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Brenda Scott
Brenda Scott
Brenda Scott
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Brenda Scott (born March 15, 1943) is an American film and television actress. Her stage name comes from an F. Scott Fitzgerald character.[1]

Key Information

Early life

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Born Brenda Jean Smith on March 15, 1943 in Cincinnati,[1][2][3] and raised there and in California's San Fernando Valley,[4][5][3] Scott is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dewey E. Smith.[4] At age 5, she began her studies at the Schuester-Martin School of Drama in Cincinnati; she later attended Reseda High School and Valley State College, Northridge.[4][3]

Career

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Scott appeared in films such as The Hanged Man (1964); Johnny Tiger (1966); Journey to Shiloh (1968)[1] and Simon, King of the Witches (1971).[6] Her television credits include Rawhide, Gunsmoke (as crippled woman “Betsey Burgess“ in “Anybody Can Kill A Marshall” - S8E26), Alias Smith and Jones, Hawaii Five O, Mannix, Ironside, Mr. Novak, Bonanza, Leave It to Beaver, Window on Main Street, Run for Your Life, Wagon Train, 77 Sunset Strip, Dragnet 1967, The Fugitive, Simon & Simon, The Virginian, Lancer, Cade's County, Temple Houston and Here Come the Brides.[7] Scott said, "I started out playing neurotic types because they decided I had a waif-like face."[8]

Scott shared that she had wanted to act since she was a child and that during her teen years she believed in palmistry and astrology.[9]

Personal life

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Scott was married to fellow actor Andrew Prine, who played her brother in The Savage Land.[1] Scott and Prine started living separately after only being married for four months.[10] Prine and Scott were divorced in 1969.[11] They would marry and divorce three times over the course of their lives.[1]

Since 1979, Scott has been married to Dean Hargrove.[12]

References

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Brenda Scott

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from Grokipedia
Brenda Scott (born Brenda J. Smith; March 15, 1943) is an American actress best known for her supporting roles in films and television during the and . Born in , , she adopted her stage name impulsively from a character in an novel while at her agent's office. Her aunt was silent film actress , which may have influenced her entry into the industry. Scott began her acting career in the early 1960s, appearing in television episodes such as Route 66 (1963) and (1964). She gained notice for film roles including Celine in the Western The Hanged Man (1964), directed by , and an uncredited role in the drama (1962). Other notable films include Johnny Tiger (1966), Journey to Shiloh (1968), and the horror film Simon, King of the Witches (1971), as Linda Rackum. On television, she portrayed characters in popular series like (1967–1968), Hawaii Five-O (1968), and This Savage Land (1969), often in guest spots that highlighted her versatility in drama and Western genres. Later in her career, Scott transitioned to behind-the-scenes work as an and appeared in projects such as (1981) and the Oscar Phitkin: A Vendor's Tale (1998). In her personal life, Scott was married three times to actor between 1965 and 1978 before wedding television producer in 1979; the couple remains married. She also featured as a pictorial subject in the December 1971 issue of magazine.

Early life

Birth and family background

Brenda Scott was born Brenda Jean Smith on March 15, 1943, in , . Her family included her great-aunt, actress , whose career in Hollywood offered Scott indirect glimpses into the entertainment world through familial connections and stories. In her teenage years, Scott selected her professional , "Brenda Scott," drawing inspiration from a character in an novel, a choice made impulsively while at her agent's office.

Relocation and early acting pursuits

Scott was raised in Cincinnati and later moved with her family to California's . She attended Reseda High School in the . She also studied at Valley State College, Northridge. Scott's first professional experiences began in with roles in television, providing essential on-set training and exposure before her more prominent breakthroughs in the . These early efforts bridged her educational background to a full career.

Career

Breakthrough in television

Scott began her television career in the early 1960s, appearing as Joannie in the Route 66 episode "Where Is Chick Lorimer, Where Has She Gone?" (1962) and as Dolly Grant in the Rawhide episode "The Enormous Fist" (1964). These appearances marked her entry into the Western genre that would define her early breakthrough, as she quickly secured additional guest spots on prominent Western programs, establishing her presence in episodic television during the genre's golden age. A pivotal moment came in 1964 when Scott portrayed Carla in "The Cage," an episode of the drama series The Fugitive, where her character became entangled in the fugitive Dr. Richard Kimble's desperate flight. She returned to the show as Sarah Tucker in "A Taste of Tomorrow" (1966), showcasing her versatility in tense, character-driven narratives. Other notable roles included Lucinda 'Lucy' Melviney in the Bonanza episode "The Far, Far Better Thing" (1965), and appearances on Lancer as Glory in "Glory" (1968) and Violet in "The Buscaderos" (1970), often embodying resilient women in frontier settings. By the late , Scott had amassed numerous television credits, frequently cast as strong female leads in action-oriented episodes of Westerns and dramas, reflecting the era's demand for dynamic supporting characters amid shifting cultural portrayals of women. Her work during this peak period highlighted her ability to convey determination and vulnerability, contributing to her reputation as a reliable guest star in high-profile series. In the , Scott transitioned toward more dramatic roles, appearing in procedurals and crime dramas that emphasized psychological depth over Western action. Key examples include her guest spot as Donna Wales on Hawaii Five-O in "Up Tight" (1969) and episodes of Get Christie Love! in 1974–1975, where she played characters navigating urban intrigue and scenarios. This evolution aligned with television's broader move toward contemporary themes, allowing Scott to explore nuanced performances beyond the ranchlands.

Film appearances and later work

Scott made her film debut in an uncredited role in the drama 13 West Street (1962). She gained notice for her early television movie role as Celine in The Hanged Man (1964), directed by , opposite in a story of revenge and mysticism. This role marked a breakthrough for her in feature-length projects, showcasing her as a compelling supporting lead in a suspenseful Western-noir hybrid. Throughout the mid-1960s, Scott appeared in several notable films that highlighted her versatility in dramatic and adventure genres. In Johnny Tiger (1966), directed by , she played Barbara Dean, the daughter of a Seminole reservation superintendent, navigating cultural tensions and romance alongside Robert Taylor and . Two years later, she took on the role of Gabrielle DuPrey in Journey to Shiloh (1968), a Civil War-era directed by William Hale, depicting a group of young Texans en route to join the Confederate army, with co-stars including and . Scott's final feature film acting role came in the low-budget horror film Simon, King of the Witches (1971), where she portrayed Linda Rackum, a woman entangled in occult rituals and murder, opposite her then-husband . Directed by , the film has since garnered a for its psychedelic exploration of and urban . Following this, her on-screen film appearances dwindled, with no further credited roles in theatrical or made-for-TV movies after the early 1970s, reflecting the broader contraction of opportunities for character actresses during Hollywood's transitional period. In the later stages of her career, Scott shifted focus to behind-the-scenes contributions in the industry. She served as an assistant director and producer on the independent drama Oscar Phitkin: A Vendor's Tale (1998), a film about a street vendor's life struggles that earned recognition at film festivals. She also appeared in the TV series Simon & Simon (1981). This pivot underscored her enduring involvement in filmmaking, extending her professional legacy beyond acting into production roles.

Personal life

Marriages and relationships

Brenda Scott's first marriage was to actor on December 28, 1965, in North Hollywood, California; the union lasted only four months, ending in divorce around April 1966. The couple, both rising television actors at the time, had met through their shared work in guest roles on shows like The Fugitive, which facilitated early networking opportunities in Hollywood's competitive landscape. Scott and Prine remarried on April 6, 1968, in Beverly Hills, but separated after nine months and finalized their divorce on March 25, 1969, with Prine agreeing to financial settlements including 10% of his income for two years and compensation for a coat. During this period, their professional lives intertwined, as they co-starred as siblings in the 1969 television movie This Savage Land, a Western drama set in post-Civil War , highlighting how their personal relationship influenced collaborative project selections. The couple reconciled once more, marrying for a third time on August 19, 1973, a union that endured until their final divorce on October 19, 1978. Following her divorces from Prine, Scott married and Dean Hargrove on April 21, 1979; the couple remains married as of 2025. This stable partnership coincided with a shift in Scott's career toward behind-the-scenes contributions, including assistant directing, though specific professional impacts from the marriage are not detailed in contemporary accounts. In the mid-1960s, prior to and overlapping with her marriages to Prine, Scott was publicly linked to several actors, including a brief romance with in 1965 and a relationship with that ended around the same time, as noted in Hollywood gossip columns of the era. These high-profile connections, often covered in entertainment press, added to her visibility during her breakthrough years in television but did not result in long-term commitments.

Family and post-retirement activities

Scott largely retired from on-screen acting after her appearances in the early 1980s, transitioning to behind-the-scenes work such as on projects like Oscar Phitkin: A Vendor's Tale in 1998. This shift allowed her to prioritize family life following her marriage to , a union that has endured for over four decades. The couple maintains a private family life, with limited public information available; Scott has no biological children, though she expressed a desire for them during an earlier filing in 1969. In her post-retirement years, Scott has occasionally engaged in career retrospectives, including a 2012 interview at the Green Film Festival where she discussed her experiences in film and television. She has not pursued extensive public activities, focusing instead on personal endeavors amid her long-term marriage. As of November 2025, Scott, born March 15, 1943, is 82 years old and is recognized for her legacy in classic television roles.
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