Bella Bruck

Bella Bruck was an American character actress who worked as a supporting player in television and on stage, known for her expressive face, her comic timing, and the eccentric maternal figures she often played. Born in The Bronx, she learned her craft from the movement teacher Benjamin Zemach, whose emphasis on physical expression stayed with her. Her screen career began in the early 1960s, and her breakthrough came in the sitcom Angel in 1961, playing Mrs. Spiegelman, a friend with a French accent who pretends to be the mother of the show's lead; critics considered her the standout. She had guest roles on The Red Skelton Hour in 1964, on Tammy in 1965, and on The Addams Family in 1965. Later television work included Maude in 1978 and the 1980 pilot The Ugilly Family. Her stage credits included the West Coast premiere of A Family Affair in 1962 and a starring role in Bandicoot in 1970. She died in 1982.