Geraldine Wall

Geraldine Wall (June 24, 1907 – June 22, 1970) was an American actress who had numerous stage, film and television credits. Her career involved mainly character roles but encompassed a wide range of different acting parts.

Wall was born in New York City and grew up there. Actress Lucille Wall was her sister.

Wall became attracted to show business at an early age, and while still in her teens, she began pursuing a career as an actress, with roles on Broadway where she made her stage debut at 15 in The Love Nest at the Comedy Theatre. After success in other minor roles, including romantic comedies, Little Accident (1928), Blind Mice (1930), Child of Manhattan (1932) and Domino (1932). She was also in the cast of the drama, Heat Lightning (1933) and the musical Merrily We Roll Along (1934).

After marriage and divorce, Wall resumed her career as an actress in Hollywood at the age of 30, Her first roles were uncredited and not until Winged Victory (1944) did Wall receive an on-screen credit, albeit far down in the "other" players. She received credit in Charlie Chan's Meeting At Midnight (1944) series film.

Proving to be a versatile actress, Wall took on many different roles including working women, secretaries, mothers and wives, acting in 47 films. Although predominantly known from her drama, comedy and romance roles, she also was featured in a wide variety of genres including: mystery, crime, family, adventure, thriller, western, war, action, film-noir, musical, and biography, as well as dabbling in fantasy, history, horror, sport and even science-fiction films. Wall was the original choice for the role of Dolly Tate in the 1950 MGM film Annie Get Your Gun. When Betty Hutton replaced Judy Garland in the role of Annie Oakley, Benay Venuta took over the role of Dolly Tate.

With the dawn of television, like many other actors, Wall began working in the new medium in the 1950s. Finding not only recurring roles but a number of other "one-offs", she appeared in 17 television series, acting until 1970.

Wall's stage, screen and television career encompassed notable character roles including One Man's Way, The Song of Bernadette, Charlie Chan in Black Magic, The Fountainhead, Black Widow and Please Don't Eat the Daisies. She made six guest appearances on the popular series Perry Mason, starring Raymond Burr.Perhaps her most memorable role was as murderess Abigail E. Leeds in the 1957 episode "The Case of the Baited Hook."

She also made three appearances on The Dick Van Dyke Show TV series. Her final television appearance was in a 1970 episode of Here Come the Brides.

Wall married diplomat and financier Franklin "Wolfram" Day (his second marriage), on April 23, 1936, in Manhattan, but it ended in divorce on November 9, 1937, in Nevada.

Wall's death from pneumonia in 1970 occurred in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles just two days prior to her 63rd birthday. She was buried at the Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, Los Angeles.

Film credits

Television credits

• Kraft Television Theatre (1951) - Edith
• The Lone Ranger (1952) - Clara Bentley
• Death Valley Days (1957)- Mrs. Peabody, "The Washington Elm"
• The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962) (Season 1 Episode 5: "Captive Audience) - Mrs. Hurley
• The Dick Van Dyke Show (1962-1964) - Mrs. Meehan / Miss Glasser
• Perry Mason (1959-1965) - Abigail E. Leeds / Nell Gridley / Mrs. Cartwright / Mrs. Perkins / Mrs. Stallman / Mrs. Simms
• Mannix (1968) - Season 2 Episode 03 "Pressure Point" - Norma
• Here Come the Brides (1970) - Mrs. Hobbs (final appearance)