Patricia Benoit | |
|---|---|
 Patricia Benoit poses for the television wedding (for breakthrough 1954 TV series Mister Peepers) on 30 March 1954. | |
| Born | (1927-02-21)21 February 1927 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | 6 August 2018(2018-08-06) (aged 91) Port Chester, New York, U.S. |
| Occupations | stage actress, television actress |
| Years active | 1950–1963 |
| Known for | Mister Peepers |
| Spouse | Parton Swift (his death 1991) |
| Children | 2 |
Patricia Eloise Benoit[1] (February 21, 1927 – August 6, 2018) was an American television and stage actress.[2] She starred as the title character's eventual wife Nancy Remington in the 1950s TV series, Mister Peepers.
Early life
Born February 21, 1927, in Fort Worth, Texas,[3][4] Benoit had attended both Paschal High School and Texas State College for Women before deciding to pursue acting as a career.[5][6] Moving to New York City in her late teens, Benoit attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts for two years.[3]
Career
She also made a solitary appearance in the television series Believe It or Not in 1950[7] before earning a career breakthrough performance in Broadway comedy sitcom Glad Tidings where she played the role of long-lost daughter of Melvyn Douglas.[2] She also received an award for Outstanding New Talent at the Theatre World Award in 1952.[8][9]
She also rose to prominence by playing the role of Wally Cox's sweetheart in the record breaking 1950s NBC television series, Mister Peepers. The wedding moment between her and Wally Cox was a record smashing moment in television history in 1954 and was largely appreciated by the TV audience.[10] The American TV magazine TV Guide used the picture of the couple's television wedding in 1954 in its cover page.[11]
Personal life
She was married to Parton Swift Jr. from 1952 until his death in 1991. They had two sons, Jeremy and Nicholas.[12] They had two sons.
Death
Benoit died at her home in Port Chester, New York, on August 6, 2018, at the age of 91,[13] survived by her sons and her sister, Mrs. Doris Wright.[2]
References
- ^ "Texas, Birth Certificates, 1903-1936", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VHZY-YC7 : Sun Jul 21 06:31:54 UTC 2024), Entry for Patricia Eloise Benoit and J W Benoit, 21 Feb 1927.
- ^ a b c "Patricia Benoit Swift". Star Telegram.. August 12, 2018.
- ^ a b Kish, Frances (October 1958). "Today Is Ours: Patricia Benoit". TV Radio Mirror. p. 69. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
- ^ "Do You Belong to Birthday Club? (Today's Roster)". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Feb 21, 1938. p. 4. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
- ^ "Two Paschal ROTC Events Will Become Annual Affairs". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. March 3, 1944. p. 8. Retrieved November 16, 2025. "One event was a recognition program for the ROTC to raise funds memory of Lt. G. W. Haltom, a Paschal High graduate of 1938 who was killed in action. [...] Clark Gillespie and Patricia Benoit were narrators."
- ^ Hicks, Ida Belle (April 26, 1945). "The Amusement World: Women in Uniform Are Merry and Informative". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 18. Retrieved November 16, 2025. "The cast of 'Rackety-Packety House,' the Children's Theater play by the drama department of Texas State College for Women at Denton, will have five Fort Worth girls in its cast when it is presented April 27-28. They are; Doris Baker, 3743 Westcliff Rd., S.; Patricia Benoit, 1125 Jennings;"
- ^ Hawes, William (2001). Live Television Drama, 1946-1951. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 274. ISBN 978-0-7864-0905-1. "29 March 1950—8:00 'The Frightened City,' for Believe It or Not. Cast: Paticia Benoit, Barbara Bolton, Wesley Addy."
- ^ Willis, John (2002). Theatre World 1998-1999. New York: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. p. 206. ISBN 1-55783-432-6.
- ^ Blum, Daniel J.; Willis, John (1958). Daniel Blum's Theatre World, Volume 15. Greenberg. p. 216. OCLC 47783428.
- ^ "Patricia Benoit, Wally Cox's Sweetheart on 'Mister Peepers,' Dies at 91". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
- ^ TV Guide. May 21, 1954. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
- ^ "Parton Smith, Jr,: retired writer, editor". The Standard-Star. March 12, 1991. p. 4. Retrieved November 16, 2025. "He married Patricia Benoit on Oct. 2, 1953, in Harrison. In addition to his wife, Mr. Swift is survived by two sons, Jeremy of Port Chester and Nicholas of Delhi, N.Y."
- ^ Lentz, Harris M. (2019). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2018. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 28. ISSN 1087-9617.
External links
- Patricia Benoit at IMDb
- Patricia Benoit at the Internet Broadway Database
