Ronnie Claire Edwards (February 9, 1933 – June 14, 2016) was an American actress, best known for playing Corabeth Walton Godsey on the TV series The Waltons.
Early life Edwards was born and raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Acting career Edwards acted professionally from 1963 and is best known for the role of the domineering Corabeth Walton Godsey, the wife of storekeeper Ike Godsey played by Joe Conley, in the CBS television series The Waltons, created by Earl Hamner, Jr. She played Charlene's mother Ione Frazier on two episodes of CBS's Designing Women. In 1983, Edwards played Aunt Dolly in Hamner's series Boone, which was cancelled after 10 episodes had aired. She co-starred in the NBC series Sara (1985) opposite Geena Davis. She briefly appeared on an episode of PBS's Antiques Roadshow (2008) from Dallas, Texas, when she brought in for appraisal a chair formerly owned by P.T. Barnum. She also appeared in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Thine Own Self" and the remake of Inherit the Wind (1999).
In 2008, HBO decided not to air the television series 12 Miles of Bad Road, in which Edwards had a role. She subsequently retired from acting.
Her work in films included The Dead Pool (1988).
Other Edwards was the author of several books, including memoirs published in 2012. In 2000, The Knife Thrower's Assistant: Memoirs of a Human Target was published. She previously had created and performed a one-woman show under the same title, which she took to the Edinburgh Fringe in 1993. She also co-wrote a musical play Idols of the King as a tribute to Elvis Presley's career, legacy and most passionate fans.
Personal life and death Edwards restored a 1911 Catholic church on Swiss Avenue in Dallas and made it her home after selling her mansion in Los Angeles to Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea in 2008. She died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in her sleep on June 14, 2016, at age 83.
Filmography Film Year Title Role 1963 All the Way Home Sally 1978 Five Days from Home Marian Lemoore 1980 Getting Wasted Mrs. Carson 1985 Perfect Melody 1986 Nobody's Fool Bingo 1988 The Dead Pool Molly Fisher 1994 8 Seconds Carolyn Kyle 2000 Sordid Lives Funeral Guest 2002 Flo
Television Year Title Role Notes1974"The 34th Star"1974Paper Moon"Gimme That Old Time Relation"1974This Is the West That WasTV film1975–1981Corabeth Walton GodseyRecurring role1976Future CopDr. Avery"Pilot"1978When Every Day Was the Fourth of JulyMrs. NajarianTV film1982Corabeth Walton GodseyTV film1982Mother's Day on Walton's MountainCorabeth Walton GodseyTV film1982Corabeth Walton GodseyTV film1983–1984BooneAunt Dolly SawyerMain role1984DallasLydia"Barbecue Five"1985Falcon CrestMaxie McCoy"Vicious Circle"1985SaraHelen NewcombMain role1985Crazy Like a Fox"Desert Fox"1985DynastySister Theresa"The Gown", "The Titans"1987–1988Designing WomenIone Frazier"Nashville Bound", "Come on and Marry Me, Bill"1988Just in TimeCarly HightowerMain role1988Murder, She WroteSylvia McMasters"Snow White, Blood Red"1989Sweet Bird of YouthAunt NonnieTV film1990In the Heat of the NightLorraine Reeves"Perversions of Justice"1990Guess Who's Coming for Christmas?MarthaTV film1991Bootsie"The Cotillion", "A Kiss Is Still a Kiss", "For Love or Money", "Men Don't Leave"1993Corabeth WaltonTV film1994Star Trek: The Next GenerationTalur"Thine Own Self"1994Corabeth Walton GodseyTV film1999Inherit the WindMrs. HaleyTV film2003Sweet Potato QueensTV film200712 Miles of Bad RoadHarlene"Collateral Verbiage", "Moonshadow", (final appearance)
References
Further reading Ronnie Claire Edwards, The Knife Thrower's Assistant: Memoirs of a Human Target, Hawk Publishing Group, (October 2000),
External links
Edwards, Ronnie Claire (1933–2016) in the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture