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Mary Jackson
Actor

Mary Jackson

22 Nov 1910Born
10 Dec 2005Died
95Age at death
77Credits

Biography

One of those strikingly familiar matrons you just can't place, character actress Mary Jackson is probably best known for her recurring role as one of the delightfully eccentric bootlegging sisters, "Miss Emily" Baldwin, on the series The Waltons (1971) that ran for nine seasons. She was born November 22, 1910 in rural Milford, Michigan, and earned a bachelor's degree from West Michigan University in 1932. A Depression-era school teacher for one year before pursuing her interest in theater, she returned to college (this time Michigan State University) in a fine arts program.

Read the full biography

She started out on the Chicago stage and in summer stock before migrating to the larger stages in New York and Los Angeles.

Film and TV roles did not come her way until well into middle age. Guesting on such TV shows as "The Andy Griffith Show," "The Twilight Zone," "My Three Sons," "Hazel," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Barnaby Jones" and "Highway to Heaven," she usually appeared as ladylike small-town citizens. She was also part of the ensemble in Peter Bogdanovich's first low-budget film thriller Targets (1968), which was Boris Karloff's last feature. In the 70s she started gathering up character bits here and there, such as her nuns in the all-star epic Airport (1970) and the horror Audrey Rose (1977). A variety of pleasant, maternal parts came her way, including Lynn Carlin's mother in the Blake Edwards' western Wild Rovers (1971) and Jane Fonda's in the comedy caper Fun with Dick and Jane (1977). She supported Fonda again in the Vietnam-era drama Coming Home (1978), was among the cast in the cultish Big Top Pee-wee (1988) and had a noticeable role in Steve Martin's Leap of Faith (1992).

As for "The Waltons" success, character actress Dorothy Stickney played the part of Emily in the initial TV pilot along with Josephine Hutchinson as older sister Mamie. When the series came to fruition, Mary and actress Helen Kleeb, another one of those "I've seen her before" character faces, took over the spinster roles. Both she and Kleeb continued their sister act periodically in several Walton "reunion" TV-movies, which included assorted weddings and holiday gatherings. Both ladies made their final TV appearances in A Walton Easter (1997). Kleeb died of natural causes in 2003 at age 96. Mary passed away two years later at age 95 of complications from Parkinson's disease. - IMDb Mini Biography

Known for

Filmography

  1. 1996A Family ThingFilm: Carrie
  2. 1994ChristySeries: Aunt Polly Teague (1 episode)
  3. 1993A Walton Thanksgiving ReunionFilm: Emily Baldwin
  4. 1993OzoneFilm: Cleaning Lady
  5. 1992Leap of FaithFilm: Emma Schlarp
  6. 1990ParenthoodSeries (12 episodes)
  7. 1990The Exorcist IIIFilm: Mrs. Clelia
  8. 1990Skinned AliveFilm: Crawldaddy
  9. 1989The Case of the Hillside StranglersFilm
  10. 1988Big Top Pee-weeFilm: Mrs. Dill
  11. 1988Meet the MunceysFilm: Esther Lovell-Mingott
  12. 1986L.A. LawSeries: Mildred Weedon (1 episode)
  13. 1986My TownFilm: Mrs. McDaniel
  14. 1985The Snow QueenFilm: Grandmother
  15. 1984Highway to HeavenSeries (2 episodes)
  16. 1984HunterSeries: Clara (1 episode)
  17. 1983Scarecrow and Mrs. KingSeries (2 episodes)
  18. 1983Hardcastle and McCormickSeries: Sarah Wicks (23 episodes)
  19. 1982A Day for Thanks on Waltons MountainFilm: Emily Baldwin
  20. 1982Family TiesSeries: Edna (1 episode)
  21. 1982Faerie Tale TheatreSeries: Grandmother (1 episode)
  22. 1982Some Kind of HeroFilm: Frances
  23. 1982Cagney & LaceySeries (1 episode)
  24. 1982Between Two BrothersFilm: Eddy Frazer
  25. 1982A Wedding on Waltons MountainFilm: Emily Baldwin
  26. 1981Open All NightSeries (1 episode)
  27. 1981A Small KillingFilm: Rose
  28. 1981The Two Lives of Carol LetnerFilm: Grandmother Mary
  29. 1981Hill Street BluesSeries (1 episode)
  30. 1980Magnum, P.I.Series: Grandmother MacKenzie (1 episode)
  31. 1980When the Whistle BlowsSeries (1 episode)
  32. 1979Letters from FrankFilm: Edna Miller
  33. 1979Hart to HartSeries (1 episode)
  34. 1978The RunawaysSeries (2 episodes)
  35. 1978A Death in CanaanFilm: Sarah Biggens
  36. 1978Coming HomeFilm: Fleta Wilson
  37. 1977Audrey RoseFilm: Mother Veronica
  38. 1977Fun with Dick and JaneFilm: Jane's Mother
  39. 1976Quincy, M.E.Series (1 episode)
  40. 1976The Bionic WomanSeries (1 episode)
  41. 1975The JeffersonsSeries (1 episode)
  42. 1974The ManhunterSeries (1 episode)
  43. 1974Our TimeFilm: Miss Moran
  44. 1973Blume in LoveFilm: Louise
  45. 1973Kid BlueFilm: Mrs. Evans
  46. 1972Terror at Red Wolf InnFilm: Evelyn Smith
  47. 1972The Streets of San FranciscoSeries (2 episodes)
  48. 1972The WaltonsSeries: Emily Baldwin (32 episodes)
  49. 1972The RookiesSeries (2 episodes)
  50. 1972The Trial of the Catonsville NineFilm: Witness
  51. 1971The Failing of RaymondFilm: Latin Teacher
  52. 1971ColumboSeries: Annie (1 episode)
  53. 1971CannonSeries (1 episode)
  54. 1971Wild RoversFilm: Sada's Mother
  55. 1970The Mary Tyler Moore ShowSeries: Mrs. Arnell (1 episode)
  56. 1970AirportFilm: Felice
  57. 1968LancerSeries (2 episodes)
  58. 1968TargetsFilm: Charlotte Thompson
  59. 1967Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good NightFilm: Mrs. Stone
  60. 1967The Second Hundred YearsSeries: Mother Superior (1 episode)
  61. 1967The InvadersSeries: Nurse, Hattie Willis (1 episode)
  62. 1966CBS PlayhouseSeries: Mrs. Stone (1 episode)
  63. 1965The F.B.I.Series: Mrs. Otto Foshay, Mrs. Corman, Mrs. Howard, Mrs. Dreiser, Nurse, 3rd Floor Desk Nurse (1 episode)
  64. 1963The FugitiveSeries: Nurse Oberhansly, Carolyn Fletcher, Ellie Parker (1 episode)
  65. 1963The Outer LimitsSeries: Mrs. McCrae (1 episode)
  66. 1962Stoney BurkeSeries (1 episode)
  67. 1961HazelSeries (1 episode)
  68. 1960Route 66Series (1 episode)
  69. 1960The Andy Griffith ShowSeries: Mrs. Rigsby, Miss Vogel (1 episode)
  70. 1960The Barbara Stanwyck ShowSeries: Mrs. Krieger (1 episode)
  71. 1959The Twilight ZoneSeries: Miss Pepper (uncredited) (1 episode)
  72. 1959The Many Loves of Dobie GillisSeries: Mrs. Kenny (3 episodes)
  73. 1956Friendly PersuasionFilm: Country Woman (uncredited)
  74. 1955Alfred Hitchcock PresentsSeries: Mrs. Wilson (1 episode)
  75. 1953General Electric TheaterSeries: Phyllis Barton (1 episode)
  76. 1950Robert Montgomery PresentsSeries: Mrs. Gross (1 episode)
  77. 1948The Philco Television PlayhouseSeries: Aunt Edna (1 episode)

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.