- Bess Flowers
Infobox actor
bgcolour = silver
name = Bess Flowers
imagesize =
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birthdate = birth date|1898|11|23|mf=y
location =Sherman, Texas , U.S.
deathdate = death date and age|1984|7|28|1898|11|23
deathplace =Los Angeles, California , U.S.
yearsactive = 1923-1964
birthname =
othername =
homepage =
academyawards =Bess Flowers (November 23, 1898–July 28, 1984) was an American actress. By some counts considered the most prolific actress in the history of Hollywood, she was known as "The Queen of the Hollywood Extras," appearing in over 700 movies in her 41 year career.
Born in
Sherman, Texas , Flowers's movie debut came in 1923, when she appeared in a movie titled "Hollywood". She made three movies in that year, and then began working extensively, with seven movies in 1926 alone. Most of her appearances are uncredited, as she generally played non-speaking roles.By the 1930s, Flowers was in constant demand. Her appearances ranged from
Alfred Hitchcock andJohn Ford thrillers to comedic roles alongside ofCharley Chase , theThree Stooges ,Leon Errol ,Edgar Kennedy andLaurel and Hardy .Along with actors
Wallis Clark andFranklyn Farnum , she holds the record for the most appearances in movies which have won theAcademy Award for Best Picture . She appeared in the following five Academy Award Best Picture winners: "It Happened One Night ", "You Can't Take it With You ", "All About Eve ", "The Greatest Show on Earth ", and "Around the World in Eighty Days". In each of these movies, Flowers was uncredited. Her last movie was "Good Neighbor Sam " in 1964.Flowers was first married on September 2, 1923, in
Ventura County, California , toCullen Tate (1894-1947), an assistant toCecil B. DeMille . They were divorced in 1928 in Los Angeles. Her second marriage took place on August 5, 1929, in Los Angeles, to William S. Steele (1895-1962). They were divorced in 1930 in Los Angeles.She and Tate had one child, Patricia E. Tate (January 29, 1924–August 1, 1972).
Bess Flowers died at age 85 in
Woodland Hills, California . She was cremated and her cremains inurned at theChapel of the Pines Crematory , Los Angeles.ee also
*
List of actors who have appeared in multiple Best Picture Academy Award winners External links
*imdb name|id=0283170|name=Bess Flowers
* [http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/02/23/symposium1.html An appreciation by Joe McElhaney]
*Persondata
NAME= Flowers, Bess
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Actor
DATE OF BIRTH= 1898-11-23
PLACE OF BIRTH=Sherman, Texas , U.S.
DATE OF DEATH= 1984-7-28
PLACE OF DEATH=Los Angeles, California , U.S.
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