Inga Swenson, who as Gretchen Kraus on the 1979-1986 sitcom Benson was an incredible comedic foil for Robert Guillaume’s titular butler, died on July 23 in Los Angeles.

Swenson died at a board-and-care facility as a result of natural causes, her son Mark told TMZ, with her husband of 70 years, Lowell Harris, at her side. Her health reportedly was on the decline for the past six months.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/benson-inga-swenson-dead-90-203138923.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmluZy5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAALUEdT8Gkvfh9pAdJmFH5ivGskjKMk9u1QEKEitW2PNBfxAFwhIXw6PmY_FmhxfA4G5nah9Ty2Sm7zAUzquYV1aTqNkyBFyluWj4FhYRlVVdbibAj0kTkzvjnEX-ONJvFYPszyl5-z77MgOmotzeFJDZt5wI4Q4w9ndv13PteGgY

I was going to post this, but it took nearly 20 minutes just to connect to the site.

RIP, Inga. She lived to a pretty nice age (as did James Noble).

Inga and Robert G. had great chemistry. "I hear you..." :)

i bet they are laughing Joking around at the Govenor Mansion In The Sky

Oh no !! Not Miss Kraus !! Very sad !:( She was so funny !

May she rest in peace !!:heart:

I think there only 4 people left now Katie Pete His Wife, Denise, and that Taylor guy from the 1st Season

R.I.P. Inga. :(

A tribute to Inga Swenson is on today's blog, as well as tributes to Alan Arkin and Paxton Whitehead. Gretchen Kraus was never state budget director though, she became Benson's secretary after Denise left. What was her Newhart guest appearance?

A tribute to Inga Swenson is on today's blog, as well as tributes to Alan Arkin and Paxton Whitehead. Gretchen Kraus was never state budget director though, she became Benson's secretary after Denise left. What was her Newhart guest appearance?

It was mentioned on her Wikipedia page. I edited the blog.

"She portrayed Gretchen Kraus, the autocratic and acerbic German cook (later head housekeeper and budget director) in the TV sitcom Benson."

She played Madelyn Stone in the season 7 episode titled "George and the Old Maid" on Newhart.

The Inn's old maid, Madelyn Stone (Inga Swenson), returns after a 25-year absence to answer George's marriage proposal.

She had a good run on Benson. I think they styled her hair after Moe on the Three Stooges.

She had a good run on Benson. I think they styled her hair after Moe on the Three Stooges.

Absolutely not. It was a popular style from the 1970s called the pageboy, and it was unisex:

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/d5/86/73/d5867386e0adab44a5e98f4036a29101--s-hairstyles-vintage-hairstyles.jpg

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cZKu9e7vSPY/XyUCPuiVsoI/AAAAAAAD2M8/gyyIjf2A1SQNTDR0n0x_nXednbVleEElwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/pageboy.jpg

It became dated into the 1980s but I'm guessing it was kept for so long because it had become part of the look of the character and made Ms. Kraus seem more European than American.

Incidentally, Inga Swenson was a stunner as a young woman:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0257/3165/products/RSF52341_b4720c4f-dcec-4683-9339-27376c3e831b_1200x.jpeg?v=1568758938

RIP to Inga. She really was beautiful and a wonderful singer.
On Benson she was head of housekeeping, head of household staff when Benson was promoted to Budget Director, then Aid to Benson when he became Lt. Governor:)
On Newhart she played an ex love interest to George.