# Herta Ware

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American actress

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Herta Ware Born Herta Schwartz June 9, 1917 Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. Died August 15, 2005 (aged 88) Topanga, California, U.S. Occupation Actress Years active 1930s–? (stage) 1978–2000 (film & television) Spouses Will Geer ​ ​ (m. 1934; div. 1954)​ David Marshall ​ ​ (m. 1954; div. 1978)​ Children 4, including Ellen Geer Parent 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](/source/Wilmington%2C_Delaware). Her mother, [Helen Ware](/source/Helen_Ware_(violinist)), was a musician and violin teacher. Her father, Laszlo Schwartz, was an actor who was born in [Budapest](/source/Budapest).[1]

Her maternal uncle, [Harold Ware](/source/Harold_Ware), headed the [Ware Group](/source/Ware_Group), the most extensive Soviet spy ring in American history.[2]

Her maternal grandmother was labor organizer and socialist [Ella Reeve Bloor](/source/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.[3]

Her father was Jewish and her mother was Christian.[4]

## Career

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Ware made her [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre) debut in *Let Freedom Ring* (November 6, 1935–February 1936), co-starring husband [Will Geer](/source/Will_Geer), whom she had married in 1934.[5] The couple appeared together in other New York plays, including *[Bury the Dead](/source/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](/source/The_Black_Marble)*. Her second feature film was *[Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype](/source/Dr._Heckyl_and_Mr._Hype)*, which featured [Oliver Reed](/source/Oliver_Reed). She starred in *[2010](/source/2010%3A_The_Year_We_Make_Contact)* in 1984.

She is perhaps most recognized for her performance in the classic film [Ron Howard](/source/Ron_Howard)'s *[Cocoon](/source/Cocoon_(film))*, and appeared in the sequel *[Cocoon: The Return](/source/Cocoon%3A_The_Return)*. She appeared in *[Critters 2: The Main Course](/source/Critters_2%3A_The_Main_Course)* as "Nana". She had roles in several other well-known films such as, *[Species](/source/Species_(film))*, *[Practical Magic](/source/Practical_Magic)*, with [Sandra Bullock](/source/Sandra_Bullock) and [Nicole Kidman](/source/Nicole_Kidman), and *[Cruel Intentions](/source/Cruel_Intentions),* with [Sarah Michelle Gellar](/source/Sarah_Michelle_Gellar) and [Ryan Phillippe](/source/Ryan_Phillippe). Her role in the 1992 television film *Crazy in Love* earned her a [CableACE Award](/source/CableACE_Award) for Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries.

Ware made many guest appearances on classic television series including, *[Knots Landing](/source/Knots_Landing)*, *[Highway to Heaven](/source/Highway_to_Heaven)*, *[Cagney & Lacey](/source/Cagney_%26_Lacey)*, *[The Golden Girls](/source/The_Golden_Girls)* and *[ER](/source/ER_(TV_series))*, to name a few.

Along with her daughter, [Ellen Geer](/source/Ellen_Geer), she made guest appearances on *[Star Trek: The Next Generation](/source/Star_Trek%3A_The_Next_Generation)* and *[Beauty and the Beast](/source/Beauty_and_the_Beast_(1987_TV_series)).*

## Personal life

In 1934, Ware married actor [Will Geer](/source/Will_Geer), with whom she had three children. Together, they relocated to Los Angeles in the early 1940s[6] and settled in [Santa Monica](/source/Santa_Monica) so that Geer could pursue his movie career.[7]

They were a politically minded couple and, in 1951, the passionately left-wing Geer was [blacklisted](/source/Hollywood_blacklist) by Hollywood for taking the [Fifth Amendment](/source/Fifth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution) and refusing to testify before the [House Un-American Activities Committee](/source/House_Un-American_Activities_Committee).[6]

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.[8]

Ware later married actor David Marshall in 1954. Together they had one child, a daughter, actress Melora Marshall. The marriage ended in divorce.[9]

Ware and Geer reunited in 1973 and subsequently co-founded the Will Geer [Theatricum Botanicum](/source/Theatricum_Botanicum), which was on five acres of land that Ware purchased in [Topanga Canyon](/source/Topanga_Canyon) for $10,000. The burgeoning theater officially opened as a summer theater in 1973.[6]

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*.[6]

## Death

Ware died on August 15, 2005,[10] due to complications of [Parkinson's disease](/source/Parkinson's_disease), in [Topanga, California](/source/Topanga%2C_California). She was 88 years old.[6] Her ashes and those of her ex-husband, Will Geer,[11] were scattered at their outdoor theatre.[12]

## Filmography

### Film

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

### Television

Year Title Role Notes 1983 Knots Landing Ethel Marcus Season 5, episode 14 "Secrets Cry Aloud" 1984 Highway to Heaven Grandma Season 1, episode 13 "Another Song for Christmas" 1985 Wildside Mrs. Brinkenhoff Season 1, episode 1 "Well-Known Secret" (pilot) Scarecrow and Mrs. King Season 3, episode 3 "Over the Limit" 1986 Crossings Mrs. Emma Zimmerman Television mini-series; episode 1 Amazing Stories Grandma Helen Season 1, episode 24 "Grandpa's Ghost" (season finale) Sidekicks Mamie Season 1, episode 12 "Grey Belts" 1987 Crime Story Old Lady Season 1, episode 19 "The Pinnacle" Beauty and the Beast Sylvia Season 1, episode 3 "Siege" Star Trek: The Next Generation Yvette Picard Season 1, episode 6 "Where No One Has Gone Before" 1988 Cagney & Lacey Wilma Milton Season 7, episode 10 "Old Flames" The Golden Girls Ida Season 4, episode 8 "Brother, Can You Spare That Jacket?" 1989 Just the Ten of Us Sister Cyril Season 2, episode 10 "Song of Constance" 1990 The Munsters Today The Widow Johansen Season 2, episode 24 "That's Gratitude" (season finale) 1991 The New Adam-12 Claire Season 1, episode 20 "221 Pizza" Eerie, Indiana Mary B. Carter Season 1, episode 8 "The Dead Letter" 1992 Civil Wars Alma Gough Season 2, episode 3 "Oboe Phobia" 1994 ER Mrs. Franks Season 1, episode 2 "Day One" 1995 Misery Loves Company Old Hildy Season 1, episode 5 "The Witches of East 6th" (unaired episode) 1996 Tracey Takes On... Ida Levitz Season 1, episode 6 "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

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 Pem CableAce Award for Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries 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

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Descendants of Henry Lewis Stephens and Charlotte Ann Wevill"](http://www.wargs.com/family/0014.html). Wargs.com. Retrieved 2016-10-15.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Craig, R Bruce (2016). ["Review of TRUE BELIEVER: STALIN'S LAST AMERICAN SPY by Kati Marton"](https://direct.mit.edu/jcws/article-abstract/19/2/215/13670/Kati-Marton-True-Believer-Stalin-s-Last-American?redirectedFrom=fulltext). *Journal of Cold War Studies (2017) 19 (2): 215–217*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Marton, Kati (2016). *True Believer: Stalin's Last American Spy*. New York: Simon & Schuster. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1476763774](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1476763774).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Theatricum Opens a Controversy — and a New Space — With Rachel Corrie ‹ @ This Stage"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150427161750/http://lastagetimes.com/2011/08/theatricum-opens-a-controversy-and-a-new-space-with-rachel-corrie/). Lastagetimes.com. 2011-08-29. Archived from [the original](http://www.lastagetimes.com/2011/08/theatricum-opens-a-controversy-and-a-new-space-with-rachel-corrie/) on 2015-04-27. Retrieved 2016-10-15.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Rourke, Mary (2005-08-19). ["Herta Ware, 88; Actress Helped Establish Theatricum Botanicum"](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-aug-19-me-ware19-story.html). *Los Angeles Times*. Retrieved 2025-03-03.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_6-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_6-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:0_6-4) ["Herta Ware, 88; Actress Helped Establish Theatricum Botanicum"](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-aug-19-me-ware19-story.html). *Los Angeles Times*. 2005-08-19. Retrieved 2020-06-04.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Herta Ware | Actress"](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0912113/). *IMDb*. Retrieved 2025-03-03.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Rourke, Mary (2005-08-19). ["Herta Ware, 88; Actress Helped Establish Theatricum Botanicum"](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-aug-19-me-ware19-story.html). *Los Angeles Times*. Retrieved 2025-03-03.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["David Marshall - Biography"](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1162721/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm). *IMDb*. Retrieved 2025-03-03.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Herta Ware"](https://www.geni.com/people/Herta-Ware/6000000009388456907). *geni_family_tree*. 9 June 1917. Retrieved 2020-06-04.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Theatricum Botanicum"](http://www.the-waltons.com/theatre/). *www.the-waltons.com*. Retrieved 2020-06-04.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Photo Essay: A Theater of Plants In the Cradle of the Canyon"](https://www.avoidingregret.com/2017/08/photo-essay-theater-of-plants-in-cradle.html). Retrieved 2020-06-04.

## External links

- [Herta Ware](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Herta_Ware) at [Memory Alpha](/source/Memory_Alpha)

- [Herta Ware](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0912113/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [Herta Ware](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/64082) at the [Internet Broadway Database](/source/Internet_Broadway_Database)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States Czech Republic Israel People Deutsche Biographie

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Herta Ware](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herta_Ware) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herta_Ware?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.