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Natalie Schafer 1900 - 1991

Natalie Schafer of Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California United States was born on November 5, 1900 at New Jersey, but raised in Manhattan., and died at age 90 years old on April 10, 1991 in Beverly Hills. Natalie Schafer was buried at Cremated and ashes scattered into the Pacific..

Natalie Schafer

Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California United States

November 5, 1900

New Jersey, but raised in Manhattan.

April 10, 1991

Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California, United States

Female

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Natalie Schafer Natalie Schafer (1900 - 1991)

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Natalie Schafer's History: 1900 - 1991

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Introduction

Natalie Schafer (November 5, 1900 – April 10, 1991) Born November 5, 1900 - Red Bank, New Jersey, U.S. Died April 10, 1991 (aged 90) - Beverly Hills, California, U.S. Occupation Actress Years active 1927–1990 Spouse: Louis Calhern (m. 1933; div. 1942) Partner: Maurice Hill Natalie Schafer (November 5, 1900 – April 10, 1991) was an American actress of film, stage and television, known for her role as Lovey Howell on the sitcom Gilligan's Island (1964–1967). Natalie Schafer was born November 5, 1900, in Red Bank, New Jersey and raised in Manhattan, the eldest of the three children of Jennie (née Tim; family name originally Tein) and Charles Emanual Schafer, both of German Jewish descent. 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. She reprised her role in made-for-television spin-off films after the show ended, along with the animated spinoff Gilligan's Planet in 1982. 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), Three's Company, The Love Boat, and Phyllis (1976). Death Schafer died of liver cancer in her Beverly Hills home, at age of 90. She was cremated; her ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean, off San Pedro's Point Fermin Light. She bequeathed between $1.5 million and $2 million to the Lillian Booth Actors Home to renovate the hospital's outpatient wing, which was renamed the Natalie Schafer Wing in 1993.
11/5

1900

Birthday

November 5, 1900

Birthdate

New Jersey, but raised in Manhattan.

Birthplace

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Ethnicity & Family History

Natalie Schafer was born November 5, 1900, in New Jersey and raised in Manhattan, the eldest of the three children of Jennie (née Tim; family name originally Tein) and Charles Emanual Schafer, both of German Jewish descent.
Professional Career

MOTION PICTURE, STAGE AND TELEVISION ACTRESS 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. She reprised her role in made-for-television spin-off films after the show ended, along with the animated spinoff Gilligan's Planet in 1982. 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 Play Partial filmography The Body Disappears (1941) – Mrs. Lunceford Reunion in France (1942) – Frau Amy Schroder Marriage Is a Private Affair (1944) – Mrs. Irene Selworth Keep Your Powder Dry (1945) – Harriet Corwin Molly and Me (1945) – Kitty Goode-Burroughs Wonder Man (1945) – Mrs. Hume Masquerade in Mexico (1945) – Irene Denny The Other Love (1947) – Dora Shelton Dishonored Lady (1947) – Ethel Royce Repeat Performance (1947) – Eloise Shaw Secret Beyond the Door (1947) – Edith Potter The Time of Your Life (1948) – Society Lady The Snake Pit (1948) – Mrs. Stuart Caught (1949) – Dorothy Dale Payment on Demand (1951) – Mrs. Edna Blanton Take Care of My Little Girl (1951) – Mother Cookie Clark The Law and the Lady (1951) – Pamela Pemberson Callaway Went Thataway (1951) – Martha Lorrison Just Across the Street (1952) – Gertrude Medford The Girl Next Door (1953) – Evelyn the maid Casanova's Big Night (1954) – Signora Foressi Female on the Beach (1955) – Queenie Sorenson Forever, Darling (1956) – Millie Opdyke Anastasia (1956) – Irina Lissemskaia Oh, Men! Oh, Women! (1957) – Mrs. Day Bernardine (1957) – Mrs. Madge Beaumont Back Street (1961) – Mrs. Evans Susan Slade (1961) – Marion Corbett 40 Carats (1973) – Mrs. Adams The Day of the Locust (1975) – Audrey Jennings Beverly Hills Brats (1989) – Lillian I'm Dangerous Tonight (1990) – Grandmother
Personal Life & Family

Personal life Schafer was married to actor Louis Calhern from 1933 to 1942; they had no children. Schafer and Calhern appeared together in the 1956 film Forever, Darling. Schafer was secretive about her age. She reportedly never revealed her true year of birth to her husband during their marriage. For many years, her birth year was generally given as 1912. Few people believed this, yet her actual year of birth of 1900 (which was not discovered until after her death) shocked even her intimate friends. She was reportedly also a breast cancer survivor, which she withheld from her fans and friends. At the time of her death family spokesman, Frank Lieberman, stated that Schafer's survivors included her longtime companion Maurice Hill.
04/10

1991

Death

April 10, 1991

Death date

Liver cancer.

Cause of death

Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California United States
Death location

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Gravesite & Burial

mm/dd/yyyy
Funeral date
Cremated and ashes scattered into the Pacific.
Burial location
Obituary

Death Schafer died of liver cancer in her Beverly Hills home, at age of 90. She was cremated; her ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean, off San Pedro's Point Fermin Light. She bequeathed between $1.5 million and $2 million to the Lillian Booth Actors Home to renovate the hospital's outpatient wing, which was renamed the Natalie Schafer Wing in 1993. Natalie Schafer, 90, Actress Who Played In 'Gilligan's Island' April 13, 1991 Natalie Schafer, an actress best known as the stranded millionaire's wife, Lovey, on the long-running television series "Gilligan's Island," died on Wednesday at her home. She was 90 years old. She died of liver cancer, a family spokesman, Frank Lieberman, said. On "Gilligan's Island" Miss Schafer played the wife of Thurston Howell 3d, portrayed by the late Jim Backus. They were among the marooned charter boat passengers. The comedy show originally ran on CBS from 1964 to 1967 and remains enormously popular in reruns. There were also three television movies that reunited the original cast: "Rescue From Gilligan's Island" in 1978, "The Castaways on Gilligan's Island" in 1979 and "The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island" in 1981. Miss Schafer was born in Red Bank, N.J. She appeared in a number of Broadway productions from the 1920's though the 1950's, including Moss Hart's "Lady in the Dark" (1941), Peter Ustinov's "Romanoff and Juliet" (1957) and Dore Schary's "Highest Tree" (1959).

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