Hope Emerson(1897-1960)
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Although there may have been "bigger" actresses in Hollywood's history,
there were few larger than Hope Emerson. She notably appeared as a witness for the defense in "Adam's Rib". At 6' 2" and 230 pounds, she towered over many of her male co-stars, and her size, brusque voice and
stern demeanor typed her for a career in villainous roles, such as her
star turn as the sadistic prison matron in
Caged (1950), which garnered her an Oscar
nomination. She could, however, play lighter parts, as in
Westward the Women (1951),
in which she played, of all things, a mail-order bride. She also worked
steadily in television and played "Mother" in the landmark series
Peter Gunn (1958). In the 1950s
she was the voice of Elsie the Cow in a series of TV commercials for
Borden's milk. She died of liver disease in 1960.
