Jean Gillespie

Diminutive Bostonian radio (1944-79) and TV (1949-2001) actress, born on 21 October 1923 to Mr. and Mrs. William George Gillespie. Jean began on stage while in her teens. By the mid-40s, she had forged a substantial career as a performer on the air waves by headlining as Alan Young's girlfriend Betty for two years on the star's syndicated NBC radio show. Later on, she also joined the regular cast of The Phil Silvers Show and The Cavalcade of America. Jean made several appearances on Broadway, beginning in 1944 with a supporting role in Chicken Every Sunday, based on a comedy play by Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein. She also popped up on the small screen in early anthology dramas from as early as 1949. Jean made a number of notable TV guest appearances during the 60s and 70s in Hawaiian Eye (1959), Death Valley Days (1952), The F.B.I. (1965), The Odd Couple (1970), Barnaby Jones (1973) and Police Woman (1974). Her first marriage to former actor and managing director of the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Wilford Lloyd Thunhurst (aka William Thunhurst Jr.), ended in divorce. Her second husband (from 1964) was banker and Yale graduate Richard Keith Davis.