Actress. She is best remembered for her portrayal of the timid Cora Hudson in the cult classic "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" (1962). Born Mary Anne Henderson, she was raised within a traditional working-class family. After attaining her degree in theatrical arts from Barnard College, she began her career as a leading lady on the stage appearing in such stage productions as "I Am a Camera," "Life with Father," "Junior Miss," "Dinner at Eight," "The Philadelphia Story," "A Streetcar Named Desire," and "Our Town." While attending a luncheon at the prestigious Beverly Hills Hotel, she was introduced to director Abby Berlin. Impressed by her dark good looks, slender physique, and unique voice, he took notice of her potential and arranged for her to begin a career in the television industry beginning with her appearing under his supervision per a supporting role in an episode of "The Life of Riley." From there, she would go on to flourish as a notable character actress appearing in over 55 features; often typecast as wives, mothers, old maids, relatives, educators, white-collared workers, secretaries, retail clerks, educators, nannies, busybodies, snobs, aristocrats, eccentrics, landladies, curmudgeons, neighbors, retail clerks, clergywomen, librarians, foreigners, historical or literary figures, dowagers, authority figures, and matriarchs. She appeared in such feature films as "The Private War of Major Benson" (1955), "Pawnee" (1957), "The Left Handed Gun" (1958), "Pressure Point" (1962), "The Way West" (1967), "The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid" (1972), and "Gone with the West" (1974). On television, she appeared in numerous guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "The Lone Wolf," "Big Town," "Crusader," "M Squad," "Playhouse 90," "Have Gun - Will Travel," "Lassie," "Tightrope," "The Twilight Zone," "Tales of Wells Fargo," "Dr. Kildare," "Ben Casey," "Perry Mason," "Daniel Boone," "Gunsmoke," "Death Valley Days," "Green Acres," "Hawaii Five-O," "Judd for the Defense," "Cannon," "The Name of the Game," and "Longstreet." During her career, she was an honorary member of Actors Equity, was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, had been a member of the Hollywood Democratic Committee, was a regular parishioner of the Methodist church, had been a commercial model for the Forbes Agency, was one of the founding members of the Canyon Theatre Guild, had been a theatrical instructor for the Pasadena Playhouse, presided as a chairwoman for her local charters of the American Red Cross and the Boys & Girls Clubs, and she was married to character actor Don Barton from 1949 until her death (their union produced three children, two of whom included musician Steven Barton and screenwriter Susan Berman). Upon her 1974 retirement, she spent the remainder of her life being a regular attendee at autograph conventions, as well as being involved in charitable and religious causes until her death.