Bess Flowers

Bess Flowers (November 23, 1898 – July 28, 1984) was an American actress who, by some accounts, holds the record for the most film appearances in Hollywood history. Known as "The Queen of the Hollywood Extras," she appeared in over 700 movies across a 41-year career, often in uncredited roles.

Born in Sherman, Texas, Flowers made her film debut in 1923 with three appearances that year before beginning a steady and extensive career in Hollywood. Her roles were typically non-speaking and uncredited, though she was a frequent presence in a wide range of films.

By the 1930s, Flowers was in high demand, appearing in works by directors such as Alfred Hitchcock and John Ford, as well as comedic films featuring Charley Chase, the Three Stooges, Leon Errol, Edgar Kennedy, and Laurel and Hardy. She appeared in five Academy Award-winning Best Picture films—*It Happened One Night*, *You Can't Take It with You*, *All About Eve*, *The Greatest Show on Earth*, and *Around the World in Eighty Days*—all as an uncredited performer. In total, she appeared in 23 Best Picture nominees, a record that remains unmatched. Her final film was *Good Neighbor Sam* in 1964.

Flowers also appeared in numerous American television series, including *I Love Lucy*, in episodes such as "Lucy Is Enceinte" (1952), "Ethel's Birthday" (1955), and "Lucy's Night in Town" (1957), where she often played the role of a theater patron.

Beyond her acting career, Flowers co-founded the Screen Extras Guild in 1945, which was active from 1946 to 1992 before merging with SAG. She served as one of the guild's first vice-presidents and recording secretaries.