Jean Palmerton

Jean Palmerton was an American theater and television actress. Palmerton's career began in musical theater and progressed to include guest appearing roles in some of the top television series. Palmerton was raised in upstate New York and initially studied music, becoming, at the age of nine, the first child to be trained on the violin by Arturo Toscanini's concert master and renowned violinist Mischa Mischakoff, at the Chautauqua Institution School of Music. She later began to study acting and voice, which encouraged her to pursue a career outside the orchestra pit and in the late 50's, Palmerton left her small Catskills Mountains town and went to New York City to audition for roles in Broadway productions, during which she became a voice student of Felix Knight. One of Palmerton's first professional jobs was in 1960, with the national tour of Once Upon a Mattress, which also marked the Broadway debut of Carol Burnett. Palmerton was in the ensemble, as well as the understudy for the role of the Queen. The cast included Dody Goodman as Winnifred, later played by Imogene Coca. Buster Keaton played the King. Keaton's wife, Eleanor, was placed in the chorus. Carmine Coppola was the musical director. In 1964, Palmerton was cast by Richard Rodgers of Rodgers and Hammerstein for productions of The Merry Widow and The King and I, starring alongside opera greats Patrice Munsel and Risë Stevens. These productions launched the inaugural season of the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center, part of New York City's decade-long plan to create the best live performance spaces and experiences in the country. Throughout her musical theater career, Palmerton performed on stage with luminaries like Gwen Verdon, Ray Walston, June Havoc, Joe E. Brown, Jack Kelly, Dixie Carter, Carol Arthur, Gretchen Cryer and Howard McGillin. In 1976, she left New York and moved to Los Angeles to try and break into television, during the golden era of sitcoms. Her first role was performing in Norman Lear's break-in shows of All in the Family, where she played the lead character Edith Bunker. It was Palmerton's first experience with the new three-camera filming techniques being used in Lear's breakthrough program. She later appeared on several Mary Tyler Moore productions like Rhoda with Valerie Harper and Julie Kavner, as well as on Phyllis with Cloris Leachman. Palmerton is most frequently known for her recurring role on The Bob Newhart Show as Corinne, the wife of Bob Newhart's college roommate, "the Peeper," who was played by Tom Poston. Palmerton's comedic acting was on full display in this role, as she, Poston, Newhart and Suzanne Pleshette would regularly play practical jokes on one other in each of the episodes. She was also featured on other television series as in many TV advertisements throughout her career, for brands like Kodak and Big Red chewing gum. Palmerton retired in 1990.