Background
McLerie, Allyn Ann was born on December 1, 1926 in Grand'mere, Quebec, Canada. Came to the United States, 1927, naturalized, 1955. Daughter of Allan Gordon and Vera Alma (Stewart) McLerie.
McLerie, Allyn Ann was born on December 1, 1926 in Grand'mere, Quebec, Canada. Came to the United States, 1927, naturalized, 1955. Daughter of Allan Gordon and Vera Alma (Stewart) McLerie.
She studied dancing at a studio in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, and made her Broadway debut as a teenager in Kurt Weill"s One Touch of Venus.
She moved with her family to the United States at the age of 1. She went on to replace Sono Osato as Ivy in On the Town, then played Amy Spettigue in the 1948 Broadway production of Where"s Charley? (Theatre World Award). McLerie danced as a guest soloist with American Ballet Theatre during its 1950-1951 European and South American tour.
Perhaps some of McLerie"s better-known film appearances are as Amy in Where"s Charley? (1952), Katie Brown in Calamity Jane (1953), Shirley in They Shoot Horses, Don"t They? (1969) and as The Crazy Woman in Jeremiah Johnson (1972).
Other film work includes Words and Music (1948), The Desert Song (1952), Phantom of the Rue Morgue (1954), The Reivers (1969), Monte Walsh (1970), The Cowboys (1972), The Magnificent Seven Ride (1972), The Way We Were (1973), Cinderella Liberty (1973), All the President"s Men (1976), and television movies such as Born Innocent (1974) and Death Scream (1975). She enjoyed a long career as a character actress on television, making frequent guest appearances on shows such as Bonanza, The Waltons, The Love Boat, Barney Miller, Benson, Hart to Hart, Saint Elsewhere, and Dynasty, among many others
She played Mission Janet Reubner, Tony Randall"s assistant, on The Tony Randall Show (1976-1978). McLerie played the recurring role of Arthur Carlson"s wife, Carmen on WKRP in Cincinnati (1978-1982).
She may be best-remembered as Florence Bickford, the title character"s mother on The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (1987-1991).
Her last role was on an episode of Brooklyn Bridge in 1993. Personal life
McLerie was married to the lyricist/librettist Adolph Green from 1945 until their divorce in May 1953. She was also married to actor George Gaynes from 1953 until his death in 2016.
The couple had two children.
A life member of The Actors Studio, McLerie"s other Broadway credits include Mission Liberty, the drama Time Limit, Redhead (understudying Gwen Verdon), and West Side Story.
Married Adolph Green, March 21, 1947 (divorced May 1953). Married George Gaynes, December 20, 1953. Children: Iya, Matthew.