--- name: "Nina Foch" canonical: "https://film.one/person/nina-foch" roles: ["Actor"] born: "20 April 1924" died: "5 December 2008" reviewed_on_fi1m: 2 average_fi1m_score: 72 average_as: "actor" average_over: 2 updated: "2026-09-20T03:06:45.490991+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Nina Foch Actor. Born 20 April 1924 in Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. Died 5 December 2008. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 20 April 1924, Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands - **Died:** 5 December 2008 - **Active:** 1951–1956 - **Also known as:** Нина Фош, Nina Consuela Maud Fock, نینا فوخ - **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination - **Average Fi1m score:** 72, as actor, over 2 titles - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nina_Foch, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q235632, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001225/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/13026 ## Streaming the US now - **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Ten Commandments*](https://film.one/film/the-ten-commandments.md) (67) For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country. ## Fi1m on Nina Foch > A tall, cool blonde whose good manners were usually a warning. Nina Foch played rich women, secretaries and schemers with the same held-back poise, and Hollywood gave her too few parts large enough to show what was behind it. Watch Nina Foch listen. In *An American in Paris* (1951) her Milo Roberts buys Jerry's paintings, offers to fund his show and sits through his rudeness with a small, level smile, deciding how much of it she will take. That was the Foch manner: tall, fair, well dressed, polite to the point of coolness, with something under the poise that might be want or might be calculation. She was cast again and again as the sophisticated blonde whose surface hides manipulation or insecurity, and she rarely needed to raise her voice to suggest either. Columbia signed her at nineteen in 1943 and put her in horror and noir, starting with *Return of the Vampire* (1943). The one from that stretch still talked about is *My Name Is Julia Ross* (1945), a Gothic thriller with her in the title role as an imperilled secretary; she later dismissed much of the Columbia contract work as limited. Broadway came in 1947. Then *An American in Paris* took her out of B-pictures and into the sophisticated supporting part she would play in different clothes for a decade: a loyal, grieving secretary in *Executive Suite* (1954), the pharaoh's daughter who adopts Moses in *The Ten Commandments* (1956), a scheming Roman noblewoman in *Spartacus* (1960). She is best when a film gives her something to hold back. Milo is the only adult in Jerry's love story, and Foch plays her with a dry wit the rest of the picture lacks. When the film loses interest in her we minded more than we expected to, because she was the one person on screen who seemed to know what she was doing. That is the recurring Foch problem. Her parts were reactive by design, and directors used her as an obstacle for the hero and then took her away. In *The Ten Commandments* she is one more figure in a film we found stiff as a temple frieze, and our review did not single her out, which is the usual fate of a supporting player in a DeMille picture. From the 1960s the work was mostly television guest parts, and the bigger job was elsewhere. She taught directing the actor at USC for more than forty years and at the American Film Institute until her death in 2008, and she was clear about which career she valued: "I think the biggest thing I've done in life is teach." Given the parts Hollywood offered her, it is hard to argue. Start with *An American in Paris*, watch Milo, and notice how much of the film's good sense goes with her when she does. ## Biography Nina Foch was a Dutch-born American actress. Born Nina Consuelo Maud Fock in Leiden, Netherlands, on 20 April 1924, she signed with Columbia Pictures at the age of 19 and appeared in a series of horror films and films noir before moving into leading roles. She played Milo Roberts in the 1951 musical *An American in Paris*. Foch received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for *Executive Suite* (1954). Other film roles included Bithiah in *The Ten Commandments* (1956) and Helena Glabrus in *Spartacus* (1960). She also appeared on Broadway from the late 1940s and later taught drama at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. Foch died in Los Angeles on 5 December 2008. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, nytimes.com, imdb.com, theguardian.com.* ## On Fi1m (2) - *The Ten Commandments* (1956), Fi1m 67, as Bithiah — [page](https://film.one/film/the-ten-commandments.md) - *An American in Paris* (1951), Fi1m 76, as Milo Roberts — [page](https://film.one/film/an-american-in-paris.md) ## Complete filmography (135) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Mansfield 66/67* (2017), Actor - *'S Wonderful: Creating An American in Paris* (2008), Actor - *The Closer* (2005), series, as Doris Donnelly - *Back When We Were Grownups* (2004), as Mrs. Holmes - *NCIS* (2003), series, as Victoria Mallard - *How to Deal* (2003), as Grandma Halley - *Pumpkin* (2002), as Betsy Collander - *Bull* (2000), series, as Madeline - *Family Blessings* (1998), as Peg Miller · Director - *Shadow of Doubt* (1998), as Sylvia Saxon - *Hush* (1998), as Alice Baring - *Dharma & Greg* (1997), series, as Beatrice - *'Til There Was You* (1997), as Sophia Monroe - *Just Shoot Me!* (1997), series, as Catherine DuChamp - *It's My Party* (1996), as Brandon's mother - *Alien Nation: Dark Horizon* (1994), as Burak - *Tales of the City* (1993), series, as Frannie Halcyon - *Morning Glory* (1993), as Miss Beasly - *Sliver* (1993), as Mrs. McEvoy - *The Sands of Time* (1992), as Ellen Scott - *In the Arms of a Killer* (1992), as Mrs. Venible - *Skin Deep* (1989), as Alex's Mother - *War and Remembrance* (1988), series, as Comtesse de Chambrun - *Outback Bound* (1988), as Samantha's mother - *Dear John* (1988), series, as Mrs. Lacey - *Dixie Lanes* (1988), as Hazel Laidlaw - *L.A. Law* (1986), series, as Marcia Schwartz - *Nomads* (1986), as Real Estate Agent - *Shadow Chasers* (1985), series, as Dr. Julianna Moorhouse - *The Comedy Factory* (1985), series, as Hannah Kingsley - *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Katie Emhardt, Rebecca Kinkaid - *Hunter* (1984), series, as Gloria Morrell - *Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady* (1982), Actor - *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Frannie Halcyon - *Rich and Famous* (1981), as Literary Party Guest - *Ebony, Ivory and Jade* (1979), as Dr. Adela Teba - *Child of Glass* (1978), as Aunt Lavinia Culp - *Jennifer* (1978), as Mrs. Calley - *Lou Grant* (1977), series, Actor - *The Great Houdinis* (1976), as Reverend Le Veyne - *Mahogany* (1975), as Miss Evans - *Kolchak: The Night Stalker* (1974), series, as Madame Trevi - *The Magician* (1973), series, as Irene Denore - *A Little Bit Like Murder* (1973), as Nellie - *Barnaby Jones* (1973), series, as Eleanor DeRoche - *Female Artillery* (1973), as Amelia Craig - *Salty* (1973), as Mrs. Penninger - *Scarecrow* (1972), as Goody Rickby - *Such Good Friends* (1971), as Julie's Mother - *McMillan & Wife* (1971), series, as Marietta Galway - *McCloud* (1970), series, as Sgt. V.J. Dameron - *Gidget Grows Up* (1969), as Bibi Crosby - *To Rome with Love* (1969), series, Actor - *Hawaii Five-O* (1969), series, as Marian Scott - *The Mod Squad* (1968), series, Actor - *The Name of the Game* (1968), series, as Angela Morgan - *Prescription: Murder* (1968), as Carol Flemming - *That Girl* (1966), series, Actor - *The F.B.I.* (1965), series, as Terry Simms - *The Wild Wild West* (1965), series, Actor - *Kraft Suspense Theatre* (1963), series, as Sarah Middleton - *Burke's Law* (1963), series, as Anjanette Delacroix - *The Greatest Show on Earth* (1963), series, Actor - *The Outer Limits* (1963), series, as Eva Fraser - *Arrest and Trial* (1963), series, Actor - *Combat!* (1962), series, as Madame Carmaux - *The Virginian* (1962), series, as Frances Graham - *Sam Benedict* (1962), series, Actor - *Theatre 62: Rebecca* (1962), as Mrs. Danvers - *Bus Stop* (1961), series, Actor - *Dr. Kildare* (1961), series, as Georgia Pettigrew - *Special for Women* (1960), series, as The Lawyer - *Spartacus* (1960), as Helena Glabrus - *Route 66* (1960), series, Actor - *Cash McCall* (1960), as Maude Kennard - *Bonanza* (1959), series, as Clarissa Cartwright - *Ten Little Indians* (1959), as Vera Claythorne - *Rawhide* (1959), series, as Madrina Wilcox - *Naked City* (1958), series, as Maude Hutchinson, Kitty Lamson - *The Playroom* (1957), as Mrs. Dorothy Kelly - *Three Brave Men* (1956), as Lt. Mary Jane McCoy - *Heritage of Anger* (1956), as Libby Hanneman - *The Ten Commandments* (1956), as Bithiah — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/film/the-ten-commandments.md) - *Matinee Theater* (1955), series, Actor - *Illegal* (1955), as Ellen Miles - *The 20th Century Fox Hour* (1955), series, as Susan Harland - *Playwrights '56* (1955), series, Actor - *Night of Execution* (1955), as Emily Rone - *Gunsmoke* (1955), series, as Agatha Corey - *You're Never Too Young* (1955), as Gretchen Brendan - *Four Guns to the Border* (1954), as Maggie Flannery - *Climax!* (1954), series, as Emily Rone, Caroline Emmet - *Executive Suite* (1954), as Erica Martin - *Letter to Loretta* (1953), series, as Mrs. Graff, Joan Rogers - *Fast Company* (1953), as Mercedes Bellway - *Sombrero* (1953), as Elena Cantu - *General Electric Theater* (1953), series, as Ellen Townsend, Mrs. Davenheim - *The Kill* (1952), as Carrie Brown Huddleston - *Scaramouche* (1952), as Marie Antoinette - *Young Man with Ideas* (1952), as Joyce Laramie - *The Gulf Playhouse* (1952), series, Actor - *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Mrs. Holmes - *Schlitz Playhouse of Stars* (1951), series, as Dr. Olivia Lomond - *An American in Paris* (1951), as Milo Roberts — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/an-american-in-paris.md) - *St. Benny the Dip* (1951), as Linda Kovacs - *Tales of Tomorrow* (1951), series, Actor - *Lux Video Theatre* (1950), series, as Flo, Jessica, Terry, Jane Conway - *Danger* (1950), series, Actor - *The Colgate Comedy Hour* (1950), series, as Sophie Teale - *Your Show of Shows* (1950), series, Actor - *Johnny Allegro* (1949), as Glenda Chapman - *The Undercover Man* (1949), as Judith Warren - *Suspense* (1949), series, Actor - *The Dark Past* (1948), as Betty - *Studio One* (1948), series, as Carrie Brown Huddleston, Belinda Cattson, Lee Fouche, Barbara, Melissa Turner, Joyce, Fran - *The Philco Television Playhouse* (1948), series, as Elizabeth - *Kraft Television Theatre* (1947), series, Actor - *The Guilt of Janet Ames* (1947), as Susie Pearson - *Johnny O'Clock* (1947), as Harriet Hobson - *Prison Ship* (1945), as Anne Graham - *My Name Is Julia Ross* (1945), as Julia Ross - *A Thousand and One Nights* (1945), as Harem Girl - *Boston Blackie's Rendezvous* (1945), as Sally Brown - *Escape in the Fog* (1945), as Eileen Carr - *I Love a Mystery* (1945), as Ellen Monk - *A Song to Remember* (1945), as Constantia - *She's a Sweetheart* (1944), as Jeanne - *Strange Affair* (1944), as Frieda Brenner - *Cry of the Werewolf* (1944), as Celeste - *Shadows in the Night* (1944), as Lois Garland - *She's a Soldier Too* (1944), as Tessie Legruda - *Nine Girls* (1944), as Alice Blake - *The Return of the Vampire* (1943), as Nicki Saunders - *Wagon Wheels West* (1943), as Jan Colburn - *Don't Kill Your Friends* (1943), as Young Girl ## Gallery - ![Nina Foch](https://film.one/media/person/1236637/gallery-317a323668d8.png) Nina Foch — Columbia Pictures, "Thomas", Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Nina_Foch_Escape_in_the_Fog.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Photo of Nina Foch promoting The Guilt of Janet Ames (1947)](https://film.one/media/person/1236637/gallery-f666efb88b74.png) Photo of Nina Foch promoting The Guilt of Janet Ames (1947) — Columbia Pictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Nina_Foch_Guilt_Janet_Ames.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Promotional photograph of actor Nina Foch (1950s)](https://film.one/media/person/1236637/gallery-2489a460c536.jpg) Promotional photograph of actor Nina Foch (1950s) — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/05/Studio_publicity_Nina_Foch.jpg/1280px-Studio_publicity_Nina_Foch.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Press photo of Nina Foch, 1957](https://film.one/media/person/1236637/gallery-92937590e581.jpg) Press photo of Nina Foch, 1957 — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Nina_Foch_in_1957.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Nina Foch](https://film.one/media/person/1236637/gallery-254376089396.jpg) Nina Foch — Image via TMDB - ![Screenshot of Nina Foch from the trailer for the film The Ten Commandments. (1956)](https://film.one/media/person/1236637/gallery-41995951d6a5.jpg) Screenshot of Nina Foch from the trailer for the film The Ten Commandments. (1956) — Trailer screenshot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/25/Nina_Foch_holding_Moses%27_basket_in_The_Ten_Commandments_trailer.jpg/1280px-Nina_Foch_holding_Moses%27_basket_in_The_Ten_Commandments_trailer.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Photo of Clint Eastwood and guest star Nina Foch from an episode of Rawhide. (1959)](https://film.one/media/person/1236637/gallery-33d0ac364430.jpg) Photo of Clint Eastwood and guest star Nina Foch from an episode of Rawhide. (1959) — CBS Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Clint_Eastwood_Nina_Foch_Rawhide_1959.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) ## Awards ### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated - 1955: Best Supporting Actress (nominated), for *Executive Suite* *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/nina-foch