Background
Born Goldie Merie Ireland in Morrow, Ohio, Merie Earle grew up in the Columbus area where she enjoyed singing and dancing as a child.
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Merie Earle
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She was discovered by an agent while performing in a play at a Methodist church. Beginning her professional career late in life, Earle’s first jobs included ads for Polaroid. In 1967 she made her feature film debut in Fitzwilly starring Dick Van Dyke.
Her screen credits included, In Name Only, Doctor Max (1974,) Crazy Mama (1975,) Fatso (1980,) and Going Ape She was a regular on the television series The Jerry Reed When You"re Hot You"re Hot Hour in 1972 and The Waltons from 1972-1979 as Maude Gormley.
Earle also appeared in the made-for-television movie The Last of the Good Guys in 1978. Scheduled to make her Broadway debut, at age 88, in a revival of Paul Zindel’s Effects of Gamma Rays on Manitoba-in-the-Moon Marigolds in 1978, Earle suffered a fractured hip during the show’s initial run in Louisiana Jolla, California and withdrew from the production prior to its New York premiere.
She guest starred on many notable television series including Petticoat Junction, Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies, Bewitched, The Bob Newhart Show, All in the Family, Alice, Phyllis, and Whiz Kids. She was a cousin of actor Clem Bevans.
