R.I.P. Alice Drummond: What Happened to the ‘Ghostbusters’ Librarian?”

Alice Drummond was a respected actress known for her acclaimed work on the stage and for her role as Nurse Jackson in the cult television series Dark Shadows.

A graduate of Brown University in 1950, Drummond went on to build a distinguished theater career. Her portrayal of Mrs. Lee in The Chinese and Dr. Fish earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 1970.

While she had a long and varied career, many remember her best as the frightened librarian in the opening scene of Ghostbusters (1984) — a brief but unforgettable role.

Personal life

She married actor Paul Drummond in 1951, and the couple made their home in Manhattan, New York City. They separated in 1975 and finalized their divorce the following year, in 1976.

Her mother, Sarah Irene, worked as a secretary while her father, Arthur Ruyter, was an auto mechanic.

How did Alice Drummond die?

Drummond died on November 30, 2016, at her home in The Bronx, New York City, at the age of 88. According to her friend June Gable, the cause of death was complications from a fall she had suffered two months earlier.