Tall, striking character comedienne, best known for her masterful delivery of snappy, sarcastic dialogue, particularly in 1945's "Mildred Pierce", which justly earned her an Oscar nomination as best supporting actress. Arden honed her sardonic powers on the stage and became typecast as the heroine's manless career-woman friend in more than 20 films in three years (most memorably the superb "Stage Door" 1937, with a cat forever draped fittingly over her shoulders). She then attempted to break the stereotype by returning to Broadway in the musical "Very Warm for May" (1939) and the revue, "Two for the Show" (1940).Over the course of 60 films Arden's withering gaze, splendid lip-curling delivery and relaxed warmth stole scenes in films including "Cover Girl" (1944), "Paid in Full" (1949), "Anatomy of a Murder" (1959) and "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs" (1960, an especially touching performance). She also created the kindly, yet tart-tongued single teacher Miss Brooks, first on radio (from 1948), then on the successful TV series "Our Miss Brooks" (1952-56) and on film (1956). Arden later starred in the series "The Eve Arden Show" (1957-58) and "The Mothers-in-Law" (1967-69), and her inimitably acid delivery was once again put to good use when she played the principal in the 1978 film "Grease".
Profession(s):
Actor, comedian
Sometimes Credited As:
Eunice Quedens
Family
daughter:Constance West (adopted by Arden and Edward Bergan)
daughter:Liza West (adopted by Arden and Edward Bergan)
husband:Brooks West (married 1951 until his death in 1984; adopted two children)
husband:Edward G Bergan (married 1939, divorced 1947; adopted two children)
son:Douglas West (adopted by Arden and Brooks West)
son:Duncan West (adopted by Arden and Brooks West)
Sarah Siddons Award Actress of the Year "Hello, Dolly!" 1968
Emmy Best Female Star of a Regular Series "Our Miss Brooks" 1953
1991 Appeared in archival footage used in the documentary on female comediennes, "Wisecracks"
1982 Last film, "Grease 2"
1948 - 1952 Starred on CBS radio as "Our Miss Brooks"
1945 Received Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actress for one of her best-remembered role, Ida in "Mildred Pierce"
1939 Returned to Broadway in Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II musical, "Very Warm For May"
1937 Breakthrough film role in "Stage Door"
1936 Understudied and went on for Fanny Brice in "Ziegfeld Follies"
1935 First Broadway accolade as Eve Arden in "Parade" opposite Jimmy Savo
1934 Broadway debut in "Ziegfeld Follies"
1934 First credited as Eve Arden
1929 Film acting debut (as Eunice Quedens) in "The Song of Love"
1928 Joined Henry Duffy stock company performing in San Francisco and Los Angeles; made stage debut in company's "Alias The Deacon"
Joined Bandbox Repertory Theater, touring "citrus circuit" in Southern California
"Our Miss Brooks" transferred to TV series while continuing on radio
