Harriet WhiteMedin was born on March 14, 1914, in Somerville, Massachusetts. She started her career as a dental assistant, cleaning the teeth of young John and Robert Kennedy. Later, she pursued work in the theater and played a role on Broadway, which led her to join the USO. This experience ultimately led her to become the first American actress to relocate to post-war Italy and work in Italian films, beginning with Roberto Rossellini's Paisan in 1946.
Harriet's early success in Italy was followed by her lead role in the dramatic film Genoveffa di Brabante in 1947. However, she never found success as anything but a character actress and was often typecast as starchy, prim housewives and housekeepers. Despite this, she continued to work in the industry, taking on roles in various films and television shows.
One of Harriet's most notable experiences was working as a dialogue coach, helping Italian actors with their English. She became the personal assistant of Gina Lollobrigida and assisted directors such as Vittorio De Sica, Joseph Losey, Raoul Walsh, and John Huston. During this time, she witnessed some extraordinary events in film history, including the death of Tyrone Power on the set of Solomon and Sheba and the filming of the famous Trevi fountain scene in La Dolce Vita.
In the early 1960s, Harriet entered the Italian horror boom, playing roles in films such as Riccardo Freda's Orribile segreto del Dr. Hichcock, L' in 1962, Mario Bava's The Whip and the Body in 1963, and Blood and Black Lace in 1964. She also appeared in Elio Scardamaglia's The Murder Clinic in 1966.
After assisting John Huston on Reflections in a Golden Eye, Harriet relocated to Hollywood and began working in television and low-budget films. She played roles in various shows, including Family, Bonanza, The A-Team, Northern Exposure, and many others. She also appeared in films such as Schlock, Death Race 2000, The Terminator, and The Witches of Eastwick.
