Herta Ware

{{short description|American actress}} {{more citations needed|date=March 2013}} {{Infobox person | name = Herta Ware | image = Herta_Ware_latest_resize.jpg | birth_name = Herta Schwartz | birth_date = June 9, 1917 | birth_place = [[Wilmington, Delaware]], U.S. | death_date = August 15, 2005 (aged 88) | death_place = [[Topanga, California]], U.S. | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1930s–? (stage) 1978–2000 (film & television) | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|[[Will Geer]]|1934|1954|reason=divorced}} * {{marriage|David Marshall|1954|1978|reason=divorced}} }} | children = 4, including [[Ellen Geer]] | parents = [[Helen Ware (violinist)|Helen Ware]] | relatives = [[Willow Geer]] (granddaughter) }}

'''Herta Ware''' (June 9, 1917 – August 15, 2005) was an American actress and activist.

==Early life== Ware was born '''Herta Schwartz''' in [[Wilmington, Delaware]]. Her mother, [[Helen Ware (violinist)|Helen Ware]], was a musician and violin teacher. Her father, Laszlo Schwartz, was an actor who was born in [[Budapest]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wargs.com/family/0014.html |title=Descendants of Henry Lewis Stephens and Charlotte Ann Wevill |publisher=Wargs.com |date= |accessdate=2016-10-15}}</ref>

Her maternal uncle, [[Harold Ware]], headed the [[Ware Group]], the most extensive Soviet spy ring in American history.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Craig |first=R Bruce |date=2016 |title=Review of TRUE BELIEVER: STALIN'S LAST AMERICAN SPY by Kati Marton |url=https://direct.mit.edu/jcws/article-abstract/19/2/215/13670/Kati-Marton-True-Believer-Stalin-s-Last-American?redirectedFrom=fulltext |website=Journal of Cold War Studies (2017) 19 (2): 215–217}}</ref>

Her maternal grandmother was labor organizer and socialist [[Ella Reeve Bloor]], the co-founder of the Communist Labor Party of America, and later a member of the central committee of the Communist Party USA.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Marton |first=Kati |title=True Believer: Stalin's Last American Spy |publisher=Simon & Schuster |year=2016 |isbn=978-1476763774 |location=New York}}</ref>

Her father was Jewish and her mother was Christian.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lastagetimes.com/2011/08/theatricum-opens-a-controversy-and-a-new-space-with-rachel-corrie/ |title=Theatricum Opens a Controversy — and a New Space — With Rachel Corrie ‹ @ This Stage |publisher=Lastagetimes.com |date=2011-08-29 |accessdate=2016-10-15 |archive-date=2015-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427161750/http://lastagetimes.com/2011/08/theatricum-opens-a-controversy-and-a-new-space-with-rachel-corrie/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Career== {{Unsourced|section|date=October 2022}} Ware made her [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] debut in ''Let Freedom Ring'' (November 6, 1935–February 1936), co-starring husband [[Will Geer]], whom she had married in 1934.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rourke |first=Mary |date=2005-08-19 |title=Herta Ware, 88; Actress Helped Establish Theatricum Botanicum |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-aug-19-me-ware19-story.html |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> The couple appeared together in other New York plays, including ''[[Bury the Dead]]'' (1936), ''Prelude'' (1936), ''200 Were Chosen'' (1936) and ''Journeyman'' (1938), and ''Six O'Clock Theatre'' (1948), all of which were short-lived.

She made her on-screen debut in 1978, when she appeared in the television film, ''A Question of Guilt''. Subsequently, she appeared in her first feature film 1980, ''[[The Black Marble]]''. Her second feature film was ''[[Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype]]'', which featured [[Oliver Reed]]. She starred in ''[[2010: The Year We Make Contact|2010]]'' in 1984.

She is perhaps most recognized for her performance in the classic film [[Ron Howard]]'s ''[[Cocoon (film)|Cocoon]]'', and appeared in the sequel ''[[Cocoon: The Return]]''. She appeared in ''[[Critters 2: The Main Course]]'' as "Nana". She had roles in several other well-known films such as, ''[[Species (film)|Species]]'', ''[[Practical Magic]]'', with [[Sandra Bullock]] and [[Nicole Kidman]], and ''[[Cruel Intentions]],'' with [[Sarah Michelle Gellar]] and [[Ryan Phillippe]]. Her role in the 1992 television film ''Crazy in Love'' earned her a [[CableACE Award]] for Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries.

Ware made many guest appearances on classic television series including, ''[[Knots Landing]]'', ''[[Highway to Heaven]]'', ''[[Cagney & Lacey]]'', ''[[The Golden Girls]]'' and ''[[ER (TV series)|ER]]'', to name a few.

Along with her daughter, [[Ellen Geer]], she made guest appearances on ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' and ''[[Beauty and the Beast (1987 TV series)|Beauty and the Beast]].''

==Personal life== In 1934, Ware married actor [[Will Geer]], with whom she had three children. Together, they relocated to Los Angeles in the early 1940s<ref name=":0" /> and settled in [[Santa Monica]] so that Geer could pursue his movie career.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Herta Ware {{!}} Actress |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0912113/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>

They were a politically minded couple and, in 1951, the passionately left-wing Geer was [[Hollywood blacklist|blacklisted]] by Hollywood for taking the [[Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Fifth Amendment]] and refusing to testify before the [[House Un-American Activities Committee]].<ref name=":0" />

With Geer's film career subsequently destroyed, the couple experienced financial difficulties and lost their Los Angeles home. The pair divorced in 1954 but remained close friends.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rourke |first=Mary |date=2005-08-19 |title=Herta Ware, 88; Actress Helped Establish Theatricum Botanicum |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-aug-19-me-ware19-story.html |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

Ware later married actor David Marshall in 1954. Together they had one child, a daughter, actress Melora Marshall. The marriage ended in divorce.<ref>{{Cite web |title=David Marshall - Biography |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1162721/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>

Ware and Geer reunited in 1973 and subsequently co-founded the Will Geer [[Theatricum Botanicum]], which was on five acres of land that Ware purchased in [[Topanga Canyon]] for $10,000. The burgeoning theater officially opened as a summer theater in 1973.<ref name=":0" />

She stayed by Geer's bedside as he died of a respiratory ailment in 1978. In 2000, she published her own memoir ''Fantastic Journey, My Life with Will Geer''.<ref name=":0" />

==Death== Ware died on August 15, 2005,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Herta Ware|url=https://www.geni.com/people/Herta-Ware/6000000009388456907|access-date=2020-06-04|website=geni_family_tree|date=9 June 1917 |language=en-US}}</ref> due to complications of [[Parkinson's disease]], in [[Topanga, California]]. She was 88 years old.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2005-08-19|title=Herta Ware, 88; Actress Helped Establish Theatricum Botanicum|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-aug-19-me-ware19-story.html|access-date=2020-06-04|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref> Her ashes and those of her ex-husband, Will Geer,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Theatricum Botanicum|url=http://www.the-waltons.com/theatre/|access-date=2020-06-04|website=www.the-waltons.com}}</ref> were scattered at their outdoor theatre.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Photo Essay: A Theater of Plants In the Cradle of the Canyon|url=https://www.avoidingregret.com/2017/08/photo-essay-theater-of-plants-in-cradle.html|access-date=2020-06-04}}</ref>

==Filmography==

===Film=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Directed by ! Notes |- | rowspan="2" | 1980 | ''[[The Black Marble]]'' | The Grand Duchess | {{center|[[Harold Becker]]}} | |- | ''[[Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype]]'' | Old Lady On Bus | {{center|[[Charles B. Griffith]]}} | |- | 1984 | ''[[2010 (film)|2010]]'' | Jessie Bowman | {{center|[[Peter Hyams]]}} | |- | 1985 | ''[[Cocoon (film)|Cocoon]]'' | Rosie Lefkowitz | {{center|[[Ron Howard]]}} | |- | rowspan="3" | 1987 | ''[[Slam Dance (film)|Slam Dance]]'' | Mrs. Raines | {{center|[[Wayne Wang]]}} | |- | ''[[Promised Land (1987 film)|Promised Land]]'' | Mrs. Higgins | {{center|[[Michael Hoffman (director)|Michael Hoffman]]}} | |- | ''Dirty Laundry'' | Grandmother Verna | {{center|William Webb}} | |- | rowspan="3" | 1988 | ''[[Critters 2: The Main Course]]'' | Nana | {{center|[[Mick Garris]]}} | |- | ''[[Cocoon: The Return]]'' | Rose Lefkowitz | {{center|[[Daniel Petrie]]}} | |- | ''[[Dakota (1988 film)|Dakota]]'' | Aunt Zard | {{center|Fred Holmes}} | |- | rowspan="3" | 1991 | ''[[Soapdish]]'' | Old Woman | {{center|[[Michael Hoffman (director)|Michael Hoffman]]}} | |- | ''[[Lonely Hearts (1991 film)|Lonely Hearts]]'' | Gran | {{center|[[Andrew Lane (film producer)|Andrew Lane]]}} | |- | ''Race Against Tomorrow'' | | | |- | rowspan="2" | 1995 | ''[[Top Dog (1995 film)|Top Dog]]'' | Mrs. Wilder, Jake's Mother | {{center|[[Aaron Norris]]}} | |- | ''[[Species (film)|Species]]'' | Mrs. Morris | {{center|[[Roger Donaldson]]}} | |- | 1997 | ''St. Patrick's Day'' | Aunt Delia | {{center|Hope Perello}} | |- | rowspan="2" | 1998 | ''[[Practical Magic]]'' | Old Lady Wilkes | {{center|[[Griffin Dunne]]}} | |- | ''The Politics of Desire'' | The Radio Listener | {{center|Petrie Alexandra}} | |- | rowspan="2" | 1999 | ''[[Cruel Intentions]]'' | Mrs. Sugarman | {{center|[[Roger Kumble]]}} | |- | ''[[Held Up]]'' | Alice | {{center|[[Steve Rash]]}} | |- | rowspan="2" | 2000 | ''[[Beautiful (2000 film)|Beautiful]]'' | Clara | {{center|[[Sally Field]]}} | |- | ''[[Desperate But Not Serious]]'' | Grammy | {{center|Bill Fishman}} | (final film role) |}

===Television=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1983 | ''[[Knots Landing]]'' | Ethel Marcus | Season 5, episode 14 "[[List of Knots Landing episodes|Secrets Cry Aloud]]" |- | 1984 | ''[[Highway to Heaven]]'' | Grandma | Season 1, episode 13 [[List of Highway to Heaven episodes|"Another Song for Christmas]]" |- | rowspan="2" | 1985 | ''[[Wildside (U.S. TV series)|Wildside]]'' | Mrs. Brinkenhoff | Season 1, episode 1 "Well-Known Secret" (pilot) |- | ''[[Scarecrow and Mrs. King]]'' | | Season 3, episode 3 "[[List of Scarecrow and Mrs. King episodes|Over the Limit]]" |- | rowspan="3" | 1986 | ''Crossings'' | Mrs. Emma Zimmerman | Television mini-series; episode 1 |- | ''[[Amazing Stories (1985 TV series)|Amazing Stories]]'' | Grandma Helen | Season 1, episode 24 "Grandpa's Ghost" (season finale) |- | ''[[Sidekicks (TV series)|Sidekicks]]'' | Mamie | Season 1, episode 12 "Grey Belts" |- | rowspan="3" | 1987 | ''[[Crime Story (U.S. TV series)|Crime Story]]'' | Old Lady | Season 1, episode 19 "The Pinnacle" |- | ''[[Beauty and the Beast (1987 TV series)|Beauty and the Beast]]'' | Sylvia | Season 1, episode 3 "[[List of Beauty and the Beast episodes|Siege]]" |- | ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' | Yvette Picard | Season 1, episode 6 "[[Where No One Has Gone Before]]" |- | rowspan="2" | 1988 | ''[[Cagney & Lacey]]'' | Wilma Milton | Season 7, episode 10 "[[List of Cagney & Lacey episodes#Season 7: 1987–1988|Old Flames]]" |- | ''[[The Golden Girls]]'' | Ida | Season 4, episode 8 "[[The Golden Girls (season 4)|Brother, Can You Spare That Jacket?]]" |- | 1989 | ''[[Just the Ten of Us]]'' | Sister Cyril | Season 2, episode 10 "[[List of Just the Ten of Us episodes#Season 2 (1988–89)|Song of Constance]]" |- | 1990 | ''[[The Munsters Today]]'' | The Widow Johansen | Season 2, episode 24 "[[The Munsters Today#Episodes|That's Gratitude]]" (season finale) |- | rowspan="2" | 1991 | ''[[Adam-12 (1990 TV series)|The New Adam-12]]'' | Claire | Season 1, episode 20 "[[Adam-12 (1990 TV series)#Episode list|221 Pizza]]" |- | ''[[Eerie, Indiana]]'' | Mary B. Carter | Season 1, episode 8 "[[Eerie, Indiana#Episodes|The Dead Letter]]" |- | 1992 | ''[[Civil Wars (TV series)|Civil Wars]]'' | Alma Gough | Season 2, episode 3 "Oboe Phobia" |- | 1994 | ''[[ER (TV series)|ER]]'' | Mrs. Franks | Season 1, episode 2 "[[ER (season 1)|Day One]]" |- | 1995 | ''[[Misery Loves Company (TV series)|Misery Loves Company]]'' | Old Hildy | Season 1, episode 5 "[[Misery Loves Company (TV series)|The Witches of East 6th]]" (unaired episode) |- | 1996 | ''[[Tracey Takes On...]]'' | Ida Levitz | Season 1, episode 6 "[[List of Tracey Takes On... episodes|Law]]" |- | 1998-2000 | ''[[Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction]]'' | Old Woman | Season 2, episode 9 (story 3 - "The Getaway") Season 3, episode 3 ("The Find", "The Golden Cue", "The FBI Story", "The Gravedigger's Nemesis" & "Last Rites" - all 5 stories from #3.3) |}

===Television films=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 1978 | ''A Question of Guilt'' | Miriam's Mother | |- | 1986 | ''Child's Cry'' | Mrs. Hartounian | |- | 1990 | ''[[Miracle Landing]]'' | Dorothy Hendricks | |- | 1992 | ''[[Crazy in Love (film)|Crazy in Love]]'' | Pem | [[CableACE Award|CableAce Award for Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries]] |- | rowspan="2" | 1996 | ''[[Alien Nation: Millennium]]'' | Alana | |- | ''Co-ed Call Girl'' | Customer | |}

===Other appearances=== * 1974 ''Medieval Theater: The Play of Abraham and Isaac'' ... Mary Pink, Mother (short documentary) * 1984 ''Woody Guthrie: Hard Travelin' '' (documentary) * 1993 ''When Jesus Was a Kid'' (video short)

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Memory Alpha}} *{{IMDb name|912113|Herta Ware}} *{{IBDB name}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ware, Herta}} [[Category:1917 births]] [[Category:2005 deaths]] [[Category:American film actresses]] [[Category:American stage actresses]] [[Category:American television actresses]] [[Category:Deaths from Parkinson's disease in California]] [[Category:Hollywood blacklist]] [[Category:Actresses from Wilmington, Delaware]] [[Category:20th-century American actresses]] [[Category:Activists from Delaware]] [[Category:21st-century American women]]