Lurene Tuttle was a renowned actress, born in Pleasant Lake, Indiana, and raised on a ranch near the Arizona border. Her father, O.V. Tuttle, was a performer who later became a railroad-station agent, while her grandfather was a drama teacher who managed an opera house in Angola, Indiana.
As a child, Lurene studied acting in Phoenix and was known for her comedic antics, even at a young age. At 15, her family relocated to Monrovia, California, where she began her career, receiving dramatic training at the Pasadena Playhouse and appearing in many of their productions.
Tuttle became a member of Murphy's Comedians, a vaudeville company, and later extended her range as a dramatic ingénue in stock shows. Although she never made it to Broadway, she worked consistently on stage throughout the 1920s and 1930s, known for her speaking voice and mastery of various dialects.
During the Depression, Tuttle found success in radio, becoming one of the most-recognized voices, playing both sweet and sour characters. She was dubbed the "First Lady of Radio" and appeared in numerous radio shows, including "The Adventures of Sam Spade" and Red Skelton's radio program.
Tuttle's film career began in the 1950s, and she became known for her warm and wise portrayals of wives and mothers, as well as her ability to play brittle matrons. She appeared alongside top stars, including Cary Grant, Marilyn Monroe, and Joan Crawford, and even had a notable role in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" (1960).
On television, Tuttle was a regular in various sitcoms, playing starchy relatives and gossipy townsfolk. She is perhaps best remembered for her roles as the matriarch in "Life with Father" (1953) and the crusty senior nurse on "Julia" (1968).
Off-screen, Tuttle was married twice and had a daughter, Barbara Ruick, who was a musical comedy actress. Her son-in-law was epic film composer John Williams, and she was survived by her three grandchildren.
Tuttle was also a well-respected drama and diction coach, teaching radio technique in the 1940s and re-training prominent actors returning from WWII duty. She continued to teach acting until her death at the age of 78 due to cancer.
