Tall, striking character comedienne, best known for her masterful delivery of snappy, sarcastic dialogue, particularly in 1945's "Mildred Pierce", which justly earned her an Oscar nomination as best supporting actress. Arden honed her sardonic powers on the stage and became typecast as the heroine's manless career-woman friend in more than 20 films in three years (most memorably the superb "Stage Door" 1937, with a cat forever draped fittingly over her shoulders). She then attempted to break the stereotype by returning to Broadway in the musical "Very Warm for May" (1939) and the revue, "Two for the Show" (1940).
Over the course of 60 films Arden's withering gaze, splendid lip-curling delivery and relaxed warmth stole scenes in films including "Cover Girl" (1944), "Paid in Full" (1949), "Anatomy of a Murder" (1959) and "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs" (1960, an especially touching performance). She also created the kindly, yet tart-tongued single teacher Miss Brooks, first on radio (from 1948), then on the successful TV series "Our Miss Brooks" (1952-56) and on film (1956). Arden later starred in the series "The Eve Arden Show" (1957-58) and "The Mothers-in-Law" (1967-69), and her inimitably acid delivery was once again put to good use when she played the principal in the 1978 film "Grease".