Inga Swenson (born
December 29,
1932 in
Omaha, Nebraska) is an
Emmy award and
Golden Globe-nominated
American actress.
Swenson was a member of
Alpha Phi sorority at
Northwestern University where she studied in their famed Drama Department.
Swenson is best known to
American audiences for her portrayal of "Gretchen Kraus", the autocratic and acerbic German cook (later Head Housekeeper and Budget Director) on the TV
sitcom Benson. She got the part by appearing in a
multi-episode stint as "Ingrid Svenson", birth mother of Corinne Tate (
Diana Canova), on the tv sitcom
Soap. Both series were created by
Susan Harris and produced by
Witt-Thomas-Harris Productions.