Lucille Benson, a remarkable character actress, was renowned for her distinctive appearance, Southern drawl, and flair for portraying eccentric, offbeat roles. Born on July 17, 1914, in Scottsboro, Alabama, she was adopted by her aunt after her mother's untimely death from tuberculosis. Lucille excelled academically, graduating valedictorian and class president from Jackson County High School.
She furthered her education at Huntingdon College in Montgomery and Northwestern's School of Drama in Evanston, Illinois. Before pursuing an acting career in the 1930s, Lucille briefly worked as a teacher. Her early endeavors included appearances in Broadway plays such as "The Doughgirls," "The Day Before Spring," "Happy Birthday," "As the Girls Go," "Hotel Paradiso," "Period of Adjustment," and "Walking Happy."
Lucille's notable stage credits include her performance in the Tennessee Williams play "Orpheus Descending" at the Coconut Grove Playhouse in Miami, Florida, and co-starring alongside Donald O'Connor in a Las Vegas production of "Little Me." Her film debut came in 1959 with "The Fugitive Kind."
Throughout her career, Lucille delivered memorable performances in various films and TV shows. She played the iconic role of the flaky lady at Snakerama in Steven Spielberg's "Duel" (1971) and later parodied this part in "1941" (1979). Lucille also appeared in "Private Parts" (1972),"Women in Chains" (1972),"Slaughterhouse-Five" (1972),"The Devil's Daughter" (1973),"Ramblin' Man" (1979),and "Halloween II" (1981).
In addition to her film work, Lucille had a recurring role as hotel manager Lilly Sinclair in the sitcom "Bosom Buddies" (1980). She made guest appearances on various TV shows, including "Alice" (1976),"Simon & Simon" (1981),"The Love Boat" (1977),"The Dukes of Hazzard" (1979),"Little House on the Prairie" (1974),"Eight Is Enough" (1977),"The Waltons" (1972),"Wonder Woman" (1975),"Cannon" (1971),and "Bonanza" (1959). Lucille also acted in TV commercials.
Sadly, Lucille Benson passed away on February 17, 1984, at the age of 69 due to liver cancer.
