Martha Scott Biography: Age, Net Worth, Cause of Death, Interview, Movies, Family, Awards, Children, Movies

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Martha Scott was an accomplished American actress whose career spanned over six decades, making significant contributions to film, television, and theater.

She gained widespread recognition for her role as Emily Webb in the original Broadway production of Our Town in 1938, a performance she reprised in the 1940 film adaptation, earning her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

Scott’s notable film roles include playing the mother of Charlton Heston‘s characters in both The Ten Commandments and Ben-Hur.

Profile

• Full name: Martha Ellen Scott
• Date of birth: September 22, 1912
• Age as of 2024: 112 (Deceased)
• Gender: Female
• Place of birth: Jamesport, Missouri, USA
• Nationality: American
• Profession: Actress and producer
• Height: N/A
• Parents: Letha McKinley Scott and Walter Alva Scott
• Siblings: N/A
• Spouse: Mel Powell (married 1946–1998), Carleton William Alsop (married 1940–1946)
• Children: Carleton Scott Alsop, Mary Powell Harpel, Kathleen Powell
• Relationship status: Widowed
• Religion: N/A
• Ethnicity: Caucasian
• Net worth: $5 million

Early Life and Education

Martha Scott is now posthumously at the age of 112 as of 2024. She was born on September 22, 1912, in Jamesport, Missouri. Her father, Walter Alva Scott, was an engineer and garage owner, and her mother, Letha McKinley Scott, was a second cousin to U.S. President William McKinley. The family lived in Jamesport until Martha was 13 years old, when they relocated to Kansas City, Missouri, and eventually to Detroit, Michigan.

Scott developed an interest in acting during her high school years and pursued this passion at the University of Michigan. She graduated in 1934 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama and a teaching certificate. Her education laid the foundation for her future career in theater and film.

Personal Life

Martha Scott was married twice. Her first marriage was to radio producer Carleton William Alsop in 1940; they divorced in 1946. They had one son together, Carleton Scott Alsop. In 1946, she married jazz pianist and composer Mel Powell. The couple had two daughters, Mary Powell Harpel and Kathleen Powell. Their marriage lasted until Powell‘s death in 1998.

Career

Martha Scott began her professional acting career by participating in Shakespearean productions at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933–34. She made her Broadway debut as Emily Webb in Our Town in 1938. Her performance was so well received that it led to her film debut when the play was adapted into a movie in 1940.

Throughout the following decades, she appeared in numerous films, including The Desperate Hours (1955), where she starred alongside Humphrey Bogart, and Airport 1975 (1974). In addition to her film work, she made significant contributions to television during its early years with guest appearances on various shows, such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Bob Newhart Show.

Scott also ventured into production with both stage and film adaptations of First Monday in October (1978 Broadway version; 1991 film version). Her extensive career showcased her talent across multiple mediums.

Awards

Martha Scott received several accolades throughout her career:

• Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for Our Town (1940)
• Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1993)

Net Worth

As of 2024, Martha Scott‘s estimated net worth is around $5 million. This wealth primarily came from her successful acting career spanning several decades across theater, television, and film.

Death

Martha Scott passed away on May 28, 2003, at the age of 90 due to natural causes. She died in Van Nuys, California, and was interred next to her husband Mel Powell at the Masonic Cemetery in Jamesport.

Social Media

• Instagram: N/A
• Twitter: N/A

Filmography

• Our Town (1940)
• The Howards of Virginia (1940)
• Cheers for Miss Bishop (1941)
• One Foot in Heaven (1941)
• The Desperate Hours (1955)
• The Ten Commandments (1956)
• Ben-Hur (1959)
• Airport 1975 (1974)
• The Turning Point (1977)

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