BESS FLOWERS

November 23, 1898

Bess Flowers was known as “The Queen of the Hollywood Extras," appearing in more than 950 films and television shows in her 41-year career.

Born in Sherman, Texas, Flowers’ film debut came in 1923, when she appeared in Hollywood. She made three films that year, and then began working extensively. Many of her appearances are uncredited, as she generally played non-speaking roles.  Not surprisingly, Flowers was a founding member of SEG, the Screen Extras Guild (now part of SAG) in 1945. 

Bess Flowers holds the record for sharing the screen with Lucille Ball in more movies (not including TV shows) than any other performers: 17 films from 1933-1963. 

Flowers finally did her first television show with “The Adventures of Superman” in October 1953. As usual, she played a well-dressed café patron. 

Records for extras are often unreliable, but according to sources, Bess Flowers was seen in at least four episodes of “I Love Lucy”, including: 

In "Lucy Is Enceinte” (ILL S2;E10) in 1952, she plays a woman at the Tropicana who blushes when Ricky nods in her direction to see if she is the woman announcing her blessed event. 

In “Ethel’s Birthday" (ILL S4;E9) in 1954, Flowers was in the audience of “Over The Tea Cups”. 

Source say that she was also in the audience of The Most Happy Fella during “Lucy’s Night In Town” (ILL S6;E22) in 1957.  She is likely being confused with Norma Varden, who has a similar look and gets considerable air time during the episode. Many times, barring written records or screen credit, background artists like Flowers must rely upon eagle-eyed viewers for identification. 

In 1959, Flowers was in the front row of the audience at the Desilu Playhouse for the “Desilu Revue”, a showcase of Desilu’s talent for the holiday season. 

A month earlier she was one of the casino patrons in the “Sunday Showcase: The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Milton Berle Special” which took place in Las Vegas. 

She was also seen in at least five episodes of “The Lucy Show,” including: 

Flowers (along with Lucille Ball’s camera and lighting stand-in Hazel Pierce) was a member of the Danfield Volunteer Fire Brigade in “Lucy and Viv Are Volunteer Firemen” (TLS S1;E16) in 1963…

…as well as in “Lucy Drives a Dump Truck” (TLS S1;E24) in 1963. 

In “Chris’s New Years Eve Party” (TLS S1;E14) in 1962, Flowers was one of the New Years Eve revelers at the Elm Tree Inn.  

Flowers was one of the posh diners at the Pink Pheasant in “No More Double Dates” (TLS S1;E21) in 1963. Lucy uses her open compact as a spy mirror! 

She was a very vocal spectator in “Lucy and the Little League” (TLS S1;E28) in 1963. This was one of the rare times Flowers actually had a line of dialogue!  This was her final appearance with Lucille Ball. 

For Desilu, Flowers did four episodes of “The Untouchables” including the 1959 pilot. 

She was one of the many extras for the “Westinghouse-Desilu Playhouse” production of “The Man in the Funny Suit” starring Ed and Keenan Wynn in 1960. As usual, Desi Arnaz introduced the episode on camera. 

Also on the Desilu lot, Flowers did one episode of “My Three Sons” in March 1962 that also featured William Frawley, Fred MacMurray, Eve Arden, and Reta Shaw. 

Her final role was in Good Neighbor Sam released in July 1964, her fourth film released within the month!  

Flowers was first married in 1923 to Cullen Tate, an assistant director for Cecil B. DeMille. They had a daughter, and they were divorced in 1928. Her second marriage took place in 1929 to William S. Holman. They were divorced in 1930 and had one child. 

Bess Flowers died on July 28, 1984, at age 85 in the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California.