By Steve CrumVerna Felton, shown with Lucille Ball in one of her infrequent appearances on I Love Lucy, is an Emmy nominated veteran actress known for her great radio, TV and movie live action and voice work. Among her TV appearances, she played Hilda Crocker on December Bride (Emmy nominated) and Dennis Day’s mother on The Jack Benny Program. Movie-wise, I love her as the compassionate, savvy neighbor Mrs. Potts in Picnic (1955).
Felton’s voice work is highlighted by Walt Disney animated classics, even though she did do some TV voices on The Flintstones. Her voice will live forever in such Disney films as Dumbo (Mrs. Jumbo), Cinderella (Fairy Godmother), Alice in Wonderland (Queen of Hearts), Lady and the Tramp (Aunt Sara), Sleeping Beauty (Flora and Queen Leah), and The Jungle Book (Winifred the Elephant)–her final role. She died of a stroke on December 14, 1966, the day before Walt Disney died. Vera Felton is interred at the Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.