
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.
- Known ForActing
- Born7 June 1896 (age 129)
- Place of BirthMattoon, Illinois, USA
Hope Summers

- Known ForActing
- Born7 June 1896 (age 129)
- Place of BirthMattoon, Illinois, USA

Evil Town
1987

Foul Play
1978

Smokey and the Good Time Outlaws
1978

Dr. Shagetz
1975

Indict and Convict
1974

Our Time
1974

Death Sentence
1974

Charley Varrick
1973

Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies
1973

Where Does It Hurt?
1972

Get to Know Your Rabbit
1972

The Learning Tree
1969

Rosemary's Baby
1968

The Shakiest Gun in the West
1968

The Ghost & Mr. Chicken
1966

Penelope
1966

The Hallelujah Trail
1965

One Man's Way
1964

Spencer's Mountain
1963

The Couch
1962

The Children's Hour
1961

Homicidal
1961

Parrish
1961

Claudelle Inglish
1961

Angel Baby
1961

Inherit the Wind
1960

Edge of Eternity
1959

Hound-Dog Man
1959

I Want to Live!
1958

Zero Hour!
1957
