Florence Freeman (actress)

Florence Freeman (July 29, 1911 – April 25, 2000) was an actress in old-time radio. She was known as a "soap opera queen" for her work in daytime serial dramas.[1]

Florence Freeman
Florence Freeman (Ellen Brown) from the radio daytime drama Young Widder Brown
Born(1911-07-29)July 29, 1911
New York City, New York
DiedApril 25, 2000(2000-04-25) (aged 88)
Grant Park, Illinois
Other namesFlorence Freeman Berman
Alma materWells College
New York State College for Teachers
Columbia University
OccupationActress
Known forActing in soap operas on radio

Early years

Freeman was born in New York City and grew up in Albany, New York.[2] One of her earliest performances came when she was six and gave a recitation of a poem at a World War rally.[3] In high school, she won a medal for dramatics.[4]

Freeman attended Wells College,[5] where she was Campus Queen,[4] New York State College for Teachers, and Columbia University[5] preparing to become a teacher. She taught English before becoming an actress.[6]

Radio

Freeman's initial job in radio came in 1933 as the result of a challenge. After a friend dared her "to make good as a radio actress", Freeman applied — and was hired —[7] at WOKO in Albany, New York.[4] She went on to become a member of the casts of a number of serials in old-time radio, including being "the heroine of not one but two serials that ran more than a decade."[8]

In 1949, Freeman won the "Your Favorite Daytime Serial Actress" award from Radio Mirror magazine.[9] Her roles on some programs are indicated in the table below.

ProgramRole
Dot and WillDot Horton[10]
Jane ArdenBetty Harrison[10]:172
Love and LearnSue Blake[11]
The Open DoorLisa Arnold[12]
Pepper Young's FamilyConnie[13]
Valiant LadyJoan Blaine[10]:346
Wendy Warren and the NewsWendy Warren[14]
A Woman of AmericaPrudence Dane Barker[15]
Young Widder BrownEllen Brown[16]

She was also a regular on Maxwell House Show Boat,[17] John's Other Wife,[18]:351 Abie's Irish Rose,[18] Are You a Missing Heir?[19] and Love and Learn.[20]

Stage

Before Freeman began her career in radio, she acted in summer stock theater.[5]

Personal life

Freeman was married to Rabbi Samuel A. Berman[21] of Temple Beth-El in Jersey City, New Jersey, they had three children. Her husband died in 1998.[22]

Death

Freeman died April 25, 2000, age 88, in Grant Park, Illinois.[1]

References
  1. Cox, Jim (2007). Radio Speakers: Narrators, News Junkies, Sports Jockeys, Tattletales, Tipsters, Toastmasters and Coffee Klatch Couples Who Verbalized the Jargon of the Aural Ether from the 1920s to the 1980s--A Biographical Dictionary. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-6086-1. pp. 104-105.
  2. "Florence Freeman" (PDF). Radio and Television Mirror. 32 (1): 70. June 1949. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  3. "Radio Royalty". The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Texas, Corpus Christi. September 1, 1937. p. 16. Retrieved April 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Young Widder Brown" (PDF). Tune In. October 1944. p. 39. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  5. Grunwald, Edgar A., Ed. (1940). Variety Radio Directory 1940–1941. Variety, Inc. p. 939.
  6. DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-2834-2. p. 99.
  7. Luther, Paul (April 11, 1947). "Inside Radio". Cumberland Evening Times. Maryland, Cumberland. p. 7. Retrieved April 25, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Cox, Jim (2003). Frank and Anne Hummert's Radio Factory: The Programs and Personalities of Broadcasting's Most Prolific Producers. McFarland & Company. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-7864-1631-8. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  9. "Radio Mirror Awards" (PDF). Radio and Television Mirror. 31 (5): 28. April 1949. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  10. Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4. p. 103.
  11. "Thursday, July 29, 1937" (PDF). Radio Mirror. 8 (5): 50. September 1937. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  12. Vale, Virginia (October 14, 1943). "Star Dust: Stage, Screen, Radio". The Terril Record. Iowa, Terril. p. 6. Retrieved April 25, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Studio Notes". The Evening News. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. January 31, 1938. p. 14. Retrieved April 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ""Wendy Warren and the News" Makes CBS-WHP Debut on Monday at 3 P.M." Harrisburg Telegraph. Pennsylvania, Harrisburg. June 21, 1947. p. 19. Retrieved April 25, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Notes on 580". The Fresno Bee The Republican. California, Fresno. September 7, 1945. p. 10. Retrieved April 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. Kinnear, Carolee (May 29, 1945). "Radio and Records". The News-Herald. Pennsylvania, Franklin. p. 3. Retrieved April 25, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. Alicoate, Charles A., Ed. (1959). Radio Annual and Television Year Book (PDF). New York City: Radio Daily Corp. p. 1117.
  18. Sies, Luther F. (2014). Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920–1960, 2nd Edition. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-5149-4. p. 110.
  19. Lesser, Jerry (July 11, 1942). "Radio Talent: New York". Billboard. p. 8. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  20. ""Love and Learn" Serial To Begin Monday Morning". Ogden Standard-Examiner. Utah, Ogden. February 7, 1937. p. 13. Retrieved April 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. "Paid Notice: Deaths BERMAN, FLORENCE". New York Times. May 3, 2000. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
  22. Gerhard, Inez (September 16, 1954). "Star-Lites". Delphos Daily Herald. Ohio, Delphos. p. 8. Retrieved April 25, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
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