Alice Ghostley

Biography: Born in Missouri and educated at the University of Oklahoma, Alice Ghostley created a sensation in her first Broadway production, New Faces of 1952. In the company of such powerhouse co-stars as Paul Lynde, Robert Clary and Carol Lawrence, Ghostley stole the show with her plaintive renditions of the satirical ballads "The Boston Beguine" and "Time for Tea." Within a year of New Faces, she was headlined in the film version of that popular revue and was cast as a regular on the network-TV series Freedom Ring. Ghostley has been convulsing audiences ever since, playing a rich variety of man-chasing bachelorettes, overprotective mothers and dotty neighbors. While most of her film appearances have been in comedies (Viva Max!, The Graduate, Grease), Ghostley proved quite effective in the comparatively straight role of Stephanie Crawford in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). In 1965, she won a Tony award for her performance in the Broadway seriocomedy The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window.Born in Missouri and educated at the University of Oklahoma, Alice Ghostley created a sensation in her first Broadway production, New Faces of 1952. In the company of such powerhouse co-stars as Paul Lynde, Robert Clary and Carol Lawrence, Ghostley stole the show with her plaintive renditions of the satirical ballads "The Boston Beguine" and "Time for Tea." Within a year of New Faces, she was headlined in the film version of that popular revue and was cast as a regular on the network-TV series Freedom Ring. Ghostley has been convulsing audiences ever since, playing a rich variety of man-chasing bachelorettes, overprotective mothers and dotty neighbors. While most of her film appearances have been in comedies (Viva Max!, The Graduate, Grease), Ghostley proved quite effective in the comparatively straight role of Stephanie Crawford in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). In 1965, she won a Tony award for her performance in the Broadway seriocomedy The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window. In addition, Ghostley has been a regular or semi-regular on a multitude of TV series: The Jackie Gleason Show, Car 54 Where Are You, Captain Nice, The Jonathan Winters Show, The Golddiggers, Designing Women and a host of others. She is most fondly remembered for her portrayal of bumbling witch Esmerelda on the long-running (1964-72) sitcom Bewitched. On both this series and 1972's Temperatures Rising, Alice Ghostley was reunited with her old New Faces cohort, Paul Lynde. Ghostley died of colon cancer at age 81 in September 2007. Expand

Alice Ghostley's Scores

Average career score: 68
Highest Metascore: 81 Dharma & Greg: Season 1
Lowest Metascore: 54 Designing Women: Season 1
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 2
  2. Negative: 0 out of 2
2 tv reviews
Title: Year: Credit: User score:
tbd Passions: Season 1 Jul 5, 1999 Matilda Matthews tbd
81 Dharma & Greg: Season 1 Sep 24, 1997 Mrs. Binns 7.5
tbd Touched by an Angel: Season 3 Sep 15, 1996 Mrs. Dewinter tbd
tbd Evening Shade: Season 4 Sep 20, 1993 Irna Wallingsford tbd
tbd Designing Women: Season 7 Sep 25, 1992 Bernice Clifton / Bernice Clifton tbd
tbd Evening Shade: Season 3 Sep 21, 1992 Irna Wallingsford tbd
tbd Designing Women: Season 6 Sep 16, 1991 Bernice Clifton / Bernice / Bernice Clifton tbd
tbd Designing Women: Season 5 Sep 17, 1990 Bernice Clifton / Actor / Bernice Clifton tbd
tbd Designing Women: Season 4 Sep 18, 1989 Bernice Clifton / Actor / Bernice Clifton tbd
tbd Designing Women: Season 3 Nov 14, 1988 Bernice Clifton / Actor / Bernice Clifton tbd
tbd Small Wonder: Season 4 Sep 17, 1988 Ida Mae Brindle (1988-1989) / Ida Mae Brindle tbd
tbd The Golden Girls: Season 3 Sep 19, 1987 Guest / Alice Ghostley 9.8
tbd Designing Women: Season 2 Sep 14, 1987 Bernice Clifton / Bernice Clifton tbd
tbd Small Wonder: Season 3 Sep 12, 1987 Ida Mae Brindle (1988-1989) / Ida Mae Brindle (1988-1989) / Ida Mae Brindle tbd
54 Designing Women: Season 1 Sep 29, 1986 Bernice Clifton / Bernice Clifton tbd
tbd What's Happening Now!: Season 2 Sep 22, 1986 Minnie tbd
tbd Small Wonder: Season 2 Sep 13, 1986 Ida Mae Brindle (1988-1989) tbd
tbd Highway to Heaven: Season 2 Sep 18, 1985 Mrs. Schtepmutter tbd
tbd Small Wonder: Season 1 Sep 7, 1985 Ida Mae Brindle (1988-1989) tbd
tbd Gimme a Break!: Season 2 Oct 2, 1982 Neighbor tbd
tbd Good Times: Season 5 Sep 21, 1977 Mrs. Dobbs tbd
tbd CHiPs: Season 1 Sep 15, 1977 Mamie tbd
tbd Good Times: Season 4 Sep 22, 1976 Actor / Ms. Austin tbd
tbd What's Happening!!: Season 1 Aug 5, 1976 Mrs. Turner tbd
tbd Maude: Season 4 Sep 8, 1975 Hazel Hathaway tbd
tbd Love, American Style: Season 5 Sep 14, 1973 Recurring Role / Actor tbd
tbd Love, American Style: Season 4 Sep 5, 1972 Recurring Role / Actor tbd
tbd Love, American Style: Season 3 Sep 17, 1971 Actor tbd
tbd Bewitched: Season 8 Sep 15, 1971 Esmeralda / Alice Ghostley / Esmeralda tbd
tbd The Odd Couple: Season 1 Sep 24, 1970 Mimi tbd