Inga Swenson, Star of 'Benson' and Broadway, Dead at 90

The actress earned three Emmy nominations and one Golden Globe nod for her famous portrayal of Gretchen Kraus in 'Benson'

Inga Swenson has died of natural causes while staying at a board-and-care facility in Los Angeles. She was 90.

Swenson's son Mark told TMZ the sad news. And Lowell Harris, her husband of 70 years, shared that he was by Swenson’s side when she died — around six months after her health began to decline.

Swenson’s career in television took off when she took on the role of German cook Gretchen Kraus on the popular television sitcom Benson, which aired on ABC from 1979 to 1986.

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Benson was originally a spinoff of the popular sitcom Soap, in which her character Ingrid Swenson enjoyed a multi-episode arc. Over the course of more than 150 episodes on Benson, the actress became a household name, revered for her comedic timing and acknowledged with three Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe nod.

After Benson, the actress starred in other projects like North & South and Nutcracker: Money, Madness & Murder and made appearances in episodes of Newhart, The Golden Girls and Hotel.

Swenson was also a Broadway star, earning two Tony Award nominations for best actress in a musical for her star turns as Lizzie Curry in 110 in the Shade and Irene Adler in Baker Street.

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Swenson retired from acting in 1998.

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