Sarah Elizabeth Selby (August 30, 1905 – January 7, 1980) was an American actress.
Career Selby was a character actress who played minor roles for the most part – usually a town gossip, maiden aunt, or teacher. Beginning her career as a radio actress, she made her screen debut voicing one of the elephants in Disney's Dumbo (1941). She was best known for her recurring role as Ma Smalley, the owner of a boarding house on TV's Gunsmoke (1955). She had recurring roles on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, initially as Gracie's friend Mamie Kelly, and then a recurring role as Lucille Vanderlip the society hostess wife of banker Chester Vanderlip. In 1963 she played Mrs. Cardiff in "The Way of Aaron," Season 4, Episode 24 of Bonanza. In 1964, she appeared with Jackie Cooper in "Caesar and Me", an episode of the Twilight Zone (Season 5, Episode 32). She also had a recurring role on Father Knows Best as Jim Anderson's (Robert Young) secretary.
She appeared in numerous films from 1941 to 1978. In her first role, she voiced the elephant Prissy in the movie Dumbo. Selby was an actress, known for Tower of London (1962), Beyond the Forest (1949) and a recurring role as Aunt Gertrude in The Mickey Mouse Club television series The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure (1956). Among her radio program appearances, she played various roles on 1947 Escape drama anthology series, and was a regular cast member as Grace in the 1948–50 Junior Miss radio sitcom.
Personal life and death Selby was married to Holger Yngvar Harthern-Jakobsen, and to Stanley Robert Wuliger. She died from cancer at the age of 74, on January 7, 1980, in Los Angeles California.
Feature-length films
1943 The Seventh Victim - Min Gottschalk
1944 San Diego, I Love You - Mrs. Lovelace The Curse of the Cat People - Miss Plunkett
1945 The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry - Alice Earl Carroll Vanities - Mrs. Thayer The Beautiful Cheat - Athena [Haven] Wonder Man - Woman in library The Naughty Nineties - Mrs. Hawkins
1946 One Exciting Week - Committee Woman Idea Girl - Esmeralda Little Iodine - Mrs. Bigdome
1947 Swell Guy - Lorraine Stork Bites Man - Mrs. Greene The Fabulous Texan - Unknown That's My Man - Unknown
1948 A Double Life - Anna Trapped by Boston Blackie - Mrs. Carter Train to Alcatraz - Widow's friend
1949 Beyond the Forest - Mildred Sorren Prison Warden - Vivian Markham Side Street - Nurse Williams
1950 Perfect Strangers - Mrs. Wilson
1951 Jim Thorpe – All-American - Miss Benton
1952 The Sniper - (unknown character role) The Iron Mistress - Mrs. Bowie
1953 Battle Circus - Capt. Dobbs Mister Scoutmaster - Mrs. Weber The System - Liz Allen
1954 Men of the Fighting Lady - Mrs. Syzmanski
1955 Good Morning, Miss Dove - Teacher Battle Cry - Mrs. Forrester The McConnell Story - Mom Brown
1957 An Affair to Remember - Miss Lane Short Cut to Hell - Adam's secretary Gunfire at Indian Gap - Bessie Moran Stopover Tokyo - Wife of High Commissioner No Time to Be Young - Helen Root
1962 Moon Pilot - Mrs. Celia Talbot Tower of London - The Queen
1964 Taggart - Maude Taggart
1967 Don't Make Waves - Ethyl
1973 The World's Greatest Athlete - Woman in jeep who points out cheetah
Bibliography
References
External links
Sarah Selby at UCLA Film & Television Archive catalog