Hope Summers
Photo from TMDB

Person

Hope Summers

Known for
Acting
Born
June 7, 1896
Died
June 22, 1979
Place of birth
Mattoon, Illinois, USA

IMDb

Biography

Hope Summers could portray a friendly neighbor or companion as she did for Frances Bavier's Aunt Bee character on many episodes of The Andy Griffith Show (1960) or a seemingly amiable Satanist in Rosemary's Baby (1968).

Born in Mattoon, Illinois, she developed an early interest in the theater. Graduating from Northwestern School of Speech in Evanston, Illinois, she subsequently taught speech and diction there. This, in turn, led to her the head position in the Speech Department at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, teaching students privately on the side as well. In the 1930s Hope began to focus on acting. She found work in community and stock theaters in Illinois and earned some notice for putting on one-woman shows such as "Backstage of Broadway." She made use of her vocal eloquence by building up her resumé on radio, performing in scores of dramatic shows, including "Authors' Playhouse," "First Night," "Ma Perkins", and "Step-Mother".

In 1950 Hope transferred her talents to the new medium of television and earned a regular role on the comedy series Hawkins Falls: A Television Novel (1950). By the age of 50 she was customarily called upon to play slightly older than she was, appearing in a number of minuscule matron roles in such films as Zero Hour! (1957), Hound-Dog Man (1959), Inherit the Wind (1960), Spencer's Mountain (1963), The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966), Charley Varrick (1973) and her last, Foul Play (1978). She never had any major stand-out roles in movies; TV would be a more prolific choice of medium. Her gently stern, old-fashioned looks allowed her to be a part of many small-town settings, including Dennis the Menace (1959) and Petticoat Junction (1963), and in various western locales such as Maverick (1957) and Wagon Train (1957).

She played a rustic regular for many years on The Rifleman (1958). Usually assigned to play teachers, nurses and other helpful, nurturing types, her characters were also known to be inveterate gossips. Hope worked until close to the end of her life, passing away from heart failure in 1979.

Biography from TMDB, which often draws on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source · CC BY-SA 4.0

In Catlg

1 Work in the catalog credit them.

Acting (1)

Filmography

  • Evil TownFilm · 1987 · as Alice Wylie (as Hope Summer)
  • Another DayTV · 1978 · Acting · 5 episodes
  • Foul PlayFilm · 1978 · as Ethel
  • Smokey and the Good Time OutlawsFilm · 1978 · as Marcie
  • SnipTV · 1976 · as Aunt Polly · 6 episodes
  • Dr. ShagetzFilm · 1975 · as Alice Wylie
  • Starsky & HutchTV · 1975 · Acting · 1 episode
  • Welcome Back, KotterTV · 1975 · Acting · 1 episode
  • Chico and the ManTV · 1974 · Acting · 1 episode
  • Death SentenceFilm · 1974 · as Emily Boylan
  • Indict and ConvictFilm · 1974 · as Mrs. Potter
  • Little House on the PrairieTV · 1974 · as Addie Bjornesen · 1 episode
  • Our TimeFilm · 1974 · as Biology Teacher
  • Ace Eli and Rodger of the SkiesFilm · 1973 · as Laura
  • Charley VarrickFilm · 1973 · as Mess Vesta
  • Get to Know Your RabbitFilm · 1972 · as Mrs. Beeman
  • M*A*S*HTV · 1972 · as Nurse Meg Cratty · 1 episode
  • Where Does It Hurt?Film · 1972 · as Nurse Throttle
  • Night GalleryTV · 1970 · Acting · 1 episode
  • Hawaii Five-OTV · 1969 · as Minnie Leona Moroney · 1 episode
  • The Learning TreeFilm · 1969 · as Mrs. Kiner
  • 5 Card StudFilm · 1968 · as Customer in General Store (uncredited)
  • Adam-12TV · 1968 · as Clara Fisher · 1 episode
  • Mayberry R.F.D.TV · 1968 · as Clara Edwards · 3 episodes
  • Rosemary's BabyFilm · 1968 · as Mrs. Gilmore
  • The Shakiest Gun in the WestFilm · 1968 · as Celia
  • The Second Hundred YearsTV · 1967 · as Mrs. Hansen · 1 episode
  • Love on a RooftopTV · 1966 · Acting · 1 episode
  • PenelopeFilm · 1966 · as Shop Lady (uncredited)
  • That GirlTV · 1966 · Acting · 1 episode
  • The Ghost and Mr. ChickenFilm · 1966 · as Susanna Blush
  • The Pruitts of SouthamptonTV · 1966 · Acting · 1 episode
  • The Hallelujah TrailFilm · 1965 · as Mrs. Hasselrad
  • BewitchedTV · 1964 · Acting · 1 episode
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.TV · 1964 · Acting · 1 episode
  • One Man's WayFilm · 1964 · as Mrs. Elwood Thompson
  • GlynisTV · 1963 · Acting · 1 episode
  • Petticoat JunctionTV · 1963 · as Mabel Denton · 1 episode
  • Spencer's MountainFilm · 1963 · as Mother Ida
  • The Travels of Jaimie McPheetersTV · 1963 · as Mrs. Rutledge · 1 episode
  • The Beverly HillbilliesTV · 1962 · Acting · 1 episode
  • The CouchFilm · 1962 · as Mrs. Quimby
  • Angel BabyFilm · 1961 · as Woman at Revival Meeting (uncredited)
  • Claudelle InglishFilm · 1961 · as Ernestine Peasley (uncredited)
  • Dr. KildareTV · 1961 · as Madge · 1 episode
  • HomicidalFilm · 1961 · as Martha Adrims (Uncredited)
  • ParrishFilm · 1961 · as Mary (uncredited)
  • The Children's HourFilm · 1961 · as Agatha
  • The Dick Van Dyke ShowTV · 1961 · Acting · 1 episode
  • The New BreedTV · 1961 · as Mrs. McCurtin · 1 episode
  • Inherit the WindFilm · 1960 · as Mrs. Krebs - Righteous Townswoman
  • My Three SonsTV · 1960 · Acting · 2 episodes
  • The Andy Griffith ShowTV · 1960 · as Clara Edwards · 32 episodes
  • Dennis the MenaceTV · 1959 · as Mrs. Burns · 1 episode
  • Edge of EternityFilm · 1959 · as Motel Attendant
  • Hound-Dog ManFilm · 1959 · as Jewell Crouch
  • Law of the PlainsmanTV · 1959 · as Mrs. Dodge · 1 episode
  • The Third ManTV · 1959 · as Irate woman · 1 episode
  • I Want to Live!Film · 1958 · as Ethel - Policewoman on Bus (uncredited)
  • Peter GunnTV · 1958 · Acting · 2 episodes
  • The RiflemanTV · 1958 · as Hattie Denton · 3 episodes
  • U.S. MarshallTV · 1958 · as Mrs. Martin (uncredited) · 1 episode
  • MaverickTV · 1957 · Acting · 1 episode
  • The Thin ManTV · 1957 · Acting · 1 episode
  • Zero Hour!Film · 1957 · as Older Woman
  • The Gale Storm ShowTV · 1956 · as Angie Kirkham · 1 episode
  • Alfred Hitchcock PresentsTV · 1955 · as Marie Tallendier · 1 episode
  • GunsmokeTV · 1955 · as Ellen Cade · 1 episode
  • Son of ManFilm · 1954 · as Miss Johnson
  • General Electric TheaterTV · 1953 · as Elizabeth · 1 episode
  • Letter to LorettaTV · 1953 · as Nurse O'Brien · 2 episodes
  • Private SecretaryTV · 1953 · Acting · 1 episode
  • Schlitz Playhouse of StarsTV · 1951 · as Old Lady · 1 episode
  • Better Use of Leisure TimeFilm · 1950 · as Mrs. Michaels (uncredited)

Filmography from TMDB. This product uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.

Sources