Helen Alliene Shaw (July 25, 1897 â€" September 8, 1997) was an
American actress. She is best known for her roles as Mrs. Dempsey in
the 1983 film Twilight Zone: The Movie and Steve Martin's grandmother
in the 1989 comedy Parenthood. She was a humorous guest during her
first and only appearance on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.Shaw
was born on July 25, 1897 in Birmingham, Michigan, the daughter of
Bertha Maud (née Crafts; 1873-1964) and Dr. Nenian Thomas Shaw
(1867-1952), a Canadian-born physician. Shaw studied medicine at one
time and on February 17, 1923 was present in Egypt when Howard Carter
unsealed the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun. She married Loren
George Stauch (1892-1957) on April 22, 1918 in Birmingham and they had
one daughter, Patricia Alliene Stauch (1924-2018), before divorcing in
August 1935, with extreme cruelty being cited as Shaw's reason for
seeking the divorce. In her 1989 appearance on The Tonight Show with
Johnny Carson she mentioned the marriage as being brief and commented
on how couples need to be well paired for one to work.In 1938, Shaw,
along with her parents and daughter, moved to southern California.
Shaw became active as a writer and director with the Theatre Americana
of Altadena, and served as a writing coach for 30 years. She later
took stage acting roles at the Theatre Americana and the Glendale
Centre Theatre. Then at the age of 82 became a professional actress.
Her first notable role was in the television movie Rape and Marriage:
The Rideout Case in 1980, which was followed by several additional
appearances in film and television.Shaw died on September 8, 1997, a
month and a half after her 100th birthday, in Los Angeles and was
interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California under
the name Helen Shaw Stauch. She was survived by her daughter and two
granddaughters.
American actress. She is best known for her roles as Mrs. Dempsey in
the 1983 film Twilight Zone: The Movie and Steve Martin's grandmother
in the 1989 comedy Parenthood. She was a humorous guest during her
first and only appearance on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.Shaw
was born on July 25, 1897 in Birmingham, Michigan, the daughter of
Bertha Maud (née Crafts; 1873-1964) and Dr. Nenian Thomas Shaw
(1867-1952), a Canadian-born physician. Shaw studied medicine at one
time and on February 17, 1923 was present in Egypt when Howard Carter
unsealed the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun. She married Loren
George Stauch (1892-1957) on April 22, 1918 in Birmingham and they had
one daughter, Patricia Alliene Stauch (1924-2018), before divorcing in
August 1935, with extreme cruelty being cited as Shaw's reason for
seeking the divorce. In her 1989 appearance on The Tonight Show with
Johnny Carson she mentioned the marriage as being brief and commented
on how couples need to be well paired for one to work.In 1938, Shaw,
along with her parents and daughter, moved to southern California.
Shaw became active as a writer and director with the Theatre Americana
of Altadena, and served as a writing coach for 30 years. She later
took stage acting roles at the Theatre Americana and the Glendale
Centre Theatre. Then at the age of 82 became a professional actress.
Her first notable role was in the television movie Rape and Marriage:
The Rideout Case in 1980, which was followed by several additional
appearances in film and television.Shaw died on September 8, 1997, a
month and a half after her 100th birthday, in Los Angeles and was
interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California under
the name Helen Shaw Stauch. She was survived by her daughter and two
granddaughters.
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