Alice Pearce - wikipedia Alice Pearce Alice Pearce As Gladys Kravitz in Bewitched ( 1917 - 10 - 16 ) October 16, 1917 New York City, New York, U.S. March 3, 1966 ( 1966 - 03 - 03 ) ( aged 48 ) Hollywood, California, U.S. Cause of death Ovarian cancer Occupation Actress Years active 1943 -- 1966 Spouse ( s ) John Rox ( 1948 -- 1957 ; his death ) Paul Davis ( 1964 -- 1966 ; her death ) Awards Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Alice Pearce ( October 16, 1917 -- March 3, 1966 ) was an American actress. She was brought to Hollywood by Gene Kelly to reprise her Broadway performance in the film version of On the Town ( 1949 ). Pearce played comedic supporting roles in several films, before being cast as nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz in the television sitcom Bewitched in 1964. She won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series posthumously after the second season of the series. She died from ovarian cancer in 1966. Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Personal life 3 Death 4 Selected filmography 5 Awards 6 References 7 External links Early Life and career Pearce was born in New York City, the only child of Margaret Clark and Robert E. Pearce. Her father was a foreign banking specialist, and her family moved to Europe when she was 18 months old. They lived in Brussels, Antwerp, Rome, and Paris. At age nine, she fell off a swing after losing her grip and landed on her chin. This left her with an undeveloped chin. She returned to the United States as a teenager, and boarded at the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1940, with a degree in drama. She began working in nightclubs as a comedian and was cast in the original Broadway production of On the Town ( 1944 -- 1946 ). Gene Kelly was so impressed by her that she became the only cast member to be included in the film version in 1949. Her comedic performance was well received by critics and public alike, and she was given her own television variety show, The Alice Pearce Show. More movie roles followed, and she made appearances on Broadway, where she met her husband, director Paul Davis, during a production of Bells Are Ringing. During the 1953 -- 1954 television season, Pearce was seen regularly on ABC 's Jamie, which starred Brandon deWilde. In 1964, Pearce was originally approached to play the part of Grandmama in the ABC television comedy series The Addams Family. She turned down the part, which went to veteran actress Blossom Rock. In 1964, Pearce joined the cast of Bewitched as the nagging and nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz. Pearce 's scenes were almost entirely reactions to the witchcraft she had witnessed at the house across the street. Her hysterical accusations against Samantha, played by Elizabeth Montgomery, and the disbelief of her husband Abner ( George Tobias ), provided a common thread through many of the series ' early episodes. She played the role until her death in 1966, and was replaced by Sandra Gould. Pearce was posthumously awarded an Emmy Award for this role ; Davis accepted this award on her behalf. Personal Life Pearce was married twice ; in 1948, she married composer John Rox. In 1957, Rox died of a heart attack. In 1964, she married stage manager Paul Davis, with whom she remained until her death. Pearce had no children. Pearce was a good friend of actor and photographer Cris Alexander. When Alexander was working on the illustrations for Patrick Dennis 's bestseller Little Me he asked Pearce to appear in the work as Winnie, the reform school friend of Belle Poitrine, the biography 's subject. She also appeared as several characters in Dennis ' and Alexander 's later project, First Lady : My Thirty Days at the White House. Death Pearce was diagnosed with terminal cancer before Bewitched began. She kept her illness a secret, although her rapid weight loss was quite evident during the second season of the sitcom. She died from ovarian cancer toward the end of the second year of Bewitched at the age of 48. Pearce was cremated and her ashes were scattered at sea. Selected filmography Year Title Role Notes 1949 On the Town Lucy Schmeeler 1949 The Alice Pearce Show Host Unknown episodes 1951 Lux Video Theatre Nina Episode : `` Dames Are Poison '' 1952 The Belle of New York Elsie Wilkins 1953 The Motorola Television Hour Hagga Episode : `` The Thirteen Clocks '' 1953 Broadway Television Theater Miss Dale Ogden Lady Emily Lyons Episode : The Bat by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood Episode : The Bishop Misbehaves by Frederick J. Jackson 1953 -- 1954 Jamie Annie Moakum 3 episodes 1953 -- 1954 Take It from Me Neighbor Also known as The Jean Carroll Show 1955 How to Be Very, Very Popular Miss `` Syl '' Sylvester 1955 Alice in Wonderland Dormouse Television movie 1956 The Opposite Sex Olga 1959 The Real McCoys Emmy Episode : `` Work No More, My Lady '' 1961 The Twilight Zone Mrs. Nielsen Episode : `` Static '' 1962 Lad : A Dog Hilda, the Nurse 1962 Dennis the Menace Lucy Tarbell 2 episodes 1963 My Six Loves Bus Driver 1963 Tammy and the Doctor Millie Baxter, Nurse 1963 The Thrill of It All Irving 's wife 1963 The Donna Reed Show Adele Collins Episode : `` A Touch of Glamour '' 1964 Dear Heart Miss Moore 1964 Hazel Miss Elsie Episode : `` Hot Potato ala Hazel '' 1964 The Disorderly Orderly Mrs. Fuzzibee, Talkative Patient 1964 Kiss Me, Stupid Mrs. Mulligan 1964 -- 1966 Bewitched Gladys Kravitz 27 episodes 1965 Dear Brigitte Unemployment Office Clerk 1965 Bus Riley 's Back in Town Woman Customer / Housewife 1966 The Glass Bottom Boat Mabel Fenimore Alternative title : The Spy in Lace Panties 1967 Vacation Playhouse Music Teacher Episode : `` My Boy Googie '' Aired posthumously Awards Year Award Title of work Result 1966 Emmy Award Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy Bewitched Won 2003 TV Land Awards Nosiest Neighbor Bewitched Won References ^ Jump up to : `` Alice Pearce ''. TV Land. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved November 7, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Misurell, Ed ( May 29, 1965 ). `` Her Life Is Filled with Sorcery ''. Daily American. p. 13. Retrieved July 6, 2017 -- via Newspapers.com. ^ Jump up to : `` Finally the Center of Attention ''. TV Guide. 13 ( 52 ) : 13 -- 14. December 25 -- 31, 1965. ISSN 0039 - 8543. ^ Jump up to : Shearer, Lloyd ( October 11, 1964 ). `` Alice Pearce : The Chinless Wonder ''. Reading Eagle. Retrieved September 27, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Alice Pearce ''. Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Associated Press. March 4, 1966. Retrieved September 27, 2014. Jump up ^ Green, Stanley ( 1999 ). Hollywood Musicals Year by Year. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 156. ISBN 978 - 0 - 634 - 00765 - 1. Retrieved October 3, 2015. ^ Jump up to : Terrace, Vincent ( November 6, 2008 ). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 ( 2 ed. ). McFarland & Company. pp. 25, 252, 525. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7864 - 8641 - 0. Retrieved October 3, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Sandra Gould Played Gladys Kravitz ''. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. July 28, 1999. Retrieved September 27, 2014. Jump up ^ Handsaker, Gene ( May 23, 1966 ). `` Miss Stanwyck, Cosby Are Top Performers ''. Nashua Telegraph. Associated Press. Retrieved September 28, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Terminal Illness ''. The Gettysburg Times. March 19, 1966. Retrieved September 28, 2014. Jump up ^ Manners, Dorothy ( March 9, 1966 ). `` Alice Pearce Chose Happiness ''. The Indianapolis Star. p. 23. Retrieved January 4, 2017 -- via Newspapers.com. ( Subscription required ( help ) ). Jump up ^ Leszczak, Bob ( November 2, 2012 ). Single Season Sitcoms, 1948 -- 1979 : A Complete Guide. McFarland & Company. p. 179. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7864 - 9305 - 0. Retrieved October 3, 2015. External links Biography portal Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alice Pearce. Alice Pearce at the Internet Broadway Database Alice Pearce at the TCM Movie Database Alice Pearce on IMDb `` Alice Pearce ''. Find a Grave. Retrieved September 14, 2010. Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Vivian Vance ( 1953 ) Audrey Meadows ( 1954 ) Nanette Fabray ( 1955 ) Pat Carroll ( 1956 ) Ann B. Davis ( 1957 ) Ann B. Davis ( 1959 ) Alice Pearce ( 1966 ) Frances Bavier ( 1967 ) Marion Lorne ( 1968 ) Karen Valentine ( 1970 ) Valerie Harper ( 1971 ) Sally Struthers / Valerie Harper ( TIE ) ( 1972 ) Valerie Harper ( 1973 ) Cloris Leachman ( 1974 ) Betty White ( 1975 ) Betty White ( 1976 ) Mary Kay Place ( 1977 ) Julie Kavner ( 1978 ) Sally Struthers ( 1979 ) Loretta Swit ( 1980 ) Eileen Brennan ( 1981 ) Loretta Swit ( 1982 ) Carol Kane ( 1983 ) Rhea Perlman ( 1984 ) Rhea Perlman ( 1985 ) Rhea Perlman ( 1986 ) Jackée Harry ( 1987 ) Estelle Getty ( 1988 ) Rhea Perlman ( 1989 ) Bebe Neuwirth ( 1990 ) Bebe Neuwirth ( 1991 ) Laurie Metcalf ( 1992 ) Laurie Metcalf ( 1993 ) Laurie Metcalf ( 1994 ) Christine Baranski ( 1995 ) Julia Louis - Dreyfus ( 1996 ) Kristen Johnston ( 1997 ) Lisa Kudrow ( 1998 ) Kristen Johnston ( 1999 ) Megan Mullally ( 2000 ) Doris Roberts ( 2001 ) Doris Roberts ( 2002 ) Doris Roberts ( 2003 ) Cynthia Nixon ( 2004 ) Doris Roberts ( 2005 ) Megan Mullally ( 2006 ) Jaime Pressly ( 2007 ) Jean Smart ( 2008 ) Kristin Chenoweth ( 2009 ) Jane Lynch ( 2010 ) Julie Bowen ( 2011 ) Julie Bowen ( 2012 ) Merritt Wever ( 2013 ) Allison Janney ( 2014 ) Allison Janney ( 2015 ) Kate McKinnon ( 2016 ) VIAF : 23604660 LCCN : n85376591 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alice_Pearce&oldid=795085022 '' Categories : 1917 births 1966 deaths 20th - century American actresses 20th - century American singers Actresses from New York City American female singers American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses Deaths from cancer in California Deaths from ovarian cancer Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award winners People from Dobbs Ferry, New York Sarah Lawrence College alumni Singers from New York City Hidden categories : Pages containing links to subscription - only content Use mdy dates from September 2014 Articles with hCards All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from March 2015 Articles with IBDb links Turner Classic Movies person ID not in Wikidata Find a Grave template with ID same as Wikidata Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Asturianu Deutsch Español فارسی Français Italiano Português Русский Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Tagalog Edit links This page was last edited on 11 August 2017, at 22 : 19. 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Question: who played the first gladys kravitz on bewitched
Answer: Alice Pearce