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Peggy Stewart (actress)

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Peggy Stewart
Stewart in Stagecoach to Denver (1946)
Born
Peggy O'Rourke

(1923-06-05)June 5, 1923
DiedMay 29, 2019(2019-05-29) (aged 95)
OccupationActress
Years active1937–2019
Spouses
(m. 1940; div. 1944)
(m. 1953; died 2000)
Children3

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

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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] She distinguished herself as a swimming champion in high school;[2] in the 1930s, her family moved to California, where she met character actor Henry O'Neill who 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).[2] Her work in the film led to numerous other film roles.[2]

Career

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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.

Later years

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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 1993 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

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In her latter decades, Stewart appeared regularly as a guest speaker at Western film festivals.[2] From 1993 till her death, Stewart appeared as a special guest at the annual Lone Pine Film Festival.[4]

Stewart was married twice. In 1940, aged 17, she married actor Don "Red" Barry; the marriage ended in divorce in 1944. They had a son, Michael, born on November 18, 1943.[2] She was married to actor Buck Young from 1953 until his death on February 9, 2000. The couple had two children.[5]

Her sister, Patricia Ann O'Rourke, was married to the actor Wayne Morris.[6]

Stewart died in May 2019 at the age of 95.[7][8][9][10]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role(s) Notes
1937 Wells Fargo Alice MacKay
1938 White Banners Sally's friend Uncredited
Little Tough Guy Rita Belle
That Certain Age Mary Lee
Little Tough Guys in Society Jane
1939 Man About Town Mary, chorus girl Uncredited
5th Ave Girl Katherine's girlfriend Uncredited
Everybody's Hobby Bunny
1940 Star Dust College girl Uncredited
All This, and Heaven Too Helen Lexington
1941 Back Street Freda Smith
1942 Sleepytime Gal Dancer
1943 Girls in Chains Terry, convict Uncredited
1944 Tucson Raiders Beth Rogers
Silver City Kid Ruth Clayton
Stagecoach to Monterey Jessie Wade
Cheyenne Wildcat Betty Lou Hopkins
Code of the Prairie Helen Matson
Firebrands of Arizona Poppy Calhoun
Sheriff of Las Vegas Ann Carter
1945 Utah Jackie
The Vampire's Ghost Julia Vance
Oregon Trail Jill Layton
Bandits of the Badlands Hallie Wayne
Marshal of Laredo Judy Bowers
Rough Riders of Cheyenne Melinda Sterling
The Tiger Woman Phyllis Carrington
1946 The Phantom Rider Doris Shannon
Days of Buffalo Bill Molly Owens
California Gild Rush Hazel Parker
Sheriff of Redwood Valley Molly
Alias Billy the Kid Ann Marshall
Red River Renegades Julia Bennett
Conquest of Cheyenne Cheyenne Jackson
The Invisible Informer Rosalind Baylor
Stagecoach to Denver 'Beautiful', fake May Barnes
1947 Son of Zorro Kate Wells
Trail to San Antone Kit Barlow
Vigilantes of Boomtown Molly McVey
Rustlers of Devil's Canyon Bess
Messenger of Peace Evangeline Lockley
1948 Tex Granger Helen Kent
Dead Man's Gold June Thornton
Frontier Revenge Joan De Lysa
Ride, Ryder, Ride! Libby Brooks
1949 Desert Vigilante Betty Long
The Fighting Redhead Sheila O'Connor
1950 Cody of the Pony Express Linda Graham
1951 Pride of Maryland Christine Loomis
1952 The Black Lash Joan De Lysa
Kansas Territory Kay Collins
Montana Incident Clara Martin
1961 When the Clock Strikes Mrs. Pierce
Gun Street Mrs. Knudson
The Clown and the Kid Sister Grace
1967 The Way West Mrs. Turley
1970 The Animals Mrs. Emily Perkins
1972 Pickup on 101 Car Family of Four
1973 Terror in the Wax Museum Second chairwoman
1975 White House Madness Rosemary Woods
1976 Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw Hattie Baker
1977 Black Oak Conspiracy Virginia Metcalf
1979 The Fall of the House of Usher Barmaid
1980 Beyond Evil Lady patient
1981 The Boogens Victoria Tusker
2004 Big Chuck, Little Chuck Liz
2010 The Runaways Grandma Oni
The Bang Evelyn Short film
2011 Dadgum, Texas Pearl Ruth Anna 'MiMa' Magee
2012 That's My Boy Grandma Delores Spirou Final film role

Partial Television Credits

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Year Title Role Notes
1950-1953 The Cisco Kid various characters 5 episodes
1950 The Gene Autry Show Ellie March Episode: "The Peacemaker"
1951 The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok Jane Episode: "Pony Express vs. Telegraph"
1952 The Roy Rogers Show Eileen Barton/Myra Fuller 2 episodes
Gang Busters Violet Fairchild Episode: "The Case of Willie Sutton, pt. 1"
The Living Bible Woman at the Tomb Episode: "The Lord Is Risen"
1953 The Range Rider Mrs. Brant Episode: "The Black Terror" (uncredited)
1956 The Millionaire Mary Episode: "The Betty Perkins Story"
1957-1958 The Silent Service First nurse/Sister Mary
1957 Have Gun – Will Travel Edna Raleigh Episode: "The Brothers"
1958-1959 The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp Elsa Johnson/Etta Jackson 2 episodes
1959 Peter Gunn Wilma Baxter
Yancy Derringer Karen Ogilvie
Not for Hire Nadine
Gunsmoke Mrs. Phillips Episode: "Fawn"
1960 National Velvet Mrs. Anderson
Hotel de Paree Martha Holcombe
Pony Express
1961 Gunsmoke Fran Hacker Episode: "The Long, Long Trail"
The Rebel Sarah Wallace
Have Gun – Will Travel Sarah Holt Episode: "The Outlaw"
The Americans Mrs. Gilroy Episode: "The Guerrillas"
Lassie Mrs. Johnson Episode: "Lassie and the Greyhound"
The Twilight Zone Grace Stockton Episode: "The Shelter"
1964 Gunsmoke Daisy Huckaby Episode: "The Promoter"
The Fugitive Mrs. Franklin
1965 Daniel Boone Ida Morgan
1967 Hondo Mrs. Malcolm
1969 The Mod Squad Mrs. Kane
1970 Ironside Mrs. Knudson
1972 The Smith Family Mrs. Dennison Episode: "Off Duty Cop"
Sarge Mrs. Whitman
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors Mrs. Norman
Mission Impossible Screaming Woman Episode: "TOD-5"
1973 The Stranger Inner council member TV movie (uncredited)
1974 Emergency! Martha Felt/Claire Freeman 2 episodes
1975 Baretta Teacher
1980 Taxi Buyer
Quincy, M.E. Mrs. Ethel Sullivan
1981 The Adventures of Nellie Bly Mrs. Long
1984 Trapper John, M.D. Mrs. Rogers Episode: "My Son the Doctor"
The A-Team Miriam Klein Episode: "It's a Desert out There"
1985 Hollywood Beat Judge
1987 Werewolf Evelyn Storm Episode: "Blood Ties"
1993 Seinfeld Aunt May Episode: "The Implant"
1998 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Ms Barton Episode: "Band Candy"
1999 Beverly Hills, 90210 Mrs. Fike Episode: "Baby, You Can Drive My Car"
2000 Charmed Lilian Episode: "Ex-Libris"
The Norm Show Myrtle Episode: "Laurie Loses It"
2001 Tippi Episode: "Promblems"
Popular Old lady Episode: ""
Yes, Dear Old lady Episode: "Halloween"
2007 My Name Is Earl Dotty Lake Episode: "Buried Treasure"
2007-2008 The Riches Cherien's mother 8 episodes
2008 NCIS Elderly lady Episode: "Collateral Damage"
2009 Weeds Ingrid Episode: "Su-Su-Sucio"
FlashForward Secretary Episode: "Black Swan" (uncredited)
Operating Instructions Older lady TV movie
2009-2010 The Office Pam's Meemaw Sylvia 2 episodes
2010 Justified Mrs. Inez Davis Episode: "The Hammer"
Community Agnes Episode: "Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design"
2014 Getting On Mrs. Decker Episode: "No Such Thing as Idealized Genitalia"

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Peggy Stewart". B-Westerns. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Erickson, Hal (2014). "Peggy Stewart". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  3. ^ "Western Film Collector". 1973.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "Peggy Stewart: Companions". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  6. ^ Albuquerque Journal, Page 5, February 20, 1942
  7. ^ "Peggy Stewart". Legacy.com. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  8. ^ 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 June 6, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  9. ^ "Peggy Stewart". www.aveleyman.com. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  10. ^ Barnes, Mike (June 9, 2019). "Peggy Stewart, Leading Lady in Westerns at Republic Pictures, Dies at 95". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
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