Edie McClurg, born July 23, 1951, is a talented American actress, voice actress, stand-up comedian, and opera singer. She has made a name for herself in the entertainment industry, appearing in nearly 90 films and 55 television episodes.
McClurg's early life was spent in Kansas City, Missouri, where she was born 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 taught radio for eight years. She earned a master's degree from Syracuse University.
McClurg made her onscreen debut in the 1976 horror film "Carrie" as Helen Shyres, one of Carrie's classmates. She then appeared in "The Richard Pryor Show" and "The David Letterman Show" in the persona of Mrs. Marv Mendenhall. She also had roles in "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark" and "Cheech & Chong's Next Movie".
In the 1980s, McClurg joined the Groundlings troupe and worked with fellow Groundling Paul Reubens on his play "The Pee-wee Herman Show". She has since appeared in numerous films and television shows, often typecast as a middle-aged, somewhat stubborn, and dim-witted Midwesterner.
Some of McClurg's notable roles include 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", 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".
McClurg has also made guest appearances on several game shows, including "Match Game", "The $25,000 Pyramid", "Password Plus", and "Super Password". She has contributed voices to various animated films and television shows, including "The Jetsons", "The Snorks", "Life with Louie", "A Bug's Life", "Justin & the Knights of Valour", "Cars", and "Cars 2".
In addition to her acting career, McClurg is a passionate improviser and has been a member of the Spolin Players since 2014.
