Lola Albright obit

‘Peter Gunn’ Star Lola Albright Dies at 92

 

She was not on the list.

Lola Albright, the glamorous blonde actress best known for starring on the television series “Peter Gunn,” died Thursday at her home in Los Angeles. She was 92.

A native of Akron, Ohio, news of her death was first reported by the Akron Beacon-Journal. “She went very peacefully,” her friend Eric Anderson told the newspaper. “She died at 7:20 a.m. of natural causes. We loved her so much.”

Albright was a receptionist at WAKR radio in Akron, then left to go to Cleveland’s WTAM, where she wed announcer Warren Dean — the first of three marriages.

Her first film appearance came in 1947 in “The Unfinished Dance,” starring Margaret O’Brien. She then starred with Judy Garland in “Easter Parade” in 1948. The next year she appeared opposite Kirk Douglas in 1949’s “Champion,” portraying a spurned lover. Douglas received an Oscar nomination for his work.

For the next several years, she appeared in secondary roles in over 20 films, including several B Westerns. Among them was a co-starring role in the slapstick comedy The Good Humor Man in 1950 with future husband Jack Carson.

In 1950, she acted in “The Good Humor Man” with her future spouse Jack Carson. She also appeared in Frank Sinatra’s “The Tender Trap,” Elvis Presley’s “Kid Galahad,” Douglas’ “The Way West,” “A Cold Wind in August” and “Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?” She received the best actress award in 1966 at the Berlin Film Festival for portraying a suicidal mother in “Lord Love a Duck.”

Albright’s television career cornerstone came from playing the singer Edie Hart, the romantic interest of Peter Gunn (played by Craig Stevens), on the Blake Edwards’ NBC-ABC series “Peter Gunn.” For her performance on the show, she received an Emmy nomination in 1959. Albright also released the album “Dreamsville,” backed by the Henry Mancini Orchestra, in 1959.

Albright had an extensive TV career and substituted for Dorothy Malone on ABC’s primetime soap opera “Peyton Place” in 1966. Other credits included “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “Gunsmoke,” “Rawhide,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “My Three Sons,” “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Bonanza,” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” “Kojak,” “Columbo,” “McMillan & Wife,” “Starsky & Hutch” and “The Incredible Hulk.”

Albright was married to Carson and to Bill Chadney, an actor and restaurant-club owner. Both marriages ended in divorce. Survivors include her step-daughter, Susan Chadney.

Filmography

Film

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1947    The Unfinished Dance  Fashion house associate            Uncredited

1948    The Pirate            Manuela's friend            Uncredited

Easter Parade            Hat model            Uncredited

Julia Misbehaves            Mannequin            Uncredited

1949            Champion        Palmer 

Tulsa    Candy Williams          

The Girl from Jones Beach            Vickie            Uncredited

Bodyhold            Mary Simmons         

1950    The Good Humor Man     Margie Bellew 

Beauty on Parade Kay Woodstock     

When You're Smiling Peggy Martin 

He's a Cockeyed Wonder            Actress in Drive-In movie            Uncredited

The Killer That Stalked New York    Francie Bennet 

Sierra Passage            Ann Walker

1952    Arctic Flight    Martha Raymond         

1953    The Silver Whip            Waco  

1955            Treasure of Ruby Hills            May    

The Magnificent Matador            Mona Wilton 

The Tender Trap     Poppy Masters           

1957    Pawnee            Meg Alden  

The Monolith Monsters            Cathy Barrett 

Oregon Passage            Sylvia Dane   

1958    Seven Guns to Mesa            Julie Westcott         

1961    A Cold Wind in August            Iris Hartford          

1962    Kid Galahad            Dolly Fletcher           

1964    Joy House            Barbara         

1966    Lord Love a Duck            Marie Greene

1967    The Way West            Rebecca 'Becky' Evans           

The Money Jungle   Peggy Lido    

1968    Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?            Roberta Lane 

The Impossible Years   Alice Kingsley          

The Helicopter Spies    Azalea 

 

Short subjects:

 

The Soundman (1950)

Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Cowboy Stars (1955)

Filmmaking on the Riviera (1964)

 

Television

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1951    Lux Video Theatre            Jennifer            Episode: "Inside Story"

Lux Video Theatre Miriam            Episode: "Stolen Years"

Armstrong Circle Theatre               Episode: "Twenty-One Days"

1952    All Star Revue   Guest vocalist            Episode: "2.24"

Tales of Tomorrow            Carol Williams            Episode: "The Miraculous Serum"

1953    Racket Squad  Nancy Metcalfe            Episode: "The System"

1954    Fireside Theatre Joyce            Episode: "Invitation to Marriage"

The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse            Jane            Episode: "Borrow My Car"

Duffy's Tavern              Episode: Archie Faces Marriage

Adventures of the Falcon                    Episode: "The Golden Phony"

1955    The Bob Cummings Show   Kay Michaels            Episodes: "Bob Meets Fonda's Sister", "Too Many Cooks", "Bob Falls in Love", "Hawaii Calls" and "Wedding, Wedding, Who's Having a Wedding?"

Screen Directors Playhouse            Nancy Wheeler            Episode: "Arroyo"

It's a Great Life            Marilyn            Episode: "Double Date"

Gunsmoke            Lucy Hunt            Episode: "Reed Survives"

1956    The Bob Cummings Show   Kay Michaels            Episode: "The Letter"

Four Star Playhouse            Beverly Hudson            Episode: "No Limit"

The People's Choice Dancer            Episode: "Sock, the Budget Balancer"

Celebrity Playhouse                     Episode: "Girl at Large"

The Red Skelton Hour            Guest (as herself)            Episode: "Willie Resists Girls"

The Red Skelton Hour            Priscilla            Episode: "The First Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims"

1957    The Bob Cummings Show   Kay Michaels            Episode: "Bob Calls Kay's Bluff"

The Red Skelton Hour            Foreign Spy            Episode: "Bolivar the Repairman"

Code 3 Carol            Episode: "Sunset Strip"

1958    The Thin Man            Katherine West            Episode: "The Tennis Champ"

Panic!   Karen Adams            Episode: "Fingerprints"

Target              Episode: "The Jewel Thief "

Peter Gunn            Edie Hart            Episodes: "The Kill", "Streetcar Jones", "The Vicious Dog", "The Blind Pianist", "The Frog", "Lynn's Blues", "Rough Buck", "Image of Sally", "The Man with the Scar", "The Torch", "The Leaper".

1959    Peter Gunn    Edie Hart            Episodes: "The Fuse", "Let's Kill Timothy", "Murder on the Midway", "Pecos Pete", "Scuba", "Edie Finds a Corpse", "The Ugly Frame", "The Lederer Story", "Breakout", "Skin Deep", "February Girl", "Love Me to Death", "The Family Affair", "Lady Windbell's Fan", "Bullet for a Badge", "Kill from Nowhere", "Vendetta", "The Coffin", "The Portrait", "Protection", "Crisscross", "Edge of the Knife", "Death Is a Red Rose", "The Feathered Doll", "Kidnap", "The Rifle", "The Game", "The Price Is Murder", "The Briefcase", "The Wolfe Case".

1960    Peter Gunn    Edie Hart            Episodes: "Hot Money", "Spell of Murder", "Sentenced", "The Hunt", "Sing a Song of Murder", "The Long, Long Ride", "The Deadly Proposition", "The Murder Clause", "The Dummy", "Slight Touch of Homicide", "Wings of an Angel", "Death Watch", "Witness in the Window", "Send a Thief", "The Semi-Private Eye", "The Heiress", "Baby Shoes", "The Passenger", "The Maître d'", "The Candidate", "The Judgement", "The Death Frame", "Death Across the Board", "The Long Green Kill", "Take Five for Murder", "Dream Big", "Dream Deadly", "Sepi".

Michael Shayne            Marie Leonard            Episode: "Framed in Blood"

1961    Peter Gunn    Edie Hart            Episodes: "The Royal Roust", "Bullet in Escrow", "I Know It's Murder", "A Kill and a Half", "The Deep End", "Portrait in Leather", "Come Dance with Me and Die", "Cry Love, Cry Murder", "A Penny Saved", "Short a Motive", "The Most Deadly Angel", "Till Death Do Us Part", "Death Is a Four Letter Word", "Deadly Intrusion", "Voodoo", "Murder on the Line".

The United States Steel Hour                Episode: "Famous"

King of Diamonds            Margie Howard            Episode: "The Wizard of Ice"

The Detectives            Edna Craven            Episode: "The Queen of Craven Point"

Adventures in Paradise            Nita Graham            Episode: "One Way Ticket"

General Electric Theater Cathy Armstrong            Episode: "Cat in the Cradle"

1962    Alfred Hitchcock Presents            Lisa            Episode: "The Woman Who Wanted to Live"

Saints and Sinners Emily Fielder            Episode: "Dear George, the Siamese Cat Is Missing"

My Three Sons            Paulette Francis            Episode: "Going Steady"

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour    Ruth Burke            Episode: "The Black Curtain"

1963    The Beverly Hillbillies            Gloria Buckles            Episode: "Granny's Spring Tonic"

The Third Man            Edie            Episode: "The Way of McEagle"

The Eleventh Hour    Lillian Marnell            Episode: " Cold Hands, Warm Heart"

Burke's Law            Shirley Mills            Episode: "Who Killed Harris Crown?"

1964    Burke's Law     Jennifer Carlisle            Episode: "Who Killed WHO IV?"

Burke's Law            Eve Chapin            Episode: " Who Killed Cassandra Cass?"

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour    Eva Martin            Episode: "Misadventure"

The Dick Van Dyke Show            Paula Marshall            Episode: "How to Spank a Star"

Dr. Kildare            Gertrude Carey            Episode: "A Nickel's Worth of Prayer"

Rawhide            Maribelle Ashton-Warner            Episode: "Incident of the Banker"

Mr. Broadway            Duff Daniels            Episode: "Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones"

Wagon Train            Leonora Parkman            Episode: " Those Who Stay Behind"

1965    Burke's Law     Peggy Frost            Episode: "Who Killed Mother Goose?"

Burke's Law            DeeDee Booker            Episode: "Who Killed Nobody Somehow?"

Laredo Lilah Evans            Episode: "Above the Law"

Will Banner                  TV Movie'

Rawhide            Lottie Denton            Episode: "The Gray Rock Hotel"

Branded            Ann Williams            Episode: "Mightier Than the Sword"

Bonanza            Ann            Episode: "The Search"

Peyton Place            Constance Mackenzie Carson            Episodes: "2.39", "2.40","2.41" (credit only), "2.42", "2.43" (credit only), "2.44", "2.45", "2.46" (credit only), "2.47", "2.48" (credit only).

1966    Peyton Place            Constance Mackenzie Carson            Episodes: "2.49", "2.50" (credit only), "2.51" (credit only), "2.52".

Branded            Ann Williams            Episodes: "Kellie" and "Cowards Die Many Times".

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Edith Woodland            Episode: "Runaway Boy"

1967    How I Spent My Summer Vacation            Mrs. Pine      TV Movie

Bonanza            Dolly Bantree            Episode: "A Bride for Buford"

Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Vickie Tate            Episode: "To Sleep, Perchance to Scream"

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.            Azalea            Episodes: The Prince of Darkness Affair: Parts I and II . Released in 1968 as the feature-length film The Helicopter Spies.

Ready and Willing  Wilma O'Brien            TV Movie

Cimarron Strip            Stacey Houston            Episode: "The Beast That Walks Like a Man"

1972            Medical Center            Madeline Barris            Episode: " Condemned"

1973    The ABC Afternoon Playbreak            Mary Fiske            Episode: "My Secret Mother"

Kojak  Celia Lamb            Episode: "The Corrupter"

1974            Medical Center            Grace            Episode: "No Escape"

1975    The Nurse Killer            Hannah            TV Movie

Police Story            Minnie            Episode: "The Cutting Edge"

1976            McMillan & Wife            Nurse Fisher            Episode: "The Deadly Cure"

Starsky and Hutch   Lola Turkel            Episode: "Bounty Hunter"

Columbo            Clare Daley            Episode: "Fade in to Murder"

1977    Delta County, U.S.A.            Dossie Wilson  TV Movie

Terraces            Dorothea Cabe            TV Movie

1978    Switch            Millie Tate            Episodes: "Who Killed Lila Craig?"

1981    The Incredible Hulk            Elizabeth Collins            Episodes: "The First Parts 1 and 2"

1983    Quincy M.E.    Liz McKenna            Episode: "Murder on Ice"

1984    Airwolf            Beatrice Moretti            Episode: "Sins of the Past", (final television appearance)