Marian Mercer
Birth nameMarian Ethel Mercer
Birth dateNovember 26, 1935
Birth placeAkron, Ohio, U.S.
Death dateApril 27, 2011 (aged 75)
Death placeNewbury Park, California, U.S.
SpouseMartin Cassidy (divorced)
Patrick Hogan (19??–2011; her death)
OccupationActress
Years active1955–2000
Alma materUniversity of Michigan

Marian Ethel Mercer[citation needed] (November 26, 1935 – April 27, 2011) was an American actress and singer.

Career

Born in Akron, Ohio, Mercer was the daughter of Samuel and Nellie Mercer.[1] She graduated from the University of Michigan, then spent several seasons working in summer stock. She made her Broadway debut in the chorus of the short-lived musical, Greenwillow in 1960.[2]

She drew critical notice for her performance in New Faces of 1962, and won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance, and the Theatre World Award for her performance as Marge MacDougall in Promises, Promises (1968).[1] Additional theatre credits include Hay Fever and the short-lived 1978 revival of Stop the World – I Want to Get Off with Sammy Davis Jr.[1] In 1979, she starred as Deirdre in Bosoms and Neglect.

Mercer was a regular on television, appearing in The Dom DeLuise Show, The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters, The Sandy Duncan Show, A Touch of Grace (starring Shirley Booth), The Andy Williams Show, and the sitcom It's a Living,[3] in which she played piquant restaurant hostess Nancy Beebe Miller. (Mercer was one of four members of the cast who lasted through the series' network and syndicated runs; the others were Gail Edwards, Paul Kreppel, and Barrie Youngfellow). She had recurring roles on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman; its sequel, Forever Fernwood; St. Elsewhere; and Empty Nest.

She made guest appearances on such shows as Love, American Style; Archie Bunker's Place; Mama's Family; Benson; The Golden Girls; Murder, She Wrote; Touched by an Angel; and Suddenly Susan, among many others. She had featured roles in the television films The Cracker Factory (1979), which starred Natalie Wood, and Murder in Three Acts (1986), starring Peter Ustinov and Tony Curtis. Her big screen credits include John and Mary (1969); Oh, God! Book II (1980); and 9 to 5 (1980), where she played Missy Hart.[4]

Mercer had been reunited with two former co-stars of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (in which she played Wanda Rittenhouse Jeeter) in two separate projects. She was reunited first with Dabney Coleman (he had played Merle Jeeter) in the film 9 to 5;[4] and then with Louise Lasser (who played Mary Hartman) on It's a Living.

Death

Mercer was a resident of the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles[5] where she resided until her death on April 27, 2011, from Alzheimer's disease in Newbury Park, California at the age of 75.[1]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1969John and MaryMags Elliot
1978Sammy Stops the WorldEvie
1980Oh, God! Book IIHarriet Manley
19809 to 5Missy Hart
1992Out on a LimbAnn Campbell Van Der Haven

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1972The Sandy Duncan ShowKay FoxMain role
1973A Touch of GraceMyra BradleyMain role
1974Love, American StyleLucySegment: "Love and the Itchy Condition"
1974Police WomanJo EndersEpisode: "Fish"
1975Great PerformancesMashaEpisode: "The Seagull"
1975The Bob Crane ShowMiss ChandlerEpisode: "The Lyle Principle"
1976SerpicoSister MargaretEpisode: "The Traitor in Our Midst"
1976–77Mary Hartman, Mary HartmanWanda Rittenhouse JeeterSupporting role
1977Forever FernwoodWanda JeeterSupporting role
1978King of the RoadMildredTV film
1978The Harvey Korman ShowGraceEpisode: "The One Where Harvey Gets a Job as an Escort"
1979The Cracker FactoryEleanorTV film
1979Archie Bunker's PlaceMiss BradshawEpisode: "Bosom Partners"
1980Phyl & MikhyMiss CrandalEpisode: "Mikhy's Visitor"
1980–1989It's a LivingNancy Beebe MillerRegular role (120 episodes)
1981, 1984BensonTrudi, Ursula Van DyneEpisodes: "Rivals", "Made in Hong Kong: Parts 1 & 2"
19829 to 5FrancesEpisode: "The Loverwear Party"
1982Life of the Party: The Story of BeatriceRitaTV film
1983Ace Crawford... Private EyeMaureenEpisode: "The Gentleman Bandit"
1983Foot in the DoorMrs. GriffinTV series
1983, 1986St. ElsewhereEve LeightonRecurring role (season 2), guest (season 5)
1984The Love BoatMrs. Rhodes1 episode
1984Mama's FamilyFeliciaEpisode: "Mama for Mayor: Part 2"
1984BookerMrs. RuffnerTV film
1986ABC Afterschool SpecialSister ReginaEpisode: "Are You My Mother?"
1986You Again?Dr. WoodsEpisode: "Henry and Matt Get Sick"
1986Murder in Three ActsDaisy EastmanTV film
1989Oh, Henry!MildredTV film
1990The Golden GirlsMagdaEpisode: "Sisters and Other Strangers"
1991Sunday DinnerMartha BenedictMain role
1991The Julie ShowJune RobbinsTV film
1992Murder, She WrotePenelope Hope DanielsEpisode: "The Witch's Curse"
1992Harry and the HendersonsMonicaEpisode: "Born Again"
1992–1994Empty NestUrsula DietzEpisode: "The Unimportance of Being Charley", "My Mother, My Self", "Love a la Mode"
1993Home FreeGrace BaileyMain role
1996Common LawBunnyEpisode: "In the Matter Of: John's 15 Minutes"
1998WorkingMrs. RichardsEpisode: "The Closer"
1998Touched by an AngelFloEpisode: "Lady of the Lake"
1998Suddenly SusanMrs. RichmondEpisode: "The Thanksgiving Episode"
2000ProvidenceEpisode: "Paradise Inn"

References

  1. ^ Hevesi, Dennis (May 4, 2011). "Marian Mercer, Actress With Zany Streak, Is Dead at 75". The New York Times
  2. ^ https://playbill.com/article/marian-mercer-tony-winner-for-promises-promises-dies-at-75-com-178891
  3. ^ "It's a Living". The New York Times. 2012. Archived July 15, 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ^ Canby, Vincent (December 19, 1980). "'NINE TO FIVE,' OFFICE COMEDY". The New York Times
  5. ^ Girion, Lisa & Verrier, Richard (January 15, 2009). "Actors' hospital to close". Los Angeles Times