Mary Louise Weller
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Mary Louise Weller (born 1946) is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Mandy Pepperidge in the popular 1978 film Animal House. She has also guest-starred in such television series as Starsky & Hutch, Fantasy Island, and CHiPs as well as appearing in Larry Cohen's cult classic film, Q.[1]
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[edit] Biography
Mary Louise Weller was born in 1946 and was raised in Los Angeles' Westwood area. The onetime top New York model made her film debut with an uncredited role in the 1973 Al Pacino cop drama Serpico. In 1978 Weller starred as a beautiful marine biologist in the made-for-TV film, Hunters of the Reef and then as professor Andrew Prine's college student lover in the haunted house horror film The Evil. Mary Louise achieved perhaps her greatest enduring cult movie popularity with her performance as snooty and uptight sorority snob Mandy Pepperidge in the hit comedy Animal House. After Animal House Weller went on to play the sole non suicidal character in The Bell Jar, Martin Kove's wife in the monster movie Blood Tide, Chuck Norris' girlfriend in the martial arts action film Forced Vengeance, and a small part in Larry Cohen's tongue-in-cheek monster-on-the-loose film Q: The Winged Serpent. Mary Louise had guest spots on the TV shows Quincy M.E., Fantasy Island, Supertrain, CHIPS, Vega$, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, B.J. and the Bear, Kojak, Starsky and Hutch, and Baretta.
She acted in several plays in New York and wrote the play "Four Alone," which was performed at the Greenhouse Theater in Pasadena. Moreover, Mary Louise trained with the U.S. Equestrian Team as a teenager and has participated in horse-riding competitions. Weller tried to get a movie based on her own original script made about jockey Mary Bacon, but it never got out of development hell. She's a first cousin to writer Sheila Weller, who mentioned Mary Louise in her 2003 book Dancing at Ciro's. As of 2007, Mary Louise Weller is retired from acting. [2]
[edit] Trivia
- Was named "Spokesperson of the Year" by the U.S. Television Fan Association. 1985.
- Once hoped to produce a film, from her script, based on the life of the late jockey Mary Bacon.
- Trained with the U.S. Equestrian Team as a teenager. Has ridden competitively.
- Was a top New York model.
- First cousin of writer Sheila Weller.
- Father: Alex Weller.
- Mother: Annette Weller.
- Raised in Los Angeles, California (Westwood section).
- Her paternal grandparents were immigrants from present-day Lithuania.
- According to Sheila Weller's 2003 book Dancing at Ciro's, Mary Louise Weller is of Lithuanian Jewish descent.
