Marian Mercer
# Marian Mercer

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

## Career

Born in Akron, Ohio, Mercer was the daughter of Samuel and Nellie Mercer. 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, 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 films 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.

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 film 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 where she resided until her death on April 27, 2011, from Alzheimer's disease in Newbury Park, California at the age of 75.

## Filmography

### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| - | - | - |
| 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" |
