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Short, round, and sweet-faced, she was a petite bundle of sunshine (no taller than 5 feet) crowned with a tight, charming, tangerine Orphan Annie-style frizz. Character actress Nora Boland was among the many beloved character actresses who embarked on their careers later in life. Born Nora Madeleine Webb on December 14, 1929, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, she dabbled in theater throughout her life but was well settled as a wife and mother before deciding to fully commit to the entertainment industry. She was unforgettable. Though her film and TV roles were often small, she effortlessly captured attention with a simple glazed expression or a look of confusion. Her hearty, squawk-like laugh, mischievous and contagious, added to her charm.
Nora made her film debut at 48 in a minor role in Gene Wilder's The World's Greatest Lover (1977). She brought her joyful spirit to other comedies like California Suite (1978) and Rodney Dangerfield's Back to School (1986). TV comedy suited her well, with appearances on sitcoms such as "WKRP in Cincinnati," "Gimme a Break," and "227," often playing neighbors, landladies, customers, relatives, cleaning ladies, or flighty matrons. She also provided comic relief in more serious shows like "General Hospital," "Hill Street Blues," and "Highway to Heaven."
Yet it was on the musical stage where Nora truly shone. A former member of Lonny Chapman's Group Repertory Theatre, she earned laughs as prison matron "Mama Morton" in their 1980s production of "Chicago," and delivered memorable performances in other musicals around Los Angeles. Nora and I worked together for several seasons at the Norris Theatre in Palos Verdes during their annual "A Christmas Carol," featuring notable Scrooges such as Ford Rainey, Raye Birk, and Robert Mandan. She was a joyous presence, especially as Mrs. Fezziwig, among other roles.
Later in life, facing hypertension and diabetes, Nora retired in the 1990s to focus on her true passion: writing, particularly poetry. She passed away peacefully at her home in Rolling Hills Estates on January 15, 2008, at age 78. With her passing, our small L.A. theater community lost a bit of its joy and merriment.
