Eleanor Audley (born Eleanor Zellman; November 19, 1905 â€" November
25, 1991) was an American character actress. With a distinctive voice
and a diverse body of work that included stage, film, radio,
television and animation, Audley was best known for her roles as
aristocratic, somewhat villainous matrons. She is best remembered on
television as Eunice Douglas on the CBS sitcom Green Acres
(1965â€"1969); and for originating the voices of two Disney Villains:
Lady Tremaine in Cinderella (1950); and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty
(1959).Audley was born Eleanor Zellman in Newark, New Jersey, on
November 19, 1905; she and her family moved to West 86th Street, New
York City by 1917. Her parents were William David Zellman (October 23,
1878 â€" December 4, 1952) and Ruth Simmons (January 30, 1886 â€"
November 1976), both Yiddish speaking immigrants. Her father was born
in Borky, Russia (now Ukraine), immigrated to the United States in
1895, and became a naturalized citizen on November 16, 1916. Her
father worked in the silk industry and died in Miami. Her mother was
born in Prussia, immigrated circa 1890, and died in North Hollywood.
Audley had a younger sister named Muriel (August 1910 â€" 1982);
Audley was a witness at Muriel’s 1938 wedding to Jack Entin. Audley
graduated from Hunter College High School in Manhattan in 1924. Audley
began using the last name Audley before 1940.Audley was Jewish and a
Democrat who supported the campaign of Adlai Stevenson during the 1952
presidential election.
25, 1991) was an American character actress. With a distinctive voice
and a diverse body of work that included stage, film, radio,
television and animation, Audley was best known for her roles as
aristocratic, somewhat villainous matrons. She is best remembered on
television as Eunice Douglas on the CBS sitcom Green Acres
(1965â€"1969); and for originating the voices of two Disney Villains:
Lady Tremaine in Cinderella (1950); and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty
(1959).Audley was born Eleanor Zellman in Newark, New Jersey, on
November 19, 1905; she and her family moved to West 86th Street, New
York City by 1917. Her parents were William David Zellman (October 23,
1878 â€" December 4, 1952) and Ruth Simmons (January 30, 1886 â€"
November 1976), both Yiddish speaking immigrants. Her father was born
in Borky, Russia (now Ukraine), immigrated to the United States in
1895, and became a naturalized citizen on November 16, 1916. Her
father worked in the silk industry and died in Miami. Her mother was
born in Prussia, immigrated circa 1890, and died in North Hollywood.
Audley had a younger sister named Muriel (August 1910 â€" 1982);
Audley was a witness at Muriel’s 1938 wedding to Jack Entin. Audley
graduated from Hunter College High School in Manhattan in 1924. Audley
began using the last name Audley before 1940.Audley was Jewish and a
Democrat who supported the campaign of Adlai Stevenson during the 1952
presidential election.
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