Edie McClurg
Edith Marie McClurg (born July 23, 1945) is an American actress and comedian. An alumna of The Groundlings, she has played supporting roles in the films "Carrie" (1976), "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986), and (1988), and bit parts in "Cheech and Chong's Next Movie" (1980), "Mr. Mom" (1983), "Back to School" (1986), "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" (1987), "A River Runs Through It" (1992), "Natural Born Killers" (1994), and "Flubber" (1997). On television, McClurg regularly performed on "The David Letterman Show", before playing Bonnie Brindle in "Small Wonder" (1985–1987) and Mrs. Patty Poole on "The Hogan Family  (1986–1991). As a one-off character, she has appeared in Alice", "Mr. Belvedere", "The Golden Girls", "Roseanne", "Full House", "Seinfeld", "Sabrina the Teenage Witch", "Malcolm in the Middle", "Hannah Montana", "Crashbox" and "Portlandia". Since 1977, she has also appeared in numerous commercials. As a voice actress, McClurg has played in "The Secret of NIMH" (1982), "The Little Mermaid" (1989), "A Bug's Life" (1998), the first two films of the "Cars" franchise (2006-2011), and "Wreck-It Ralph" (2012), as well as in "Snorks" (1984–1988), "Life with Louie" (1995–1998) and Violet Bleakman in "Clifford the Big Red Dog" (2000–2003). Early  life and education. McClurg was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, to Mac, a mailman, and Irene McClurg, an FAA secretary. She has an older brother, Bob, who is also an actor. McClurg attended the University of Missouri–Kansas City in the mid-1960s where she also taught radio for eight years. She earned a master's degree from Syracuse University. At the University of Missouri–Kansas City, McClurg re-entered the entertainment field as a DJ, newswoman, and producer for the NPR affiliate KCUR-FM. There she portrayed John Ehrlichman in "Conversation 26" of NPR's national broadcast of  the Nixon Tape transcripts. It was at this university that Edie earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in 2017. Career. McClurg's onscreen debut was as Helen Shyres in Brian De Palma's 1976 horror film "Carrie" starring Sissy Spacek. She was a comedy regular on the "Tony Orlando and Dawn" variety show (1976–1977) and then a cast member of "The Kallikaks" and "The Richard Pryor Show". In 1980, McClurg regularly performed on "The David Letterman Show" as Mrs. Marv Mendenhall. Having been a member of San Francisco's improv comedy the Pitcshel Players, she moved to Los Angeles and joined  the Groundlings troupe. She worked with fellow Groundling player Paul Reubens on his first play "The Pee-wee Herman Show", in which she appeared in 1981 as "Hermit Hattie". She also appeared in the 1988 film "" with fellow Groundling player Cassandra Peterson, who appeared as her alter ego Elvira. McClurg has appeared in almost 90 films and 55 television episodes, usually typecast as a middle-aged, somewhat stubborn, and dim-witted Midwesterner. McClurg is known for a number of roles, including Mrs. Burns in "A River Runs Through It", Grace in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", Lucille Tarlek on "WKRP  in Cincinnati", Lynn in "She's Having a Baby", Willamae Jones in the television remake of "Harper Valley PTA", Mrs. Patty Poole on "The Hogan Family" (originally "Valerie"), Bonnie Brindle on "Small Wonder", Marge Sweetwater in "Back to School", the car rental agent in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", Mrs. Violet Bleakman on "Clifford the Big Red Dog", and Mrs. Beeker on "7th Heaven". She guest starred as Barri's mother in an episode of "Campus Ladies". She portrayed one of the wicked stepsisters in the "Faerie Tale Theatre" production "Cinderella." McClurg appeared on several game shows, including "Match Game", "The  $25,000 Pyramid", "Password Plus", and "Super Password". McClurg contributed assorted voices for "The Jetsons", "The Snorks", "Life with Louie", "A Bug's Life", "Justin and the Knights of Valour", "Cars" and "Cars 2". She voiced Carlotta in "The Little Mermaid", Mary in "Wreck-It Ralph", Molly in "Home on the Range", Miss Right in "The Secret of NIMH", the Dragon in the "Nightmare Ned" video game, Barsa in "Kiki's Delivery Service", Fran on "Higglytown Heroes", Mrs. Claus in "Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen", Grandma Taters in "", Violet Stimpleton in "Rocket Power", Bea's mother in  Fish Hooks, Winnie Pig in "", Bobby's teacher in "Bobby's World" and Trudi Traveler in an episode of "Wander Over Yonder". McClurg portrayed a nurse nicknamed "Angel of Death" in an episode of "The Golden Girls". She also appeared in an episode of "Hannah Montana" as Cindy Merriweather. Continuing her passion for performing improvised comedy, McClurg is a player with Spolin Players. On April 9, 2007, she made an appearance on "Thank God You're Here". In 2011, she appeared in an episode of the CBS sitcom "Rules of Engagement". In 2020, she made a cameo in the "Family  Guy" episode "Holly Bibble" in a spoof of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off". She appeared as 'Grace', personal assistant to [Carter as] Pontius Pilate. Immediately following the delivery of her lines, was the following acknowledgment by Carter/Pontius' character, "Wasn't that cool? That was really her! Edie McClurg. Thanks Edie!"