Agnes Moorehead – Biography, Son, Family, Net Worth, Cause Of Death

Quick Facts

Legends are those whose impacts are felt in their endeavors, who also leave indelible impressions in the minds of people about who they are and this is the case of the iconic American actress, Agnes Moorehead. The film legend is known to have started her journey as an actress at age three and has continued in the industry till her death in 1974 with a lot of international recognition and fame for her stunning roles in television dramas, movies, and radio programs.

Although our screen goddess has been gone for years now, her legacy in the film industry lives on and her memories remain imprinted in the minds of many film lovers.

Agnes Moorehead Biography

Agnes Moorehead was a prominent American actress with a mixed ancestry including English, Irish, Welsh and Scottish. She was born with the full name Agnes Robertson Moorehead in Clinton, Massachusetts, USA., on the 6th of December 1900, but sources had it that she trimmed her age down as she claimed to have been born in 1906. The talented actress began performing at the tender age of three as she is said to have given a public presentation of the Lord’s Prayer in their local church where her father also happens to be the priest. Agnes and her family later relocated to St. Louis and during her stay there, the enthusiastic young woman developed a deeper passion for performing and was bent on becoming an actress.

In 1918, she completed her high school education from the Central High School, after which, she intended to launch into the acting screen but her father compelled her to complete her college education. In line with her father’s demands, she got enrolled in the Muskingum College located at New Concord, Ohio from where she graduated with a degree in Biology and later on she bagged an honorary Doctorate Degree in Literature from the same school. Upon graduation, she commenced work as one of the members of the board trustees for one year.

Later on, Agnes took a job as a teacher in a government school when her family moved to Reedsburg, Wisconsin. During the period she was teaching, Agnes Moorehead added another feather to her distinguish academic cap by obtaining a master’s degree in English from the University of Wisconsin after which she proceeded to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts for her post-graduate studies and graduated in 1929. Furthermore, she also holds an honorary Doctorate Degree from Bradley University.

Career in Entertainment

Agness Moorehead finally made her move in pursuing a career in entertainment with her appearance in a radio program; Believe it or Not, and that the same time she was involved in three stage plays; Soldiers and Women, Scarlet Pages and Candle Light. Later on, Agnes also featured in the radio program; Sherlock Holmes that lasted for three years. She was also involved in broadcasts like Evenings in Paris, The Gumps and was featured in the play All Kings Horses. As a talk show anchor, she pioneered programs like The Shadow, Way Down East, The Mercury Theatre On The Air, The Adventure of Superman, Terry and the Pirates and so many others.

It was towards the end of the 1940s that she began appearing in movies such as The Youngest Profession, The Lost Moment, Cage, Keep Your Powder Dry, The Great Sinner and so on. She ventured into television drama and series in the 1950s appearing on most of the prominent TV dramas that period like Adventure in Paradise, Twilight Zone, The Greatest Show On Earth, The Colgate Comedy Hour, Wagon Train and a plethora of others.

However, Agness Moorehead is known to have had most of her major work in the 1960s, where she played as Madame Acanti in the musical drama High Spirits and the hilarious series Bewitched where she played Endora. The actress was also cast as Velma Cruther in the American suspense-movie Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte for which she earned a nomination for the Best Supporting Actress from Academy Award.

All through her career, the talented actress has garnered so many awards and nomination to her credit. More so, Agnes was honored by the Hollywood Walk of Fame when she received a star in 1960, and after her death, she was posthumously introduced into the St. Louis Walk of Fame in 1994.

Family: Spouse, Son

Agness Moorehead grew up in a godly home with her father John Henderson Moorehead being a Presbyterian priest and her mother Mildred Moorehead, was a legendary singer. However, unlike her parents who enjoyed a blissful marriage, the actress is known to have had two unsuccessful marriages.

The actress’ first marriage was in 1930 to John Griffith Lee who is also an entertainer. The duo had no children together so they adopted a son, Sean in 1949 but after 22 years of being together, Agnes and John ended their marriage. Her next marriage was to co-actor Robert Gist, but the union lasted for only four years.

Net Worth

As at the time of her death Agnes Moorehead has amassed a lot of wealth which can be traced majorly to her acting, radio presentation and other businesses as an entertainer. However, sources have not actually ascertained her net worth because some peg it a tidy $2 million whereas others hiked it up to as high as $71 million. But irrespective of this wide margin in her net worth estimates, it is no secret that Agnes Moorehead surely earned a whooping sum as her earnings as it was evident from the comfortable lifestyle she lived.

Cause of Agnes Moorehead’s Death

Agnes Moorehead death occurred on the 30th of April 1974 when she was aged 73. Her demise came after battling with uterine cancer and she was buried at Dayton Memorial Park, Dayton, Ohio.

Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.