Hester Sondergaard

Hester Sondergaard (July 5, 1903 – February 26, 1994) was an American actress whose career spanned stage, radio, and education. Born in Litchfield, Minnesota, she was the daughter of Hans T. Søndergaard, a university dairy instructor, and the sister of actress Gale Sondergaard. As a child, Sondergaard performed as a violinist with Midwestern Chautauqua companies. She later enrolled at the University of Minnesota, where she participated in productions through the Masquers Club.

Her first professional speaking role came in 1924. Following her studies, Sondergaard gained experience with the Wisconsin Players and performed at venues including the Civic Repertory Theater in New York. Her Broadway career extended from 1935 to 1947 and encompassed several productions. These included Mother (1935), Black Pit (1935), Bitter Stream (1936), Marching Song (1937), My Heart's in the Highlands (1939), and Galileo (1947).

Beyond the stage, Sondergaard established a significant presence in radio. She was an organizer of The American School of the Air and acted in multiple radio programs, among them Portia Faces Life, Road of Life, Wendy Warren and the News, and We Love and Learn. A December 1949 article in Radio and Television Mirror described her as possessing one of the largest dialect repertories of any actress, with the ability to perform authentically in eleven distinct accents.

Sondergaard also worked as a dramatics instructor at the Dramatic School of New York. In 1949, she married politician Hugh De Lacy.