Elspeth Eric Explained

Elspeth Eric
Birth Name:Elspeth Thexton Eric
Birth Date:15 September 1907
Birth Place:Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Death Place:Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Occupation:Actress
Alma Mater:Wellesley College
Known For:Acting in radio dramas

Elspeth Thexton Eric (September 15, 1907 – June 15, 1993)[1] was an American actress in old-time radio, "usually cast as the other woman in soaps and serials".[2]

Early years

The daughter of a doctor,[3] Elspeth Thexton Eric was born in Chicago, Illinois.[4] She attended Bradford Academy[5] and graduated from Wellesley College[2] with a double major in economics and English literature. After hearing tales of woe about "girls who had tried to crash the great White Way and failed ... she enrolled in a business school and left word with her friends in New York to let her know when a job was to be had there."[6]

She garnered some acting experience in summer stock theatre and moved back to New York, where she worked at various jobs for five years while she tried to find work as an actor.[6] During those years, "She was a switchboard operator, waitress, governess, hostess in a cocktail lounge, publicity writer, model, cook, parlor maid, social secretary to a social secretary, stenographer and book saleswoman."[6]

Radio

Eric's initial work on radio came in Big Sister and Aunt Jenny's Real Life Stories.[7] Her roles on radio programs included those shown in the table below.

Program Role
Betty and BobJane Hartford[8]
Big SisterDiane Carvell[9]
Central City Emily Olson
The FalconNancy[10]
Joyce Jordan, Girl Interne Joyce Jordan[11]
Lorenzo Jones Irma Barker[12]
Road of LifeBeth Lambert[13]
Lil Monet[14]
The Second Mrs. BurtonLillian Anderson[15]
Valiant Lady Eleanor Richards[16]
Young Doctor MaloneMarsha[17]
Lucia Standish[18]

Other programs on which Eric appeared included The Haunting Hour,[19] The FBI in Peace and War,[20] Abbott Mysteries,[21] Ever Since Eve, Front Page Farrell, Quick as a Flash, Rosemary, Mommie and the Men,[22] Inner Sanctum Mystery,[23] Bulldog Drummond,[24] Manhattan at Midnight,[25] Green Valley, U.S.A.,[26] Gang Busters, 21st Precinct,[27] Grand Central Station,[28] and Mr. District Attorney.[29]

Stage

Eric gained early acting experience with the Woodstock Summer Theatre.[2] In 1932, she acted in the troupe at the Westchester Playhouse at Mount Kisco, New York.[30]

Her Broadway credits include The Live Wire, Snafu, Margin for Error, Too Many Heroes, and Dead End.[31]

Television

Eric had the role of Lil Monte in the Road of Life soap opera, which was broadcast on TV and radio in 1955, with the same cast.[14] She also appeared in "His Name Was Death," an episode of Robert Montgomery Presents (March 18, 1957),[32] "Young Man Adam," an episode of Studio One (December 29, 1952),[33] and "The Unfraid," an episode of The Web (November 23, 1952).[34]

In a 1955 newspaper article, Eric indicated her preference for working in radio. "There are no ulcers in radio," she said.[35] The reporter noted, "She reports her eight radio shows a week are easier than one a week on TV, and leave her more time to herself."[35]

Later years

In the late 1970s, Eric wrote over 100 scripts for CBS Radio Mystery Theater and The General Mills Radio Adventure Theater.[36] One of her scripts, "The Black Room," was published (in "novelized" form) in a book, along with two other stories from CBSRMT. Strange Tales From CBS Radio Mystery Theater was published in 1976 by Popular Library.[37]

Death

Eric died of cancer in Manhattan in 1993, aged 85.[1]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Library. James Reeb Unitarian Universalist Congregation. March 29, 2016.
  2. DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 90.
  3. News: Takes role of Girl Interne in Radio Play. The Evening News. August 28, 1939. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. 22. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  4. Elspeth Eric. Radio and Television Mirror. August 1949. 32. 3. 72. March 27, 2016.
  5. What Do You Want To Know?. Radio and Television Mirror. October 1939. 12. 6. 62. March 27, 2016.
  6. News: Business Course Brought Elspeth Eric to the Stage. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 28, 1940. New York, Brooklyn. 48. Newspapers.com. March 24, 2016.
  7. News: 'Joyce Jordan' Takes New Time. Harrisburg Telegraph. September 22, 1939. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. 30. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  8. What Do You Want to Know? . Radio and Television Mirror . May 1940 . 14 . 1 . 60 . March 27, 2016 .
  9. Say Hello To -. Radio and Television Mirror. August 1942. 18. 4. 60. March 27, 2016.
  10. Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. . Pp. 112-113.
  11. News: Reed. Ted. Radio: 'Ghost of Benjamin Sweet' Tonight's Columbia Play. Harrisburg Telegraph . Harrisburg Telegraph. August 3, 1939. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. 15. Newspapers.com. March 24, 2016.
  12. News: Cast Changes. March 27, 2016. WOW News Tower. February 1, 1946.
  13. News: Radio Roundup. Cumberland Evening Times . Cumberland Evening Times. December 16, 1948. Maryland, Cumberland. 29. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  14. Road of Life. TV Radio Mirror. April 1955. 43. 5. 27. March 28, 2016.
  15. (photo caption). Radio Mirror. February 1948. 29. 3. 52. March 27, 2016.
  16. News: Valiant Lady. March 27, 2016. Movie-Radio Guide. September 19, 1942. 6.
  17. News: Young Dr. Malone. Globe-Gazette . The Mason City Globe-Gazette. December 19, 1956. Iowa, Mason City. 2. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  18. What's New. Radio-TV Mirror. March 1952. 37. 4. 22. March 28, 2016.
  19. News: The Haunting Hour. March 27, 2016. Radio Daily. August 23, 1950.
  20. News: Housing Racket. The Bridgeport Telegram . The Bridgeport Telegram. September 22, 1954. Connecticut, Bridgeport. 94. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  21. Sies, Luther F. (2014). Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920-1960, 2nd Edition. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 10.
  22. News: Domestic Comedy Series Heard On WHP Daily, 7 P.M.. Harrisburg Telegraph . Harrisburg Telegraph. August 25, 1945. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. 15. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  23. News: Frank, Gloria In Radio Roles. The Decatur Daily Review . The Decatur Daily Review. May 22, 1945. Illinois, Decatur. 2. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  24. News: Spine Tingler. The Eugene Guard . The Eugene Guard. May 4, 1941. Oregon, Eugene. 9. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  25. News: (untitled brief). Belvidere Daily Republican . Belvidere Daily Republican. August 8, 1940. Illinois, Belvidere. 5. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  26. News: (photo caption). The Brooklyn Daily Eagle . The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. February 25, 1944. New York, Brooklyn. 19. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  27. News: Oliver. Wayne. Actress Prefers Radio To TV Jobs. The Progress-Index . The Progress-Index. February 18, 1955. Virginia, Petersburg. 17. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  28. News: Elspeth Eric on "Grand Central Station: Aided By Broadway Cast. Harrisburg Telegraph . Harrisburg Telegraph. June 17, 1944. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. 15. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  29. News: Takes Dramatic Roles. The Evening News . The Evening News. February 4, 1942. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. 12. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  30. News: New Play at Mt. Kisco. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle . The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. August 26, 1932. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 6. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  31. Web site: Elspeth Eric search. Playbill. March 26, 2016.
  32. News: (TV listing). The San Bernardino County Sun . The San Bernardino County Sun. March 18, 1957. California, San Bernardino. 6. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  33. News: (TV listing). The Brooklyn Daily Eagle . The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. December 29, 1952. New York, Brooklyn. 19. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  34. News: (TV listing). The Brooklyn Daily Eagle . The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. November 23, 1952. New York, Brooklyn. 35. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  35. News: Oliver. Wayne. Radio, TV Highlights. The Evening Independent . The Evening Independent. February 17, 1955. Ohio, Massillon. 25. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  36. News: Classic tales told in weekend radio series. The Bakersfield Californian . Bakersfield Californian. January 31, 1977. California, Bakersfield. 22. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.
  37. News: Navarro. Linda. Station Break. Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph . Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. November 13, 1976. Colorado, Colorado Springs. 62. Newspapers.com. March 26, 2016.

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