# Lenka Peterson

Lenka Peterson (born Betty Ann Isacson; October 16, 1925 – September 24, 2021) was an American theater, film, and television actress.

## Early years

Peterson was born in Omaha, Nebraska, a daughter of Swedish and Hungarian immigrants. Her father was Swedish, and her mother was Hungarian. She majored in drama at the University of Iowa.

## Career

Peterson had the role of Corliss Archer in a USO-sponsored troupe that performed on military bases in Japan, the Philippines, and other places in the Pacific. In the mid-1940s, she acted with the Berkshire Playhouse stock theater in New Hampshire. She later acted on stage in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Boston, Massachusetts; and Providence, Rhode Island.
One of the first members admitted to New York City's Actors Studio, Peterson's Broadway portrayals included Ella in Sundown Beach (1948), Maude in The Grass Harp (1952), Kitty in The Time of Your Life (1955), Sally and Mary in All the Way Home (1960), Rose in Nuts (1980), and Sarah in Quilters (1984).
Peterson was nominated for a 1985 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role in Quilters. She guest starred in such early television productions as Hallmark Hall of Fame (1952), The Philco Television Playhouse (1955), and Actors Studio (1949 and 1950).
On television, she portrayed Faye Banister on the NBC drama Young Dr. Malone (1958),$^{:120}$ Martha Skerba on the ABC serial A Time for Us (1964),$^{:1085}$ Doris Bonino on the NBC comedy Bonino (1953) and Eve Morgan on the ABC comedy Love, Sidney (1981)$^{:629-630}$ and was a cast member of the series Herb Shriner Time (1951),$^{:451}$ Search for Tomorrow, playing Isabel Moore in 1962 and Evelyn Reedy in 1977, A Flame in the Wind, Another World as Marie Fenton from 1983 to 1984 and later Lorna Devon's adopted grandmother, and Code of Vengeance. She also played Grandmom in the American Playhouse production of John Updike's story, Pigeon Feathers in 1988.

## Personal life and death

On May 8, 1948, Peterson married Daniel O'Connor in Omaha, Nebraska. Peterson was the mother of actress Glynnis O'Connor and Darren O'Connor (and three more children) by O'Connor, who died in 2015.
Peterson died at her home in Roxbury, Connecticut. She was 95.

## Filmography

Films :
| Year | Title | Role |
| 2006 | All the King's Men | Savannah Clerk |
| 2006 | Waltzing Anna | |
| 2000 | Cheaters | Mrs. Plecki |
| 1995 | Jeffrey | Church Lady 2 |
| 1992 | Live Wire | Gwen |
| 1988 | Fatal Judgement | Martha Busek |
| 1987 | Dragnet | Granny Mundy |
| 1987 | Pals | Betty |
| 1985 | Code of Vengeance | Ione Flowers |
| 1984 | Why Me? | Leola Mae's Mother |
| 1980 | Headin' for Broadway | Mrs. Richards |
| 1980 | Seizure: The Story of Kathy Morris | Music Teacher |
| 1976 | Lifeguard | Mrs. Carlson |
| 1975 | Returning Home | Mrs. Parish |
| 1975 | First Ladies Diaries: Rachel Jackson | Mrs. Robards |
| 1975 | The Runaways | Mrs. Wilson |
| 1975 | Someone I Touched | Enid |
| 1973 | The Werewolf of Washington | Senator Joan |
| 1973 | Duty Bound | Mrs. Brook |
| 1970 | Homer | Mrs. Edwards |
| 1964 | Black Like Me | Lucy Horton |
| 1961 | Special for Women: The Glamour Trap | Housewife |
| 1955 | The Phenix City Story | Mary Jo Patterson |
| 1951 | Take Care of My Little Girl | Ruth Gates |
| 1950 | Panic in the Streets | Jeanette |
Television :
| Year | Title | Role | Note |
| 2003 | Law & Order: Special Victim Unit | Melanie Dunne | Episode: Choice |
| 2000 | Wonderland | | Episode: 20/20 Hindsight |
| 1992–1996 | Law & Order | Ann Schoenberg / Olivia | Episodes: Survivor, Star Struck |
| 1994 | The Crosby Mysteries | Louise Taft | Episode: Expert Witness |
| 1992 | Civil Wars | Byrdie Davies | Episode: Ocean White with Phone |
| 1988 | L.A. Law | Julia Clarent | Episode: Chariots of Meyer |
| 1988 | American Playhouse | Grandmom | Episode: Pigeon Feathers |
| 1987 | Kate & Allie | Street Woman | Episode: Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? |
| 1986 | Hill Street Blues | Marsha | Episode: Suitcase |
| 1986 | General Hospital | Edna | |
| 1985 | Search for Tomorrow | Grace Blake | |
| 1985 | Code of Vengeance | Ione Flowers | |
| 1983 | Another World | Marie Fenton | |
| 1981–1982 | Love, Sidney | Laurie's Mother | Episodes: Visitors from Smoot, Just Folks |
| 1981 | Ryan's Hope | Nurse Grandy | |
| 1977 | Quincy M.E. | Amanda Stoddard | Episode: Tissue of Truth |
| 1976 | Kingston: Confidential | Laura Frazier | Episode: Frazier |
| 1974–1975 | Kojak | Dr. Barbara Kirk / Dr. Kirk | Episodes: I Want to Report a Dream, Cross Your Heart and Hope to Die |
| 1975 | The Rookies | Phyllis Wirl | Episode: The Saturday Night Special |
| 1974 | Apple's Way | Aunt Carol | Episode: The First Love |
| 1974 | Lucas Tanner | Grace Garfield | Episode: Winners and Losers |
| 1965 | A Flame in the Wind | Martha Skerba Driscoll | |
| 1963 | Look Up and Live | Eleanor Collins | Episode: The End of the Story |
| 1963 | The Doctors and the Nurses | Emily Ross | Episode: The Third Generation |
| 1962 | The Defenders | Donna Simmons | Episode: The Seven Ghost of Simon Gray |
| 1961 | Route 66 | Beth Brack | Episode: Burning for Burning |
| 1961 | The Ed Sullivan Show | Sally Follet | |
| 1958 | Young Dr. Malone | Faye Bannister | |
| 1957 | The Big Story | Edna / Linda Gil / Marie Manning | Episodes: Make Believe Bandit, Desperate Hunger, Exposure |
| 1957 | Decoy | Dorothy Boyer | Episode: Scape Goat |
| 1957 | True Story | Judy | Episode: Girl in the Hotel |
| 1957 | Studio One | Carol Bixby | Episodes: The Goodwill Ambassadors |
| 1956–1957 | Robert Montgomery Presents | Nancy Bolen | |
| 1956 | The Alcoa Hour | Marilyn | Episode: Finkle's Comet |
| 1952–1955 | The Philco Television Playhouse | | |
| 1954–1955 | Armstrong Circle Theatre | | |
| 1954 | The Elgin Hour | Marge | Episode: Hearts and Holywood |
| 1954 | Ponds Theater | Evelyn | Episode: Guest in the House |
| 1954 | Justice | | Episode: Man on the Hunt |
| 1954 | Suspense | | Episode: Once a Killer |
| 1954 | Inner Sanctum | Ginny | Episode: The Perfect Kill |
| 1953 | Bonino | | |
| 1953 | The Gulf Playhouse | | |
| 1952 | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Anne Brontë | Episode: Our Sister Emily |
| 1952 | CBS Television Workshop | | Episode: Careless Lover |
| 1951 | Lights Out | | Episode: Beyond the Door |
| 1951 | The Web | | Episode: The House Guests |
| 1949–1950 | Actors Studio | | Episode: Joe McSween's Atomic Machine |