Catholic actress Jane Wyatt, 'Father Knows Best' mom, dies at 96

Published: 2006-10-25

BEL AIR, Calif. (CNS) -- Jane Wyatt, the Catholic actress who won three Emmy awards for her portrayal of Margaret Anderson, the mother on the genial 1950s television comedy "Father Knows Best," died Oct. 20 at her home in Bel Air. She was 96 years old. Wyatt reprised the role in a pair of "Father Knows Best" made-for-TV reunion movies in 1977. Born in 1910 -- most professional resumes shaved two years off her age -- Wyatt could list among her ancestors a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the founder of Columbia University. Her mother, Euphemia Van Rensselaer, was a contributing writer to Commonweal and Catholic World magazines and was president of Catholic Big Sisters. Wyatt was dropped from the New York Social Register when she left college to become a Broadway actress. She shifted between stage and film, adding television to her repertoire when the medium developed after World War II. Her breakout film role came in the 1937 movie "Lost Horizon." She was also featured in "None but the Lonely Heart" (1944) and "Gentlemen's Agreement" (1948). A member of the Catholic Actors Guild, she starred in "Father Knows Best" for six seasons.

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