Background
Born in Hutchinson, Kansas, Corsaut was the daughter of Jesse Harrison and Opal J. (née Swarens) Corsaut.
Born in Hutchinson, Kansas, Corsaut was the daughter of Jesse Harrison and Opal J. (née Swarens) Corsaut.
She majored in drama at Northwestern University and studied acting with Lee Strasberg.
She is best known for playing Helen Crump on The Andy Griffith Show (1963–1968). During her junior year, Corsaut dropped out to pursue a career in acting, although during the run of The Andy Griffith Show, Corsaut took courses at University of California, Los Angeles with plans to earn her degree. She began her acting career in New York in the mid-1950s.
In 1958, Corsaut and Steve McQueen made their film debuts in the independent cult horror film, The Blob.
In the television series Adam-12, Corsaut portrayed Officer Pete Malloy"s girlfriend, Judy. She had a supporting role as Head Nurse Bradley in the 1980s sitcom House Calls, and also appeared in several episodes of Matlock with star Andy Griffith.
In addition, Corsaut played the role of nurse Jesse Brewer in 1977 on the long-running American Broadcasting Company soap opera General Hospital when long-time portrayer Emily McLaughlin was too ill to work. She returned to the role of Helen Crump in two reunion shows, Return to Mayberry in 1986 and The Andy Griffith Show Reunion in 1993.
As a writer, she co-authored The Mystery Reader"s Quiz Book.
On November 6, 1995, Corsaut died of cancer in Studio City, Los Angeles, California, just three days after her 62nd birthday. She is buried in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood, Los Los Angeles