The Resume

(June 3, 1911-April 14, 1999)
Born in Racine, Wisconsin
Birth name was Ellen Hansen
Portrayed Grandma Esther Walton on 'The Waltons' (1972-79)
Appeared in the films 'I Remember Mama' (1948), 'Caged' (1950), 'The Gunfighter' (1950), 'Angels in the Outfield' (1951), 'Shane' (1953), 'Vertigo' (1958), 'Pocketful of Miracles' (1961), 'Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte' (1964), 'The Ghost and Mr. Chicken' (1966) and 'The Glass Bottom Boat' (1966)

Why she might be annoying:

In her movie roles, she was usually typecast as an old maid busybody.
She was a follower of transcendental meditation and appeared alongside the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Merv Griffin Show.
Despite having been nominated for an Oscar, she was left out of the 'In Memoriam' segment of the 72nd Academy Awards.

Why she might not be annoying:

Before her acting career took off, she worked twelve years as a script girl and wrote two screenplays.
She won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar for 'I Remember Mama.'
She said, 'When the children on the Waltons heard that I worked with Laurel and Hardy, I was in.'
She won three Emmys for the Waltons.
She suffered a stroke (1977) but returned to the Waltons a year later with the effects of her stroke written into the show.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Alfred Hitchcock Presents [A-K]
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 18]
• Daniel Boone - Guest Stars
• Frank Capra Films
• Golden Boot Award Recipients (Ranked: 1989)
• Golden Globe: Best Performance by a Supporting Actress (Ranked: 1948)
• Golden Globe: Best Performance by a Supporting Actress [TV] (Ranked: 1973)
• I Died in 1999 (Ranked: 87)
• I Had a Stroke [Cerebral Vascular Accident]
• I Portrayed a Librarian
• I Portrayed a Nun
• I Publicly Defended Joan Crawford
• I'm Buried at Forest Lawn Glendale Cemetery [Calif]
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Dramatic Series Emmy (Ranked: 1973)
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Dramatic Series Emmy (Ranked: 1975)
• Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Dramatic Series Emmy (Ranked: 1976)
• Perry Mason - Guest Stars
• Profiles 25001-25250 (Ranked: 25041)
• The Rifleman and Guests
• Transcendental Meditaters [TM]
• Vicki Lawrence Impersonations
• Waltons
• We Died on the Same Day (Ranked: 19990414)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 85 Votes: 48.24% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 11 Votes: 27.27% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 36 Votes: 72.22% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 17 Votes: 47.06% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 23 Votes: 52.17% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 7 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 24 Votes: 29.17% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 20 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 147 Votes: 36.05% Annoying