Inga Swenson was an actress and singer who starred as Gretchen the cook on the sitcom “Benson.”
- Died: July 23, 2023 (Who else died on July 23?)
- Details of death: Died in Los Angeles of natural causes at the age of 90.
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Inga Swenson’s legacy
Swenson became widely known to ‘80s television audiences when she starred on the comedy series “Benson” alongside Robert Guillaume (1927–2017) and James Noble (1922–2016). She played Gretchen Kraus, the German cook in the governor’s mansion, who was a thorn in Benson’s side and later his friend. Swenson starred on “Benson” for its entire run, from 1979 to 1986, and she was nominated for three Emmy Awards for her performance.
Swenson worked frequently on TV from the 1950s through 1990s. She played Maude Hazard, mother of James Read’s George Hazard, in the popular miniseries “North and South” and its first sequel. Her many other TV appearances included “Bonanza,” “Medical Center,” “Barnaby Jones,” “Soap,” “Newhart,” “The Golden Girls,” and “Life with Louie.”
A prolific stage actress as well, Swenson garnered two Tony Award nominations for her roles in the musicals “110 in the Shade” and “Baker Street” on Broadway. She starred widely on stage in New York and elsewhere, including national tours of “My Three Angels” and “Carousel.” Her movies include “The Miracle Worker,” in which she played Helen Keller’s mother, as well as “Advise and Consent,” “The Betsy,” and “Lipstick.”
Tributes to Inga Swenson
Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
