Marcia Wallace
1942-2013 |
During her time in Manhattan, she was one of the many semi-regulars appearing on Merv Griffin's talk show. When Merv moved his show to Los Angeles, he asked her to move with it. (I wrote about watching Merv's show as a kid here, when Griffin died.)
That circular reception desk in Bob's outer office was the scene of countless hilarious moments. |
It was a smart move for our heroine, as her continued appearances brought her to the attention of TV mogul Grant Tinker, who was hunting around for a companion sitcom to compliment his wife's new hit, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He invited Wallace to become part of the ensemble of the show he was creating around standup comedian Bob Newhart.
Carol Kester became Mrs. Bonderant in the show's final seasons. |
Once her time with Bob was over, Marcia maintained a presence on television as a guest star on various sitcoms, and as a reliable celebrity on various game shows.
Wallace's early career in improv came in handy as a frequent guest on Match Game. |
I may be in the minority for remembering her primarily from The Bob Newhart Show, as Wallace's obits have mentioned her relationship with The Simpsons far more often. I do not watch The Simpsons, but she has apparently been playing a recurring character for many years, and even won an Emmy for her voice work in 1992.
Marcia's memoir details her struggle with breast cancer. |
Marcia continued to work as she battled cancer, guesting on Columbo, Magnum P.I., and Love Boat, and including a recurring role on Full House (above). |
Wallace was another example, to me, that actors "in support" had the most fun.