Marian Mercer

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

Marian Mercer
Born	Marian Ethel Mercer (1935-11-26)November 26, 1935 Akron, Ohio, U.S.
Died	April 27, 2011(2011-04-27) (aged 75) Newbury Park, California, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Michigan
Years active	1969-2000
Spouse(s)	Martin Cassidy (divorced) Patrick Hogan (19??–2011; her death)
Children	1

From The Sandy Duncan Show (1972). Front, L-R: Pam Zarit, Sandy Duncan, Tom Bosley. Back: M. Emmet Walsh, Marian Mercer

Career

Born in Akron, Ohio, 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.

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). 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. 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,[1] 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 movies 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, the sweet-natured wife of misanthropic corporate executive Franklin Hart (Dabney Coleman).

Marian 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 movie 9 to 5; 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, California[2] until shortly before her death, on April 27, 2011, from Alzheimer's disease, in Newbury Park, California, at the age of 75.[3] She was survived by her second husband; her daughter, Deidre Whitaker; and a sister.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1969	John and Mary	Mags Elliot
1978	Sammy Stops the World	Evie
1980	Oh, God! Book II	Harriet Manley
1980	9 to 5	Missy Hart
1992	Out on a Limb	Ann Campbell Van Der Haven

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1972	The Sandy Duncan Show	Kay Fox	Main role
1973	A Touch of Grace	Myra Bradley	Main role
1974	Love, American Style	Lucy	Segment: "Love and the Itchy Condition"
1974	Police Woman	Jo Enders	Episode: "Fish"
1975	Great Performances	Masha	Episode: "The Seagull"
1975	The Bob Crane Show	Miss Chandler	Episode: "The Lyle Principle"
1976	Serpico	Sister Margaret	Episode: "The Traitor in Our Midst"
1976–77	Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman	Wanda Rittenhouse Jeeter	Supporting role
1977	Forever Fernwood	Wanda Jeeter	Supporting role
1978	King of the Road	Mildred	TV film
1978	The Harvey Korman Show	Grace	Episode: "The One Where Harvey Gets a Job as an Escort"
1979	The Cracker Factory	Eleanor	TV film
1979	Archie Bunker's Place	Miss Bradshaw	Episode: "Bosom Partners"
1980	Phyl & Mikhy	Miss Crandal	Episode: "Mikhy's Visitor"
1980–1989	It's a Living	Nancy Beebe Miller	Regular role
1981, 1984	Benson	Trudi, Ursula Van Dyne	Episodes: "Rivals", "Made in Hong Kong: Parts 1 & 2"
1982	9 to 5	Frances	Episode: "The Loverwear Party"
1982	Life of the Party: The Story of Beatrice	Rita	TV film
1983	Ace Crawford... Private Eye	Maureen	Episode: "The Gentleman Bandit"
1983	Foot in the Door	Mrs. Griffin	TV series
1983, 1986	St. Elsewhere	Eve Leighton	Recurring role (season 2), guest (season 5)
1984	The Love Boat	Mrs. Rhodes	1 episode
1984	Mama's Family	Felicia	Episode: "Mama for Mayor: Part 2"
1984	Booker	Mrs. Ruffner	TV film
1986	ABC Afterschool Special	Sister Regina	Episode: "Are You My Mother?"
1986	You Again?	Dr. Woods	Episode: "Henry and Matt Get Sick"
1986	Murder in Three Acts	Daisy Eastman	TV film
1989	Oh, Henry!	Mildred	TV film
1990	The Golden Girls	Magda	Episode: "Sisters and Other Strangers"
1991	Sunday Dinner	Martha Benedict	Main role
1991	The Julie Show	June Robbins	TV film
1992	Murder, She Wrote	Penelope Hope Daniels	Episode: "The Witch's Curse"
1992	Harry and the Hendersons	Monica	Episode: "Born Again"
1992–1994	Empty Nest	Ursula Dietz	Episode: "The Unimportance of Being Charley", "My Mother, My Self", "Love a la Mode"
1993	Home Free	Grace Bailey	Main role
1996	Common Law	Bunny	Episode: "In the Matter Of: John's 15 Minutes"
1998	Working	Mrs. Richards	Episode: "The Closer"
1998	Touched by an Angel	Flo	Episode: "Lady of the Lake"
1998	Suddenly Susan	Mrs. Richmond	Episode: "The Thanksgiving Episode"
2000	Providence		Episode: "Paradise Inn"

References

1. "The New York Times". The New York Times.
2. The Los Angeles Times
3. Hevesi, Dennis (May 4, 2011). "Marian Mercer, Actress With Zany Streak, Is Dead at 75". The New York Times.

External links

• Marian Mercer at the Internet Broadway Database
• Marian Mercer on IMDb
• Marian Mercer at the Internet Off-Broadway Database