The actress also appeared in episodes of “Gunsmoke,” “Private Eye,” “The Twilight Zone,” and “Crime Classics.”

Betty Harford, Dynasty and The Paper Chase actress, dies at 98

The actress also appeared in episodes of "Gunsmoke," "Private Eye," "The Twilight Zone," and "Crime Classics."

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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November 10, 2025 11:32 a.m. ET

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Betty Harford on 'Dynasty'. Credit:

ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Betty Harford, the actress best known for her roles on the ABC soap opera *Dynasty* and the CBS legal drama *The Paper Chase*, has died. She was 98.

Harford's death was announced by her friend Wendy Mitchell, who wrote on Facebook that the actress "passed away peacefully with family at her side, noon on November 2, 2025."

Born Jan. 28, 1927, in New York City, Harford launched her career with roles in the TV anthologies, *Fireside Theatre *and *Lux Video Theatre.* She then made her feature film debut with an uncredited role in the 1956 movie *Gaby*. That same year, Harford lent her voice to the stop-motion animated children’s series *The Gumby Show*. She starred as Gumba, the mother of the titular character, and would eventually revisit the role four decades later in 1994.

Penny Johnson, Betty Harford, Peter Nelson, Lainie Kazan, James Keane, Tom Fitzsimmons, sitting l-r: Diana Douglas, James Stephens, John Houseman, Michael Tucci, Andra Millian on 'The Paper Chase'.

20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved./courtesy Everett

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As for the start of her career, Harford slowly but surely became a familiar face on the small screen by guest starring in numerous dramas throughout the 50s and 60s, with titles including *Alfred Hitchcock Presents*, the 1950s radio Western *Gunsmoke*, *Richard Diamond, Private Eye*, *The Twilight Zone*, and the docudrama series, *Crime Classics*.

By the time the '70s rolled around, Harford had accrued dozens of TV credits and soon landed her first regular television role on the CBS drama (based on a book and film of the same name), *The Paper Chase*.

Harford portrayed Ms. Nottingham, the loyal secretary to Professor Charles Kingsfield (John Houseman). She initially filled the role across 41 episodes, with the show running for one season after its 1978 debut.  Low ratings led to the show's cancellation, but upon the episodes being rebroadcast, the audience slowly grew. *The Paper Chase *was revived by Showtime within a few years, with Harford and several costars reprising their roles across three more seasons, which ran from 1983 to 1986.

Betty Harford in the 'Dynasty' episode 'Shadow Play'.

ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

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Around the same time, Harford landed a role on ABC's *Dynasty* as the Carrington family’s beloved cook, Hilda Gunnerson. She appeared in  34 episodes of the soap opera during its first eight seasons and later reprised her character for the 1991 reunion miniseries, *Dynasty: The Reunion*.

Harford's additional TV credits include *The Big Valley*, *Room 222,* and *Mrs. Columbo*. She also appeared on the big screen in films such as *Spartacus* (1960), *Signpost to Murder* (1964), *Win, Place or Steal *(1974), and *The China Syndrome* (1979).

Harford is survived by her son, Chris, and her grandsons.

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Source: “EW TV”