Doro Merande was a talented character actress who captivated audiences with her careworn features, angular frame, and endearing warble in her voice. Born Dora Matthews on March 31, 1892, in Kansas, she was orphaned as a child and grew up in various boarding schools, developing a passion for acting.
After completing her schooling, Doro moved to New York to pursue an acting career, primarily appearing on the stock and repertory stage. She also landed unbilled roles in early talking films, including Interference (1928),Personal Maid (1931),State Fair (1933),The Rogues' Tavern (1936),and Navy Wife (1935).
Doro made her Broadway debut in 1935 with "Loose Moments" and went on to appear in over 25 plays throughout her lifetime, including "One Good Year," "Red Harvest," and "Angel Island." Her notable performance as Mrs. Soames in Thornton Wilder's classic play "Our Town" led her to Hollywood, where she recreated her character on film.
Although "Our Town" (1940) did not result in further film opportunities, Doro returned to her first love, the theatre, and continued to appear on Broadway intermittently. She made a comeback to films in the post-war years, appearing in a number of delightful cameos, including The Snake Pit (1948),Cover Up (1949),Mr. Belvedere Rings the Bell (1951),The Whistle at Eaton Falls (1951),The Seven Year Itch (1955),The Man with the Golden Arm (1955),The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker (1958),The Gazebo (1959),The Cardinal (1963),Kiss Me, Stupid (1964),The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966),Hurry Sundown (1967),Skidoo (1968),Change of Habit (1969),and Making It (1971).
Doro's final role was as Jennie, the cleaning woman, in The Front Page (1974),a part she played in both the 1969 Broadway revival and 1970 TV movie. She also made appearances in various TV shows, including "Lux Video Theatre," "Kraft Music Theatre," "Mister Peppers," "The United States Steel Hour," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Sergeant Bilko," "Thriller," "The Defenders," and "The Twilight Zone." Doro co-starred with Frank Aletter in the comedy series Bringing Up Buddy (1960) and was a recurring presence as "Aunt Ethel" in the "Honeymooners" sketch on The Jackie Gleason Show (1966).
In late October 1975, Doro attended a "Honeymooners" anniversary special in Miami, Florida, but suffered a stroke and died on November 1st at a local hospital at the age of 83.
