Inga Swenson, ‘Benson’ TV Actress, Dead at 90

Beloved actress and singer Inga Swenson, who is best known for her role as Gretchen Kraus in the ’80s sitcom Benson, has passed away at 90, TMZ reports. The actress’ son Mark confirmed to the outlet that his mother died Sunday night in LA due to natural causes. Her health had declined within the last six months, so her death was reportedly not a shock to the family. Her husband, Lowell Harris, was with her at a board and care facility when she died.

Swenson began in the industry in 1949 when she made her stage debut in Peg O’ My Heart at Berkshire Playhouse in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Since then, she has had multiple Broadway appearances and was nominated for two Tony Awards. Movie credits include 1962’s Advise and Consent, 1976’s Lipstick, and 1980’s The Mountain Men. Though perhaps her breakout role was in ABC’s Benson, which ran from 1979 to 1986 and served as a spinoff of the sitcom Soap.

Led by Robert Guillaume as the titular Benson DuBois, the series follows the wise-cracking yet level-headed butler after he is hired to be the head of household affairs for widowed Governor Eugene X. Swenson’s Gretchen was the governor’s chef, a proud German immigrant who was often at odds with Benson, but they later became close friends and his strongest supporter when he decides to run for governor. The series lasted for seven seasons and 158 episodes.

After Benson ended, Inga Swenson would go on to have roles in the miniseries North & South: Book 2, reprising her role as Maude Hazard from Book 1, and Nutcracker: Money, Madness & Murder. She also appeared in shows such as Newhart, The Golden Girls, and Doctor Doctor, with her last credited role being in 1998 in the animated Jetix series Life with Louie as Grandma Helga before she officially retired from Hollywood.

Although it’s been 25 years since Inga Swenson last made her mark on Hollywood, it’s clear that by her extensive filmography, she never fully left the industry. Luckily, fans will still be able to act like Swenson is still around, as Benson is streaming on the free service Crackle and can also be purchased with a Prime subscription, so it will be like she never left. Our condolences go out to Swenson’s family and friends.