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Natalie Schafer (November 5, 1900 – April 10, 1991) was an American actress, best known today for her role as Lovey Howell on the sitcom Gilligan's Island (1964–1967). Schafer began her career as an actress on Broadway before moving to Los Angeles in 1941 to work in films. She appeared on Broadway in 17 plays between 1927 and 1959, often playing supporting roles. Most of those appearances were in short-run plays, with the exceptions of Lady in the Dark (1941–42), The Doughgirls (1942–44), and Romanoff and Juliet (1957–58). She was seen in a revival of Six Characters in Search of an Author, directed by Sir Tyrone Guthrie (1955–56). She also appeared in stock and regional productions, including the off-Broadway production The Killing of Sister George with Claire Trevor in the title role. She also guest-starred in TV productions beginning in the 1950s, such as an episode (“The Shy Ballerina”) of Sherlock Holmes, and in "The Charm School" episode of I Love Lucy, both in 1954. Schafer performed in many films, usually portraying sophisticates. On TV, her roles included "Lovey Howell" on Gilligan's Island from 1964–67. She reprised her role in three made-for-television spin-off films after the show ended: Rescue from Gilligan's Island (1978), The Castaways on Gilligan's Island (1979), and The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island (1981). She also voiced Lovey Howell on the animated spinoffs, The New Adventures of Gilligan from 1974–77 and Gilligan's Planet from 1982–83. In 1969, Schafer appeared in The Survivors—a high-profile prime time soap opera aired by the ABC television network. Despite the presence of movie stars like Lana Turner, Kevin McCarthy and George Hamilton, the show was a ratings failure and lasted only one season. For the 1971–1972 television season, Schafer joined the cast of the CBS daytime serial, Search for Tomorrow, portraying Helen Collins, mother of Wade and Clay Collins. Immediately following that role, she played Augusta Roulland on another daytime soap, Love of Life. Her final performance was in the 1990 made-for-television horror film I'm Dangerous Tonight. She guest-starred as well on many other television series, including Goodyear Playhouse/Philco Playhouse ("The Sisters", with Grace Kelly, 1951), I Love Lucy (1954), Producers' Showcase ("The Petrified Forest", 1955), Guestward, Ho! (1960), The Beverly Hillbillies (1964), Mayberry RFD (1970), Mannix (1972), The Brady Bunch (1974), Phyllis (1976), Three's Company (1978), and The Love Boat (1979).

Known For

4.4

Grandmother

I'm Dangerous Tonight

1990

5.0

Lillian

Beverly Hills Brats

1989

7.1

Leonna Felspar

Crazy like a Fox

1984

6.2

Matt Houston

1982

5.8

Eunice "Lovey" Wentworth Howell (voice)

Gilligan's Planet

1982

6.7

Simon & Simon

1981

4.6

Lovey Wentworth Howell

The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island

1981

5.3

Here's Boomer

1980

6.5

Trapper John, M.D.

1979

6.6

Lovey Howell

The Castaways on Gilligan's Island

1979

Credits

I'm Dangerous Tonight

as Grandmother

1990

4.4

Beverly Hills Brats

as Lillian

1989

5.0

Crazy like a Fox

as Leonna Felspar

1984

7.1

Matt Houston

1982

6.2

Gilligan's Planet

as Eunice "Lovey" Wentworth Howell (voice)

1982

5.8

Simon & Simon

1981

6.7

The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island

as Lovey Wentworth Howell

1981

4.6

Here's Boomer

1980

5.3

Trapper John, M.D.

1979

6.5

The Castaways on Gilligan's Island

as Lovey Howell

1979

6.6

Rescue from Gilligan's Island

as Lovey Wentworth Howell

1978

4.6

Flying High

1978

4.5

Vega$

1978

7.0

The Love Boat

as Mrs. Hartnett

1977

6.3

CHiPs

1977

6.8

Three's Company

1977

7.6

The Day of the Locust

as Audrey Jennings

1975

6.4

The New Adventures of Gilligan

as Eunice Wentworth 'Lovey' Howell (voice)

1974

4.8

40 Carats

as Mrs. Adams

1973

5.7

McMillan & Wife

as Mrs. Roberts

1971

6.9

The Brady Bunch

1969

6.7

Mayberry R.F.D.

as Cornelia Willoughby

1968

5.7

Mannix

as Bunny Mason

1967

6.7

🎬

The Canterville Ghost

as Mrs. Otis

1966

0.0

ABC Stage 67

as Mrs. Otis

1966

6.2

Gilligan's Island

as Eunice "Lovey" Wentworth Howell

1964

7.4

The Beverly Hillbillies

as Madame Renee

1962

6.9

The Mike Douglas Show

as Self

1961

5.4

Susan Slade

as Marian Corbett

1961

5.8

Back Street

as Mrs. Evans

1961

5.5

Route 66

1960

6.3

Guestward, Ho!

1960

4.0

Thriller

as Beatrice Graves

1960

6.6

77 Sunset Strip

as Ellie Fraser

1958

6.7

Bernardine

as Madge Beaumont

1957

7.0

If You Knew Elizabeth

as Geneva

1957

0.0

Oh, Men! Oh, Women!

as Mrs. Day

1957

5.8

Anastasia

as Irina Lissemskaia / Nini

1956

6.8

Forever, Darling

as Millie Opdyke

1956

7.0

Female on the Beach

as Queenie Sorenson

1955

5.7

The Petrified Forest

as Mrs. Chisholm

1955

6.8

Sherlock Holmes

1954

7.1

Climax!

as Lucrece Durhurst

1954

3.3

Casanova's Big Night

as Signora Foressi

1954

5.8

Topper

as Mrs. Vance

1953

5.8

Letter to Loretta

as Mary

1953

6.5

Letter to Loretta

as Mrs. Hayes

1953

6.5

The Girl Next Door

as Evelyn the maid

1953

4.0

Mr. & Mrs. North

1952

4.3

The Ford Television Theatre

as Beatrice Trent

1952

7.3

Just Across the Street

as Gertrude Medford

1952

2.0

Callaway Went Thataway

as Martha Lorrison

1951

5.1

I Love Lucy

as Phoebe Emerson

1951

7.9

The Law and the Lady

as Pamela Pemberson

1951

6.1

Take Care of My Little Girl

as Mother Cookie Clark

1951

5.0

Payment on Demand

as Mrs. Edna Blanton

1951

6.0

🎬

Lux Video Theatre

as Blanche

1950

6.3

🎬

Lux Video Theatre

as Gertrude Medford

1950

6.3

🎬

Lux Video Theatre

as Julie

1950

6.3

Caught

as Dorothy Dale

1949

6.5

The Snake Pit

as Mrs. Stuart

1948

7.1

The Philco Television Playhouse

1948

6.3

The Time of Your Life

as Society Lady

1948

5.5

Secret Beyond the Door

as Edith Potter

1947

6.5

Repeat Performance

as Eloise Shaw

1947

6.0

Dishonored Lady

as Ethel Royce

1947

5.7

The Other Love

as Dora Shelton

1947

6.0

Kraft Television Theatre

1947

7.5

Masquerade in Mexico

as Irene Denny

1945

5.4

Wonder Man

as Mrs. Hume

1945

6.5

Molly and Me

as Kitty Goode-Burroughs

1945

6.4

Keep Your Powder Dry

as Harriet Corwin

1945

5.9

Marriage Is a Private Affair

as Irene Selworth

1944

5.2

Reunion in France

as Frau Amy Schroeder (uncredited)

1942

6.4

The Body Disappears

as Mrs. Lunceford

1941

5.2

The Poor Fish

as Daisy

1930

0.0