Esther Howard
Encyclopedia
Esther Howard was a film character actress
who played a wide range of supporting roles, from man-hungry spinsters to amoral criminals, appearing in over 100 movies in her 23-year film career.
in 1892, and she made her Broadway
debut in 1917, in a play called Eve's Daughter, which was not a success. Nevertheless, Howard continued to appear regularly on the Great White Way for the next twelve years, performing in comedies and musicals until 1929, when she was featured in The New Moon
, a Sigmund Romberg
musical, which was her final Broadway production.
In 1930, Howard changed her focus to making movies, appearing in a Vitaphone
comedy short, The Victim. From that point until her retirement in 1952, Howard worked regularly – a least one film she appeared in was released every year, and usually more. She was often cast as an oversexed dowager or a decrepit old hag, and was known for her versatility and expressive face. Notable among her many roles were "Mrs. Stillman" in 1933's The Iron Master, "Jessie Florian" in Raymond Chandler
's Murder My Sweet with Dick Powell
(1944), a murderess in Laurel and Hardy
's The Big Noise
(1944), the determined Mrs. Kraft out to solve a murder in Born to Kill
(1947) and Kirk Douglas
’ mother in the multi-Oscar nominated Champion
(1949).
Beginning in the early 1940s, Howard was part of Preston Sturges
' unofficial "stock company" of character actors
, appearing in seven films written and directed by Sturges. Her performances in Sturges' films were among her best, especially the wife of the "Wienie King" in The Palm Beach Story
(1942).
From 1937, Howard was a regular player in short-subjects produced at Columbia Pictures
, where she was frequently cast opposite comedian Andy Clyde
. Her last film was a Columbia comedy short, Caught on the Bounce (1952), in which she played Joe Besser
's aunt.
in Glendale, California
.
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
who played a wide range of supporting roles, from man-hungry spinsters to amoral criminals, appearing in over 100 movies in her 23-year film career.
Career
Esther Howard was born in Helena, MontanaHelena, Montana
Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
in 1892, and she made her Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut in 1917, in a play called Eve's Daughter, which was not a success. Nevertheless, Howard continued to appear regularly on the Great White Way for the next twelve years, performing in comedies and musicals until 1929, when she was featured in The New Moon
The New Moon
The New Moon is the name of an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Mandel, and Laurence Schwab. The show was the third and last in a string of Broadway hits for Romberg written in the style of Viennese operetta...
, a Sigmund Romberg
Sigmund Romberg
Sigmund Romberg was a Hungarian-born American composer, best known for his operettas.-Biography:Romberg was born as Siegmund Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Gross-Kanizsa during the Austro-Hungarian kaiserlich und königlich monarchy period...
musical, which was her final Broadway production.
In 1930, Howard changed her focus to making movies, appearing in a Vitaphone
Vitaphone
Vitaphone was a sound film process used on feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects produced by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National from 1926 to 1930. Vitaphone was the last, but most successful, of the sound-on-disc processes...
comedy short, The Victim. From that point until her retirement in 1952, Howard worked regularly – a least one film she appeared in was released every year, and usually more. She was often cast as an oversexed dowager or a decrepit old hag, and was known for her versatility and expressive face. Notable among her many roles were "Mrs. Stillman" in 1933's The Iron Master, "Jessie Florian" in Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Thornton Chandler was an American novelist and screenwriter.In 1932, at age forty-five, Raymond Chandler decided to become a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Depression. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in...
's Murder My Sweet with Dick Powell
Dick Powell
Richard Ewing "Dick" Powell was an American singer, actor, producer, director and studio boss.Despite the same last name he was not related to William Powell, Eleanor Powell or Jane Powell.-Biography:...
(1944), a murderess in Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
's The Big Noise
The Big Noise
The Big Noise is a 1944 comedy film starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. It was produced by Sol M. Wurtzel and directed by Mal St.Clair. It has been regarded by many film critics and Laurel and Hardy historians as being among the duo's worst films....
(1944), the determined Mrs. Kraft out to solve a murder in Born to Kill
Born to Kill (1947 film)
Born to Kill is a 1947 film noir starring Lawrence Tierney and directed by Robert Wise. It was the first film noir to be directed by Wise, who later directed The Set-Up , The Captive City , and Odds Against Tomorrow...
(1947) and Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...
’ mother in the multi-Oscar nominated Champion
Champion (1949 film)
Champion is an American film noir drama based on a short story by Ring Lardner. Filmed in black-and-white, it recounts the struggles of boxer "Midge" Kelly fighting his own demons while working to achieve success in the boxing ring. The drama was directed by Mark Robson, with cinematography by...
(1949).
Beginning in the early 1940s, Howard was part of Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges , originally Edmund Preston Biden, was a celebrated playwright, screenwriter and film director born in Chicago, Illinois...
' unofficial "stock company" of character actors
Preston Sturges Unofficial Stock Company Actors
Actors who frequently worked with film director Preston Sturges: !! Christmas in July !! The Lady Eve !! Sullivan's Travels !! The Palm Beach Story !! The Miracle of Morgan's Creek !! Hail the Conquering Hero !! The Great Moment !! The Sin of Harold Diddlebock !! Unfaithfully Yours !! The...
, appearing in seven films written and directed by Sturges. Her performances in Sturges' films were among her best, especially the wife of the "Wienie King" in The Palm Beach Story
The Palm Beach Story
The Palm Beach Story is a 1942 romantic screwball comedy film written and directed by Preston Sturges, and starring Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor and Rudy Vallée. Victor Young contributed the lively musical score, including a fast-paced variation of William Tell Overture for the...
(1942).
From 1937, Howard was a regular player in short-subjects produced at Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
, where she was frequently cast opposite comedian Andy Clyde
Andy Clyde
Andy Clyde was a Scottish movie and TV actor whose career spanned more than four decades. He broke into silent films in 1925 as a Mack Sennett comic...
. Her last film was a Columbia comedy short, Caught on the Bounce (1952), in which she played Joe Besser
Joe Besser
Joe Besser was an American comedian, known for his impish humor and wimpy characters, and is now best remembered for his brief stint as a member of the Three Stooges in movie short subjects of 1957-59...
's aunt.
Death
Esther Howard died of a heart attack in Hollywood, California on 8 March 1965, aged 72. She was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial ParkForest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a privately owned cemetery in Glendale, California. It is the original location of Forest Lawn, a chain of cemeteries in Southern California. The land was formerly part of Providencia Ranch.-History:...
in Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population is 191,719, down from 194,973 at the 2000 census. making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the 22nd largest city in the state of California...
.