Gloria Henry, Mom on 'Dennis the Menace,' Dies at 98
She was not on the list.
Gloria Henry, best known as the harried homemaker on the classic sitcom "Dennis the Menace," died Saturday, her family announced — just one day after celebrating her 98th birthday.
Henry's son, Adam Ellwood, wrote on Facebook, "It is with great sadness to let of all my dear and amazing mother's fans know that she passed peacefully... in her home in Los Angeles." He reported that she died surrounded by her son Jeff Ellwood, her daughter Erin Ellwood, and her hospice-care nurse.
"Please raise a glass and a toast to our beautiful mother Gloria Henry for a life well lived."
Born April 2, 1923, in New Orleans, she was a glamorous contract player at Columbia in the '40s, making her feature debut in "Sport of Kings" (1947).
Heading up a number of westerns, thrillers, and sports-themed films, she also appeared in the Marlene Dietrich starrer "Rancho Notorious" (1952).
On TV, she was a regular on the P.I. series "The Files of Jeffrey Jones" (1954) and appeared on the premier episode of "Perry Mason" in 1957 ahead of accepting the role of Alice Mitchell on the CBS comedy "Dennis the Menace," about an adorable — but mischievous — tyke, played by Jay North.
Henry became one of TV's quintessential moms on the show, which lasted from 1959-1963, and was so closely associated with the part she was frequently typecast. She made a variety of TV guest appearances over the years, including parts on "Falcon Crest" (1987) and "Dallas" (1989), and ended her big-screen career with a part in "Her Minor Thing," a 2005 comedy directed by Walter Matthau's son, Charles Matthau.
Her final credited work was on a Season 4 episode of "Parks and Recreation" in 2012, but a review of the episode confirms her part was cut, making a 1992 episode of "Sisters" her last TV gig.
Henry frequently made gracious appearances at nostalgia conventions with her surviving "Dennis the Menace" castmates, North and Jeannie Russell.
Filmography
Year Title Role
1947 Sport of Kings Doc Richardson
Keeper of the Bees Alice
Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back Ellen Curtiss
1948 Adventures in Silverado Jeannie Manning
Port Said Gila Lingallo/Helena Guistano
The Arkansas Swing Margie MacGregor
The Strawberry Roan Connie Bailey
Triple Threat Ruth Nolan
Racing Luck Phyllis Warren
1949 Rusty Saves a Life Lyddy Hazard
Law of the Barbary Coast Julie Adams
Johnny Allegro Addie
Air Hostess Ruth Jackson
Miss Grant Takes Richmond Helen White
Feudin' Rhythm Valerie Kay
Riders in the Sky Anne Lawson
1950 Kill the Umpire Lucy Johnson
Rookie Fireman Peggy Walters
The Tougher They Come Rattle Rafferty
Counterspy Meets Scotland Yard Martha Holden
Lightning Guns Susan Atkins
1951 Al Jennings of Oklahoma Alice Calhoun
Yellow Fin Nina Torres
1952 Rancho Notorious Beth Forbes
1953 Hot News Kerry Barker
1958 Gang War Edie Avery
1988 Doin' Time on Planet Earth Mary Richmond
2005 Her Minor Thing Mrs. Porter
Television appearances
The Abbott and Costello Show – Ruby Norton
Mr. & Mrs. North – Ruth Spencer (1953)
My Little Margie – Norma Calkins (1953)
The Files of Jeffrey Jones (1954)
Navy Log – Eileen Murphy (1957)
Perry Mason –Helene Chaney (1957)
The Walter Winchell File (1957)
Tales of Wells Fargo – Sharon Burns (1957)
Father Knows Best – Mildred Harris (1957)
The Life of Riley – Miss Cosgrove (1958)
Rescue 8 – Joan (1958)
The Thin Man (1959)
Dennis the Menace – Alice Mitchell (1959–63)
Hazel (1963)
The Snoop Sisters (1974)
The Brady Brides (1981)
Falcon Crest (1987)
Dallas (1989)
Hunter (1990)
Doogie Howser, M.D. (1992)
Parks and Recreation (2012)
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