Edie McClurg

McClurg was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, to Mac, a mailman, and Irene McClurg,^[2] an FAA secretary. She had an older brother, Bob, who was an actor and comedian. She attended the University of Missouri–Kansas City in the mid-1960s where she got her BA in 1967 and where she also taught radio for eight years.^[3] She earned a master's degree from Syracuse University in 1970.^[4]

At the University of Missouri–Kansas City, McClurg re-entered the entertainment field as a DJ, newswoman, and producer for the NPR affiliate KCUR-FM. There she portrayed John Ehrlichman in Conversation 26 of NPR's national broadcast of the Nixon Tape transcript.^[3]

Having been a member of San Francisco's improv comedy the Pitcshel Players, she moved to Los Angeles and joined the Groundlings troupe.^[5] She worked with fellow Groundling player Paul Reubens on his first play The Pee-wee Herman Show, in which she appeared in 1981 as "Hermit Hattie". She also appeared in the 1988 film Elvira: Mistress of the Dark with fellow Groundling player Cassandra Peterson, who appeared as her alter ego Elvira.^{[citation needed]}

Early roles

McClurg's screen debut was as Helen Shyres in Brian De Palma's 1976 horror film Carrie starring Sissy Spacek. She was a comedy regular on the Tony Orlando and Dawn variety show (1976–1977) and then a cast member of The Kallikaks and The Richard Pryor Show. In 1980, McClurg regularly performed on The David Letterman Show^[6] as Mrs. Marv Mendenhall. She went on to appear in almost 90 films and 55 television episodes, usually typecast as a middle-aged, somewhat stubborn, and dim-witted Midwesterner.^[6]

Television

On television, she played Lucille Tarlek on WKRP in Cincinnati,^[7] Willamae Jones in the television remake of Harper Valley PTA, Mrs. Patty Poole on The Hogan Family (originally "Valerie"), Bonnie Brindle on Small Wonder, and Mrs. Beeker on 7th Heaven.

McClurg had numerous appearances on other television programs. She portrayed one of the wicked stepsisters in the Faerie Tale Theatre television production Cinderella. She portrayed a nurse nicknamed "Angel of Death" in an episode of The Golden Girls. She guest-starred in episodes of Alice, The Jeffersons, Diff'rent Strokes, Mr. Belvedere, Roseanne, Full House, Seinfeld, Melrose Place, Touched by an Angel, Married... with Children, Caroline in the City, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Malcolm in the Middle, Portlandia, Rules of Engagement, and Two and a Half Men among others. She appeared in an episode of Hannah Montana as Cindy Merriweather. She guest starred as Barri's mother in an episode of Campus Ladies. McClurg also appeared on several game shows, including Match Game, The $25,000 Pyramid, Password Plus, and Super Password, and appeared in numerous commercials.

Film

McClurg also played in a number of films including Helen Shyres in Carrie, Gloria's Mom in Cheech and Chong's Next Movie, the check out lady in Mr. Mom, Grace in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Marge Sweetwater in Back to School, the car rental agent in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Lynn in She's Having a Baby, a secretary in Curly Sue, Mrs. Burns in A River Runs Through It, Heather Wilson in Natural Born Killers, Martha George in Flubber, Esther in Hanging Up, and Mrs. Gertrude in Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star.

Animation

McClurg is also known for a number of animated roles. She voiced Miss Right in The Secret of NIMH, Barsa in Kiki's Delivery Service, Carlotta in The Little Mermaid, a nurse in The Rugrats Movie, Dr. Flora in A Bug's Life, Molly in Home on the Range, Minny in Cars and Cars 2, Mary in Wreck-It Ralph and Gerda in Frozen. She also voiced the offscreen "Polite Female Voice" in the Revolting Slob segments on Crashbox, Fran on Higglytown Heroes, the Dragon in the Nightmare Ned video game, Mrs. Claus in Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen, Grandma Taters in The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Violet Stimpleton in Rocket Power, Bea's mother in Fish Hooks, Winnie Pig in Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation, Mrs. Violet Bleakman on Clifford the Big Red Dog, Bobby's teacher in Bobby's World and Trudi Traveler in an episode of Wander Over Yonder. McClurg contributed assorted voices for The Jetsons, The Snorks and Life with Louie.

Other Roles

Continuing her passion for performing improvised comedy, McClurg became a player with Spolin Players.^[5] On April 9, 2007, she made an appearance on Thank God You're Here.

In 2020, she made a cameo in the Family Guy episode "Holly Bibble" in a spoof of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. She appeared as 'Grace', personal assistant to [Carter as] Pontius Pilate. Immediately following the delivery of her lines, was the following acknowledgment by Carter/Pontius' character, "Wasn't that cool? That was really her! Edie McClurg. Thanks Edie!".

In 2019, TMZ reported that family and friends of McClurg filed court documents requesting a conservatorship to manage her affairs. They said neurological tests provide evidence that McClurg is unable to live alone without assistance and is "especially vulnerable to undue influence, given her poor judgment and evident dementia".^[8] TMZ further reported that a conservator, McClurg's cousin, Angelique Cabral, had been appointed.^[9]

In August 2022, the lawyer for the conservatorship filed court documents alleging that McClurg had been abused by a man who had befriended her, moved into her home, and become a court-approved caregiver. The documents allege the man sexually assaulted her and a police report had been filed with the LAPD. They further allege that the man tried to remove her from the state to marry her. The judge for the conservatorship granted an order of protection at hearings in September 2022.^{[10][9][needs update]}

Film

Television

Television films

Additional credits

• The Paragon of Comedy (1983 – television special)
• Christmas Everyday (1986 – television special)
• Tiny Toons Spring Break (1994 – television special)
• Life with Louie: A Christmas Surprise for Mrs. Stillman ... Ora Anderson (1994 – television short)
• Nightmare Ned ... Storytelling Dragon (1997 – video game)
• Escape from Monkey Island ... Miss Rivers (2000 – video game)
• Stinky Pierre (2003 – television short)
• Tak 3: The Great Juju Challenge ... Stone Crusher (2005 – video game)
• Toot & Puddle: I'll Be Home for Christmas (2006 – direct-to video animated film)
• What's Wrong with Ruth ... Mother (2007 television short animation)
• The Outlaw Emmett Deemus ... Mary (2008 – short film)
• Stage Two ... Maggie's Mom (2008 – short film)
• The Not Goods Anthology: This Is Absolutely Not Good ... Herself (2010 – video short)
• dated. ... Edie (2011 – video short)
• Heal Thyself ... Doris Green (2012 – Short film)
• Curious George Swings Into Spring ... Lydia / Mom / Lady (2013 – video animation)
• The Gift ... Old Lady (2014 – short film)
• Eyes Upon Waking ... Nurse Jane (2014 – short film)
• How to Become an Outlaw (2014)

Theatre

• The Pee-wee Herman Show ... Hermit Hattie / Clockey (1981)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Edie McClurg.

• Edie McClurg at IMDb