# Jody Gilbert

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{{short description|American actress (1916–1979)}}

{{Infobox person
| name          = Jody Gilbert
| image         = Jody Gilbert in The Tuttles of Tahiti (1942).jpg
| alt           = 
| caption       = Jody Gilbert in ''[The Tuttles of Tahiti](/source/The_Tuttles_of_Tahiti)'' (1942)
| birth_name    = Joe Ray Swartzburg<ref name="texasbirths">[https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6PL9-S6N?view=index&personArk=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AX2PK-2Z4&action=view&cc=1803956&lang=en&groupId= Texas. Birth Certificates 1916]. Retrieved 29 May 2026 from familysearch.org.</ref>
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1916|3|18}}
| birth_place   = [Fort Worth, Texas](/source/Fort_Worth%2C_Texas), U.S.
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1979|2|3|1916|3|18}}
| death_place   = [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles), California, U.S.
| resting_place = [Hollywood Forever Cemetery](/source/Hollywood_Forever_Cemetery)
| occupation    = Actress
| years_active  = 1937–1953, 1965–1978
}}

'''Jody Gilbert''' (née '''Joe Ray Swartzburg'''<ref name="texasbirths" />) (March 18, 1916 – February 3, 1979) was an American actress.

==Biography==
Gilbert was born in [Fort Worth, Texas](/source/Fort_Worth%2C_Texas). She was the daughter of Reba Gilbert and Chas. Swartzburg.<ref name="texasbirths" /> 

Gilbert studied voice and acting at [Columbia University](/source/Columbia_University), and was a graduate of [Pasadena Playhouse](/source/Pasadena_Playhouse).<ref name="funeral notice">{{cite news |title=Funeral Services Slated for Actress Jody Gilbert |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=February 2, 1979 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/26353923/the_los_angeles_times/ |access-date=December 19, 2018 |via=[Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)}}</ref>

After numerous uncredited film roles, Gilbert delivered a brief but memorable performance in ''[Never Give a Sucker an Even Break](/source/Never_Give_a_Sucker_an_Even_Break)'' (1941). She played a sarcastic diner waitress who engages in a verbal duel with her customer [W.C. Fields](/source/W.C._Fields). Over the next decade, she appeared dozens of times (although still mostly uncredited) in movies and television, often in humorous supporting parts as "sizeable" but confident women.<ref>{{cite web |website=[AllMovie](/source/AllMovie) |url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/jody-gilbert-an30820 |title=Jody Gilbert - Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos |accessdate=November 14, 2021}}</ref> Her best-known radio roles were as [Marie Wilson](/source/Marie_Wilson_(American_actress))'s partner in ''[My Friend Irma](/source/My_Friend_Irma)'', and as Rosa in ''[Life with Luigi](/source/Life_with_Luigi)''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jody Gilbert, character actress |newspaper=[The Baltimore Sun](/source/The_Baltimore_Sun) |page=17 |date=February 8, 1979 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/373345517/ |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

Gilbert's acting career was interrupted by the [Hollywood blacklist](/source/Hollywood_blacklist). In November 1952, a writer named Harvey Narcisenfield testified to the [House Un-American Activities Committee](/source/House_Un-American_Activities_Committee) (HUAC) that Gilbert was a Communist.<ref>{{cite book |last=Vaughn |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Vaughn |title=Only Victims: A Study of Show Business Blacklisting |publisher=G.P. Putnam's Sons |location=New York |year=1972 |page=287 |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/BOOKSHELF-ARH/Commentary/Only-Victims-Robert-Vaughn-1972.pdf |via=World Radio History}}</ref> When she was summoned before the committee in March 1953, she used the [Fifth Amendment](/source/Fifth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution)'s shield against self-incrimination.<ref name=IMDb_bio>{{cite web |title=Jody Gilbert Biography |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0318101/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm |publisher=[IMDb](/source/IMDb)}}</ref> But first she made light of the proceedings by invoking the [Nineteenth Amendment](/source/Nineteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution), and joking that it gave women "equal rights to decline" to answer questions.<ref name=LAT_HUAC>{{cite news |title=Quiz on Reds Hears Account of Blacklisting |date=March 27, 1953 |newspaper=[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times) |page=21 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/386224568/ |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> When asked her profession by HUAC counsel [Frank Tavenner](/source/Frank_S._Tavenner_Jr.), she replied, "Well, now, right at the moment my profession, I would say, is a witness."<ref name=LAT_HUAC /> In addition to the Fifth Amendment, she also cited the [Fifth Commandment](/source/Honour_thy_father_and_thy_mother) ("Honor thy father and thy mother") when refusing to answer about her Communist Party membership.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fort Worth-Born Actress Gives House Red Hunters Difficult Time |date=March 27, 1953 |page=3 |newspaper=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/637112048/ |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

After her HUAC testimony, Gilbert was barred from TV work until 1965. Her next film role was not until 1969 in ''[Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid](/source/Butch_Cassidy_and_the_Sundance_Kid)''. Her final screen appearances included small parts in episodes of the TV shows ''[Sanford and Son](/source/Sanford_and_Son)'', ''[Police Woman](/source/Police_Woman_(TV_series))'', ''[Starsky and Hutch](/source/Starsky_and_Hutch)'', and ''[Switch](/source/Switch_(American_TV_series))''.  

On February 3, 1979, Jody Gilbert died at her [Sherman Oaks](/source/Sherman_Oaks%2C_Los_Angeles) home from complications arising from an automobile accident that she had been involved in the previous autumn. She was 62.<ref name="funeral notice"/>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
|1939|| ''[Confession](/source/Confession_(1937_film))'' || Actress || uncredited
|-
|1939|| ''[Chasing Danger](/source/Chasing_Danger)'' || Teena ||
|-
|1939|| ''[New Frontier](/source/New_Frontier_(film))'' || Rusty's Dance Partner || uncredited
|-
|1939|| ''[No Place to Go](/source/No_Place_to_Go_(1939_film))'' || Mrs. Hazelhurst || uncredited
|-
|1939|| ''[Ninotchka](/source/Ninotchka)'' || Streetcar Conductress - Moscow Roommate || uncredited
|-
|1939|| ''[Everything Happens at Night](/source/Everything_Happens_at_Night)'' || Hilda ||
|-
|1940|| ''[Little Old New York](/source/Little_Old_New_York_(1940_film))'' || Hilda ||
|-
|1940|| ''[Seventeen](/source/Seventeen_(1940_film))'' || Ethel Boke || uncredited
|-
|1940|| ''[Star Dust](/source/Star_Dust_(film))'' || Swedish Maid ||
|-
|1940|| ''[Ski Patrol](/source/Ski_Patrol_(1940_film))'' || Fanni Nerkuu ||
|-
|1940|| ''[Grand Ole Opry](/source/Grand_Ole_Opry_(film))'' || Women's Club President || uncredited
|-
|1940|| ''[Brigham Young](/source/Brigham_Young_(film))'' || Stout Woman Who Can't Swim || uncredited
|-
|1940|| ''[Flowing Gold](/source/Flowing_Gold_(1940_film))'' || Tillie / Mrs. Harris ||
|-
|1940|| ''[Hit Parade of 1941](/source/Hit_Parade_of_1941)'' || || uncredited
|-
|1941|| ''[Hudson's Bay](/source/Hudson's_Bay_(film))'' || Germaine ||
|-
|1941|| ''[Maisie Was a Lady](/source/Maisie_Was_a_Lady)'' || Curly the Bearded Lady || uncredited
|-
|1941|| ''[Pot o' Gold](/source/Pot_o'_Gold_(film))'' || Helga Svenson || uncredited
|-
|1941|| ''[Sergeant York](/source/Sergeant_York_(film))'' || Fat Woman || uncredited
|-
|1941|| ''[Wild Geese Calling](/source/Wild_Geese_Calling)'' || Swede || uncredited
|-
|1941|| ''[Never Give a Sucker an Even Break](/source/Never_Give_a_Sucker_an_Even_Break)'' || The Waitress ||
|-
|1941|| ''[Shadow of the Thin Man](/source/Shadow_of_the_Thin_Man)'' || Lana - Spider Webb's Girl || uncredited
|-
|1941|| ''[Hellzapoppin'](/source/Hellzapoppin'_(film))'' || Louie's Girlfriend || uncredited
|-
|1941|| ''[Remember the Day](/source/Remember_the_Day)'' || Mrs. Martha Avery ||
|-
|1942|| ''[Ride 'Em Cowboy](/source/Ride_'Em_Cowboy_(1942_film))'' || Moonbeam || uncredited
|-
|1942|| ''[The Tuttles of Tahiti](/source/The_Tuttles_of_Tahiti)'' || Effie ||
|-
|1942|| ''[The Affairs of Martha](/source/The_Affairs_of_Martha)'' || Hadwig || uncredited
|-
|1942|| ''[Iceland](/source/Iceland_(film))'' || Fat Girl || uncredited
|-
|1942|| ''[Wrecking Crew](/source/Wrecking_Crew_(1942_film))'' || Hefty Girl || uncredited
|-
|1942|| ''[The Black Swan](/source/The_Black_Swan_(film))'' || Flossy Woman with Tommy || uncredited
|-
|1942|| ''[Journey for Margaret](/source/Journey_for_Margaret)'' || Madame Bornholm || uncredited
|-
|1942|| ''[Reunion in France](/source/Reunion_in_France)'' || Brunhilde - Stout Customer || uncredited
|-
|1943|| ''[The Hard Way](/source/The_Hard_Way_(1943_film))'' || Anderson - Masseuse || uncredited
|-
|1943|| ''[Hers to Hold](/source/Hers_to_Hold)'' || Babe || uncredited
|-
|1943|| ''[Wings Over the Pacific](/source/Wings_Over_the_Pacific)'' || Native Woman with Black Eye ||
|-
|1943|| ''[Hi Diddle Diddle](/source/Hi_Diddle_Diddle)'' || Agitated Wife || uncredited
|-
|1943|| ''Hi'ya, Sailor'' || Plump Hostess || uncredited
|-
|1943|| ''[The Unknown Guest](/source/The_Unknown_Guest_(1943_film))'' || Mrs. Green || uncredited
|-
|1943|| ''[Princess O'Rourke](/source/Princess_O'Rourke)'' || Woman Truck Driver || uncredited
|-
|1944|| ''[The Story of Dr. Wassell](/source/The_Story_of_Dr._Wassell)'' || Head Nurse || uncredited
|-
|1944|| ''[Ladies of Washington](/source/Ladies_of_Washington)'' || Nurse's Aide || uncredited
|-
|1944|| ''[Marriage Is a Private Affair](/source/Marriage_Is_a_Private_Affair)'' || Girl Taxi Driver || uncredited
|-
|1944|| ''[Lost in a Harem](/source/Lost_in_a_Harem)'' || Native Laundress || uncredited
|-
|1944|| ''[Music for Millions](/source/Music_for_Millions)'' || Burly Woman Cab Driver || uncredited
|-
|1944|| ''[Together Again](/source/Together_Again_(film))'' || Fat Woman Fleeing Nightclub Raid || uncredited
|-
|1944|| ''[Can't Help Singing](/source/Can't_Help_Singing)'' || Bath House Attendant || uncredited
|-
|1945|| ''[Roughly Speaking](/source/Roughly_Speaking_(film))'' || Woman in Store || uncredited
|-
|1945|| ''[Christmas in Connecticut](/source/Christmas_in_Connecticut)'' || Mrs. Gerseg || uncredited
|-
|1945|| ''[That Night with You](/source/That_Night_with_You)'' || Masseuse || uncredited
|-
|1945|| ''[Strange Confession](/source/Strange_Confession)'' || Mrs. Todd || uncredited
|-
|1945|| ''[Hold That Blonde](/source/Hold_That_Blonde)'' || Matron || uncredited
|-
|1945|| ''[Life with Blondie](/source/Life_with_Blondie)'' || Buxom Woman || uncredited
|-
|1945|| ''[Texas Panhandle](/source/Texas_Panhandle_(film))'' || Millie the Blacksmith || uncredited
|-
|1946|| ''[Partners in Time](/source/Partners_in_Time)'' || The Bad Cook || uncredited
|-
|1946|| ''[Deadline for Murder](/source/Deadline_for_Murder_(film))'' || Tiny ||
|-
|1946|| ''[Two Guys from Milwaukee](/source/Two_Guys_from_Milwaukee)'' || Big Woman || uncredited
|-
|1946|| ''Singing on the Trail'' || Casey || uncredited
|-
|1946|| ''[Decoy](/source/Decoy_(1946_film))'' || Mrs. Noonan || uncredited
|-
|1946|| ''[Cross My Heart](/source/Cross_My_Heart_(1946_film))'' || Miss Stewart || uncredited
|-
|1946|| ''[The Show-Off](/source/The_Show-Off_(1946_film))'' || Woman || scenes deleted
|-
|1947|| ''[Blondie's Holiday](/source/Blondie's_Holiday)'' || Cynthia Thompson (Class of '32) ||
|-
|1947|| ''[Fun on a Weekend](/source/Fun_on_a_Weekend)'' || Customer in Clothing Shop || uncredited
|-
|1947|| ''[Second Chance](/source/Second_Chance_(1947_film))'' || Policewoman || uncredited
|-
|1947|| ''[Roses Are Red](/source/Roses_Are_Red_(film))'' || Jill's Landlady || uncredited
|-
|1947|| ''[Heading for Heaven](/source/Heading_for_Heaven)'' || Mable Foster || uncredited
|-
|1948|| ''[Albuquerque](/source/Albuquerque_(film))'' || Pearl Eager ||
|-
|1948|| ''[Are You with It?](/source/Are_You_with_It%3F)'' || Mrs. Minerva Henkle ||
|-
|1948|| ''[Casbah](/source/Casbah_(film))'' || American Woman || uncredited
|-
|1948|| ''[Shaggy](/source/Shaggy_(film))'' || Tessie ||
|-
|1948|| ''[Texas, Brooklyn and Heaven](/source/Texas%2C_Brooklyn_and_Heaven)'' || Lady || uncredited
|-
|1948|| ''[Million Dollar Weekend](/source/Million_Dollar_Weekend)'' || Big Woman at Airline Counter || uncredited
|-
|1948|| ''[My Dear Secretary](/source/My_Dear_Secretary)'' || Hilda Sneebacher || uncredited
|-
|1948|| ''[Bungalow 13](/source/Bungalow_13)'' || Mrs. Martha Barton ||
|-
|1948|| ''[The Paleface](/source/The_Paleface_(1948_film))'' || Woman in Bathhouse || uncredited
|-
|1949|| ''[Knock on Any Door](/source/Knock_on_Any_Door)'' || Gussie || uncredited
|-
|1949|| ''[The Lost Tribe](/source/The_Lost_Tribe_(1949_film))'' || Zulta, the Barmaid || uncredited
|-
|1949|| ''[The Lovable Cheat](/source/The_Lovable_Cheat)'' || Madame Violette ||
|-
|1949|| ''[Hellfire](/source/Hellfire_(1949_film))'' || Full Moon ||
|-
|1949|| ''[One Last Fling](/source/One_Last_Fling)'' || Amy Dearing ||
|-
|1949|| ''[Brimstone](/source/Brimstone_(1949_film))'' || Fat Lady on Stage || uncredited
|-
|1949|| ''[The Doctor and the Girl](/source/The_Doctor_and_the_Girl)'' || Mrs. Vlacsek || uncredited
|-
|1950|| ''[The Blonde Bandit](/source/The_Blonde_Bandit)'' || Bertha Fannon ||
|-
|1950|| ''[Blonde Dynamite](/source/Blonde_Dynamite)'' || Sarah Dumbrowski ||
|-
|1950|| ''[House by the River](/source/House_by_the_River)'' || Flora Bantam ||
|-
|1950|| ''[The Yellow Cab Man](/source/The_Yellow_Cab_Man)'' || Cecil's Mother || uncredited
|-
|1950|| ''[My Friend Irma Goes West](/source/My_Friend_Irma_Goes_West)'' || Fat Woman || uncredited
|-
|1951|| ''Gene Autry and The Mounties'' || Squaw || uncredited
|-
|1951|| ''[Slaughter Trail](/source/Slaughter_Trail)'' || Fat Woman at Dance || uncredited
|-
|1952|| ''[Something to Live For](/source/Something_to_Live_For_(film))'' || Woman in Telephone Booth || uncredited
|-
|1952|| ''[Actor's and Sin](/source/Actor's_and_Sin)'' || Mrs. Egelhofer || (segment "Woman of Sin")
|-
|1952|| ''[Jumping Jacks](/source/Jumping_Jacks)'' || Mr. White's Secretary || uncredited
|-
|1953|| ''[Houdini](/source/Houdini_(1953_film))'' || Fat Girl || uncredited
|-
|1969|| ''[Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid](/source/Butch_Cassidy_and_the_Sundance_Kid)'' || Large Woman ||
|-
|1967|| ''[Dragnet: "The Fur Job" S9, E9](/source/Dragnet_(S9%2C_E9))'' || Mrs. Hilliard ||
|-
|1971|| ''[Willard](/source/Willard_(1971_film))'' || Charlotte Stassen ||
|-
|1976|| ''[Lifeguard](/source/Lifeguard_(film))'' || Woman ||
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{IMDb name|0318101}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gilbert, Jody}}
Category:1916 births
Category:1979 deaths
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:American film actresses

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