‘Dennis The Menace’ Actress Was 98 – .

Gloria Henry, best known for her role as mother in the 1960s classic comedy Dennis the Menace, has died. She was 98 years old.

The actress died on April 3, according to multiple media reports. Her son Adam Ellwood posted photos of Henry on his Facebook page and paid tribute to them.

Henry was born Gloria Eileen McEniry on April 2, 1923 in New Orleans, Louisiana. As a teenager, she moved to Los Angeles, working on radio shows, commercials, and performing in theater groups.

She made her film debut in 1947 in Sport of Kings and appeared in Miss Grant Takes Richmond (1949) alongside Lucille Ball and in western Rancho Notorious (1952) with Marlene Dietrich. Her other film credits The Strawberry Roan (1948), Triple Threat (1948), Racing Luck (1948), Riders in the Sky (1949) and Kill the Umpire (1950).

She has appeared on television series such as My Little Margie, Father Knows Best, Perry Mason, and The Life of Riley. In 1959 she got the role of Alice Mitchell, the matriarch in the legendary CBS comedy Dennis the Menace, which is based on Hank Ketcham’s cartoon character. The series also played Herbert Anderson as her husband and Jay North in the title role. She played Alice for the series run until it was canceled in 1963.

Later in her career, she appeared in roles with Simon & Simon, Newhart, Doogie Howser, MD and Dallas, and in the 2005 film Her Minor Thing. In 2012 she was also a guest on an episode of Parks and Recreation.

She was married to the architect Craig Ellwood from 1949 to 1977. They had three children, Jeffrey, Adam and Erin.

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