Edie McClurg
Encyclopedia
Edie McClurg is an American
character actress
. She is known for her perky North Central dialect
(or Upper Midwest accent
), common to persons from Middle America
.
horror film Carrie as Helen Shyres, one of Carrie's classmates. The following year, she was a member of the cast of The Richard Pryor Show
. In 1980, she was a regular performer on The David Letterman Show
in the persona of Mrs. Marv Mendenhall. She also had a role in Elvira
's first motion picture, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, in which she plays the Town Council President Chastity Pariah who uses her uptight conservative views to convince the townsfolk to get rid of Elvira. She also had a minor role in Cheech & Chong's Next Movie.
Having been a member of the Groundlings, she worked with fellow Groundling player, Paul Reubens, aka Pee-Wee Herman, on his first play “The Pee Wee Herman Show." In 1981, Edie McClurg starred as "Hermit Hattie" in Paul Reubens stage show The Pee-wee Herman Show. She has performed in nearly 90 movies and 55 TV episodes, usually typecast
as a middle-aged, somewhat stubborn and dimwitted Midwesterner
. McClurg is known for a number of roles, including Mr. Rooney's secretary Grace in Ferris Bueller's Day Off
; Lucille Tarlek on WKRP in Cincinnati
; Lynn in She's Having a Baby
; perky PTA member (and ally of Stella Johnson), Willamae Jones, in the television remake of Harper Valley PTA
; motherly and very friendly next-door neighbor Mrs. Patty Poole on The Hogan Family
, nosy next-door neighbor Bonnie Brindle on Small Wonder, the car-rental agent whom Steve Martin
berates in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Mrs. Violet Bleakman on Clifford the Big Red Dog
; and as Mrs. Beeker on the long-running family drama 7th Heaven
. McClurg guest starred as Barri's mother in a January 2007 episode of Campus Ladies
.
She performed as one of the wicked stepsisters in the Faerie Tale Theatre production of Cinderella. She appeared on several TV game shows, including Match Game
, The $25,000 Pyramid, Password Plus
and Super Password
. She was in special celebrity episodes of Family Feud
when Ray Combs
was the host, playing on the FunnyWomen Team against the FunnyMen.
McClurg has also performed voice acting for animated shows. She contributed the voice of Fran the squirrel on "Higglytown Heroes" who acted as an almost nanny to the kids giving them advice and also guidance. She contributed assorted voices for The Jetsons
, Ms. Seabottom in The Snorks
, Louie Anderson
's sweet mom on Life with Louie
, Doctor Flora, the nurse of Ant Island and member of the council in A Bug's Life
and Minny in the animated film Cars
and the sequel Cars 2
. She is the voice of Carlotta in The Little Mermaid
and Miss Right (a female crow) in The Secret of NIMH
. She voiced a character in the Nightmare Ned video game. She is the voice of Barsa in the Disney dub of Kiki's Delivery Service
. She is the voice of Fran the squirrel on Higglytown Heroes
on The Disney Channel
and as Mrs. Claus in Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen
. She performed the voice of Grandma Taters in episodes of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron. When her nephew Chris McClurg asked her to do a children's show, she also appeared on and Invader Zim
episodes "Dark Harvest" and "Career Day". However she was voiced by Antoinette Spolar
. She also appeared in an episode of "Roseanne" titled "Bingo" from the fourth season. She is also the voice of Bea's mother in Fish Hooks
and Winnie Pig in Tiny Toons How i spent my vacation.
One of her best known on-screen moments is her two-word reply to Steve Martin's ranting expletive-laden monologue in Planes, Trains & Automobiles
. McClurg was also in an episode of the TV sitcom The Golden Girls
, playing a nurse from Shady Pines that Sophia hated to see again. McClurg performed in an episode of Hannah Montana
as Cindy Merriweather. On April 9, 2007, she made an appearance on the NBC
show Thank God You're Here.
In 2011, McClurg became a regular guest on The Stephanie Miller Show
. She appeared on the Monday segment, 'Mondays with McClurg.'
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
character actress
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
. She is known for her perky North Central dialect
North Central American English
North–Central American English is used to refer to a dialect of American English. The region is also known as Upper Midwest among some linguists. It is also sometimes called the Minnesota Accent or Great Lakes Accent. It is widely spoken in the Upper Midwest and the northern portion of the...
(or Upper Midwest accent
Accent (linguistics)
In linguistics, an accent is a manner of pronunciation peculiar to a particular individual, location, or nation.An accent may identify the locality in which its speakers reside , the socio-economic status of its speakers, their ethnicity, their caste or social class, their first language In...
), common to persons from Middle America
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
.
Career
McClurg began her career with a role in the 1976 Brian De PalmaBrian De Palma
Brian Russell De Palma is an American film director and writer. In a career spanning over 40 years, he is probably best known for his suspense and crime thriller films, including such box office successes as the horror film Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Scarface, The Untouchables, and Mission:...
horror film Carrie as Helen Shyres, one of Carrie's classmates. The following year, she was a member of the cast of The Richard Pryor Show
The Richard Pryor Show
The Richard Pryor Show is an American comedy variety series starring Richard Pryor. It premiered on NBC on Tuesday, September 13, 1977 at 8 p.m. opposite ABC's popular television shows Laverne & Shirley and Happy Days....
. In 1980, she was a regular performer on The David Letterman Show
The David Letterman Show
The David Letterman Show was a live morning NBC talk show hosted by David Letterman from June 23 to October 24, 1980. The show originally ran for 90 minutes, then 60 minutes from August 4 onward.-Background:...
in the persona of Mrs. Marv Mendenhall. She also had a role in Elvira
Cassandra Peterson
Cassandra Peterson is an American actress best known for her on-screen horror hostess character Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. She gained fame on Los Angeles television station KHJ wearing a black, gothic, cleavage-enhancing gown as host of Movie Macabre, a weekly horror movie presentation...
's first motion picture, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, in which she plays the Town Council President Chastity Pariah who uses her uptight conservative views to convince the townsfolk to get rid of Elvira. She also had a minor role in Cheech & Chong's Next Movie.
Having been a member of the Groundlings, she worked with fellow Groundling player, Paul Reubens, aka Pee-Wee Herman, on his first play “The Pee Wee Herman Show." In 1981, Edie McClurg starred as "Hermit Hattie" in Paul Reubens stage show The Pee-wee Herman Show. She has performed in nearly 90 movies and 55 TV episodes, usually typecast
Typecasting (acting)
In TV, film, and theatre, typecasting is the process by which a particular actor becomes strongly identified with a specific character; one or more particular roles; or, characters having the same traits or coming from the same social or ethnic groups...
as a middle-aged, somewhat stubborn and dimwitted Midwesterner
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. McClurg is known for a number of roles, including Mr. Rooney's secretary Grace in Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a 1986 American teen coming-of-age comedy film written and directed by John Hughes.The film follows high school senior Ferris Bueller , who decides to skip school and spend the day in downtown Chicago...
; Lucille Tarlek on WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy that featured the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta...
; Lynn in She's Having a Baby
She's Having a Baby
She's Having a Baby is a 1988 American romance film directed by John Hughes.The film portrays a young newlywed couple, Kristy and Jake Briggs played by Elizabeth McGovern and Kevin Bacon, who try to cope with being married and what is expected of them by their parents. Jake must also deal with the...
; perky PTA member (and ally of Stella Johnson), Willamae Jones, in the television remake of Harper Valley PTA
Harper Valley PTA (film)
Harper Valley PTA is a 1978 comedy movie starring Barbara Eden. The movie was inspired by the country music song of the same title written by Tom T. Hall...
; motherly and very friendly next-door neighbor Mrs. Patty Poole on The Hogan Family
The Hogan Family
The Hogan Family is an American television situation comedy that aired from March 1, 1986 to July 20, 1991...
, nosy next-door neighbor Bonnie Brindle on Small Wonder, the car-rental agent whom Steve Martin
Steve Martin
Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....
berates in Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Mrs. Violet Bleakman on Clifford the Big Red Dog
Clifford the Big Red Dog
Clifford the Big Red Dog is an American children's book series first published in 1963. Written by Norman Bridwell, the series helped establish Scholastic Books as a premier publishing company....
; and as Mrs. Beeker on the long-running family drama 7th Heaven
7th Heaven
7th Heaven is an American family drama television series, created and produced by Brenda Hampton. The series premiered on August 26, 1996, on the WB, the first time that the network aired Monday night programming, and was originally broadcast from August 26, 1996 to May 13, 2007...
. McClurg guest starred as Barri's mother in a January 2007 episode of Campus Ladies
Campus Ladies
Campus Ladies is an American sitcom that premiered on Oxygen on January 8, 2006. It stars Christen Sussin and Carrie Aizley as two 40-something women who decide to go enroll at the fictional University of the Midwest...
.
She performed as one of the wicked stepsisters in the Faerie Tale Theatre production of Cinderella. She appeared on several TV game shows, including Match Game
Match Game
Match Game is an American television game show in which contestants attempted to match celebrities' answers to fill-in-the-blank questions...
, The $25,000 Pyramid, Password Plus
Password Plus and Super Password
Password Plus and Super Password are American game shows that are revivals of the game show Password. Both Password Plus and Super Password had the same format other than some subtle changes....
and Super Password
Password Plus and Super Password
Password Plus and Super Password are American game shows that are revivals of the game show Password. Both Password Plus and Super Password had the same format other than some subtle changes....
. She was in special celebrity episodes of Family Feud
Family Feud
Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
when Ray Combs
Ray Combs
Raymond Neil "Ray" Combs, Jr. was an American comedian, actor, and host of the game show Family Feud on CBS and in syndication from 1988 to 1994.-Early life and career:...
was the host, playing on the FunnyWomen Team against the FunnyMen.
McClurg has also performed voice acting for animated shows. She contributed the voice of Fran the squirrel on "Higglytown Heroes" who acted as an almost nanny to the kids giving them advice and also guidance. She contributed assorted voices for The Jetsons
The Jetsons
The Jetsons is a animated American sitcom that was produced by Hanna-Barbera, originally airing in prime-time from 1962–1963 and again from 1985–1987...
, Ms. Seabottom in The Snorks
The Snorks
Snorks is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera which ran on NBC from September 15, 1984 to May 13, 1989. Although not as popular as the animated series The Smurfs, the program continued to be available in syndication from 1986 to 1989, on the BBC in the late 1990s, and from...
, Louie Anderson
Louie Anderson
Louie Perry Anderson is an American stand-up comedian. Anderson created the cartoon series Life with Louie, has written three books, and was the initial host of the second revival of the game show Family Feud, from 1999 to 2002....
's sweet mom on Life with Louie
Life with Louie
Life with Louie is an American animated series. The show is based on the childhood of stand-up comedian Louie Anderson, growing up with his family in Wisconsin.The first two episodes aired in primetime on Fox....
, Doctor Flora, the nurse of Ant Island and member of the council in A Bug's Life
A Bug's Life
A Bug's Life is a 1998 American computer animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States on November 25, 1998. A Bug's Life was the second Disney·Pixar feature film after Toy Story, and the third American computer-animated film after Toy...
and Minny in the animated film Cars
Cars (film)
Cars is a 2006 American animated family film produced by Pixar and directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Joe Ranft. It is the seventh Disney·Pixar feature film, and Pixar's final, independently-produced motion picture before its purchase by Disney...
and the sequel Cars 2
Cars 2
Cars 2 is a 2011 American computer-animated action film produced by Pixar, and it is the sequel to the 2006 film, Cars. In the film, race car Lightning McQueen and tow truck Mater head to Japan and Europe to compete in the World Grand Prix, but Mater becomes sidetracked with international espionage...
. She is the voice of Carlotta in The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid (1989 film)
The Little Mermaid is a 1989 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, the film was originally released to theaters on November 14, 1989 and is the twenty-eighth film in...
and Miss Right (a female crow) in The Secret of NIMH
The Secret of NIMH
The Secret of NIMH is a 1982 animated film directed by Don Bluth in his directorial debut. It is an adaptation of Robert C. O'Brien's 1971 children's novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The film was produced by Aurora Pictures and released by United Artists. While released to critical acclaim,...
. She voiced a character in the Nightmare Ned video game. She is the voice of Barsa in the Disney dub of Kiki's Delivery Service
Kiki's Delivery Service
is a 1989 Japanese animated fantasy film produced, written, and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It was the fourth theatrically released Studio Ghibli film.The film won the Animage Anime Grand Prix prize in 1989...
. She is the voice of Fran the squirrel on Higglytown Heroes
Higglytown Heroes
Higglytown Heroes is a children's television series currently airing on the Disney Junior portion of the Disney Channel, or, on some cable networks, the Playhouse Disney channel...
on The Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
and as Mrs. Claus in Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen
Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen
Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen is a stop-motion animated Christmas television special directed by David H. Brooks, that originally aired in 2006. The show's plot has Rusty Reindeer joining a support group for depressed holiday icons, and he and the other characters search for...
. She performed the voice of Grandma Taters in episodes of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron. When her nephew Chris McClurg asked her to do a children's show, she also appeared on and Invader Zim
Invader Zim
Invader Zim is an American animated television series created by Jhonen Vasquez. It was produced by and subsequently aired on Nickelodeon. The series revolves around an extraterrestrial named Zim from the planet Irk, and his ongoing mission to conquer and destroy Earth...
episodes "Dark Harvest" and "Career Day". However she was voiced by Antoinette Spolar
Antoinette Spolar
Antoinette Spolar is an American actress who is best known for playing the role of Larry David's receptionist on the hit HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm. She has made many guest appearances on shows such as Friends and Cow and Chicken. She was also an impersonator on Invader Zim...
. She also appeared in an episode of "Roseanne" titled "Bingo" from the fourth season. She is also the voice of Bea's mother in Fish Hooks
Fish Hooks
Fish Hooks is an American animated television series created by Noah Z. Jones. Twenty-one episodes have been ordered for the first season. It premiered on September 24, 2010. An 11-minute preview was shown on September 3, 2010, following the Disney Channel Original Movie, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam...
and Winnie Pig in Tiny Toons How i spent my vacation.
One of her best known on-screen moments is her two-word reply to Steve Martin's ranting expletive-laden monologue in Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a 1987 American comedy film released by Paramount Pictures. It was written, produced and directed by John Hughes...
. McClurg was also in an episode of the TV sitcom The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris, which originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida...
, playing a nurse from Shady Pines that Sophia hated to see again. McClurg performed in an episode of Hannah Montana
Hannah Montana
Hannah Montana is an American television series, which debuted on March 24, 2006 on the Disney Channel. The series focuses on a girl who lives a double life as an average teenage school girl named Miley Stewart by day and a famous pop singer named Hannah Montana by night, concealing her real...
as Cindy Merriweather. On April 9, 2007, she made an appearance on the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
show Thank God You're Here.
In 2011, McClurg became a regular guest on The Stephanie Miller Show
The Stephanie Miller Show
The Stephanie Miller Show is a syndicated progressive talk radio program that discusses politics, current events, and pop culture using a fast-paced, impromptu style. The three-hour show is hosted by comedienne Stephanie Miller along with voice artist Jim Ward and the show's engineer and executive...
. She appeared on the Monday segment, 'Mondays with McClurg.'