Aneta Louise Corsaut was an American actress and writer best known for playing Helen Crump on the classic sitcom “The Andy Griffith Show” during the 1960s. She reprised the role in the spinoff “Mayberry R.F.D.” and again later in the TV movie “Return to Mayberry.” She had loved acting since childhood and pursued that passion professionally, studying drama at Northwestern University to build a solid foundation before launching her career with early television appearances. Throughout her career, she took on parts in shows such as “The Blue Knight,” “Mrs. G. Goes to College,” “Adam-12,” “House Calls,” and “Matlock.” She also worked in film from time to time, notably starring opposite Steve McQueen in the horror classic “The Blob.” Between the 1960s and 1970s, her film credits expanded to include “Good Neighbor Sam,” “A Rage to Live,” “Blazing Saddles,” and “The Toolbox Murders.”
Career of Aneta Corsaut
Aneta Corsaut trained in method acting under the renowned coach Lee Strasberg while at Northwestern University.
Her acting career began with an appearance on the anthology series “Producers’ Showcase” in 1955, followed later that year by a role on the drama series “Robert Montgomery Presents.” After these two television credits, she landed her breakthrough in film, making her debut alongside screen legend Steve McQueen in the independent horror classic “The Blob” in 1958, directed by Irvin Yeaworth. She played the character Jane Martin in a film that went on to become a huge box-office success, grossing over $4 million against a modest budget of $110,000.
She went on to take a regular role as Irma Howell on the CBS sitcom “Mrs. G. Goes to College,” which ran for 26 episodes from 1961 to 1962 and won over audiences. Her most defining role came next, playing Helen Crump on “The Andy Griffith Show”, a schoolteacher who was also the love interest of Sheriff Andy Taylor, played by Andy Griffith himself. She featured in 66 episodes of the show between 1963 and 1968 and went on to reprise the role in its spinoff, “Mayberry R.F.D.,” from 1968 to 1969.
She later took on the part of Sheila/Helena Hartley in the medical drama “Emergency!” during 1974-75. Corsaut’s other television credits include Judy on “Adam-12,” Shirley Grady on “The Runaways,” a recurring turn as Head Nurse Bradley on “House Calls,” Blanche Dailey on “Days of Our Lives,” and Dorothy Smith on “Hart to Hart.” Her final on-screen role came in 1992, playing Judge Cynthia Justin on the legal drama “Matlock.”
Family & Personal Life
Aneta Louise Corsaut was born on November 3, 1933, in Hutchinson, Kansas, to Jesse Harrison and Opal J. Corsaut. She went on to study drama at Northwestern University and trained under acclaimed acting coach Lee Strasberg. She left the program before completing it to pursue acting professionally, though she continued taking classes at UCLA.
She never married or had children, though rumors circulated that she had been romantically involved with Andy Griffith during their years together on “The Andy Griffith Show.”
The multitalented actress passed away from cancer-related complications on November 6, 1995, in Studio City, California, just three days after turning 62.