Esther Howard
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Esther Howard (April 4, 1892, Helena, Montana – March 8, 1965, Hollywood, California) was a film character actress who specialized in playing a wide range of roles from man-hungry spinsters to amoral criminals. The stage actor switched to films in 1931 and appeared in many films including Murder My Sweet, Laurel and Hardy's The Big Noise (1944) as a murderess, Sullivan's Travels (1942), Detour (1945), and the determined Mrs. Kraft out to solve a murder in Born to Kill (1947). She also played Kirk Douglas’ mother in the multi-Oscar nominated Champion. Howard, known for her wided-eyed reactions in films, started out acting on stage in the 1920s.
