Bess Flowers
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Bess Flowers (November 23, 1898 – July 28, 1984) was an American actress. By some counts considered the most prolific actress in the history of Hollywood, she was known as "The Queen of the Hollywood Extras," appearing in over 700 movies in her 41 year career. Born in Sherman, Texas, Flowers's film debut came in 1923, when she appeared in Hollywood. She made three films that year, and then began working extensively. Many of her appearances are uncredited, as she generally played non-speaking roles. By the 1930s, Flowers was in constant demand. Her appearances ranged from Alfred Hitchcock and John Ford thrillers to comedic roles alongside of Charley Chase, the Three Stooges, Leon Errol, Edgar Kennedy, and Laurel and Hardy. She appeared in the following five films which won the Academy Award for Best Picture: It Happened One Night, You Can't Take it with You, All About Eve, The Greatest Show on Earth, and Around the World in Eighty Days. In each of these movies, Flowers was uncredited. Including these five movies, she had appeared in twenty-three Best Picture nominees in total, making her the record holder for most appearances in films nominated for the award. Her last movie was Good Neighbor Sam in 1964. Flowers's acting career was not confined to feature films. She was also seen in many episodic American TV series, such as I Love Lucy, notably in episodes, "Lucy Is Enceinte" (1952), "Ethel's Birthday" (1955), and "Lucy's Night in Town" (1957), where she is usually seen as a theatre patron. Outside her acting career, in 1945, Bess Flowers helped to found the Screen Extras Guild (active: 1946-1992, then merged with SAG), where she served as one of its first vice-presidents and recording secretaries.
Filmography (94)
The Manchurian Candidate
Judgment at Nuremberg
Blue Hawaii
Pocketful of Miracles
Home from the Hill
Please Don't Eat the Daisies
The Lost World
North by Northwest
Imitation of Life
The Fly
Vertigo
A Night to Remember
Houseboat
Witness for the Prosecution
Funny Face
Around the World in 80 Days
Giant
To Catch a Thief
Guys and Dolls
Rear Window
A Star Is Born
Dial M for Murder
White Christmas
The Caine Mutiny
Living It Up
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Small Town Girl
Niagara
Calamity Jane
The Robe
The Band Wagon
The Bigamist
Singin' in the Rain
The Greatest Show on Earth
The Day the Earth Stood Still
A Place in the Sun
An American in Paris
Royal Wedding
Operation Pacific
Father of the Bride
In a Lonely Place
All About Eve
Let's Dance
Mighty Joe Young
The Big Clock
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Song of the Thin Man
Notorious
The Big Sleep
Gilda
The Dark Mirror
The Razor's Edge
Mildred Pierce
Twice Blessed
The Woman in Green
The Mummy's Ghost
Hail the Conquering Hero
Double Indemnity
Laura
The Woman in the Window
The Mad Ghoul
Now, Voyager
The Palm Beach Story
I Married a Witch
Ship Ahoy
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Meet John Doe
Penny Serenade
The Lady Eve
Lady Be Good
Hellzapoppin'
Blood and Sand
Broadway Melody of 1940
Gone with the Wind
The Roaring Twenties
Ninotchka
You Can't Take It with You
In Old Chicago
The Awful Truth
A Day at the Races
Nothing Sacred
Make Way for Tomorrow
Dodsworth
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
My Man Godfrey
Wife vs. Secretary
A Night at the Opera
It Happened One Night
The Thin Man
Dinner at Eight
42nd Street
Grand Hotel
Monkey Business
