Elspeth Eric

Elspeth Eric

Elspeth Eric in 1943
Born Elspeth Thexton Eric
1907
Chicago, Illinois
Died 1993
Manhattan, New York City
Nationality American
Alma mater Wellesley College
Occupation Actress
Known for Acting in radio dramas

Elspeth Eric (1907 - 1993)[1] was an actress in old-time radio, "usually cast as the other woman in soaps and serials."[2]

Early years

The daughter of a doctor,[3] Elspeth Thexton Eric[1] was born in Chicago, Illinois.[4] She attended Bradford Academy[5] and graduated from Wellesley College[2] with a double major in economics and English literature. After hearing tales of woe about "girls who had tried to crash the great White Way and failed ... she enrolled in a business school and left word with her friends in New York to let her know when a job was to be had there."[6] She gained some acting experience in summer stock theatre and moved back to New York, where she worked at various jobs for five years while she tried to find work as an actor.[6] During those years, "She was a switchboard operator, waitress, governess, hostess in a cocktail lounge, publicity writer, model, cook, parlor maid, social secretary to a social secretary, stenographer and book saleswoman."[6]

Radio

Eric's initial work on radio came in Big Sister and Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories.[7] Her roles on radio programs included those shown in the table below.

Program Role
Betty and Bob Jane Hartford[8]
Big Sister Diane Carvell[9]
Central City Emily Olson[2]
The Falcon Nancy[10]
Joyce Jordan, Girl Interne Joyce Jordan[11]
Lorenzo Jones Irma Barker[12]
Road of Life Beth Lambert[13]
Lil Monet[14]
The Second Mrs. Burton Lillian Anderson[15]
Valiant Lady Eleanor Richards[16]
Young Doctor Malone Marsha[17]
Lucia Standish[18]

Other programs on which Eric appeared included The Haunting Hour,[19] The FBI in Peace and War,[20] Abbott Mysteries,[21] Ever Since Eve,[21]:220 Front Page Farrell,[21]:245 Quick as a Flash,[21]:536 Rosemary,[21]:567 Mommie and the Men,[22] Inner Sanctum Mystery,[23] Bulldog Drummond,[24] Manhattan at Midnight,[25] Green Valley, U.S.A.,[26] Gang Busters, 21st Precinct,[27] Grand Central Station,[28] and Mr. District Attorney.[29]

Stage

Eric gained early acting experience with the Woodstock Summer Theatre.[2] In 1932, she acted in the troupe at the Westchester Playhouse at Mount Kisco, New York.[30]

Her Broadway credits include The Live Wire, Snafu, Margin for Error, Too Many Heroes, and Dead End.[31]

Television

Eric had the role of Lil Monte in the Road of Life soap opera, which was broadcast on TV and radio in 1955, with the same cast.[14] She also appeared in "His Name Was Death," an episode of Robert Montgomery Presents (March 18, 1957),[32] "Young Man Adam," an episode of Studio One (December 29, 1952),[33] and "The Unfraid," an episode of The Web (November 23, 1952).[34]

In a 1955 newspaper article, Eric indicated her preference for working in radio. "There are no ulcers in radio," she said.[35] The reporter noted, "She reports her eight radio shows a week are easier than one a week on TV, and leave her more time to herself."[35]

Later years

In the 1970s, Eric wrote scripts for CBS Radio Mystery Theater and The General Mills Radio Adventure Theater.[36] One of her scripts, "The Black Room," was published (in "novelized" form) in a book, along with two other stories from CBSRMT. Strange Tales From CBS Radio Mystery Theater was published in 1976 by Popular Library.[37]

Death

Eric died of cancer in {Manhattan]] in 1993.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Library". James Reeb Unitarian Universalist Congregation. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-2834-2. P. 90.
  3. ↑ "Takes role of Girl Interne in Radio Play". Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. The Evening News. August 28, 1939. p. 22. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Elspeth Eric" (PDF). Radio and Television Mirror. 32 (3): 72. August 1949. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "What Do You Want To Know?" (PDF). Radio and Television Mirror. 12 (6): 62. October 1939. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 "Business Course Brought Elspeth Eric to the Stage". New York, Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 28, 1940. p. 48. Retrieved March 24, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "'Joyce Jordan' Takes New Time". Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. Harrisburg Telegraph. September 22, 1939. p. 30. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "What Do You Want to Know?" (PDF). Radio and Television Mirror. 14 (1): 60. May 1940. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  9. ↑ "Say Hello To -" (PDF). Radio and Television Mirror. 18 (4): 60. August 1942. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  10. ↑ Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4. Pp. 112-113.
  11. ↑ Reed, Ted (August 3, 1939). "Radio: 'Ghost of Benjamin Sweet' Tonight's Columbia Play". Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. Harrisburg Telegraph. p. 15. Retrieved March 24, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Cast Changes" (PDF). WOW News Tower. February 1, 1946. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  13. ↑ "Radio Roundup". Maryland, Cumberland. Cumberland Evening Times. December 16, 1948. p. 29. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. 1 2 "Road of Life". TV Radio Mirror. 43 (5): 27. April 1955. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  15. ↑ "(photo caption)" (PDF). Radio Mirror. 29 (3): 52. February 1948. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  16. ↑ "Valiant Lady" (PDF). Movie-Radio Guide. September 19, 1942. p. 6. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  17. ↑ "Young Dr. Malone". Iowa, Mason City. The Mason City Globe-Gazette. December 19, 1956. p. 2. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "What's New". Radio-TV Mirror. 37 (4): 22. March 1952. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
  19. ↑ "The Haunting Hour" (PDF). Radio Daily. August 23, 1950. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
  20. ↑ "Housing Racket". Connecticut, Bridgeport. The Bridgeport Telegram. September 22, 1954. p. 94. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 Sies, Luther F. (2014). Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920-1960, 2nd Edition. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-5149-4. P. 10.
  22. ↑ "Domestic Comedy Series Heard On WHP Daily, 7 P.M.". Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. Harrisburg Telegraph. August 25, 1945. p. 15. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ "Frank, Gloria In Radio Roles". Illinois, Decatur. The Decatur Daily Review. May 22, 1945. p. 2. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ↑ "Spine Tingler". Oregon, Eugene. The Eugene Guard. May 4, 1941. p. 9. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ↑ "(untitled brief)". Illinois, Belvidere. Belvidere Daily Republican. August 8, 1940. p. 5. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ↑ "(photo caption)". New York, Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. February 25, 1944. p. 19. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ↑ Oliver, Wayne (February 18, 1955). "Actress Prefers Radio To TV Jobs". Virginia, Petersburg. The Progress-Index. p. 17. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ↑ "Elspeth Eric on "Grand Central Station: Aided By Broadway Cast". Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. Harrisburg Telegraph. June 17, 1944. p. 15. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ↑ "Takes Dramatic Roles". Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. The Evening News. February 4, 1942. p. 12. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ↑ "New Play at Mt. Kisco". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. August 26, 1932. p. 6. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ↑ "Elspeth Eric search". Playbill. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  32. ↑ "(TV listing)". California, San Bernardino. The San Bernardino County Sun. March 18, 1957. p. 6. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ↑ "(TV listing)". New York, Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. December 29, 1952. p. 19. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ↑ "(TV listing)". New York, Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. November 23, 1952. p. 35. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. 1 2 Oliver, Wayne (February 17, 1955). "Radio, TV Highlights". Ohio, Massillon. The Evening Independent. p. 25. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ↑ "Classic tales told in weekend radio series". California, Bakersfield. Bakersfield Californian. January 31, 1977. p. 22. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ↑ Navarro, Linda (November 13, 1976). "Station Break". Colorado, Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. p. 62. Retrieved March 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.

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