Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Ellen Corby, actor
Actor

Ellen Corby: Movies & Box Office

films
73
on screen
1933–1997
box office
$7.98M
Born
June 3, 1911
Birthplace
Racine, Wisconsin, U.S.
Full name
Ellen Hansen
Citizenship
American
Occupations
Actress, Screenwriter
Years active
1933-1999
Spouses
Francis Corby
Career at a glance

Ellen Corby's Career in Numbers

Ellen Corby's films in numbers — as an actor, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres Ellen Corby works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from Sons of the Desert (1933) to A Walton Easter (1997), and the 1940s were the busiest decade.

Ellen Corby Movies by Decade

  1. 1930s 3
  2. 1940s 22
  3. 1950s 22
  4. 1960s 13
  5. 1970s 6
  6. 1980s 4
  7. 1990s 3

The 1940s were Ellen Corby's busiest decade, with 22 films.

Ellen Corby Movies by Genre

  • Drama 15
  • Comedy 13
  • Crime 8
  • Tv movie 6
  • Western 6
  • Thriller 5
  • Mystery 5
  • Romance 4
  • Horror 3
  • Action 1

Drama is the genre Ellen Corby has worked in most, with 15 films, ahead of comedy (13).

Ellen Corby Career Milestones

First film
Sons of the Desert 1933
Biggest box office hit
Vertigo $7.97M worldwide
Newest film
A Walton Easter 1997
73 credits

Ellen Corby Filmography: Every Movie

Every film Ellen Corby is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

  1. 1997 A Walton Easter (1997) movie poster A Walton Easter as Grandma Walton · Tv movie
  2. 1995 A Walton Wedding (1995) movie poster A Walton Wedding as Grandma Walton · Drama
  3. 1993 A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion (1993) movie poster A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion as Grandma Walton · Tv movie
  4. 1982 A Day for Thanks on Waltons Mountain (1982) movie poster A Day for Thanks on Waltons Mountain as Esther Walton · Tv movie
  5. 1982 A Wedding on Waltons Mountain (1982) movie poster A Wedding on Waltons Mountain as Grandma Walton · Tv movie
  6. 1981 All the Way Home (1981) movie poster All the Way Home as Great-Gandmaw · Drama
  7. 1980 The Waltons: A Decade of the Waltons (1980) movie poster The Waltons: A Decade of the Waltons as Esther Walton / Herself · Tv movie
  8. 1974 The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd (1974) movie poster The Story of Pretty Boy Floyd as Ma Floyd · Crime
  9. 1972 Napoleon and Samantha (1972) movie poster Napoleon and Samantha as Gertrude · Action
  10. 1971 The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971) movie poster The Homecoming: A Christmas Story as Esther Walton · Tv movie
  11. 1971 A Tattered Web (1971) movie poster A Tattered Web as Mrs. Simmons · Thriller
  12. 1971 Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971) movie poster Support Your Local Gunfighter as Abigail · Comedy
  13. 1971 Cannon (1971) movie poster Cannon as Teacher · Drama
  14. 1968 A Fine Pair (1968) movie poster A Fine Pair as Maddy Walker · Comedy
  15. 1968 The Legend of Lylah Clare (1968) movie poster The Legend of Lylah Clare as Script Girl · Drama
  16. 1967 The Gnome-Mobile (1967) movie poster The Gnome-Mobile as Etta Pettibone (uncredited) · Fantasy
  17. 1966 The Glass Bottom Boat (1966) movie poster The Glass Bottom Boat as Anna Miller · Comedy
  18. 1966 The Night of the Grizzly (1966) movie poster The Night of the Grizzly as Hazel Squires · Adventure
  19. 1966 The Ghost & Mr. Chicken (1966) movie poster The Ghost & Mr. Chicken as Neva Tremaine · Romance
  20. 1965 The Family Jewels (1965) movie poster The Family Jewels as Airline Passenger · Comedy
  21. 1964 Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) movie poster Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte as Lily · Mystery
  22. 1964 The Strangler (1964) movie poster The Strangler as Mrs. Kroll · Horror
  23. 1963 4 for Texas (1963) movie poster 4 for Texas as Widow · Western
  24. 1963 The Caretakers (1963) movie poster The Caretakers as Irene · Drama
  25. 1961 Pocketful of Miracles (1961) movie poster Pocketful of Miracles as Soho Sal · Comedy
  26. 1960 Visit to a Small Planet (1960) movie poster Visit to a Small Planet as Mrs. Mabel Mayberry · Family
  27. 1958 Macabre (1958) movie poster Macabre as Miss Kushins · Horror
  28. 1958 Vertigo (1958) movie poster Vertigo Mystery
  29. 1957 All Mine to Give (1957) movie poster All Mine to Give as Mrs. Raiden · Drama
  30. 1957 Night Passage (1957) movie poster Night Passage as Mrs. Feeney · Western
  31. 1956 Stagecoach To Fury (1956) movie poster Stagecoach To Fury as Sarah Farrell · Western
  32. 1956 Slightly Scarlet (1956) movie poster Slightly Scarlet as Martha - June Lyons' Maid (uncredited) · Crime
  33. 1955 Illegal (1955) movie poster Illegal as Miss Hinkel · Crime
  34. 1954 About Mrs. Leslie (1954) movie poster About Mrs. Leslie as Mrs. Croffman · Romance
  35. 1954 The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters (1954) movie poster The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters as Amelia Gravesend · Sci-Fi
  36. 1953 The Vanquished (1953) movie poster The Vanquished as Mrs. Barbour · Drama
  37. 1953 Woman They Almost Lynched (1953) movie poster Woman They Almost Lynched as First Townswoman · Western
  38. 1952 Fearless Fagan (1952) movie poster Fearless Fagan as Mrs. Ardley · Comedy
  39. 1952 The Big Trees (1952) movie poster The Big Trees as Sister Blackburn · Western
  40. 1951 Angels in the Outfield (1951) movie poster Angels in the Outfield Sport
  41. 1951 Here Comes the Groom (1951) movie poster Here Comes the Groom as Mrs. McGonigle · Music
  42. 1951 On Moonlight Bay (1951) movie poster On Moonlight Bay Comedy
  43. 1951 Goodbye, My Fancy (1951) movie poster Goodbye, My Fancy as Miss Birdshaw · Comedy
  44. 1951 The Mating Season (1951) movie poster The Mating Season as Annie · Comedy
  45. 1950 Harriet Craig (1950) movie poster Harriet Craig as Lottie · Drama
  46. 1950 Edge of Doom (1950) movie poster Edge of Doom as Jeanette Moore · Crime
  47. 1950 The Gunfighter (1950) movie poster The Gunfighter Western
  48. 1950 Caged (1950) movie poster Caged as Emma Barber · Crime
  49. 1949 Madame Bovary (1949) movie poster Madame Bovary as Félicité · Drama
  50. 1949 A Woman’s Secret (1949) movie poster A Woman’s Secret as Nurse who reads paper to Susan · Mystery
  51. 1948 The Dark Past (1948) movie poster The Dark Past as Agnes (uncredited) · Crime
  52. 1948 Fighting Father Dunne (1948) movie poster Fighting Father Dunne as Colpeck's Secretary · Drama
  53. 1948 I Remember Mama (1948) movie poster I Remember Mama as Aunt Trina · Drama
  54. 1947 The Judge Steps Out (1947) movie poster The Judge Steps Out as Mother at Party (uncredited) · Drama
  55. 1947 Forever Amber (1947) movie poster Forever Amber as Marge · History
  56. 1947 Railroaded! (1947) movie poster Railroaded! as Mrs. Wills (uncredited) · Thriller
  57. 1947 They Won’t Believe Me (1947) movie poster They Won’t Believe Me Drama
  58. 1947 Living in a Big Way (1947) movie poster Living in a Big Way as Broken Arms' Sailors Wife (uncredited) · Comedy
  59. 1947 The Long Night (1947) movie poster The Long Night as Observer in Crowd (uncredited) · Romance
  60. 1947 Born to Kill (1947) movie poster Born to Kill as Maid (uncredited) · Drama
  61. 1947 The Unfaithful (1947) movie poster The Unfaithful as Courtroom Spectator · Mystery
  62. 1946 The Locket (1946) movie poster The Locket as Ginny (uncredited) · Crime
  63. 1946 Crack-Up (1946) movie poster Crack-Up as Reynold's Maid (Uncredited) · Thriller
  64. 1946 Lover Come Back (1946) movie poster Lover Come Back as Rita · Comedy
  65. 1946 Bedlam (1946) movie poster Bedlam as Queen of the Artichokes (uncredited) · Thriller
  66. 1946 The Dark Corner (1946) movie poster The Dark Corner as Maid (uncredited) · Crime
  67. 1946 The Truth About Murder (1946) movie poster The Truth About Murder as Betty · Mystery
  68. 1946 From This Day Forward (1946) movie poster From This Day Forward as Mother · Drama
  69. 1946 The Spiral Staircase (1946) movie poster The Spiral Staircase as Neighbour (uncredited) · Horror
  70. 1945 Cornered (1945) movie poster Cornered as Swiss Maid (uncredited) · Thriller
  71. 1934 Babes in Toyland (1934) movie poster Babes in Toyland as Townswoman at Tom-Tom's Trial (uncredited) · Comedy
  72. 1933 Sons of the Desert (1933) movie poster Sons of the Desert as Partygoer at Table Next to Charley's (uncredited) · Comedy
  73. 1933 Rafter Romance (1933) movie poster Rafter Romance as Telemarketer (uncredited) · Romance
Biography

Who Is Ellen Corby?

Ellen Corby was born in Racine, Wisconsin, U.S. in 1911. Credited on films since 1933, as an actor. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.

Ellen Hansen Corby was a prominently recognized American actress and screenwriter. Notably lauded for her sterling portrayal of Esther "Grandma" Walton on the CBS television series The Waltons, Corby was a recipient of three Emmy Awards for this role. An Academy Award nominee, she clinched a Golden Globe Award for I Remember Mama (1948), where she delivered an unmatched performance as Aunt Trina. Born to Danish immigrant parents, her career in theater began with amateur plays during her high school years. She moved to Hollywood in 1932 and got employed at two studios as a script girl. Besides her professional foray into acting, Corby was also recognized for her writing talent at Paramount studios.

Determined to succeed, Corby debuted in more than 30 films during the 1930s and 1940s, and her first role culminated from a film released by RKO studios. She received an Academy Award nomination for I Remember Mama (1948), and consistently portrayed figures such as maids, secretaries, and gossips throughout her career. Corby also had a recurring role in the NBC television series Please Don't Eat the Daisies. Unfortunately, she suffered a stroke in 1976 which had a significant impact on her mobility and speech, but she resumed her role in The Waltons the following year.

Works with

Who Ellen Corby Makes Movies With

The actors and directors Ellen Corby shares the most films with. Ralph Waite comes first, with 6 films together, followed by Edith Evanson (5).

FAQ

Ellen Corby: Questions & Answers

How many movies Ellen Corby has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.

How many movies has Ellen Corby been in?

Ellen Corby is credited on 73 films, from 1933 to 1997. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.

What is Ellen Corby's highest-grossing movie?

Vertigo (1958) is Ellen Corby's biggest box office hit, with $7.97M worldwide, ahead of Pocketful of Miracles (1961) ($10.2K). Across every film with box office figures, Ellen Corby's movies have made $7.98M.

Ellen Corby's biggest hits

What is Ellen Corby's newest movie?

The most recent film on Ellen Corby's filmography is A Walton Easter (1997), in the role of Grandma Walton.

Who does Ellen Corby work with most often?

Ellen Corby shares the most films with Ralph Waite (6 films), Edith Evanson (5 films) and Jack Elam (5 films).

The Best Ellen Corby Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 73 credits.

See the ranking

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app