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Meg Wyllie
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Margaret Gillespie Wyllie (February 15, 1917[citation needed] – January 1, 2002) was an American actress who appeared primarily on television. She portrayed Mrs. Kissel in The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (1963–1964).
Key Information
Early years
[edit]Born in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, Wyllie grew up in the Philippines, where her father worked as an engineer in sugar plantations on Negros Island near Bacolod. She attended the Brent School in Baguio for grammar school and high school then moved to New York City in the 1940s.[1][2]
Stage
[edit]Wyllie acted with the Pasadena Playhouse, in Visit to a Small Planet (1958),[3] Two on an Island (1940)[4] and All the Comforts of Home (1941).[5] She had previously appeared in Dear Brutus and Morning Glory there.[4]
Wyllie was in the original production of The Glass Menagerie.[2] On Broadway, she performed in Norman Ginsbury's historic play The First Gentleman.[6]
Television
[edit]Wyllie "appeared on nearly every popular TV series of the late 1950s and much of the 1960s."[2]
In 1960, Wyllie appeared as a grandmother in the "Bullets and Ballet" episode of Tightrope!,[7] as Mrs. Blowers in Wagon Train in the episode "The Ricky & Laurie Bell Story" and in The Twilight Zone episode "The Night of the Meek".[8] That same year, she was cast as Mrs. Shafer in the episode "The Captain's Dilemma" of the CBS military sitcom/drama series, Hennesey, starring Jackie Cooper as a United States Navy physician and Abby Dalton as nurse Martha Hale.
Between 1962 and 1966 Wyllie made four guest appearances on Perry Mason. Her most substantial role of these was as Ninevah Stone in the episode, "The Case of the Nebulous Nephew"[9] (1963). She also played Marguerite Keith, the owner of a home in the path of a road, in the 1964 episode "The Case of the Ruinous Road".[10]
In the 1963–1964 season, Wyllie had a recurring role as Mrs. Kissel[11] in 18 episodes of ABC's family western series, The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, starring child actor Kurt Russell in the title role. Mark Allen played Matt Kissel, her husband, in nineteen episodes. She was in an episode of the Addams Family [1965] as Mrs. Dragwater. in "Cousin Itt's Problem". * In nine episodes, four of The Osmonds were cast as the singing sons of the Kissel family, all with given names of books of the Old Testament, Micah, Deuteronomy, Lamentations, and Leviticus.[citation needed] She played the first-ever villain in Star Trek, the Talosian "Keeper" in the pilot episode, "The Cage" (1964). Not broadcast in its original form for many years, this material was used in the two-parter, "The Menagerie" (1966). She also appeared in Batman alongside Tallulah Bankhead in one episode “Black Widow Strikes Again” (1967).
Wyllie appeared on ABC's General Hospital as three different characters-Nurse Doris Roach (1974) who revealed to Lesley Faulkner that her daughter (Laura Vining) was still alive; Antique shop proprietor Hester Frumpkin (1982) who worked for Laura's kidnapper, David Gray; and a brief replacement for Anna Lee as Lila Quartermaine (1994).[12] She also played several different characters on both The Golden Girls and Designing Women.
Death
[edit]Wyllie died on January 1, 2002, at the age of 84 in Glendale, California, from heart failure. She was survived by a cousin.[2]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | The Flight That Disappeared | Helen Cooper | |
| The Children's Hour | Wells’ Maid | Uncredited | |
| 1962 | Beauty and the Beast | Woman | |
| 1964 | Marnie | Mrs. Turpin | |
| 1967 | Fitzwilly | Saleswoman | Uncredited |
| 1971 | Vanishing Point | Police Dispatcher | |
| 1974 | Our Time | Nurse | |
| 1976 | Lipstick | Sister Margaret | |
| 1983 | Second Thoughts | Mrs. Gardner | |
| Cracking Up | Anti-Smoking Enforcer | Uncredited | |
| 1984 | The Last Starfighter | Granny Gordon | |
| 1986 | Nothing in Common | Grandma on Commercial Set | |
| 1987 | Dragnet | Mrs. Gannon | |
| 1989 | Worth Winning | Granny |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series) | Sister Florence | S2:E11, "The Night of the Meek" |
| 1962 | Wagon Train | Matilda | S6:E5, "The John Augustus Story[13]" |
| 1965 | Wagon Train | Betsy's mother | S8:E22, "The Betsy Blee Smith Story[14]" |
| 1966 | Star Trek: The Original Series | The Keeper | S1:E11-E12, "The Menagerie" |
| 1967 | Batman | Grandma | S2:E55, “Black Widow Strikes Again” |
| 1974 | The Bob Newhart Show | Mrs. Fleming | S3:E10: "Life is a Hamburger" |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Sister #1 | S1:E10: "Dear Beverly; Strike; Special Delivery" |
| 1987 | The Golden Girls | Stewardess | S3:E5: "Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself" |
| 1991 | The Golden Girls | Millicent Kennedy | S7:E6, "Mother Load" |
References
[edit]- ^ p. 140 in: Halsema, James J. Bishop Brent's Baguio School: The First 75 Years. Brent School, Baguio, Philippines 247pp. OCLC 20331617
- ^ a b c d Galloway, Doug (February 10, 2002). "Meg Wyllie". Variety. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- ^ "Ticket Sale Begins at Playhouse". Covina Argus. California, Covina. Covina Argus. September 18, 1958. p. 9. Retrieved April 28, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Elmer Rice Play To Open in Pasadena". Santa Ana Register. California, Santa Ana. Santa Ana Register. October 28, 1940. p. 10. Retrieved April 29, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Comedy Will Be Chaffey Event". The San Bernardino County Sun. California, San Bernardino. The San Bernardino County Sun. March 15, 1941. p. 15. Retrieved April 29, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Meg Wyllie". Playbill. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- ^ "(photo caption)". Daily Independent Journal. California, San Rafael. Daily Independent Journal. May 28, 1960. p. 33. Retrieved April 29, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "(photo caption)". Daily Independent Journal. California, San Rafael. Daily Independent Journal. December 17, 1960. p. 42. Retrieved April 29, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "(TV listing)". The Salem News. Ohio, Salem. The Salem News. August 27, 1966. p. 7. Retrieved April 29, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "TV Previews". The Daily Reporter. Ohio, Dover. The Daily Reporter. December 31, 1964. p. 14. Retrieved April 29, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Indians Block Trail on Video Show". The Daily Herald. Utah, Provo. The Daily Herald. September 16, 1963. p. 17. Retrieved April 29, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Reichardt, Nancy M. (September 25, 1994). "'General Hospital' Update: Lila's Back To Her Former Self". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
- ^ ""Wagon Train" the John Augustus Story (TV Episode 1962) - IMDb". IMDb.
- ^ ""Wagon Train" The Betsy Blee Smith Story (TV Episode 1965) - IMDb". IMDb.
External links
[edit]- Meg Wyllie at IMDb
- Meg Wyllie at Memory Alpha
- Meg Wyllie at the Internet Broadway Database
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
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Meg Wyllie
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early life and education
Childhood and family background
Margaret Gillespie Wyllie, known professionally as Meg Wyllie, was born on February 15, 1917, in Honolulu, in the Territory of Hawaii (now the U.S. state of Hawaii).[2] She was the daughter of engineer Joseph Wyllie and Williamina "Mina" Robertson Wyllie.[2][6] She had three older brothers: Joseph Webster (1912–1929), William Robertson (1915–1975), and George Leith (1920–1986), all of whom predeceased her.[2][6] Her early life was marked by a family relocation to the Philippines, where her father and uncles worked as engineers on sugar plantations, a common profession for American expatriates in the region during the early 20th century.[7] This move occurred during her childhood, shifting the family from the island environment of Hawaii to the tropical landscapes and multicultural settings of the Philippines under U.S. colonial administration.[8] Wyllie grew up in an expatriate engineering family in the Philippines, immersed in a diverse array of cultural influences that blended American, Filipino, and international elements due to the plantation communities.[9] The family's professional ties to the sugar industry exposed her to the economic and social dynamics of colonial agriculture, fostering a formative worldview shaped by geographical mobility and cross-cultural interactions.[7] This upbringing in the Philippines, following her Hawaiian birth, laid the groundwork for her later adaptability, though her formal education there would build upon these early experiences.[8]Schooling and early interests
Meg Wyllie attended Brent International School in Baguio, Philippines, during her youth, where she completed her grammar and high school education while her family lived on Negros Island.[9] It was at this school that her interest in acting first emerged, sparked by participation in school theatrical activities.[9] Family travels across the Philippines, influenced by her father's engineering work on sugar plantations, further exposed Wyllie to diverse cultural influences that nurtured her inclination toward performance, though she received no formal training in the arts at this stage.[7] With no record of higher education degrees, her formal schooling concluded upon graduating from Brent International School. In 1940, at age 23, Wyllie made a self-driven move to New York City, motivated by aspirations in the performing arts and seeking opportunities in theater.[9] This relocation marked the transition from her educational years to professional pursuits.[7]Career
Stage work
Meg Wyllie began her theatrical training at the Pasadena Playhouse in California, where she honed her skills in live performance during the 1940s and 1950s.[7] She appeared in several productions there, including the role of Mrs. Aline Solness in Henrik Ibsen's The Master Builder.[10] Her work at the Playhouse emphasized character-driven roles, providing foundational experience in regional theater that showcased her versatility as a supporting actress.[7] In the mid-1940s, Wyllie relocated to New York City to pursue professional opportunities, marking her transition from West Coast regional stages to the national theater scene. She participated in the original Chicago production of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie in 1944, contributing to the play's early success before its Broadway run.[7] This period solidified her reputation for portraying nuanced, everyday characters in dramatic works. Wyllie's Broadway debut came in 1957 with a supporting role as Princess Augusta in Norman Ginsbury's comedy The First Gentleman, which ran for 24 performances at the Belasco Theatre.[11] Throughout the 1950s and into the mid-1960s, she continued in New York theater, taking on character parts that highlighted her range in both comedic and dramatic contexts, though she did not receive major awards or originate leading roles.[12] By the mid-1960s, her focus shifted toward other media, concluding a stage career rooted in ensemble performances and live improvisation.[7]Television roles
Meg Wyllie began her television career in 1952 with a role as Mrs. Fernley on the NBC sitcom Mister Peepers and continued appearing on the medium until 1995, amassing over 100 guest spots across anthology series, dramas, and soap operas.[13][7] Her work exemplified the episodic format's demands on character actors, often portraying maternal figures or authoritative women in brief but memorable capacities that highlighted her versatility honed from early stage training.[7] One of her most prominent recurring roles came in the ABC Western The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (1963–1964), where she played Mrs. Kissel, the pious wife of a traveling family man, appearing in 18 episodes alongside stars like Dan O'Herlihy and a young Kurt Russell.[14] This part underscored her skill in embodying supportive yet resilient maternal types during the 1960s boom in family-oriented adventure series. Wyllie's television ubiquity peaked in that decade, with guest appearances on nearly every major program, including Have Gun – Will Travel, The Twilight Zone, Perry Mason, Batman, The Fugitive, The Addams Family, and The F.B.I., often as no-nonsense mothers, nurses, or community elders.[7] A standout science fiction role was as the Keeper, the enigmatic Talosian magistrate and series antagonist, in the unsold Star Trek pilot "The Cage" (1964), footage from which was repurposed for the two-part episode "The Menagerie" (1966).[15] This authoritative portrayal marked her as the franchise's first villain, blending stern authority with otherworldly poise in a genre-defining appearance. In soaps, she made multiple returns to ABC's General Hospital, most notably as Hester Frumpkin in 1982 and temporarily assuming the role of Lila Quartermaine in 1994.[5] These arcs reinforced her affinity for layered maternal characters in long-running daytime narratives. Wyllie's later television work sustained her presence through the 1970s and 1980s, with spots on Kojak, Barney Miller, Night Court, and Mad About You as Aunt Lolly Stemple in five episodes (1994–1995).[7] On CBS's The Golden Girls, she appeared as the sassy flight attendant Candy in the season 3 episode "Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself" (1987), one of several bit parts that showcased her comedic timing in ensemble comedies.[16] Overall, her extensive guest work across four decades cemented her status as a reliable character actress in American television's golden age of episodic storytelling.[7]Film roles
Meg Wyllie's film career was marked by sporadic appearances in feature films, spanning from 1961 to 1987 with approximately 10 credited roles, a modest output that contrasted sharply with her extensive television work which provided her primary professional focus and steady income.[1] These film engagements often served as occasional breaks from her TV commitments, allowing her to leverage her established screen presence in supporting capacities.[1] Throughout her cinematic contributions, Wyllie was consistently cast in enigmatic or maternal figures, such as nurses, dispatchers, and grandmothers, roles that capitalized on her versatile character acting honed through years of television performances.[1] She never secured lead roles, instead delivering memorable cameos that added depth to ensemble casts across genres including science fiction, thriller, and comedy.[1] Among her earliest film appearances was the role of Helen Cooper, a concerned airline passenger, in the low-budget science fiction thriller The Flight That Disappeared (1961), directed by Reginald Le Borg.[17] A standout supporting part came in Alfred Hitchcock's psychological drama Marnie (1964), where she portrayed Mrs. Turpin, the no-nonsense housekeeper to the protagonist.[18] In the 1970s, she appeared as the police dispatcher in the cult road movie Vanishing Point (1971), directed by Richard C. Sarafian, and as a nurse in the coming-of-age story Our Time (1974), directed by Peter Hyams.[19] Another notable turn was as Sister Margaret in the controversial crime drama Lipstick (1976), directed by Lamont Johnson.[20] In the 1980s, Wyllie returned to science fiction with the role of Granny Gordon, a feisty Centauri emigrant, in The Last Starfighter (1984), directed by Nick Castle.[21] Her final major film appearance was as Mrs. Gannon, a quirky informant, in the action-comedy remake Dragnet (1987), directed by Tom Mankiewicz and starring Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks.[22]Later years and death
Retirement and final projects
In the 1990s, Meg Wyllie's acting career tapered significantly after a prolific run in television during the preceding decades, with her appearances limited to select guest spots that reflected a slowdown possibly due to age or health considerations.[1] Her final notable television role came in 1994 as a temporary recast for Lila Quartermaine on the soap opera General Hospital, filling in for the regular actress Anna Lee from July to September amid Lee's health issues. That same year, she guest-starred as Mrs. Cumin in the Coach episode "Inconceivable," portraying an elderly woman in a comedic storyline involving a faulty car purchase. These minor roles marked a departure from her earlier, more frequent contributions to both stage and screen, showcasing her versatility in supporting parts even as her workload diminished. Wyllie's last credited project was a recurring guest role as Aunt Lolly Stemple on Mad About You from 1994 to 1995, appearing in four episodes as the quirky relative of lead character Paul Buchman, providing lighthearted family dynamics to the sitcom. Following this, she undertook no new stage, film, or television work, effectively winding down her over 40-year career in the entertainment industry without a formal retirement announcement.[2] Instead, Wyllie maintained a low profile in her later years, dividing her time between homes in Glendale, California, and Honolulu, Hawaii, where she engaged in community activities with the Episcopal Church and organizations like the American Red Cross.[8] This quiet transition underscored her graceful exit from acting, allowing her to focus on personal pursuits after decades of steady professional output.[7]Death and immediate aftermath
Meg Wyllie died on January 1, 2002, in Glendale, California, from heart failure at the age of 84.[7] She had resided in Glendale at the time of her death.[23] Following her passing, a private memorial celebration was held on January 19, 2002, at her home in Glendale, with her family maintaining privacy throughout the process.[23] She was survived by close family members in California, and no public memorial service was noted at the time.[23] In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations to the Pasadena Playhouse in her name.[7][23] Her death marked a quiet conclusion to a prolific acting career that had spanned decades in television and stage, with initial obituaries in trade publications such as Variety emphasizing her enduring legacy in small-screen roles.[7]Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | The Flight That Disappeared | Helen Cooper | Reginald Le Borg |
| 1962 | Beauty and the Beast | Woman | Edward L. Cahn |
| 1964 | Marnie | Mrs. Turpin | Alfred Hitchcock |
| 1971 | Vanishing Point | Police Dispatcher (uncredited) | Richard C. Sarafian |
| 1974 | Our Time | Nurse | Peter Hyams |
| 1976 | Lipstick | Sister Margaret | Lamont Johnson |
| 1983 | Second Thoughts | Mrs. Gardner | Lawrence Turman |
| 1983 | Cracking Up | Anti-Smoking Enforcer (uncredited) | Jerry Lewis |
| 1984 | The Last Starfighter | Granny Gordon | Nick Castle |
| 1986 | Nothing in Common | Grandma on Commercial Set | Garry Marshall |
| 1987 | Dragnet | Mrs. Gannon | Tom Mankiewicz |
Television
Meg Wyllie appeared in over 100 television productions spanning from 1952 to 1995, showcasing her versatility as a character actress in guest and recurring roles across a wide range of series.[1]Recurring Roles
Wyllie had several recurring appearances that highlighted her ability to portray maternal or eccentric figures consistently within ongoing narratives.- The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (1963–1964): Mrs. Kissel in 18 episodes.
- Mad About You (1994): Aunt Lolly Stemple in 4 episodes.
Guest Appearances
Wyllie's guest spots were prolific, often in one-off episodes of popular dramas, westerns, sci-fi, and sitcoms. Below is a chronological selection of her television guest roles, emphasizing breadth across genres:| Year | Show | Role | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Mister Peepers | Mrs. Fernley | 1 |
| 1955 | The Philco Television Playhouse | Operator | 1 |
| 1958 | M Squad | Mrs. Timmons | 1 |
| 1958 | Have Gun – Will Travel | Mrs. Tully | 1 |
| 1959 | The Lineup | Mrs. Harmon | 1 |
| 1959 | Philip Marlowe | Mrs. Devore | 1 |
| 1959 | The Donna Reed Show | Mrs. Hurley | 1 |
| 1959 | Death Valley Days | Mrs. Cutler | 1 |
| 1960 | The Twilight Zone | Woman | "The Night of the Meek" (1) |
| 1960 | Checkmate | Mrs. Page | 1 |
| 1960 | The Andy Griffith Show | Mrs. Hutchins | 1 |
| 1961 | The Twilight Zone | Mrs. Bronson | "It's a Good Life" (1) |
| 1961 | The Andy Griffith Show | Mrs. Mendelbright | 1 |
| 1961 | The Twilight Zone | Old Woman | "The Trade-Ins" (1) |
| 1962 | The Virginian | Mrs. Grant | 1 |
| 1963 | The Fugitive | Mrs. Wilson | 1 |
| 1963 | Perry Mason | Ninevah Stone | "The Case of the Nebulous Nephew" (1) |
| 1963 | My Three Sons | Mrs. Page | "Flashback" (1) |
| 1964 | Star Trek: The Original Series | The Keeper | "The Cage" (1) |
| 1965 | The F.B.I. | Mrs. Ellis | 1 |
| 1965 | The Fugitive | Mrs. Shrewsbury | 1 |
| 1965 | The Munsters | Mrs. Morton | 1 |
| 1966 | The Time Tunnel | Mrs. Corey | 1 |
| 1967 | The Invaders | Nurse | 1 |
| 1968 | The Mod Squad | Mrs. Ellis | 1 |
| 1969 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | Mrs. Carter | 1 |
| 1969 | The Courtship of Eddie's Father | Mrs. Ryan | 1 |
| 1970 | The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | Mrs. Carter | 1 |
| 1971 | All in the Family | Mrs. Whitlock | 1 |
| 1972 | The Streets of San Francisco | Mrs. Callahan | 1 |
| 1973 | Kojak | Mrs. Brimmer | 1 |
| 1973 | General Hospital | Hester Frumpkin | various |
| 1974 | Little House on the Prairie | Mrs. Whipple | 1 |
| 1974 | General Hospital | Nurse Doris Roach | various |
| 1975 | The Waltons | Mrs. Brimmer | 1 |
| 1976 | Emergency! | Mrs. Pastone | "That Time of Year" (1) |
| 1977 | The Love Boat | Mrs. Gordon | 1 |
| 1979 | Hart to Hart | Mrs. Radford | 1 |
| 1980 | Magnum, P.I. | Mrs. Whitmore | 1 |
| 1981 | Dynasty | Mrs. Gordon | 1 |
| 1982 | T.J. Hooker | Aunt Helen | 1 |
| 1983 | Falcon Crest | Mrs. Baxter | 1 |
| 1983 | General Hospital | Unnamed role | various |
| 1983 | St. Elsewhere | Mrs. Radford | 1 |
| 1984 | Highway to Heaven | Mrs. Whitmore | 1 |
| 1985 | Murder, She Wrote | Mrs. Baxter | 1 |
| 1986 | Matlock | Mrs. Baxter | 1 |
| 1988 | In the Heat of the Night | Aunt Helen | 1 |
| 1989 | Quantum Leap | Mrs. Carter | 1 |
| 1990 | Empty Nest | Mrs. Ellis | 1 |
| 1990 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Aunt Helen | 1 |
| 1991 | Homefront | Mrs. Shrewsbury | 1 |
| 1992 | Picket Fences | Mrs. Wilson | 1 |
| 1993 | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | Mrs. Page | 1 |
| 1994 | General Hospital | Lila Quartermaine (temporary) | various |
| 1994 | Coach | Mrs. Cumin | 1 |