Nora Denney

Nora Denney
Nora Denney in Bewitched, 1966
Born
Dolores Teachenor

(1927-09-03)September 3, 1927
DiedNovember 20, 2005(2005-11-20) (aged 78)
Other nameDodo Denney
OccupationActress
Years active1959–1999
Spouse
Alan Denney
​
​
(m. 1952; died 1995)​
Children2

Nora Denney (born Dolores Teachenor; September 3, 1927[citation needed] – November 20, 2005), also credited as Dodo Denney, was an American character actress, best known for playing surpporting roles and small parts in films and guest roles in TV series. She is perhaps best known for her part as school teacher Mrs. Teevee in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971).

Career

Denney was born in 1927 and started her show business career in Kansas City when she was hired by local television station KCMO-TV (now KCTV) to play "Marilyn the Witch", an onscreen host for horror movies.

She performed in guest parts in many television series, including Green Acres, Petticoat Junction, Bewitched, Hart to Hart, Get Smart, Room 222 and That Girl.

Her film credits include Who's Minding the Mint? (1967), I Walk the Line (1970), Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate (1971), I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now? (1975), American Hot Wax (1978) and Truman (1995).

She played English school teacher Mrs. TeeVee in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in 1971 and appeared in the film Splash in 1984.

She made her final film appearance in 1999 in Ang Lee's Ride with the Devil.

Personal life and death

She was married to Alan Denney, an art director and illustrator for Hallmark Greeting Cards. While the couple raised their two sons, Dix and John, founders of the Los Angeles-based punk rock band The Weirdos, she became a film and television character actress.[citation needed]

Denney retired in 1999 and died of cancer on November 20, 2005, aged 78.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1964The New Phil Silvers ShowAgnes (as Dodo Denney)Season 1, Episode 15; "Beauty and the Least"
1966A Fine MadnessWaitressUncredited
1966 That Girl Mrs. Morrisey (as Dodo Denny) Season 1, Episode 8; "Little Auction Annie"
1967Who's Minding the Mint?Bertha
Green Acres Switchboard Operator (as Dodo Denney)Season 3, Episode 9; "The Thing"
1968 Bewitched Mrs. Gurney (as Dodo Denney) Season 5, Episode 9; "Samantha Fights City Hall"
1969Green Acres OperatorSeason 4, Episode 20; "Retreat From Washington"
Mayberry R.F.D. Gwen (as Dodo Denney) Season 2, Episode 4; "Goober and the Telephone Girl"
1970Petticoat JunctionMrs. Graham (as Dodo Denney)Season 7, Episode 26; "Betty Jo's Business" (series finale)
I Walk the LineDarlene Hunnicutt
1971Willy Wonka & the Chocolate FactoryDoris Teavee (as Dodo Denney)
Do Not Fold, Spindle or MutilateTrudyTV movie
1975I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now?Theater Ticket Clerk
Starsky & HutchRaySeason 1, Episode 2; "Texas Longhorn"
PhyllisPresident (as Dodo Denney)Season 1, Episode 12; "So Lonely I Could Cry"
1978American Hot WaxLouise's Mom
1980The Gong Show MovieTourist Lady
1981Force: Five
1982Hart to HartNurse KeyesSeason 4, Episode 4; "Harts On Campus"
1984SplashMs. Stein
1990Mr. and Mrs. BridgeSecond Bridge Player
1995TrumanMama TrumanTV movie
1999Ride with the DevilElderly Woman(final film role)

References

  1. ↑ Cotter, Robert Michael “Bobb” (January 25, 2017). Vampira and Her Daughters: Women Horror Movie Hosts from the 1950s into the Internet Era. McFarland. ISBN 9781476626567 – via Google Books.
  2. ↑ "Nora Denney". www.aveleyman.com.
  3. ↑ "Nora Denney". AllMovie. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Nora Denney". BFI. Archived from the original on July 5, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Nora Denney". Television Academy.