Edie McClurg

Edie McClurg (born July 23, 1951) is an American actress, voice actress, stand-up comedian, and opera singer. She has performed in nearly 90 films and 55 television episodes, often portraying characters with a cheery Midwestern accent.

McClurg was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri on July 23, 1951, 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.

McClurg's onscreen debut was in the 1976 Brian De Palma 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, Mistress of the Dark", in which she plays the Town Council President Chastity Pariah. She also had a minor role in "Cheech & Chong's Next Movie".

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". 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".