Acting
Hope Summers
Hope Summers could portray a friendly neighbor or companion as she did for Frances Bavier's Aunt Bee character on many episodes of The Andy Griffith Show (1960) or a seemingly amiable Satanist in Rosemary's Baby (1968). Born in Mattoon, Illinois, she developed an early interest in the theater. Graduating from Northwestern School of Speech in Evanston, Illinois, she subsequently taught speech and diction there. This, in turn, led to her the head position in the Speech Department at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, teaching students privately on the side as well. In the 1930s Hope began to focus on acting. She found work in community and stock theaters in Illinois and earned some notice for putting on one-woman shows such as "Backstage of Broadway." She made use of her vocal eloquence by building up her resumé on radio, performing in scores of dramatic shows, including "Authors' Playhouse," "First Night," "Ma Perkins", and "Step-Mother". In 1950 Hope transferred her talents to the new medium of television and earned a regular role on the comedy series Hawkins Falls: A Television Novel (1950). By the age of 50 she was customarily called upon to play slightly older than she was, appearing in a number of minuscule matron roles in such films as Zero Hour! (1957), Hound-Dog Man (1959), Inherit the Wind (1960), Spencer's Mountain (1963), The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966), Charley Varrick (1973) and her last, Foul Play (1978). She never had any major stand-out roles in movies; TV would be a more prolific choice of medium. Her gently stern, old-fashioned looks allowed her to be a part of many small-town settings, including Dennis the Menace (1959) and Petticoat Junction (1963), and in various western locales such as Maverick (1957) and Wagon Train (1957). She played a rustic regular for many years on The Rifleman (1958). Usually assigned to play teachers, nurses and other helpful, nurturing types, her characters were also known to be inveterate gossips. Hope worked until close to the end of her life, passing away from heart failure in 1979.
Filmography
Evil Town
Film · 1987
Foul Play
Film · 1978
Smokey and the Good Time Outlaws
Film · 1978
Another Day
Series · 1978
Snip
Series · 1976
Dr. Shagetz
Film · 1975
Welcome Back, Kotter
Series · 1975
Starsky & Hutch
Series · 1975
Indict and Convict
Film · 1974
Our Time
Film · 1974
Death Sentence
Film · 1974
Little House on the Prairie
Series · 1974
Chico and the Man
Series · 1974
Charley Varrick
Film · 1973
Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies
Film · 1973
Where Does It Hurt?
Film · 1972
Get to Know Your Rabbit
Film · 1972
M*A*S*H
Series · 1972
Night Gallery
Series · 1970
The Learning Tree
Film · 1969
Hawaii Five-O
Series · 1969
Rosemary's Baby
Film · 1968
The Shakiest Gun in the West
Film · 1968
5 Card Stud
Film · 1968
Mayberry R.F.D.
Series · 1968
Adam-12
Series · 1968
Mayberry R.F.D.
Series · 1968
The Second Hundred Years
Series · 1967
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken
Film · 1966
Penelope
Film · 1966
Love on a Rooftop
Series · 1966
That Girl
Series · 1966
The Pruitts of Southampton
Series · 1966
The Hallelujah Trail
Film · 1965
One Man's Way
Film · 1964
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Series · 1964
Bewitched
Series · 1964
Spencer's Mountain
Film · 1963
The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters
Series · 1963
Petticoat Junction
Series · 1963
Glynis
Series · 1963
The Couch
Film · 1962
The Beverly Hillbillies
Series · 1962
The Children's Hour
Film · 1961
Homicidal
Film · 1961
Parrish
Film · 1961
Claudelle Inglish
Film · 1961
Angel Baby
Film · 1961
The Dick Van Dyke Show
Series · 1961
The New Breed
Series · 1961
Dr. Kildare
Series · 1961
Inherit the Wind
Film · 1960
The Andy Griffith Show
Series · 1960
My Three Sons
Series · 1960
Edge of Eternity
Film · 1959
Hound-Dog Man
Film · 1959
Law of the Plainsman
Series · 1959
The Third Man
Series · 1959
Dennis the Menace
Series · 1959
I Want to Live!
Film · 1958
Peter Gunn
Series · 1958
The Rifleman
Series · 1958
The Rifleman
Series · 1958
U.S. Marshall
Series · 1958
Zero Hour!
Film · 1957
The Thin Man
Series · 1957
Maverick
Series · 1957
The Gale Storm Show
Series · 1956
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Gunsmoke
Series · 1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Series · 1955
Son of Man
Film · 1954
General Electric Theater
Series · 1953
Private Secretary
Series · 1953
Letter to Loretta
Series · 1953
General Electric Theater
Series · 1953
General Electric Theater
Series · 1953
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Series · 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Series · 1951
Better Use of Leisure Time
Film · 1950