Peggy Stewart (born Peggy O'Rourke; June 5, 1923 – May 29, 2019) was an American actress known for her roles in Western B movies and television series.[1]
Early life
Stewart was born in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she was raised, the daughter of John Francis O'Rourke and Frances Velma (McCampbell) Splane, who were from Bessemer, Alabama.[2][3][4] She distinguished herself as a swimming champion in high school;[3] in the 1930s, her family moved to California, where she met character actor Henry O'Neill. He recommended her to Paramount Pictures executives who were looking for a new actress for the part of Joel McCrea's teenage daughter in Wells Fargo (1937).[3] Her work in the film led to numerous other film roles.[3]
Career
In April 1944, Stewart signed a contract with Republic Pictures and began starring in Western B movies opposite such actors as Allan Lane, Sunset Carson, and Wild Bill Elliott.[1] During that time she played in several episodes of Adventures of Red Ryder. She usually played the part of the tough heroine, rather than a passive girl needing to be saved.[1] From 1944 to 1951 she starred in 35 films, most of which were Westerns and film serials. She also starred with Gene Autry several times during that period. as well as appearing on several episodes of The Cisco Kid, including "Oil Land," which first aired on October 10, 1950.
In 1949, she played alongside Jim Bannon in Ride, Ryder, Ride. She again played the part of heroine to Bannon in 1949, starring in The Fighting Redhead. In 1952 she starred with Bill Elliott in Kansas Territory. In 1957, she had a minor role on CBS's Have Gun – Will Travel episode "The Outlaw." In 1958, she was cast as Etta Jackson, the romantic interest of the painter Hurley Abbott, played by Brad Johnson, in the episode "The Underdog" of the ABC/Desilu western series, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, with Hugh O'Brian in the title role.
Peggy Stewart appeared in The Twilight Zone episode "The Shelter."
Later years
Her career slowed in the 1960s, and by the 1970s she was residing in Studio City, California. Stewart won the Golden Boot Awards in 1984. Semi-retired, Stewart still continued to act on occasion. She played a minor part in a 1990 episode of Seinfeld titled "The Implant," in which she portrayed the aunt of George Costanza's girlfriend.
Stewart played Pam Beesly's grandmother, Mee-Maw, in a 2009 episode of The Office and reprised the role in a 2010 episode. In 2012, she played Grandma Delores in Adam Sandler's comedy film, That's My Boy.
Personal life
In her latter decades, Stewart appeared regularly as a guest speaker at Western film festivals.[3] From 1993 till her death, Stewart appeared as a special guest at the annual Lone Pine Film Festival.[5]
Stewart was married twice. In 1940 she married actor Don "Red" Barry; the marriage ended in divorce in 1944.[3] She was married to actor Buck Young from 1953 until his death on February 9, 2000.[6]
Her sister, Patricia Ann O'Rourke, was married to the actor Wayne Morris.[7]
Peggy Stewart died in May 2019 at the age of 95.[8][9][10][11]
Partial filmography
Wells Fargo (1937) as Alice MacKay
White Banners (1938) as Sally's friend (uncredited)
Little Tough Guy (1938) Rita Belle
That Certain Age (1938) as Mary Lee
Little Tough Guys in Society (1938) as Jane
Man About Town (1939) as Mary, chorus girl (uncredited)
5th Ave Girl (1939) as Katherine's girlfriend (uncredited)
Everybody's Hobby (1939) as Bunny
Star Dust (1940) as College girl (uncredited)
All This, and Heaven Too (1940) as Helen Lexington
Back Street (1941) as Freda Smith
Sleepytime Gal (1942) as Dancer
Girls in Chains (1943) as Terry, convict (uncredited)
Tucson Raiders (1944) as Beth Rogers
Silver City Kid (1944) as Ruth Clayton
Stagecoach to Monterey (1944) as Jessie Wade
Cheyenne Wildcat (1944) as Betty Lou Hopkins
Code of the Prairie (1944) as Helen Matson
Firebrands of Arizona (1944) as Poppy Calhoun
Sheriff of Las Vegas (1944) as Ann Carter
Utah (1945) as Jackie
The Vampire's Ghost (1945) as Julia Vance
Oregon Trail (1945) as Jill Layton
Bandits of the Badlands (1945) as Hallie Wayne
Marshal of Laredo (1945) as Judy Bowers
Rough Riders of Cheyenne (1945) as Melinda Sterling
The Tiger Woman (1945) as Phyllis Carrington
The Phantom Rider (1946) as Doris Shannon
Days of Buffalo Bill (1946) as Molly Owens
California Gild Rush (1946) as Hazel Parker
Sheriff of Redwood Valley (1946) as Molly
Alias Billy the Kid (1946) as Ann Marshall
Red River Renegades (1946) as Julia Bennett
Conquest of Cheyenne (1946) as Cheyenne Jackson
The Invisible Informer (1946) as Rosalind Baylor
Stagecoach to Denver (1946) as 'Beautiful', fake May Barnes
Son of Zorro (1947) as Kate Wells
Trail to San Antone (1947) as Kit Barlow
Vigilantes of Boomtown (1947) as Molly McVey
Rustlers of Devil's Canyon (1947) as Bess
Messenger of Peace (1947) as Evangeline Lockley
Tex Granger (1948) as Helen Kent
Dead Man's Gold (1948) as June Thornton
Frontier Revenge (1948) as Joan De Lysa
Ride, Ryder, Ride! (1948) as Libby Brooks
Desert Vigilance (1949) as Betty Long
The Fighting Redhead (1949) as Sheila O'Connor
Cody of the Pony Express (1950) as Linda Graham
The Cisco Kid (1950–1953) (TV, 5 episodes) as various characters
The Gene Autry Show (1950) (TV) as Ellie March
Pride of Maryland (1951) as Christine Loomis
The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1951) (TV) as Jane
The Black Lash (1952) as Joan De Lysa
The Roy Rogers Show (1952) (TV, 2 episodes) as Eileen Barton/Myra Fuller
Kansas Territory (1952) as Kay Collins
Montana Incident (1952) as Clara Martin
Gang Busters (1952) (TV) as Violet Fairchild
The Living Bible (1952)
The Range Rider (1953) (TV) as Mrs. Brant
The Millionaire (1956) (TV) as Mary
The Silent Service (1957–1958) (TV) as First nurse/Sister Mary
Have Gun – Will Travel (1957–1964) (TV, 2 episodes) as Edna Raleigh/Sarah Holt
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1958–1959) (TV, 2 episodes) as Elsa Johnson/Etta Jackson
Peter Gunn (1959) (TV) as Wilma Baxter
Yancy Derringer (1959) (TV) as Karen Ogilvie
Not for Hire (TV series) (1959) as Nadine
National Velvet (1960) as Mrs. Anderson
Hotel de Paree (1960) (TV) as Martha Holcombe
Pony Express (1960) (TV)
Gunsmoke (1961, Episode: "The Long, Long Trail") (TV) as Fan Hacker
The Rebel (1961) (TV) as Sarah Wallace
The Smith Family (1961) (TV) as Mrs. Dennison
The Americans (1961) (TV) as Mrs. Gilroy
Lassie (1961) (TV) as Mrs. Johnson
When the Clock Strikes (1961) as Mrs. Pierce
The Twilight Zone (1961) (TV) as Grace Stockton
Gun Street (1961) as Mrs. Knudson
The Clown and the Kid (1961) as Sister Grace
The Fugitive (1964) (TV) as Mrs. Franklin
Daniel Boone (1965) (TV) as Ida Morgan
The Way West (1967) as Mrs. Turley
Hondo (1967) (TV) as Mrs. Malcolm
The Mod Squad (1969) (TV) as Mrs. Kane
Ironside (1970) (TV) as Mrs. Knudson
The Animals (1970) as Mrs. Emily Perkins
Sarge (1972) (TV) as Mrs. Whitman
Pickup on 101 (1972)
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (1972) (TV) as Mrs. Norman
The Stranger (1973) as Inner council member (uncredited)
Terror in the Wax Museum (1973) as Second chairwoman
Emergency! (1974) (TV, 2 episodes) as Martha Felt/Claire Freeman
Baretta (1975) (TV) as Teacher
White House Madness (1975) as Rosemary Woods
Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw (1976) as Hattie Baker
Black Oak Conspiracy (1977) as Virginia Metcalf
The Fall of the House of Usher (1979) as Barmaid
Taxi (1980) (TV) as Buyer
Beyond Evil (1980) as Lady patient
Quincy, M.E. (1980) (TV) as Mrs. Ethel Sullivan
The Adventures of Nellie Bly (1981) (TV) as Mrs. Long
Seinfeld (1993) as Aunt May
Beverly Hills, 90210 (1999) (TV) as Mrs. Fike
Norm Show (2001) (TV) as Tippi
Popular (2001) (TV) as Old lady
Yes, Dear (2001) (TV) as Old lady
Big Chuck, Little Chuck (2004) as Liz
My Name Is Earl (2007) (TV) as Dotty Lake
The Riches (2007–2008) (TV) as Cherien's mother
NCIS (2008) (TV) as Elderly lady
Weeds (2009) (TV)
FlashForward (2009) (TV) as Secretary
Operating Instructions (2009) as Older lady
The Office (2009) (TV) as Pam's Nana Sylvia
The Runaways (2010) Grandma Oni
Justified (2010) (TV) as Mrs. Inez Davis
Community (2010) (TV) as Agnes
Dadgum, Texas (2011) (TV) as Pearl Ruth Anna 'MiMa' Magee
That's My Boy (2012) as Grandma Delores
Getting On (2014) (TV) as Mrs. Decker
References
1. "Peggy Stewart". B-Westerns. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
2. https://prabook.com/web/peggy_o_rourke.stewart/238372?profileId=238372
3. Erickson, Hal. "Peggy Stewart". The New York Times. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
4. [1]
5. "Lone Pine Film Festival Celebrates 25 Years". Lone Pine Film Festival. August 4, 2014. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
6. "Peggy Stewart: Companions". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
7. Albuquerque Journal, Page 5, February 20, 1942
8. "Peggy Stewart". Legacy.com. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
9. Alvarenga, Emily (June 5, 2019). "Western actress Peggy Stewart dies at 95". The Santa Clarita Valley Signal. California, Santa Clarita. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
10. "Peggy Stewart". www.aveleyman.com. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
11. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/peggy-stewart-dead-leading-lady-westerns-at-republic-pictures-was-95-1216791
-- wikipedia
No comments:
Post a Comment