Martha Scott

Martha Scott was an American actress who began in theater and later appeared in major films. Born in Jamesport, Missouri, she grew up there until her family moved to Kansas City. She earned a drama degree from the University of Michigan in 1934 and performed with the Globe Theatre Troupe at Chicago's Century of Progress before moving to New York for stage and radio work. In 1938 she originated the Broadway role of Emily Webb in Thornton Wilder's Our Town, then repeated the part in the 1940 film version and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Her films included The Desperate Hours (1955), The Ten Commandments (1956), Ben-Hur (1959), and Airport 1975 (1974). She produced stage and film versions of First Monday in October and worked in television, with recurring roles on The Bob Newhart Show, The Six Million Dollar Man, and Dallas. A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame recognized her theater work.