Beverly has received many accolades, including her star on the world-famous Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1983. For her Golden Anniversary in show business, many organizations and publications recognized her as one of Hollywood's most accomplished stars because of her outstanding body of work -- that continues to grow as she is a recurring regular the WB's "7th Heaven."
The City of Los Angeles declared January 19, 2001 as "Beverly Garland Day" and its resolution, signed by then Mayor Richard Riordan and the City Council, stated: "(she is) a great star of film, television and theater whose tremendous talent is matched only by her tremendous heart...(she is) the very essence of dynamic talent, class, kindness, civility, business acumen and indefatigable commitment to family and community."
The Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters, a 40-year-old organization of 800 television and radio professionals based in Los Angeles, inducted Beverly into its Hall of Fame in 2001, citing her "pioneering and continuing excellence in television," and placed her with such prior honorees as broadcasting legends Bob Hope, Milton Berle, and Sid Ceasar.
The Motion Pictures Mothers, a 66-year old charity organization in Los Angeles, presented Ms Garland with its 2001 Gold Star Award "for career excellence in the performing arts and as an entertainer who exemplifies the highest standards of her profession."
In a glowing, six-page print retrospective about her, the 2000 (fall/winter) TELEVISION QUARTERLY, the prestigious journal of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, praised her performance in "Decoy" as "stunning...striking and timeless" and the series was lauded as "ahead of its time...amazingly progressive."
As entertainment historians review Ms. Garland's first 54 years as an actress, the recognition she has received reflects a long-held respect for her distinguished work. In 1957, she was crowned "Television's First Lady" by Los Angeles Times' TV critic, Walter Ames, who selected her because of her pioneering work on "Decoy" and her guest-starring roles in virtually every significant new dramatic television series.
Others with whom she starred include Luther Adler, Eddie Albert, Jennifer Aniston, Ed Asner, Lew Ayres, Richard Boone, Pierce Brosnan, Richard Chamberlain, Mike Connors, Joseph Cotton, Jeannie Crain, Colleen Dewhurst, Troy Donahue, Michael Douglas, Dan Duryea, Clint Eastwood, Peter Falk, Mitzi Gaynor, Susan Hayward, David Janssen, Brian Keith, Lisa Kudrow, Janet Leigh, Robert Loggia, Roddy McDowall, Lee Marvin, Steve McQueen, Ray Milland, Ed Nelson, Lois Nettleton, Leslie Nielsen, David Niven, Anthony Perkins, Dick Powell, Vincent Prince, Tony Randall, Edward G. Robinson, Tom Selleck, Rip Torn, Lana Turner, Tuesday Weld, Keenan Wynn, Robert Young and James Whitmore.
Beverly Garland was born in Santa Cruz, CA, on Oct. 17, the only child of Millie and James Fessenden, whose great grandfather was William Pitt Fessenden, Secretary of the United States Treasury under President Abraham Lincoln. At the age of four, she moved to Glendale, CA, and while in junior high school studied voice. The family then moved to Phoenix, AZ, where she went to high school and began acting at Phoenix's Little Theater. She had her own radio show, "Story Time," for the local Community Chest, in which she presented short plays, often acting out all the parts herself.
At 18 she moved back to Glendale and attended Glendale College as a drama major. She joined a nearby Summer stock company and during the next few years worked in a wide variety of jobs and appeared in a number of plays. One night, film director Rudolph Mate took particular notice of her as she played Katrina in "I Remember Mama." A few months later, Ms. Garland's talent agent, Ray Cooper, sent her to an audition for a role in, coincidentally, a film Mr. Mate was directing. She won the role and on April 30, 1950 Beverly Campbell (her name at that time) made her film debut as a feisty secretary in "D.O.A," starring Edmond O'Brien.
In addition to her numerous screen credits, Ms. Garland also starred in live theater in "The Gin Game," with Ed Nelson, and in "Love Letters," with Troy Donahue. She is also a member of the California Artists Radio Theatre (CART) which produces special programs for National Public Radio.
Ms. Garland's personal life is as packed as her list of credits. She is the driving force behind the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn Resort and Conference Center, a Spanish California Mission style 255-room hotel that she and her late husband built in 1972 on seven acres in North Hollywood, CA, near Universal City Studios.
She has served on the Board of Directors of the California Tourism Corporation, was the spokesperson for the National Tour Associations' Travel for Tomorrow campaign and was NTA's 1985 Travel Leader of the Year. In addition, she is a spokeswoman and volunteer for The Interval House organization which is dedicated to protecting and caring of battered women and abused children
Active in the community, she was on the Board of Directors of the Greater Los Angeles Visitors and Convention Bureau and was a member of the Bureau's Executive Committee. For thirty years she has been the Honorary Mayor of North Hollywood, CA.
Ms. Garland resides in the Hollywood Hills. She and her late husband, Fillmore Crank, who died in 1999, were married for 39 years. They raised four children, Carrington and James, and from Fillmore's previous marriage, Cathleen and Fillmore, Jr.
