Summary
Catherine McLeod (July 2, 1921 – May 11, 1997) was an American actress who made over 60 television and movie appearances between 1944 and 1976. She memorably portrayed the one woman whom James Garner's character Bret Maverick wanted to marry on the 1957 ABC/Warner Brothers television series Maverick, in the episode "Rage for Vengeance."
Catherine McLeod | |
|---|---|
 McLeod in 1946 | |
| Born | July 2, 1921 Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Died | May 11, 1997 (aged 75) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Spouse(s) | Bill Gerds (1947–1949) (divorced) Don Keefer (1950–1997; her death) |
| Children | 3 |
Early years edit
McLeod was born in Santa Monica, California. Her schooling came in an Alhambra convent. She acted in a Los Angeles little theater and studied in the Bliss-Hayden drama workshop.[1] She worked in a movie theater in Reno and later became a chorus girl in musicals.[2]
Cinema edit
MacLeod's films included the leading role as a concert pianist in Frank Borzage's I've Always Loved You (1946), Courage of Lassie (1946), The Fabulous Texan (1947), Borzage's That's My Man (1947), Old Los Angeles (1948), My Wife's Best Friend (1952), A Blueprint for Murder (1953), William Witney's The Outcast (1954), Ride the Wild Surf (1964), and Lipstick (1976).
Television edit
On October 10, 1950, McLeod starred in "Criminal's Mark" on the TV version of Suspense.[3] She made two guest appearances on the television series Perry Mason: Lorraine Ferrell in "The Case of the Vagabond Vixen" (1957) and Nora Huxley in "The Case of the Glittering Goldfish" (1959). In both roles, she played the wife of the murder victim, but was neither the defendant nor actual murderer.
McLeod appeared in dozens of other series, including The Millionaire, Meet McGraw, Richard Diamond, Private Detective, Maverick with James Garner in the episode "A Rage for Vengeance," 77 Sunset Strip, Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, Bronco, Colt .45, Lawman (in the 1961 episode "The Prodigal Mother," with child actor Billy Booth), Bonanza, Hazel, Hawaiian Eye, Have Gun - Will Travel, The Outer Limits, The Virginian, Gunsmoke (as “Letty Rickers”, an abused wife of a homesteader turned cowardly killer in S2E29’s “Wrong Man” - played by her real-life husband Don Keefer), and the "Ten Thousand Horses Singing" episode of Studio One opposite James Dean and John Forsythe.[4]
McLeod's greatest impact upon American consciousness by far, however, was as purveyor of one of the most ubiquitous catchphrases of its era when she portrayed the woman in the 1963 headache remedy Anacin television commercial, who plaintively but irritably said, "Mother, please! I'd rather do it myself!" The announcer's voiceover would then intone, "Sure you have a headache... tense, irritable.... but don't take it out on her."
Personal life edit
McLeod married San Francisco dental student Bill Gerds in 1947. They divorced in 1949. [5] McLeod's second husband was actor Don Keefer. They were married from May 7, 1950 until her death in 1997. They had three children.[6]
Radio appearances edit
| Year | Program | Episode/source |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Lux Radio Theatre | I've Always Loved You[7] |
Filmography edit
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1944 | The Tiger Woman | Temple Dancer | Serial, [Chs. 1-2], Uncredited |
| The Thin Man Goes Home | Daughter | Uncredited | |
| 1945 | Forever Yours | Martha | |
| 1946 | The Harvey Girls | Louise | Uncredited |
| Courage of Lassie | Alice Merrick | ||
| I've Always Loved You | Myra Hassman | ||
| 1947 | That's My Man | Ronnie Grange | |
| The Fabulous Texan | Alice Sharp | ||
| 1948 | Old Los Angeles | Marie Marlowe | |
| 1950 | So Young, So Bad | Miss [Ruth] Levering | |
| 1952 | My Wife's Best Friend | Jane Richards | |
| 1953 | Sword of Venus | Claire | |
| A Blueprint for Murder | Maggie Sargent | ||
| 1954 | The Outcast | Alice Austin | |
| 1958 | Return to Warbow | Kathleen Fallam | |
| 1961 | Tammy Tell Me True | Mrs. Bateman | |
| The Sergeant Was a Lady | Major Hay | ||
| 1963 | The Virginian | Amy Sturgis | Episode "To Make This Place Remember" |
| 1964 | Ride the Wild Surf | Mrs. Kilua | |
| 1976 | Lipstick | Vogue Lady | |
| 1994 | The Story of Lassie | Herself | final film |
References edit
- ^ Gunson, Victor (November 26, 1945). "Film Fans -- Meet Miss Catherine McLeod, Movie Star You Have Not Yet Seen". The Bradford Era. The Bradford Era. p. 9. Retrieved September 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Swan, Gilbert (October 26, 1946). "Cinderella Waits Years To See Name In Lights -- Then Misses Her Own Premiere". The Evening Independent. The Evening Independent. p. 3. Retrieved September 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Air Attractions". The Boston Globe. October 10, 1950. p. 19. Retrieved April 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hal Erickson (2012). "Biography: Catherine McLeod". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
- ^ Carroll, Harrison (January 27, 1949). "Behind the Scenes in Hollywood". The Times Leader. The Wilkes-Barre Record. p. 10. Retrieved September 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Carroll, Harrison (October 2, 1947). "Behind the Scenes in Hollywood". The Monroe News-Star. The Monroe News-Star. p. 4. Retrieved September 29, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Radio Debut". Harrisburg Telegraph. Harrisburg Telegraph. November 2, 1946. p. 19. Retrieved September 28, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
Sources edit
- Ten Thousand Horses Singing at Internet Movie Database
- Rage for Vengeance at Internet Movie Database
External links edit
- Catherine McLeod at IMDb