Jeanette Benson

Biography

Jeanette "Wollrich" Benson was one of the first members of SAG and SEG in the 1930s. Her husband Sam Benson was at Fox Studios and they had two children, Marjorie Benson a casting director and Eddie Benson, a stand in and extra. Her grandson Steven Benson, an actor, also spent years in the industry. Her sister Gertrude Banks was Barbara Hale's stand in from the start of Barbara's career till Trudy retired during the Perry Mason television show. She retired from the industry after playing a nurse on Ward 33 in Snake Pit with her old friend Queenie Smith an inmate, who she had worked with off and on for over 15 years. After retiring she raised her grandson Steven Benson and started preparing him for his career and of course Queenie Smith also helped there, being his first acting coach. She played a major role in Steven's career till her death.