Allyn Ann McLerie
Actress Allyn Ann McLerie parlayed early Broadway success into a lengthy career as a character actor on television. The Quebec native first earned notice on the stage in 1948 when she starred opposite Ray Bolger in Frank Loesser's musical "Where's Charley?" as a 21-year-old. She continued acting on Broadway, but began focusing on screen work throughout the 1950s. She starred again opposite Bolger in the film version of "Where's Charley?" (1952), while adding supporting credits in the musicals "The Desert Song" (1953) and "Calamity Jane" (1953). After marrying actor George Gaynes, McLerie took several prolonged breaks from acting before appearing in Sydney Pollack's dance marathon drama "They Shoot Horses Don't They?" (1969), starring Jane Fonda. That kicked off a string of roles, primarily as a guest performer on television dramas such as "Cannon" (CBS, 1971-76) and "The Waltons" (CBS, 1971-81). Her film credits during this time included appearances in three Robert Redford-led hits, "Jeremiah Johnson" (1972), "The Way We Were" (1974), and "All the President's Men" (1976). (The first two were also directed by Pollack). She then began a run as a series regular on "The Tony Randall Show" (ABC/CBS, 1976-78), playing the straight-laced secretary to Randall's widowed judge. When the show ended, she returned to television guest roles, before appearing in the blockbuster mini series "The Thorn Birds" (1983). She had recurring roles on "WKRP in Cincinnati" (CBS, 1978-82), as the wife of station manager Arthur Carlson (Gordon Jump), and on "Punky Brewster" (NBC, 1984-88), which starred Gaynes. She earned critical acclaim as part of the cast of Jay Tarses's landmark dramedy "The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd" (NBC/Lifetime, 1987-91), where she played the hard-to-please mother of Blair Brown's title character. She retired from acting shortly after the series ended. Her last role was an uncredited appearance in her husband's film "Police Academy: Mission to Moscow" (1994). McLerie died from complications related to Alzheimer's Disease on May 21, 2018.
Photos
Allyn Ann McLerie
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet |
|
Living Proof: The Hank Williams Jr. Story | Audrey Williams (Character) | - | 1983 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Oldest Living Graduate | Mrs. Hampton (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | And Baby Makes Six | Dora Finley (Character) | - | 1979 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Shining Season | Polly Baker (Character) | - | 1979 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Return Engagement | Florence (Character) | - | 1978 |
No Score Yet |
|
Someone I Touched | Jean (Character) | - | 1975 |
No Score Yet |
|
Death Scream | Alice Whitmore (Character) | - | 1975 |
No Score Yet |
|
Born Innocent | Emma Lasko (Character) | - | 1974 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | France Inc. | L'Américaine (Character) | - | 1974 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Tree Grows in Brooklyn | Miss Martin (Character) | - | 1974 |
56% |
|
Cinderella Liberty | Miss Watkins (Character) | - | 1973 |
64% |
|
The Way We Were | Rhea Edwards (Character) | - | 1973 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Magnificent Seven Ride! | Mrs. Donavan (Character) | - | 1972 |
91% |
|
Jeremiah Johnson | Crazy Woman (Character) | - | 1972 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Shadow of a Gunman | Mrs. Grigson (Character) | - | 1972 |
89% |
|
Monte Walsh | Mary Eagle (Character) | - | 1970 |
83% |
|
The Reivers | Alison (Character) | - | 1969 |
82% |
|
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? | Shirl (Character) | - | 1969 |
73% |
|
Calamity Jane | Katie Brown (Character) | - | 1953 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Desert Song | Azuri (Character) | - | 1953 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Where's Charley? | Amy Spettigue (Character) | - | 1952 |
17% |
|
Words and Music | Singer in Garrick Gaeities (uncredited) (Character) | - | 1948 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Days and Nights of Molly Dodd | Florence Bickford (Character) | 1987-1991 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Simon & Simon | Edith 'Edie' Krelman (Guest Star) | 1986 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mr. Belvedere | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1986 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Punky Brewster | Maggie McLerie (Guest Star) | 1984-1985 |
No Score Yet | 80% | Knight Rider | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1984 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Trapper John, M.D. | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1981 1983 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Benson | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1981 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hart to Hart | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1981 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Barney Miller | Harriet Shulton (Guest Star) | 1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Love Story | Vivian (Character) | 1974 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Waltons | Marjorie Simmons (Guest Star) | 1973 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Cannon | Mrs. Glen (Guest Star) | 1972 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bonanza | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1970 |