You know that voice, right? That deep, resonant tone that could command a room—or a telephone operator in a tiny French village? Fans sure did. “It was something we constantly encountered, even in Europe,” remembers Eve Arden's son, Douglas Brooks West, speaking with Closer. “Even telephone operators would say, ‘Are you Eve Arden? I recognize your voice.’”
Let me tell you, it’s no surprise. Eve Arden was a force of nature. Her career spanned decades, gracing film, Broadway, radio, and television screens. Her iconic role as the spirited and witty Miss Brooks in Our Miss Brooks brought her into living rooms nationwide from 1948 to 1957. But beyond the bright lights of Hollywood, Eve was fiercely dedicated to maintaining a normal family life. She didn’t just want to be a star; she wanted to be a mom, a wife, and someone who grounded herself in real-world happiness.
A Life Beyond the Spotlight
In 1954, Eve married actor Brooks West, and together they made a bold move—leaving the bustling city life behind for a peaceful ranch in Thousand Oaks, California. Back then, it was just a small town, but it became the perfect backdrop for their family life. “Her number one priority in life was making her family happy,” says her daughter, Liza West, in an interview with Closer.
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Family meant everything to Eve, but it didn’t come easy. She adopted Liza during her marriage to Ned Bergen, which ended in 1947. After suffering miscarriages, Eve went on to adopt her second daughter, Connie, as a single mother. “She was a trailblazer,” notes Douglas. “One of the first women to adopt as a single mom.”
Then came another chapter in Eve’s life. In 1952, she married Brooks West, and something miraculous happened. “She still thought she couldn’t have children, so she adopted my brother Duncan. Immediately after, she found out she was pregnant with me. She was 47 years old,” Douglas recalls with awe. It’s moments like these that remind us how life can surprise us in the most beautiful ways.
Creating Memories on the Ranch
Thousand Oaks wasn’t just a place to live—it was a place to thrive. “I must have been 10 when they bought the ranch,” says Liza. “There are so many happy memories there. We had a vegetable garden that the whole family worked on together. There was horseback riding, and we had all sorts of animals.”
It sounds like a slice of paradise, doesn’t it? For Eve, this was more than just a home—it was a sanctuary. A place where she could nurture her family and create lasting memories. And let’s not forget the fun part: the couple loved to entertain their showbiz friends. Douglas recalls weekends filled with visits from legends like Betty White and Allen Ludden, Pat Boone—who even gifted him a horse!—and Sean Connery. “He came up to the top of our hill and said the view reminded him of the hill overlooking his grandfather’s farm in Scotland,” Douglas reminisces.
Traveling the World Together
Eve and Brooks weren’t ones to stay in one place for too long. They were adventurers at heart, and their love for travel led them to take their entire family to Europe for two incredible years. “It was amazing because we got to learn how to speak Italian while we were in Italy,” says Liza, who attended college in Switzerland during that time. “My sister went to art school, and the boys went to school in London. We’d all meet up for Easter in Rome.”
When school was out for summer, the family would embark on road trips through Portugal and Spain before making their way back to New York via the Atlantic. Imagine the stories they must have shared around the dinner table!
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Even in her later years, Eve continued to act, taking on memorable roles like Principal McGee in Grease in 1978 and returning for its sequel. Her marriage to Brooks remained strong until his passing in 1984. Douglas, who followed in his parents’ footsteps as a producer and writer, gave Eve a gift she never thought possible—a biological grandchild. “That baby in her arms, my first daughter, was a blood connection,” says Douglas. “For most of her life, she never thought that could be possible. It was a wonderful miracle for all of us.”
