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Natalie Schafer

Acting 90 (deceased) years old Red Bank, New Jersey, USA ★ 1.0
Born: November 5, 1900
Died: April 10, 1991

Biography

Natalie Schafer (November 5, 1900 – April 10, 1991) was an American actress, best known today for her role as Lovey Howell on the sitcom Gilligan's Island (1964–1967).

Schafer began her career as an actress on Broadway before moving to Los Angeles in 1941 to work in films. She appeared on Broadway in 17 plays between 1927 and 1959, often playing supporting roles. Most of those appearances were in short-run plays, with the exceptions of Lady in the Dark (1941–42), The Doughgirls (1942–44), and Romanoff and Juliet (1957–58). She was seen in a revival of Six Characters in Search of an Author, directed by Sir Tyrone Guthrie (1955–56). She also appeared in stock and regional productions, including the off-Broadway production The Killing of Sister George with Claire Trevor in the title role. She also guest-starred in TV productions beginning in the 1950s, such as an episode (“The Shy Ballerina”) of Sherlock Holmes, and in "The Charm School" episode of I Love Lucy, both in 1954.

Schafer performed in many films, usually portraying sophisticates. On TV, her roles included "Lovey Howell" on Gilligan's Island from 1964–67. She reprised her role in three made-for-television spin-off films after the show ended: Rescue from Gilligan's Island (1978), The Castaways on Gilligan's Island (1979), and The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island (1981). She also voiced Lovey Howell on the animated spinoffs, The New Adventures of Gilligan from 1974–77 and Gilligan's Planet from 1982–83.

In 1969, Schafer appeared in The Survivors—a high-profile prime time soap opera aired by the ABC television network. Despite the presence of movie stars like Lana Turner, Kevin McCarthy and George Hamilton, the show was a ratings failure and lasted only one season. For the 1971–1972 television season, Schafer joined the cast of the CBS daytime serial, Search for Tomorrow, portraying Helen Collins, mother of Wade and Clay Collins. Immediately following that role, she played Augusta Roulland on another daytime soap, Love of Life. Her final performance was in the 1990 made-for-television horror film I'm Dangerous Tonight.

She guest-starred as well on many other television series, including Goodyear Playhouse/Philco Playhouse ("The Sisters", with Grace Kelly, 1951), I Love Lucy (1954), Producers' Showcase ("The Petrified Forest", 1955), Guestward, Ho! (1960), The Beverly Hillbillies (1964), Mayberry RFD (1970), Mannix (1972), The Brady Bunch (1974), Phyllis (1976), Three's Company (1978), and The Love Boat (1979).

Filmography

Acting Credits (77)

The Unknown Story
The Unknown Story Self - archive footage 2022
I'm Dangerous Tonight
I'm Dangerous Tonight Grandmother 1990
Beverly Hills Brats
Beverly Hills Brats Lillian 1989
Crazy like a Fox
Crazy like a Fox Leonna Felspar 1984
Matt Houston
Matt Houston 1982
Gilligan's Planet
Gilligan's Planet Eunice "Lovey" Wentworth Howell (voice) 1982
Simon & Simon
Simon & Simon 1981
Here's Boomer
Here's Boomer 1981
The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island
The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island Lovey Wentworth Howell 1981
Trapper John, M.D.
Trapper John, M.D. 1979
The Castaways on Gilligan's Island
The Castaways on Gilligan's Island Lovey Howell 1979
Rescue from Gilligan's Island
Rescue from Gilligan's Island Lovey Wentworth Howell 1978
Flying High
Flying High 1978
Vega$
Vega$ 1978
The Love Boat
The Love Boat Mrs. Hartnett 1977
CHiPs
CHiPs 1977
Three's Company
Three's Company 1977
The Day of the Locust
The Day of the Locust Audrey Jennings 1975
The New Adventures of Gilligan
The New Adventures of Gilligan Eunice Wentworth 'Lovey' Howell (voice) 1974
40 Carats
40 Carats Mrs. Adams 1973
McMillan & Wife
McMillan & Wife Mrs. Roberts 1971
The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch 1969
Mayberry R.F.D.
Mayberry R.F.D. Cornelia Willoughby 1968
Mannix
Mannix Bunny Mason 1967
The Canterville Ghost
The Canterville Ghost Mrs. Otis 1966
ABC Stage 67
ABC Stage 67 Mrs. Otis 1966
Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island Eunice "Lovey" Wentworth Howell 1964
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies Madame Renee 1962
The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show Self 1961
Susan Slade
Susan Slade Marian Corbett 1961
Back Street
Back Street Mrs. Evans 1961
Route 66
Route 66 1960
Guestward, Ho!
Guestward, Ho! 1960
Thriller
Thriller Beatrice Graves 1960
77 Sunset Strip
77 Sunset Strip Ellie Fraser 1958
Bernardine
Bernardine Madge Beaumont 1957
If You Knew Elizabeth
If You Knew Elizabeth Geneva 1957
Oh, Men! Oh, Women!
Oh, Men! Oh, Women! Mrs. Day 1957
Anastasia
Anastasia Irina Lissemskaia / Nini 1956
Forever, Darling
Forever, Darling Millie Opdyke 1956
Female on the Beach
Female on the Beach Queenie Sorenson 1955
The Petrified Forest
The Petrified Forest Mrs. Chisholm 1955
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes 1954
Climax!
Climax! Lucrece Durhurst 1954
Casanova's Big Night
Casanova's Big Night Signora Foressi 1954
Topper
Topper Mrs. Vance 1953
Letter to Loretta
Letter to Loretta Mary 1953
Letter to Loretta
Letter to Loretta Mrs. Hayes 1953
The Girl Next Door
The Girl Next Door Evelyn the maid 1953
Mr. & Mrs. North
Mr. & Mrs. North 1952
The Ford Television Theatre
The Ford Television Theatre Beatrice Trent 1952
Just Across the Street
Just Across the Street Gertrude Medford 1952
Callaway Went Thataway
Callaway Went Thataway Martha Lorrison 1951
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy Phoebe Emerson 1951
The Law and the Lady
The Law and the Lady Pamela Pemberson 1951
Take Care of My Little Girl
Take Care of My Little Girl Mother Cookie Clark 1951
Payment on Demand
Payment on Demand Mrs. Edna Blanton 1951
Lux Video Theatre
Lux Video Theatre Blanche 1950
Lux Video Theatre
Lux Video Theatre Gertrude Medford 1950
Lux Video Theatre
Lux Video Theatre Julie 1950
Caught
Caught Dorothy Dale 1949
The Snake Pit
The Snake Pit Mrs. Stuart 1948
The Philco Television Playhouse
The Philco Television Playhouse 1948
The Time of Your Life
The Time of Your Life Society Lady 1948
Secret Beyond the Door
Secret Beyond the Door Edith Potter 1947
Repeat Performance
Repeat Performance Eloise Shaw 1947
Dishonored Lady
Dishonored Lady Ethel Royce 1947
The Other Love
The Other Love Dora Shelton 1947
Kraft Television Theatre
Kraft Television Theatre 1947
Masquerade in Mexico
Masquerade in Mexico Irene Denny 1945
Wonder Man
Wonder Man Mrs. Hume 1945
Molly and Me
Molly and Me Kitty Goode-Burroughs 1945
Keep Your Powder Dry
Keep Your Powder Dry Harriet Corwin 1945
Marriage Is a Private Affair
Marriage Is a Private Affair Irene Selworth 1944
Reunion in France
Reunion in France Frau Amy Schroeder (uncredited) 1942
The Body Disappears
The Body Disappears Mrs. Lunceford 1941
The Poor Fish
The Poor Fish Daisy 1930

Writing Credits (1)

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