Hope Emerson | |
|---|---|
 Studio publicity photo, 1950s | |
| Born | October 29, 1897 Hawarden, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | April 24, 1960 (aged 62) Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, vaudeville performer, strongwoman, nightclub performer |
| Years active | 1900–1960 |
Hope Emerson (October 29, 1897 – April 24, 1960) was an American actress, vaudevillian, nightclub performer, and strongwoman. Emerson started acting when she was three years old during a production with her mother. Her career started when she advertised sheet music by playing the piano at a 10-cent store. Emerson made her Broadway debut in Lysistrata in 1930. She starred in other plays, films, television shows, and commercials. She often played the role of a villain in comedies and dramas. Emerson's performance in Caged "became the standard model for women's prison films." Her roles included being a circus strongwoman, a nefarious masseuse-conspirator, a mail-order bride, and a prison warden.
Emerson died from a liver ailment on April 24, 1960, at the Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital. Emerson shares a grave with her parents in Hawarden, Iowa.