (TV series)". The San Diego Union. December 22, 1957. p. Section e, Page 63. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ A Picture of the Magi (2005). Two Holiday Classics: A Picture of the Magi and The Christmas Carol (DVD). Westlake Entertainment Group.
- ^ Hideout (2013). Highway Patrol Complete Season 3 (DVD (Disc 2)). TGG Direct, LLC.
- ^ "Cold Gift publicity photo of Rex Thompson and Jean Engstrom in the 'Little Lame Prince' episode of The Shirley Temple Theatre". The Daily Review. Hayward, California. July 11, 1958. p. 26. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
- ^ "Incident of the Lost Idol" (1961) (2008). Rawhide: The Third Season: Volume 2 (DVD (Disc 3)). CBS DVD.
- ^ "Movie – The Space Children (1958)". Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Retrieved November 9, 2013.
- ^ "TV Guide: The Errand Boy". TV Guide. Retrieved November 11, 2013.