Allyn Ann McLerie

Allyn Ann McLerie
Born December 1, 1926 (1926-12-01) (age 85)
Grand-Mère, Quebec, Canada
Years active 1943–93
Spouse Adolph Green
(1945-53; divorced)
George Gaynes
(1953-present); 2 children

Allyn Ann McLerie (born December 1, 1926, Grand-Mère, Quebec, Canada)[1] is a Canadian-born, Brooklyn-reared actress, singer and dancer who worked with most of Golden Age musical theatre's major choreographers, including George Balanchine, Agnes de Mille, and Jerome Robbins.[2][3]

McLerie made her Broadway debut as a teenager in Kurt Weill's One Touch of Venus.[1][3] She went on to replace Sono Osato as Ivy in On the Town,[4] then created the role of Amy Spettigue in the 1948 Broadway production of Where's Charley? (Theatre World Award).[2][5] Her other Broadway credits include Miss Liberty,[6][7] the drama Time Limit, Redhead (understudying Gwen Verdon), and West Side Story. McLerie also danced as a guest soloist with American Ballet Theatre during its 1950-51 European and South American tour.

McLerie's best-known film appearances are as Amy in Where's Charley? (1952),[5] Katie Brown in Calamity Jane (1953), Shirley in They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969) and as The Crazy Woman in Jeremiah Johnson (1972). Other film work includes Words and Music (1948) and The Desert Song (1952).[8] She enjoyed a long career as a character actress on television, making frequent guest appearances on shows such as Bonanza, The Waltons, The Love Boat, Barney Miller, Benson, Hart to Hart, St. Elsewhere, and Dynasty, among many others. She played Miss Janet Reubner, Tony Randall's assistant, on The Tony Randall Show from 1976-1978.[6] McLerie played the recurring role of Arthur Carlson's wife, Carmen on WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–82). She may be best-remembered as Florence Bickford, the title character's mother on The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd from 1987-1991. Her last role was on an episode of Brooklyn Bridge in 1993.

Personal life

McLerie was married to the lyricist/librettist Adolph Green[2] from 1945 until their divorce in May 1953. She has been married to actor George Gaynes since 1953. The couple has two children and are retired in California.

References

  1. ^ a b Theatre world. Crown Publishers. 1957. http://books.google.com/books?id=4eRNAAAAYAAJ. Retrieved 16 May 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c Amanda Vaill (6 May 2008). Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins. Broadway Books. pp. 111. ISBN 9780767904216. http://books.google.com/books?id=xuPMxB0waisC&pg=PA111. Retrieved 16 May 2011. 
  3. ^ a b Stanley Green (21 March 1980). Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre. Da Capo Press. p. 325. ISBN 9780306801136. http://books.google.com/books?id=ZWIRAljCR7oC&pg=PA325. Retrieved 16 May 2011. 
  4. ^ Stanley Green (21 March 1980). Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre. Da Capo Press. p. 322. ISBN 9780306801136. http://books.google.com/books?id=ZWIRAljCR7oC&pg=PA322. Retrieved 16 May 2011. 
  5. ^ a b Thomas S. Hischak (2008). The Oxford companion to the American musical: theatre, film, and television. Oxford University Press US. pp. 791–. ISBN 9780195335330. http://books.google.com/books?id=XbBz3C4Gr0EC&pg=PA791. Retrieved 16 May 2011. 
  6. ^ a b Hal Erickson (15 June 2009). Encyclopedia of television law shows: factual and fictional series about judges, lawyers and the courtroom, 1948-2008. McFarland. pp. 260–. ISBN 9780786438280. http://books.google.com/books?id=RXQNIs12SzQC&pg=PA260. Retrieved 16 May 2011. 
  7. ^ Steven Bach (30 April 2002). Dazzler: The Life and Times of Moss Hart. Da Capo Press. pp. 293–. ISBN 9780306811357. http://books.google.com/books?id=SdI1frrxnRIC&pg=PA293. Retrieved 16 May 2011. 
  8. ^ Thomas S. Hischak (2008). The Oxford companion to the American musical: theatre, film, and television. Oxford University Press US. pp. 864–. ISBN 9780195335330. http://books.google.com/books?id=XbBz3C4Gr0EC&pg=PA864. Retrieved 16 May 2011. 

External links