Jeanette Nolan
Biography
Jeanette Nolan (December 30, 1911 – June 5, 1998) was a distinguished American actress renowned for her extensive work in television, film, and radio. Over her remarkable career, she received four Emmy Award nominations and delivered memorable performances in series such as *The Virginian* (1962–1971) and *Dirty Sally* (1974), as well as in the film adaptation of *Macbeth* (1948).
Nolan launched her acting journey at the Pasadena Playhouse in California and, while attending Los Angeles City College, made her radio debut in 1932 with the groundbreaking transcontinental broadcast of *Omar Khayyam* from KHJ. Her career spanned several decades, with more than 300 television appearances, showcasing her versatility across genres. Notable roles included Dr. Marion in the 1956 episode "The Healer" of *Crusader*, and she made guest appearances on popular series such as *Crossroads*, *The Rebel*, *Richard Diamond, Private Detective*, and *Alfred Hitchcock Presents*.
Graduating from Abraham Lincoln High School in Los Angeles, Nolan married actor John McIntire in 1935, and the couple remained partners until his passing in 1991, raising two children who also pursued acting careers, Holly and Tim. The two often collaborated, lending their voices to characters in Disney films like *The Rescuers* (1977) and *The Fox and the Hound* (1981), and appeared together in numerous television shows.
Nolan passed away from a stroke at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in 1998 and was laid to rest in Tobacco Valley Cemetery, Eureka, Montana. Her legacy continues to resonate through her impactful performances.
Filmography
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A Lawless Street
1955
7th Cavalry
1956 • Charlotte Reynolds
The Secret of Convict Lake
1951 • Harriet Purcell
The Manitou
1978 • Mrs. Winconis
The Guns of Fort Petticoat
1957 • Cora Melavan
The Big Heat
1953 • Bertha Duncan
Saddle Tramp
1950 • Ma Higgins
The Reluctant Astronaut
1967 • Mrs. Fleming
The Great Impostor
1960 • Ma Demara
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1962 • Nora Ericson
Everything But the Truth
1956 • Miss Adelaide Dabney
Abandoned
1949 • Major Ross
The Rescuers
1977 • Ellie Mae (voice)
True Confessions
1981
The Fox and the Hound
1981 • Widow Tweed (voice)
April Love
1957 • Henrietta Bruce
The Deep Six
1958 • Mrs. Austen
Hangman's Knot
1952 • Mrs. Margaret Harris
Chamber of Horrors
1966 • Mrs. Ewing Perryman
Macbeth
1948 • Lady Macbeth
The Halliday Brand
1957 • Nante
Babe
1977 • Hannah Marie Didrikson