Inga Swenson (born December 29, 1932) is an American actress and singer. She appeared in multiple Broadway productions and received two Tony nominations. She also spent seven years portraying Gretchen Kraus in the ABC comedy series Benson. Early years Inga Swenson was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the only child of Geneva Pauline ( Seeger) and Axel Carl Richard "A.C.R." Swenson. She graduated from Omaha Central High School in 1950. While attending OCHS, as a junior, Swenson won the state title in the National Forensic League's speech contest and later, she won the NFL's national contest. As a high school senior she was considered the school's best vocalist and she was also the president of the Central High Players. She studied drama at Northwestern University under Alvina Krause, among others, and was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority. Family She married sound engineer Lowell Harris in 1953. The couple had two sons, one of whom predeceased his parents. Career Early in her career, Swenson had supporting roles in the films Advise and Consent (1962) and The Miracle Worker (1962) in which she played Helen Keller's mother. Swenson is a trained lyric soprano and starred on Broadway in New Faces (c. 1956), and The First Gentleman (1959), receiving Tony Award nominations for Best Actress in a Musical for her performances in 110 in the Shade (1964) and Baker Street (1965). A life member of The Actors Studio, she said her favorite role was Lizzie Currie in the musical 110 in the Shade. Swenson appeared in two episodes of Bonanza: "Inger, My Love" (1962) and "Journey Remembered" (1963). She portrayed Gretchen Kraus, the autocratic and acerbic German cook (later head housekeeper and budget director) in the TV sitcom Benson. Her portrayal garnered three Emmy nominations. She was cast after appearing in a multi-episode stint as the conniving revenge-seeking Ingrid Svenson, the Swedish birth mother of Corinne Tate (Diana Canova), on the TV sitcom Soap. (Benson was a spinoff of Soap and shared the same producers.) She also appeared as northern matriarch Maude Hazard in the mini-series North and South in 1985 and again in 1986. Swenson retired in 1998. Stage credits Stage debut – Maid, Peg O' My Heart, Berkshire Playhouse, Stockbridge, MA, 1949. Broadway debut – Singer, New Faces of '56 (revue), Ethel Barrymore Theatre, 1956. London debut – Lizzie Currie, 110 in the Shade, Palace Theatre, 1967. Principal stage appearances