Nora Boland, a petite and charming individual, stood no taller than five feet, with a round and sweet-faced appearance. Her tight, adorable frizz of tangerine-colored hair resembled that of Orphan Annie. Born Nora Madeleine Webb on December 14, 1929, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, she initially pursued a career in theater, but it wasn't until later in life that she decided to focus on her passion for acting.
Nora's film debut occurred at the age of 48 in Gene Wilder's The World's Greatest Lover (1977),followed by appearances in California Suite (1978) and Rodney Dangerfield's Back to School (1986). She effortlessly stole focus with her simple glazed look or befuddled expressions, and her hearty, squawk-like laugh was both mischievous and infectious.
On television, Nora made token appearances in several sitcoms, including "WKRP in Cincinnati," "Gimme a Break," and "227," often playing characters such as neighbors, landladies, store customers, relatives, cleaning ladies, or flighty matrons. She also provided comedy relief in more dramatic situations on shows like "General Hospital," "Hill Street Blues," and "Highway to Heaven."
Nora truly found her element on the musical stage, where she had the opportunity to shine. As a member of Lonny Chapman's Group Repertory Theatre, she played the role of prison matron "Mama Morton" in their production of "Chicago" during the 1980s and stole the show with her scene-stealing numbers in other musicals that played around the Los Angeles area.
Nora and I collaborated on several seasons of "A Christmas Carol" at the Norris Theatre in Palos Verdes, where she played a delightful Mrs. Fezziwig, among other roles. Unfortunately, Nora faced health issues with hypertension and diabetes in her later years and retired in the 1990s. She focused on her true passion for writing, particularly poetry, before passing away peacefully in her Rolling Hills Estates home on January 15, 2008, at the age of 78.
