Allyn Ann McLerie Passes On

Allyn Ann McLerie, who played Amy in both the Broadway production of Where's Charley? and its subsequent film adaptation, as well as having regular roles on The Tony Randall Show and The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd and a recurring role as Mr. Carlson's wife on WKRP in Cincinnati, died on May 21 2018 at the age of 91.

Allyn Ann McLerie was born on December 1 1926 in Grand-Mère, Quebec. Her mother was widowed and moved to the United States when Miss McLerie was only one year old. She grew up in Brooklyn, New York. She made her debut on Broadway as part of the dance ensemble in One Touch of Venus in 1943. In 1944 she was part of the dance ensemble in On the Town. On Broadway she appeared in Where's Charley and Miss Liberty. She made her film debut in 1948 as an uncredited singer in Words and Music.

In the Fifties she appeared on Broadway in Time Limit!, Redhead, and West Side Story. She appeared in the films Where's Charley? (1952), The Desert Song (1953), Calamity Jane (1953), Phantom of the Rue Morgue (1954), and Battle Cry (1955). In the Sixties she appeared on Broadway in The Beast in Me.

In the Sixties Allyn Ann McLerie appeared in the films 40 Pounds of Trouble (1962), They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969), The Reivers (1969), and Monte Walsh (1970). She made her television debut in a guest appearance on My World and Welcome to It. She also guest starred on Bonanza.

In the Seventies Miss McLerie was a regular on The Tony Randall Show. She appeared as Mr. Carlson's wife Carmen on WKRP in Cincinnati. She guest starred on such shows as Cannon, Nichols, The Waltons, The F.B.I., Baretta, Medical Centre, Lou Grant, and Barney Miller. She appeared in the films The Cowboys (1972), Jeremiah Johnson (1972), The Magnificent Seven Ride! (1972), Howzer (1973), The Way We Were (1973), Cinderella Liberty (1973), France société anonyme (1974), and All the President's Men (1976).

In the Eighties Allyn Ann McLerie was a regular and The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd. She guest starred on such shows as Hart to Hart, Benson, Dynasty, Trapper John M.D., The Love Boat, Knight Rider, St. Elsewhere, The Duck Factory, and Simon & Simon. She appeared in the film Police Academy: Mission to Moscow (1994).  In the Nineties she appeared as Carmen Carlson on The New WKRP in Cincinnati and guest starred on Brooklyn Bridge.

Allyn Ann McLerie was truly a talented actress. In her career she played a wide array of roles, from Amy in Where's Charley? to Mr. Carlson's sweet wife on WKRP in Cincinnati to Molly's somewhat overbearing mother on The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd. She was particularly memorable as a dancer who has a psychotic break during a marathon dance in They Shoot Horses, Don't They?. With such talent, it is little wonder that Miss McLerie had such a good career.