Peggy Webber

Peggy Webber

Peggy Webber (right) and Christopher Welles in Macbeth (1948)
Born (1925-09-15) September 15, 1925
Laredo, Texas, United States
Occupation Actress
Years active 1937-2005

Peggy Webber (born September 15, 1925) is a retired American actress who was active in film, television and radio.

Early years

The daughter of a wildcat oil driller,[1] Webber was born in Laredo, Texas.

In 1942, she graduated from Tucson High School, where she was active in dramatics.[2] Before she was 3 years old, she was entertaining audiences at intermission times in movie theaters.[3]

Film

Her screen debut came in the 1946 film Her Adventurous Night. She played Lady Macduff in Orson Welles' adaptation of Macbeth. Other notable roles include Mrs. Alice Rice in the 1952 film Submarine Command and Miss Dennerly in The Wrong Man, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.[4]

Radio

Webber debuted on radio at age 12 on WOAI (AM) in San Antonio, Texas.[5] Her vocal talents for radio were highlighted in Time magazine's August 5, 1946, issue. The Radio: Vocal Varieties article noted, "In three years her lastex voice has supplied radio with 150 different characters on some 2,500 broadcasts."[6]

Programs on which she was heard included The Dreft Star Playhouse,[5] The Woman in My House,[7]:358 Pete Kelly's Blues,[7]:269 Dr. Paul,[7]:101 The Damon Runyon Theater,[7] and The Man Called X.[2] In 1979, she played many characters on Sears Radio Theater.

She is the founder of California Artists Radio Theatre.[8]

Television

Webber portrayed Elsie Sandor in King's Row on ABC in 1955-1956.[9]

Writing, directing and producing

Webber wrote and directed "some 250 stage plays, radio and television programs."[3] She was writer and producer for Treasures of Literature, an early television program. In her later years she was responsible for writing, directing and producing "hundreds of new audio programs."[3]

Recognition

Webber received the 2014 Norman Corwin Award for Excellence in Audio Theatre, "which celebrates a lifetime of achievement in this sonic art."[3] She was the first woman so honored.[3] Her program Treasure of Literature was named "Most Popular Television Program - 1949" by the Television Academy.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Weaver, Tom (2010). A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers. McFarland. p. 191. ISBN 9780786458318. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Peggy Webber to Be on Air". Tucson Daily Citizen. Arizona, Tucson. June 13, 1946. p. 5. Retrieved August 2, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Zizza, Sue (October 2014). "Hear now festival honors radio actress: Webber receives Norman Corwin Award for excellence in audio theatre". Radio World. 38 (25). Retrieved 2 August 2016. – via General OneFile (subscription required)
  4. ↑ "Radio theater's Peggy Webber is 90 – and cooler than you". Los Angeles Weekly. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  5. 1 2 DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-2834-2. P. 278.
  6. ↑ "Radio: Vocal Varieties". Time. August 5, 1946. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4. Pp. 89-90.
  8. ↑ "Peggy Webber". Cartradio.com. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  9. ↑ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7. P. 567.
  10. ↑ "Awards Search". Television Academy. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
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