Benson’s Inga Swenson Dead at 90

Inga Swenson, who as Gretchen Kraus on the 1979-1986 sitcom Benson was an incredible comedic foil for Robert Guillaume’s titular butler, died on July 23 in Los Angeles.

Swenson died at a board-and-care facility as a result of natural causes, her son Mark told TMZ, with her husband of 70 years, Lowell Harris, at her side. Her health reportedly was on the decline for the past six months.

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Swenson was thrice Emmy-nominated for her role as Benson‘s Gretchen Wilomena Kraus, a German cook who playfully locked horns with Benson, the head of household affairs for widowed Governor Eugene X. Gatling (played James Noble). She also also netted a Golden Globe nod.

Swenson’s TV career began in the late 1950s with appearances on Playhouse 90, Goodyear Playhouse and the like, followed by a long string of guest spots on Dr. Kildare, The Defenders, Bonanza, Medical Center, The Rookies and Barnaby Jones. On the stage, Swenson made her Broadway debut in 1959 with The First Gentleman, then later earned Tony nominations for her work in 110 in the Shade (in 1964) and Baker Street (1965).

In 1978, Swenson — now stick with me here — recurred on the ABC comedy Soap, as Ingrid Svenson. Soap of course is the show from which Guillaume’s Benson DuBois was spun off of, and Swenson gave so winning a performance, she was cast in a new role on Benson.

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Swenson’s post-Benson roles included the miniseries North & South and Nutcracker: Money, Madness & Murder, plus episodes of Newhart, The Golden Girls and Hotel. She then retired from acting in 1998.

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