Nancy Kulp

The politically incorrect term for the sort of roles played by actress Nancy Kulp is "spinsterish." The daughter of a stockbroker, Kulp served as a WAVE lieutenant during World War II, specializing in electronics. A graduate of Florida State and the University of Miami, she worked as a newspaper and radio reporter before entering television as a continuity editor and news director at Miami's first TV station. Through the auspices of her then-husband, a New York television producer, Kulp began picking up small film and TV acting assignments, usually playing frontierswomen, stern maiden aunts or lovelorn professional girls. Impressed by her gift for comedy, producer Paul Henning cast Kulp in the 1950s TV sitcom Love That Bob as birdwatcher Pamela Livingston. This in turn led to a longer (1962-71) stint on the Henning-produced Beverly Hillbillies, in which Kulp played ultraefficient bank secretary Jane Hathaway. After the cancellation of Hillbillies, Nancy Kulp did a great deal of summer stock and dinner theater, returning to television to re-create "Miss Jane" for a 1981 Beverly Hillbillies reunion special.

~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide