Florence Sundstrom
Sundstrom in The Wild Wild West (1967)
Born
Florence E. Sundstrom

(1918-02-09)February 9, 1918
New York City, New York
DiedJune 25, 2001(2001-06-25) (aged 83)
Los Angeles, California
OccupationActress
Years active1938–1999
SpouseRonald Graham (died 1950)

Florence E. "Flo" Sundstrom (February 9, 1918 – June 25, 2001) was an American actress who had an active career in theatre, television, and film. A prominent character actress on Broadway from 1936-1959, she notably created the roles of Bella in the world premiere of Anita Loos's Happy Birthday in 1946, Bessie in the world premiere of Tennessee Williams's The Rose Tattoo in 1951, and Mrs. Marie "Fatty" Pert in Ketti Frings's Look Homeward, Angel in 1957. She made her film debut as Flora in the film adaptation of The Rose Tattoo in 1955, and thereafter remained active as a character actress in American television and film into the 1990s. She was a main cast member in the 1955–1956 season of The Life of Riley, portraying a new neighbor of the Riley family.

Life and career

Florence E. Sundstrom was born February 9, 1918, in New York City, the younger of two daughters of U.S. Navy Captain Einar William Sundstrom and Jetta Marie (Osmundsen) Sundstrom.[1][2][3] She was educated at Great Neck High School, and studied acting, music, and dance in New York and Galveston, Texas, where she made her stage debut in 1922.[1]

She made her Broadway debut as a replacement in Parnell during its 1935–1936 run at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre,[1] and was an opening cast member as Vivian Caldwell in Henry R. Misrock's Bright Honor at the 48th Street Theatre (September 27, 1936).[1][4] She starred as a character actress in numerous plays on Broadway through 1959, including Chester Erskine's The Good (Oct 1938, as Rose Dubrowski[5]), Irwin Shaw's Retreat to Pleasure (1940 -1941, as Lenore Trilling[6]), Charles MacArthur's Johnny on a Spot (1942, as Barbara Webster[5]), Frank Tarloff's They Should Have Stood in Bed (1942, as Vivian Lowe[5]), Milton Lazarus's The Sun Field (1942, as Karyl Dumont[7]), Robert Stolz's Mr. Strauss Goes to Boston (1945, as Pepi[8]), Stanley Richards's Marriage Is for Single People (1945, as Lily Packer[5]), Anita Loos's Happy Birthday (1946-1948, as Bella[9]), Fay Kanin's Goodbye, My Fancy (1948-1949, as Ellen Griswold[10]), Tennessee Williams's The Rose Tattoo (1951, as Bessie[11]), Mary Helen Fay's Faithfully Yours (1951, as Gracie[12]), N. Richard Nash's See the Jaguar (1952, as Mrs. Meeker[13]), and Ketti Frings's Look Homeward, Angel (1957-1959, as Mrs. Marie "Fatty" Pert[14]).

In film Sundstrom appeared in The Rose Tattoo (1955, as Flora,[15] The Vagabond King (1956, as Laughing Margot[16]), Spring Reunion (1957, as Mary[17]), Bachelor in Paradise (1961, as Mrs. Pickering[18]), The Last Challenge (1967, as Outdoors[18]), The World's Greatest Lover (1977, as Aunt Tillie[19]), Stitches (1985, as a maid[20]), and Pacific Heights (1990, as Mrs. Thayer[21]).

Sundstrom joined the main cast of the television series The Life of Riley for the 1955-1956 season after the Riley family moved and they were given new neighbors portrayed by Sundstrom and George O'Hanlon.[22]

Sundstorm married baritone and musical theatre actor and radio personality Ronald Graham on December 20, 1940, who died in 1950, aged 38.[1][23] Sundstorm died in Los Angeles on June 25, 2001, at the age of 83.[8]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1955The Rose TattooFlora[15]
1956The Vagabond KingLaughing Margot[16]
1957Spring ReunionMary[17]
1961Bachelor in ParadiseMrs. Pickering[18]
1966The DefectorLandlady
1967The Last ChallengeOutdoors[18]
1977The World's Greatest LoverAunt Tillie[19]
1985StitchesMaid[20]
1990Pacific HeightsMrs. Thayer[21]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1955-1956The Life of RileyBelle DudleyMain cast[22]
1963Rich Man, Poor ManDaisy
1961HazelMinnaEpisode: "Winter Wonderland"
1962 Hazel Flo Episode: "How to Lure an Epicure"
1964HazelMrs. JeffriesEpisode: "The Fashion Show"
1965The World's Greatest LoverMatilda;Episode: "Bonnie Boy"
1965I Dream of JeannieJeannie's MotherEpisode: "My Hero?"
196512 O'Clock HighNell Forrester
1967The Wild Wild WestMrs. MooreEpisode: "The Night of the Circus of Death"
1971The F.B.I.LandladyEpisode: "The Recruiter"
1971Marcus Welby, M.D.MarianEpisode:"False Spring"
1974CannonSgt. MaryEpisode:"Avenger"
1976The Streets of San FranciscoManagerEpisode:"Runaway"
1977The Streets of San FranciscoLydia BeauchampsEpisode:"Dead Life"
1977Quincy, M.E.Mrs. HawleyEpisode:"A Dead Man's Truth"
1978Barnaby JonesMrs. NicholsonEpisode:"Hitchhike to Terror "
1995Barnaby JonesBeverly's friendEpisode:"Shower the People You Love With Stuff"
1998JAGFrances RolandEpisode: "The Return of Jimmy Blackhorse"


References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Rigdon, Walter, ed. (1966). The Biographical Encyclopaedia & Who's Who of the American Theatre. New York: James H. Heineman. pp. 857–858.
  2. ↑ "Oakland Tribune". Newspapers.com. June 19, 1937. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Skipper's Wife Sure He'll Save Himself and Ship". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. September 4, 1935. p. 3.
  4. ↑ Kauf (September 30, 1936). Legitimate: Plays On Broadway - BRIGHT HONOR. Vol. 124. p. 58. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  5. 1 2 3 4 Thomas S. Hischak (2009). Broadway Plays and Musicals: Descriptions and Essential Facts of More Than 14,000 Shows Through 2007. McFarland & Company. ISBN 9780786453092.
  6. ↑ Hobe (December 25, 1940). Legitimate: Plays on Broadway - Retreat to Pleasure. Vol. 141. p. 52. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  7. ↑ "New Plays On Broadway: Biltmore, The Sun Field". Billboard. December 19, 1942.
  8. 1 2 Ruth Benjamin; Arthur Rosenblatt (2006). Who Sang what on Broadway, 1866-1996: The singers (L-Z). McFarland & Company. p. 726.
  9. ↑ "Broadway Openings: Happy Birthday". Billboard. November 9, 1946.
  10. ↑ "'Fancy' Moves To New Home". Billboard. October 1, 1949.
  11. ↑ Burns Mantle; Garrison P. Sherwood; John Arthur Chapman, eds. (1951). The Best Plays of 1950-1951. Vol. 32. University of Michigan Press. p. 347.
  12. ↑ "Out of Town Reviews: Faithfully Yours". Billboard. October 6, 1951.
  13. ↑ David Dalton (2001). James Dean, The Mutant King : A Biography. A Cappella. p. 131. ISBN 9781556523984.
  14. ↑ Erika J. Fischer, Heinz Dietrich Fischer (1998). Drama/comedy Awards, 1917-1996:From Eugene O'Neill and Tennessee Williams to Richard Rodgers and Edward Albee. K.G. Saur. p. 173. ISBN 9783598301827.
  15. 1 2 Gilbert, Tiffany. "The Tennessee Williams Annual Review | 2017 Journal". www.tennesseewilliamsstudies.org. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  16. 1 2 Jay Robert Nash; Stanley Ralph Ross; Robert Connelly (1985). The Motion Picture Guide. Cinebook. p. 3655.
  17. 1 2 James McKay (2014). Dana Andrews: The Face of Noir. McFarland & Company. p. 148. ISBN 9780786456765.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Harris M. Lentz (2001). Feature Films, 1960-1969: A Filmography of English-language and Major Foreign-language United States Releases. McFarland & Company.
  19. 1 2 Vincent Canby (December 19, 1977). 'Greatest Lover,' Great Comedy. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  20. 1 2 Stitches. Vol. 37. 1986. p. 132. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  21. 1 2 Harris M. Lentz (1994). Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits: Supplement 2, through 1993. Vol. 4. McFarland & Company. p. 539.
  22. 1 2 Michael Schlossheimer (2002). Gunmen and Gangsters: Profiles of Nine Actors Who Portrayed Memorable Screen Tough Guys. McFarland & Company. p. 16. ISBN 9780786409891.
  23. ↑ "Obituaries: Ronald Graham". Variety. Vol. 179, no. 5. July 12, 1950. p. 55.
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