Ellen Hansen Corby passed away on April 14, 1999, in Los Angeles at the age of 87 after experiencing years of declining health. She was widely recognized for her role as Grandma Walton on the television series The Waltons, a performance that earned her three Emmy Awards. Corby also received a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for her role in the 1948 film I Remember Mama.
Born on June 3, 1911, in Racine, Wisconsin, Corby was the daughter of Danish immigrant parents. Her family later relocated to Philadelphia, where she was raised and developed an interest in acting during her high school years.
In 1932, she moved to Hollywood and worked as a script girl for 12 years while taking acting lessons in her spare time. Corby began appearing in films throughout the 1930s, often in small or uncredited roles. She appeared in over 30 films before earning her first credited role in 1945.
Corby’s portrayal of Grandma Walton began in the 1971 television movie The Homecoming, which led to the launch of The Waltons TV series in 1972. She continued in this role for nearly ten years and reprised it in reunion films during the 1980s and 1990s.
In 1976, Corby suffered a major stroke but returned to acting despite having limited speech. Her real-life recovery was incorporated into the storyline of The Waltons.
Trained in Transcendental Meditation, Corby traveled to India in 1969. She shared her life with longtime partner Stella Luchetta.
From her beginnings in Racine to her final years in Hollywood, Ellen Hansen Corby’s contributions to The Waltons have left a significant legacy in American television.
