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Inga Swenson (born December 29, 1932)[a] is an American retired actress and singer. She appeared in multiple Broadway productions and received two Tony nominations. She also spent seven years portraying Gretchen Kraus in the ABC comedy series Benson.
Inga Swenson graduated from Omaha Central High School in Nebraska in 1950. While she was attending OCHS, as a junior, Swenson won the state title in the National Forensic League's speech contest and later, she won the NFL's national contest. As a high school senior she was considered the school's best vocalist and she was also the president of the Central High Players. She studied drama at Northwestern University under Alvina Krause, among others,[5][6] and was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority.
Swenson had a role in the TV western series Bonanza in two episodes: "Inger, My Love" (1962) and "Journey Remembered" (1963). Swenson also portrayed Gretchen Kraus, the autocratic and acerbic German cook (later head housekeeper and budget director) in the TV sitcom Benson, for which she received three Emmy nominations. She received the part by appearing in a multi-episode stint as Ingrid Svenson, the Swedish birth mother of Corinne Tate (Diana Canova), on the TV sitcom Soap, which had the same producers. She also appeared as northern matriarch Maude Hazard in the mini-series North and South in 1985 and again in 1986.
Aunt Anna Rose, Treasure Hunt, Monica, The Medium, Lucy, The Telephone, Dunyasha, The Cherry Orchard, Alizon Elliot, The Lady's Not for Burning, and Isabelle, Ring 'round the Moon, all Playhouse Theatre, Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania, 1953.
Georgie Elgin, The Country Girl, Celia Copplestone, The Cocktail Party, Mrs. Larue, Mrs. McThing, Countess Aurelia, The Madwoman of Chaillot, and Angelique, The Imaginary Invalid, all Playhouse Theatre, Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania, 1954.
^Multiple sources report that Swenson was born on December 29, 1932.[1][2][3] However, at least one other source says she was born on December 19, 1934, though it acknowledges other sources say she was born in 1932.[4]
^ abcdefghijklHubbard, Linda S.; O'Donnell, Owen, eds. (1989). "Inga Swenson". Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television. Vol. 7. Detroit: Gale. p. 393. Retrieved May 28, 2022.