ELVIA ALLMAN

September 19, 1904

Elvia Beatrice Allman was born on September 19, 1904 in Enochville, North Carolina. She started her performing career on radio in the 1920s, as both a storyteller and singer. This led to work voicing cartoon characters for Warner Brothers. Simultaneously, she was pursuing stage acting, appearing at the Pasadena Playhouse. 

Allman made her film debut as an actress in 1940’s The Road to Singapore as a homely woman who pursues Bob Hope.

On radio, she worked with Lucille Ball on “My Favorite Husband”. 

Her first TV credit came in August 1951, in an episode of “Hollywood Theatre Time” written by “I Love Lucy” scribes Bob Carroll and Madelyn Pugh Davis. This undoubtedly led to her first encounter with Lucille Ball.

Allman’s first episode of “I Love Lucy” is also one of the most memorable in TV history: “Job Switching” (ILL S2;E1) in September 1952.  She played the strident foreman of Kramer’s Candy Kitchen.   

This portrayal has been seen numerous times across various media, and often imitated, but perhaps none more brilliantly than on “Will & Grace” where Lucie Arnaz played the role originated by Allman. 

“I’m thrilled to be invited to the party and will do my best to honor the memory of Elvia Allman’s iconic performance.” ~ Lucie Arnaz

NEIGHBOR: “Do you wanna see Minnie or don’t ya?”

Allman returned to the show as one of Minnie Finch’s neighbors in “Fan Magazine Interview” (ILL S3;E17) in 1954, quite a change of pace. 

NANCY GRAHAM: “When did you first meet…himmm?”

Changing gears once again she played prim magazine reporter Nancy Graham in “The Homecoming” (ILL S5;E6) in 1955. The character is probably a tribute to Sheilah Graham, who was an English-born Hollywood journalist. 

Graham suggests that her article will be titled “NOW I AM HIS SLAVE” by LUCY RICARDO, a title that would raise more than a few eyebrows, even in 1955!  

She made two appearances on “The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour“ – first as Ida Thompson, Westfield’s PTA director who is enamored of Tallulah Bankhead in “The Celebrity Next Door” (LDCH S1;E2) in December 1957.  The character is likely named in honor of Maury Thompson, who was the show’s long-time camera coordinator.

She was Milton Berle’s over-protective secretary when “Milton Berle Hides Out at the Ricardos” (LDCH S3;E1) in 1959. 

Allman would also be seen on two episodes of “The Lucy Show.”  First as a customer shopping for a new hat when Lucy takes a job at Stacey’s Department Store in “Lucy Bags a Bargain” (TLS S4;E17) in 1966. Allman flips her wig when Lucy bungles the sale! 

Her second, and final Lucycom appearance, was in “Lucy The Babysitter” (TLS S5;E16) in 1967. Allman finally gets to use her own name to play the manager of an employment agency visited by Mrs. Carmichael. Coincidentally, the name of the business is the Unique Employment Agency, which will also be  the name of the Employment Agency on “Here’s Lucy.”  This pretty much brings things full circle for Allman, whose first episode of “I Love Lucy” featured the Acme Employment Agency, the agency that places Lucy and Ethel at Kramer’s Candy Kitchen! 

Allman’s final screen appearance with Lucille Ball reunited her with Bob Hope: “Bringing Back Vaudeville” on November 16, 1971 on NBC. 

Back in 1952, the same year Allman did her first “I Love Lucy” episode, she was a recurring character on NBC’s answer to “Lucy”, “I Married Joan” which – like “Lucy” – also filmed at General Service Studios.  Consequently, the two shows shared many performers. Allman played Aunt Vera for six episodes during season one. 

In May 1953, Allman did a single episode of “Our Miss Brooks,” filmed by Desilu. She appeared opposite Eve Arden, Gale Gordon, Richard Crenna, and Gloria McMillan, all of who appeared on “I Love Lucy.” 

In October 1954, she played a maid on the Desilu filmed “Make Room for Daddy”. 

In 1958, to symbolize the show’s move to CBS, the Williams family moved into the Ricardo home in Westport. In return, Lucy and Desi guest-starred on “The Danny Thomas Show” as the Ricardos.

Also in 1954, Allman started appearing on Desilu’s “December Bride,” doing six episodes until 1959, mostly playing Sara Selkirk. 

In 1957, Executive Producer Desi Arnaz appeared as himself. In 1960 she was featured on the very first episode of the sequel series, “Pete and Gladys” and did another episode in 1962. 

In October 1958, she did a day on Desilu’s “The Ann Sothern Show.” In November 1959,Lucille Ball played Lucy Ricardo on the series’ season two premiere.  

In January 1961, Allman played Henrietta Swanson on “The Andy Griffith Show” filmed on the Desilu backlot. 

A few months later, she did a day on “The Real McCoys”, also filmed on the Desilu backlot.

In June 1964, Allman did an installment of “Vacation Playhouse” – a Desilu anthology series of possible pilots.  

In 1963 and 1965, Allman did episodes of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” filmed at Desilu Studios. The second featured Amzie Strickland, who also appeared with her in “Lucy Bags a Bargain” (TLS S4;E17). 

Allman has the distinction of appearing in all three of CBS’s inter-connected rural sitcoms (albeit as different characters): “The Beverly Hillbillies” (as Elverna Bradshaw); “Petticoat Junction” (as Selma Plout); and “Green Acres” (as Cora Watson). 

Her final screen appearance was on a 1989 episode of “Murder She Wrote” starring Angela Lansbury. 

Her first husband, Wesley B. Tourtellotte, was a musician whom she married in 1930. The marriage was short-lived and produced one child. Her second was Charles Pyle, who was often called Cash and Carry Pyle, an Illinois theater owner and sports agent. They married in 1937 but he died of a heart attack two years later.

Her third and last marriage, to Jerome Bayler, lasted 33 years until his death in 1978.

Allman died on March 6, 1992, aged 87.