Speedway

Lu Leonard

Lu Leonard
Lu Leonard in Married... with Children (1988)
Born
Mary Lou Price

(1926-06-05)June 5, 1926
DiedMay 14, 2004(2004-05-14) (aged 77)
Other namesLou Leonard
Occupation(s)Actress, voice actress
Years active1954–1995

Lu Leonard (born Mary Lou Price; June 5, 1926 – May 14, 2004) credited also as Lou Leonard, was an American character actress who appeared in numerous television series, theatre and, briefly, film. She was the daughter of actor Hal Price. She was best known for her role as Mrs. Pugh in Annie.

Biography

Early life

Leonard was born Mary Lou Price in Long Beach, New York to stage and screen actor Hal Price, notable for his film with Republic Pictures and Amy Goodrich. She appeared on stage at 1 month with her vaudevillian parents, whom she would later write a play about entitled "Goodrick and Price”.[citation needed]

Career

Television and film

She began acting in TV roles from the early 1950s onwards including as Theodosia in the Life of Riley television sitcom. Her first major appearance was as the wife of Three Stooges member Larry Fine in the film Husbands Beware.[1] Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Leonard made television appearances on such shows as Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, The Facts of Life, Knight Rider and Married... with Children. Her most memorable was in a recurring role as William Conrad's wise-cracking secretary in Jake and the Fatman. She had small but memorable roles in Starman and Micki + Maude. One of Leonard's visible credits was playing the singing Angel Scribe II in the late 1960s Hallmark television musical special, The Littlest Angel.

Theatre

She appeared in theatre productions including national tours of Plain and Fancy, Oliver! and Man of La Mancha. Broadway roles included The Happiest Girl in the World, The Gay Life, Drat! The Cat!, Bravo Giovanni and The Pajama Game.

During the 1970s and 1980s she became a regional celebrity in the Los Angeles Theatre circuit for her outrageous portrayal as a lesbian head matron in the play Women Behind Bars.[2]

Film and voice

In 1982, she appeared as Oliver Warbucks' maid Mrs. Pugh in the film Annie. She also performed voices in the Hanna-Barbera version of the 1990 animated TV series Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (1990 TV series), and played Mrs. Chang in the 1990 live-action Aladdin television film.[3]

Personal life and death

Leonard never married or had children.[4] Health problems (including diabetes) eventually set in and she left Hollywood in 1995, living primarily in Oregon. She moved into the Motion Picture Country Home in Woodland Hills, California, where she spent her remaining years. She died of a heart attack on May 14, 2004, at age 77. A bench in the Roddy McDowall garden at the Motion Picture Home has been dedicated in her memory.[citation needed]

Filmography

Film and Television

Year Title Role Notes
1954 My Little Margie Episode: "Health Farm"
1954 The Life of Riley Thedosia Episode: "Riley and the Boss' Niece"
1954 The Red Skelton Show Sister of Mexican Man / Plump Lady in Soda Shop 2 episodes
1954 December Bride Slim Episode: "Lily Is Bored"
1955 Husbands Beware Dora - Larry's Wife Short film
1955 The Kettles in the Ozarks Heavy Woman Uncredited
1962 Route 66 Madame Thornton Episode: "Only by Cunning Glimpses"
1962
1963
Car 54, Where Are You? Mrs. Dobernack / Shopper 2 episodes
1963 The Patty Duke Show Nurse Episode: "Double Date"
1969 The Littlest Angel The Scribe II Television film
1977 The San Pedro Beach Bums Nurse Gomez Episode: "Angels and the Bums"
1978 Last of the Good Guys Heavy Woman Television film
1974
1978
Police Woman Messenger Lady / The Rich Lady 2 episodes
1979 Mork & Mindy Lady #1 Episode: "Dr. Morkenstein"
1980 Laverne & Shirley Dotty Episode: "Not Quite South of the Border"
1980 Make Me an Offer Mrs. Gordon Television film
1982 Annie Mrs. Pugh
1983 Buffalo Bill Joan Seegar
1983 The Fall Guy Masseuse Episode: "TKO"
1984 Knight Rider Mable Episode: "Diamonds Aren't a Girl's Best Friend"
1984 We Got It Made Corky Episode: "The Break-Up: Part 2"
1984 Legmen Uncle George Episode: "Poseidon Indenture"
1984 Cagney & Lacey The Desk Clerk Episode: "Matinee"
1984 Faerie Tale Theatre Mother Toad Episode: "Thumbelina"
1984 Night Court Mother Frances Episode: "The Nun"
1984 Starman Roadhouse Waitress
1984 Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo Head Nurse
1984 Micki & Maude Nurse Mary Verbeck
1985 Stand Alone Mrs. Whitehead
1985 Tall Tales & Legends Queen Victoria
1985 Fraud Squad Television film
1986 Riptide Bella Episode: "Dead Men Don't Floss"
1986 The Facts of Life Episode: "The Apartment"
1986 Pros and Cons Dolly Television film
1986 The Jay Leno Show Herself Television special
1987 Who's the Boss? Mrs. Hiller Episode: "The Way We Was"
1987 The Princess Academy Fraulein Stinkenschmidt
1987 She's the Sheriff Princess Babushka Episode: "The Golden Streak"
1988 You Can't Hurry Love Miss Friggit
1988 My Two Dads Ethel Baumgartner
1988 Married... with Children DeGroot Episode: "He Thought He Could"
1988 Hooperman Nurse Jordan Episode: "Who Do You Truss?"
1987
1989
Jake and the Fatman Gertrude Reilly 10 episodes
1990 Shadowzone Mrs. Cutter
1990 Growing Pains Guard Episode: "Carol in Jail"
1990 Without You I'm Nothing Ingrid Horn - Sandra's Manager
1990 Circuitry Man Juice
1990 Amen Heather Fetlock Episode: "Judge Deacon Frye"
1990 Aladdin Mrs. Chang Television film
1991 A Climate for Killing Winnie
1991 Dexeil's Class Episode: "The Best Thanksgiving Ever"
1990
1991
Uncle Buck Ms. Crappier 3 episodes
1992 Kuffs Harriet
1993 Made in America Sperm Bank Nurse
1993 Daddy Dearest Aggie Episode: "Jaws, Too"
1994 The Nanny Nanny #2 Episode: "The Nanny-in-Law"
1994 Blank Check Udowitz
1995 Get Smart Nurse Scrum Episode: "Liver Let Die"
1995 Man of the Year Dee Dee Sweatman Final film role

References

  1. ^ Profile, threestooges.net. Accessed April 28, 2022.
  2. ^ "Lu Leonard obituary". Variety.com. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  3. ^ Lu Leonard, 77; Character Actress in Films, on Broadway, dies, latimes.com. Accessed April 28, 2022.
  4. ^ Lu Leonard, 1927–2004, laweekly.com. Accessed April 28, 2022.