Aneta Corsaut

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Aneta Corsaut
Aneta Corsaut in The Andy Griffith Show in 1967's "Helen the Authoress"
Born
Aneta Louise Corsaut

(1933-11-03)November 3, 1933
Hutchinson, Kansas, U.S.
DiedNovember 6, 1995(1995-11-06) (aged 62)
Studio City, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeValhalla Memorial Park Cemetery
NationalityAmerican
Other namesAnita Corsault
Aneta Corseaut
Alma materNorthwestern University
UCLA
Occupation(s)Actress, writer
Years active1955–1995

Aneta Louise Corsaut (November 3, 1933 – November 6, 1995) was an American actress and writer. She is best known for playing Helen Crump on The Andy Griffith Show (1963–1968), Judge Cynthia Justin on Matlock (1991–1992), and Jane in The Blob (1958).

Early life and career[edit]

Born in Hutchinson, Kansas,[1] Corsaut was the daughter of Jesse Harrison and Opal J. (née Swarens) Corsaut. She majored in drama at Northwestern University and studied acting with Lee Strasberg.[2] During her junior year, Corsaut dropped out to pursue a career in acting, although during the run of The Andy Griffith Show, Corsaut took courses at UCLA with plans to earn her degree.[3]

She began her acting career in New York City in the mid-1950s.[4] In 1958, Corsaut and Steve McQueen made their film debuts in the independent cult horror film The Blob.[5] On television, in 1961–1962, she portrayed Irma Howell on the CBS sitcom Mrs. G. Goes to College.[4]

Corsaut first appeared on the long-running Griffith show in 1963 as schoolteacher Helen Crump, who later became the Mayberry sheriff's wife on the first episode of the spinoff Mayberry R.F.D. In 1965 she was also cast as Kathy McLennan, the young widow of a rancher, in the episode "Paid in Full" on the syndicated Western anthology series Death Valley Days.[6] Corsaut later had a continuing role as policeman Bumper Morgan's pawn-shop-owner friend on the 1975–1976 series The Blue Knight.[4] In the series Adam-12, Corsaut portrayed Officer Pete Malloy's girlfriend Judy. She had a supporting role too as Head Nurse Bradley in the 1980s sitcom House Calls, and she appeared in several episodes of Matlock with star Andy Griffith.[7] In addition, Corsaut played the role of nurse Jesse Brewer in 1977 on the long-running ABC soap opera General Hospital when long-time portrayer Emily McLaughlin was too ill to work.[8]

She returned to the role of Helen Crump in the reunion shows Return to Mayberry in 1986 and The Andy Griffith Show Reunion in 1993.[4]

As a writer, she coauthored The Mystery Reader's Quiz Book.[4][9]

Personal life and death[edit]

Corsaut never married nor had children.[10]

According to the 2015 book Andy & Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show, Corsaut and the married Andy Griffith had an ongoing affair throughout their five years together on The Andy Griffith Show; the affair was an open secret among the cast and crew.[11]

On November 6, 1995, Corsaut died of cancer in Los Angeles, California.[1][4] A Catholic, she was interred at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in nearby North Hollywood.[12]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1958 The Blob Jane Martin credited as Aneta Corseaut
1964 Good Neighbor Sam Fran Uncredited
1965 A Rage to Live Mary Uncredited
1974 Blazing Saddles Tourist Mother Uncredited
1978 The Toolbox Murders Joanne Ballard

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1955 Producers' Showcase "The Fourposter"
1955 Robert Montgomery Presents "Man Lost"
1959 Black Saddle Mary Warren "Client: Peter Warren"
1960 Unsolved Gloria TV movie
1960 Johnny Ringo Lettie Frome "Black Harvest"
1960 Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Amy "Ransom"
1960 Guestward, Ho! Mrs. Bennet "Bab's Mother"
1960 The Detectives Ruth Shaley "Longshot"
1960 Death Valley Days Lydia Starkweather "Cap'n Pegleg"
1960 The Law and Mr. Jones Berger's Daughter "No Sale"
1961 The Law and Mr. Jones Mary Clover "One for the Money"
1961 Hennesey Mrs. Vaughn "The Specialist"
1961 Hong Kong Jeannie "Lady Godiva"
1961 Harrigan and Son Susan Fenton "The Man Who Wouldn't Stay Dead"
1961–1962 Mrs. G. Goes to College Irma Howell Regular role
1962 The Detectives Mae Banks "The Fourth Commandment"
1962 Death Valley Days Emilie Reed "Suzie"
1962 Saints and Sinners Ellie "A Shame for the Diamond Wedding"
1963 Bonanza Rebecca Kaufman "The Way of Aaron"
1963 The Real McCoys Karen "The McCoy Hex"
1963–1968 The Andy Griffith Show Helen Crump Recurring role
1964 The Eleventh Hour Marian "The Secret in the Stone"
1965 Ben Casey Hanna Berger "Where Does the Boomerang Go?"
1965 Death Valley Days Kathy McLennan / Sarah Howard / Emma Donaldson "Paid in Full", "Dry Water Sailors", "The Red Shawl"
1965 The Farmer's Daughter Alice "Katy by Moonlight"
1965 Valentine's Day Lydia Newman "I'll Cry at My Wedding"
1965 Gunsmoke Eleanor Starkey "Twenty Miles from Dodge"
1967 Gunsmoke Sister Ruth "Ladies from St. Louis"
1968–1969 Mayberry R.F.D. Helen Crump Taylor "Andy and Helen Get Married", "Andy's Baby"
1970 Me and Benjie TV movie
1970 Nanny and the Professor Dr. Neilson "My Son, the Sitter"
1973 Marcus Welby, M.D. Jenny Bailey "Gemini Descending"
1973 Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law Ethel Palmer "Why Is a Crooked Letter"
1973 Columbo Nurse Morgan "A Stitch in Crime"
1974 Bad Ronald Mrs. Matthews TV movie
1974 Emergency! Helena Hartley "Propinquity", "Inventions"
1975 Emergency! Sheila "Simple Adjustment"
1975 McMillan & Wife Hotel Desk Clerk "Love, Honor and Swindle"
1975 Adam-12 Judy "Ladies' Night", "Something Worth Dying For: Part 2"
1975 The Blue Knight Vera "Triple Threat"
1976 Rich Man, Poor Man Miss Erdlatz "Part I: Chapters 1 & 2"
1976 Marcus Welby, M.D. Brenda Tillerman "The Highest Mountain"
1979 The Runaways Shirley Grady "Street of Terror: Part 2"
1980–81 House Calls Head Nurse Bradley Recurring role
1983 Hart to Hart Dorothy Smith "Pandora Has Wings"
1984 Days of Our Lives Blanche Dailey TV series
1986 Hotel Mrs. Weaver "Hearts Divided"
1986 Return to Mayberry Helen Crump Taylor TV movie
1987 Matlock Mrs. Ida Stillman "The Network"
1990 Matlock Sarah Richards "The Mother"
1991–1992 Matlock Judge Cynthia Justin Recurring role, (final appearance)

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Lentz, Harris M. (1995). Obituaries in the Performing Arts. McFarland & Company. p. 42. ISBN 0-786-40253-9.
  2. ^ Kaplan (1986). Variety: Who's Who In Show Business. Taylor & Francis. p. 95.
  3. ^ Witbeck, Charles (May 29, 1967). "One More Year For Andy Griffith". Toledo Blade. p. 31. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Aneta Corsaut; Helen Crump on 'Andy Griffith Show'". Los Angeles Times. November 10, 1995. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
  5. ^ Murdico, Suzanne J. (2004). Meet the Blob. The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 22. ISBN 1-404-20271-4.
  6. ^ "Paid in Full on Death Valley Days". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  7. ^ Murdico 2004 p.23
  8. ^ Reed, Jon-Michael (February 3, 1977). "Actress Does a 'Double' Take". Ocala Star-Banner. p. 9A. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
  9. ^ Corsaut, Aneta; Singer, Muff; Wagner, Robert, The Mystery Reader's Quiz Book, M Evans & Co (December 1981), 0871313510
  10. ^ "FamilySearch.org". ancestors.familysearch.org. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  11. ^ De Visé, Daniel (2015). Andy & Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show. New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 146–147. ISBN 978-1-4767-4773-6. Retrieved May 14, 2023 – via Internet Archive text collection.
  12. ^ Ellenberger, Allan R. (2001). Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory. McFarland & Company Incorporated. p. 202. ISBN 0-786-40983-5.

External links[edit]

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