Kathleen Freeman
Biography
Kathleen Freeman was an American film, television, voice, and stage actress. Born on February 17, 1919, she maintained a career that spanned more than fifty years before her death on August 23, 2001. Throughout her professional life, she portrayed a wide variety of characters, including acerbic maids, secretaries, teachers, busybodies, nurses, and battle-axe neighbors and relatives. Freeman performed these roles almost invariably to comic effect. Her extensive body of work established her as a recognizable figure across multiple media platforms, reflecting a long-standing commitment to her craft as a performer. She remains noted for her consistent ability to bring humor to the diverse array of archetypal roles she inhabited throughout her decades in the entertainment industry.
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Career timeline
Full filmography
- What a Glorious Feeling: The Making of 'Singin' in the Rain' (2002) as Self
- Shrek (2001) as Old Woman (voice)
- Joe Dirt (2001) as Joe Dirt's Foster Mother (uncredited)
- Man and Cat (2001) as Female Cat
- As Told by Ginger (2000) as Mrs. Gordon (voice)
- Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000) as Denise's Nosy Neighbor (uncredited)
- Ready to Rumble (2000) as Jane King
- Seven Girlfriends (2000) as Mrs. Hargrove
- Providence (1999) as Miss Van Gundy
- Batman Beyond (1999) as Ma Mayhem (voice)
- Grown Ups (1999) as Mona
- Detention (1999) as Miss Eugenia P. Kisskillya (voice)
- Baby Geniuses (1999) as Lenny's Nosy Neighbor (uncredited)
- Becker (1998) as Edith / Evelyn
- Love Boat: The Next Wave (1998) as Maw-Maw Cranston
- Blues Brothers 2000 (1998) as Mother Mary Stigmata
- Richie Rich's Christmas Wish (1998) as Miss Peabody
- I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998) as Tom Tom Girl Gloria
- The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers' (1998) as Self
- Cow and Chicken (1997) as Greta (voice)
- Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show (1997)
- Hercules (1997) as Heavyset Woman (voice)
- Arli$$ (1996) as Helga Krupp
- The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (1996)
- Clueless (1996)
- Carpool (1996) as Franklin's Mom (voice)
- Caroline in the City (1995) as Grandma Duffy
- Two Guys Talkin' About Girls (1995) as Rhondas Grandma
- ER (1994) as Rhonda's Patient
- Party of Five (1994) as Mona
- Duckman (1994)
- Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult (1994) as Muriel
- Dave's World (1993) as Waitress
- Hocus Pocus (1993) as Miss Olin
- Phenom (1993)
- Reckless Kelly (1993) as Mrs. Delance
- Melrose Place (1992) as Madge
- Renegade (1992) as Felipe's Mother
- Martin (1992) as Saleslady
- FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992) as Edler (voice)
- Nickel & Dime (1992) as Judge C.C. Leichter
- Home Improvement (1991) as Gwen
- Herman's Head (1991) as Mrs. Debusher
- Dutch (1991) as Gritzi
- Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990) as Pawn Shop Clerk
- Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) as Microwave Marge
- Sydney (1990)
- The Willies (1990) as Miss Titmarsh
- Coach (1989) as Magda
- Tales from the Crypt (1989) as Mrs. Parker (segment "Loved to Death")
- Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989) as Mrs. Mickling
- Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers (1989)
- Major Dad (1989)
- Christine Cromwell (1989) as Catherine
- Chances Are (1989) as Mrs. Handy
- Super Ducktales (1989) as Mrs. Crackshell (voice)
- Hollywood Chaos (1989)
- Murphy Brown (1988) as Mrs. Caldwell
- TV 101 (1988) as Landlady
- Roseanne (1988)
- The Wrong Guys (1988) as Grunski's Mum
- The Canterville Ghost (1988) as Mrs. Umney
- Glitz (1988) as Mrs. Magyk
- Glitz (1988) as Mrs Magyk
- Married... with Children (1987) as Peg's Mom (voice)
- DuckTales (1987) as Mrs. Crackshell (voice)
- She's the Sheriff (1987) as Aunt Bessie
- Innerspace (1987) as Dream Lady
- Dragnet (1987) as Enid Borden
- Teen Wolf Too (1987) as Admissions Lady
- In the Mood (1987) as Mrs. Marver
- Inside Out (1987)
- Matlock (1986) as Lucy Lewis
- L.A. Law (1986) as Joan Ackerman
- ALF (1986) as Betty Susla
- The Hogan Family (1986)
- My Sister Sam (1986)
- The Malibu Bikini Shop (1986) as Loraine Bender
- The Best of Times (1986) as Rosie
- MacGyver (1985) as Rose Magruta
- The Golden Girls (1985) as Mother Superior3
- Growing Pains (1985) as Madge
- Growing Pains (1985) as Sophie
- Growing Pains (1985) as Estelle
- Mr. Belvedere (1985)
- Hunter (1984) as Ann Ridley
- Simon & Simon (1981)
- Simon & Simon (1981) as Felix's customer
- Heartbeeps (1981) as Helicopter Pilot
- The Blues Brothers (1980) as Sister Mary Stigmata
- The Facts of Life (1979)
- The Norseman (1978) as Old Indian woman
- Soup and Me (1978) as Mrs. Stetson
- CHiPs (1977)
- The Strongest Man in the World (1975) as Officer Hurley
- The Daughters of Joshua Cabe Return (1975) as Essie
- Police Woman (1974)
- Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974)
- Psycho Sisters (1974) as Hilda
- Kojak (1973) as Ma Wonderly
- The Sting (1973) as Kid Twist's Wife (uncredited)
- Lotsa Luck (1973) as Iris Belmont
- Your Three Minutes Are Up (1973) as Mrs. Wilk
- Hitched (1973) as Rainbow McCloud
- The Sandy Duncan Show (1972)
- The Unholy Rollers (1972) as Karen's Mother
- Where Does It Hurt? (1972) as Mrs. Manzzini
- Where Does It Hurt? (1972) as Mrs. Mazzini
- Call Her Mom (1972) as Woman
- Stand Up and Be Counted (1972) as Sarah
- Cannon (1971)
- Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971) as Mrs. Perkins
- Funny Face (1971)
- The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970) as Mrs. Jensen
- Myra Breckinridge (1970) as Bobby Dean Loner
- Which Way to the Front? (1970) as Bland's Mother
- But I Don't Want to Get Married! (1970) as Mrs. Borg
- Love, American Style (1969)
- The Bill Cosby Show (1969) as Eloise Hardy
- Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969) as Mrs. Danvers
- The Good Guys and the Bad Guys (1969) as Mrs. Stone
- Hook, Line and Sinker (1969) as Mrs. Hardtack - Baby Sitter
- Death of a Gunfighter (1969) as Mary Elizabeth
- The Mod Squad (1968)
- The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (1968)
- Lancer (1968)
- The Helicopter Spies (1968) as Mom
- Ironside (1967) as Helga
- The High Chaparral (1967) as Maude
- Dragnet (1967) as Mrs. Sunshine Pound
- Point Blank (1967) as First Citizen
- Batman (1966) as Rosetta Stone
- Three on a Couch (1966) as Murphy
- Hogan's Heroes (1965)
- Hogan's Heroes (1965) as Gertrude Linkmyer
- Hogan's Heroes (1965) as Gertrude Linkmeyer
- I Dream of Jeannie (1965) as Sally
- I Dream of Jeannie (1965) as Maw
- Laredo (1965)
- Please Don't Eat the Daisies (1965)
- The Collector (1965) Dialogue Coach
- Marriage on the Rocks (1965) as Miss Blight
- The Rounders (1965) as Agatha Moore
- That Funny Feeling (1965) as Woman at Phone Booth
- Daniel Boone (1964) as Berthe
- Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (1964)
- The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) as Mrs. Sparks
- The Bing Crosby Show (1964)
- Mail Order Bride (1964) as Sister Sue
- The Disorderly Orderly (1964) as Nurse Higgins
- The Nutty Professor (1963) as Millie Lemmon
- Who's Minding the Store? (1963) as Mrs. Glucksman
- The Beverly Hillbillies (1962) as Mabel Johnson
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) as Angela Morrow
- The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) as Mrs. McLeod
- The Lucy Show (1962) as Olga
- The Lucy Show (1962) as Kathleen
- The Lucy Show (1962) as Mrs. Blake
- The Lucy Show (1962) as Miss Putnam
- Wild Harvest (1962) as Goldie
- The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) as Maid
- Ben Casey (1961)
- Mister Ed (1961)
- 87th Precinct (1961)
- Bus Stop (1961)
- The Ladies Man (1961) as Katie
- The Errand Boy (1961) as Mrs. Helen Paramutual
- Madison Avenue (1961) as Miss Thelma Haley
- My Three Sons (1960)
- Guestward, Ho! (1960)
- The Case of the Dangerous Robin (1960) as Emma Stroud
- North to Alaska (1960) as Lena Nordqvist
- Bonanza (1959) as Ma Brinker
- Bonanza (1959) as Miss Hibbs
- Rawhide (1959) as Mrs. Beamish
- Hawaiian Eye (1959)
- The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959)
- The Detectives (1959)
- The Donna Reed Show (1958)
- 77 Sunset Strip (1958)
- Bronco (1958)
- The Fly (1958) as Emma
- Houseboat (1958) as Laundromat Gossip
- The Buccaneer (1958) as Tina
- The Missouri Traveler (1958) as Serena Poole
- Too Much, Too Soon (1958) as Miss Magruder (uncredited)
- Kiss Them for Me (1957) as Nurse Wilinski (uncredited)
- The Midnight Story (1957) as Rosa Cuneo
- O. Henry Playhouse (1957) as Maggie McCaskey
- Pawnee (1957) as Mrs. Carter
- Matinee Theater (1955)
- The Seven Year Itch (1955) as Woman at Vegetarian Restaurant (uncredited)
- Artists and Models (1955) as Mrs. Muldoon (uncredited)
- Lassie (1954)
- Father Knows Best (1954) as Woman at Bus Station
- December Bride (1954)
- Mayor of the Town (1954) as Marilly the Housekeeper
- Athena (1954) as Miss Seely
- The Far Country (1954) as Grits
- 3 Ring Circus (1954) as Custard Pie Gag Victim
- Battle of Rogue River (1954) as Sis Pringle
- Letter to Loretta (1953) as Jessie
- Letter to Loretta (1953) as Cousin Phemie
- Topper (1953)
- The Magnetic Monster (1953) as Nelly
- Confidentially Connie (1953) as Mother of Twins (uncredited)
- Dream Wife (1953) as Hotel Maid
- The Glass Wall (1953) as Zelda - Fat Woman
- A Perilous Journey (1953) as Leah
- She's Back on Broadway (1953) as Webber's Receptionist
- The Affairs of Dobie Gillis (1953) as Stella Kowalski
- Singin' in the Rain (1952) as Phoebe Dinsmore (uncredited)
- Mr. & Mrs. North (1952)
- The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) as Spectator (uncredited)
- The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) as Miss March (uncredited)
- Monkey Business (1952) as Mrs. Brannigan (uncredited)
- The Prisoner of Zenda (1952)
- O. Henry's Full House (1952) as Mrs. Dorset (segment "The Ransom of Red Chief") (uncredited)
- Kid Monk Baroni (1952) as Maria Baroni
- Love Is Better Than Ever (1952) as Mrs. Kahrney
- Talk About a Stranger (1952) as Rosa, Grocery Clerk
- Dragnet (1951)
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) as Ripplehissian gang
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951)
- A Place in the Sun (1951) as Factory Worker - Prosecution Witness (uncredited)
- Cause for Alarm! (1951) as Woman
- The Company She Keeps (1951) as Josie, Parolee with Children (uncredited)
- Let's Make It Legal (1951) as Reporter (uncredited)
- Behave Yourself! (1951) as Pet Shop Proprietor's Wife (uncredited)
- Come Fill the Cup (1951) as Lil - Newspaper Switchboard Operator (uncredited)
- Cry Danger (1951) as Cigarette Clerk #2 (uncredited)
- Cry Danger (1951)
- Strictly Dishonorable (1951) as Organist
- Yes Sir, Mr. Bones (1951) as Chick Watts
- Appointment with Danger (1950) as Nun
- House by the River (1950) as Effie Ferguson - Party Guest
- The Reformer and the Redhead (1950) as Lily Parker
- No Man of Her Own (1950) as Clara Larrimore (uncredited)
- A Life of Her Own (1950) as Switchboard Operator at Betsy Ross Hotel (uncredited)
- The Second Face (1950) as Shirley
- Lonely Heart Bandits (1950) as Bertha Martin
- Once a Thief (1950) as Phoebe
- Annie Was a Wonder (1949) as Annie Swenson
- The Naked City (1948) as Stout Young Woman on an Elevated Train (Uncredited)
- The Saxon Charm (1948) as Reception Nurse
- Behind Locked Doors (1948) as Nurse (uncredited)