Gloria Henry – most famous for playing the mother character on the old show ‘Dennis the Menace’ – died.
The veteran actress passed away on Saturday, just one day after her 98th birthday … according to her daughter, Erin Ellwood, who broke the sad news on Instagram. After posting some commemorative photos of her mother’s landmark year, she said she had died the next day.
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Erin threw a picture of her mother posing on Colette Miller’s angel wing mural in Hollywood, writing … “She’s flying now, free of her body. She left on a 4 3 2 1 countdown at 15:40 . She was such an amazing woman in so many ways. This last year with her has been beautiful and moving. Thank you all for following me and supporting me on this journey – this beautiful land mine. Goodbye, mom, I love your guts forever ❤️ “
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On Friday, Erin posted a sweet birthday card that Gloria was sent by cartoonist Marcus Hamilton – the guy famous for Dennis the Minor cartoons that has been in the papers for years. He personalized it for her, thanking her for being the best “mom” Dennis could ask for. Erin says she made Gloria’s day see this.
Of course, Gloria played Alice Mitchell – the mother of the titular character – on the CBS black and white sitcom for all four seasons from 1959 to 1963, having starred in 146 episodes. She was the epitome of the father of the white fence … often playing peacemaker with his unruly boy and his enemy / neighbor, Mr. Wilson.
Although she is perhaps best known for ‘DTM’ … Gloria had a long career in TV and film that dates back to the 1940s, when she starred in B films such as “Adventures in Silverado”, “The Arkansas Swing,” “Johnny Alegro” and many others.
She made a hit in the 1950s as Michelle Malone in ‘The Files of Jeffrey Jones’ … and went on to have supporting roles in’ Mr. & Mrs. North, ” My Little Margie, ” Perry Mason, ” Broken Arrow, ” The Farmer’s Daughter, ” The Brady Brides, ” Simon & Simon, ” Silver Spoons, ” Dallas’ and countless another famous series. In all, Gloria has 65 acting credits to her name.
She will always be remembered as Dennis’s sweet motherly presence. Gloria was 98 years old.
TO TEAR APART