Jean Carson

Carson was born in Charleston, West Virginia.

Carson's early theatrical work included acting in productions of the Kanawha Players.{{cite news|title=Home Again for Jean Carson|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9248724/the_charleston_daily_mail/|work=The Charleston Daily Mail|date=November 20, 1955|location=West Virginia, Charleston|page=20|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = February 28, 2017}} {{Open access}} She made her Broadway debut in George S. Kaufman's Bravo (1948), which garnered her a Theater World Award. Her other Broadway work included The Bird Cage (1950) and Anniversary Waltz (1954).{{cite web |title=Jean Carson |url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/jean-carson-94250 |website=Internet Broadway Database |publisher=The Broadway League |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524090010/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/jean-carson-94250 |archive-date=May 24, 2017 |url-status=live}}

Carson went on to appear in many pioneering television series, including Studio One, NBC Presents, The Twilight Zone (as Paula in "A Most Unusual Camera", a part written especially for her by Rod Serling){{Citation needed |date=July 2024}} and The Ford Theatre Hour. She continued to make guest starring appearances throughout the 1950s, including Paula in Peter Gunn in 1958 as well as a regular role on 1959's The Betty Hutton Show.

She played the part of a saloon owner (Maggie) who takes in an orphan in season 1 episode 9 of the series Sugarfoot in 1958.

On The Andy Griffith Show, Carson had a brief role as Naomi in a 1962 episode ("Convicts at Large" with Jane Dulo and Reta Shaw), but her most popular role was Daphne, one of the "fun girls", who appeared with Joyce Jameson on a recurring basis from 1962 to 1965. Daphne was a notorious flirt who greeted her objects of affection with a throaty "Hello, doll".{{Cite web |url=http://www.christianactivities.com/interview-jean-carson |title="Interview with Mayberry Fun Girl Jean Carson," "Christian Activities," June 21, 2004 |access-date=August 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030318/http://www.christianactivities.com/interview-jean-carson |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=dead }}

In February 1964, she had a featured role as a nosy neighbor in "The Case of the Bountiful Beauty", season 7, episode 17 of Perry Mason.

Carson had roles in films such as 1955's The Phenix City Story and 1958's I Married a Monster from Outer Space.

She earned fourth billing in the 1968 Peter Sellers comedy The Party, perhaps her best-known film. Her last film role was 1977's Fun with Dick and Jane.

Carson was married to Leonard Smith, Jr.,{{cite news|title=Father Of Actress Jean Carson Dies|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9248474/the_raleigh_register/|work=The Raleigh Register|agency=Associated Press|date=December 17, 1959|location=West Virginia, Beckley|page=2|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = February 28, 2017}} {{Open access}} who was the assistant manager of the Roxy Theater.{{cite news|last1=Winchell|first1=Walter|title=Broadway and Elsewhere|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9248588/logansport_pharostribune/|work=Logansport Pharos-Tribune|date=March 14, 1956|location=Indiana, Logansport|page=4|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = February 28, 2017}} {{Open access}}

On November 2, 2005, Carson died in Palm Springs, California,{{cite book|last1=Lentz|first1=Harris M. III|title=Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2005: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture|date=2006|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786424894|page=63|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2nvGCwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Jean+Carson%22+actress&pg=PA63|accessdate=1 March 2017|language=en}} from complications of a stroke; she was 82 years old.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/08/AR2005110801445_pf.html|title=Obituaries in the News|date=2005-11-08|accessdate=2008-06-28 | newspaper=The Washington Post}} She was survived by two sons.{{cite book|last1=Willis|first1=John|last2=Monush|first2=Barry|title=Screen World Film Annual|date=2006|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|isbn=9781557837066|page=390|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iGiCdRyJ1EsC&dq=%22Jean+Carson%22+actress&pg=PA390|accessdate=1 March 2017|language=en}}

{{Portal|Biography|Los Angeles|Theatre|Film|Television}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.hellodoll.com/ "Hello Doll" - Official website]
• {{IMDb name|0141255}}
• {{IBDB name|94250}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304030318/http://www.christianactivities.com/interview-jean-carson 2003 Jean Carson interview] at [http://www.christianactivities.com Christian Activities]

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Category:1923 births

Category:2005 deaths

Category:American film actresses

Category:American stage actresses

Category:American television actresses

Category:Carnegie Mellon University College of Fine Arts alumni

Category:Actresses from Charleston, West Virginia

Category:Actresses from Los Angeles

Category:Actresses from Palm Springs, California

Category:20th-century American actresses