Actress Peggy Stewart Dies at 95. From “Wells
Fargo” (1937) to Seinfeld to Adam’s Sandler’s grandmother in “That’s My
Boy” Over 80 years in film. Was married to Don “Red” Barry
She was not on the list.
Stewart was an American actress known for her roles in Western B movies and
televisionStewart was born in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she was raised. She distinguished herself as a
swimming champion in high school;
In the 1930s, her family moved to California, where she met character actor
Henry O’Neill. He 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). Her
work in the film led to numerous other film roles.
In April 1944, Stewart signed a contract with Republic
Pictures and began starring in Western B moviesopposite such actors as Allan
Lane, Sunset Carson, and Wild Bill Elliott.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.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
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 1990 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
In recent decades, Stewart has appeared regularly as a guest
speaker at Western film festivals.Since 1993, Stewart has appeared as a special
guest at the annual Lone Pine Film Festival.
Stewart was married twice. In 1940 she married actor Don
“Red” Barry; the marriage ended in divorce in 1944.She was married to actor
Buck Young from 1953 until his death on February 9, 2000.
Her sister, Patricia Ann O’Rourke, was married to the actor
Wayne Morris
Wells Fargo (1937) as Alice MacKay
White Banners (1938) as Sally’s friend
Little Tough Guy (1938) Rita Belle
That Certain Age (1938) as Mary Lee
Little Tough Guys in Society (1938) as Jane
Man About Town (1939) as Mary, chorus girl
5th Ave Girl (1939) as Katherine’s girlfriend
Everybody’s Hobby (1939) as Bunny
Star Dust (1940) as College girl
All This, and Heaven Too (1940) as Helen Lexington
Back Street (1941) as Freda Smith
Sleepytime Gal (1942) as Dancer
Girls in Chains (1943) as Terry, convict
Tucson Raiders (1944) as Beth Rogers
Silver City Kid (1944) as Ruth Clayton
Stagecoach to Monterey (1944) as Jessie Wade
Cheyenne Wildcat (1944) as Betty Lou Hopkins
Code of the Prairie (1944) as Helen Matson
Firebrands of Arizona (1944) as Poppy Calhoun
Sheriff of Las Vegas (1944) as Ann Carter
Utah (1945) as Jackie
The Vampire’s Ghost (1945) as Julia Vance
Oregon Trail (film) (1945) as Jill Layton
Bandits of the Badlands (1945) as Hallie Wayne
Marshal of Laredo (1945) as Judy Bowers
Rough Riders of Cheyenne (1945) as Melinda Sterling
The Tiger Woman (1945 film) (1945) as Phyllis Carrington
The Phantom Rider (1946) as Doris Shannon
Days of Buffalo Bill (1946) as Molly Owens
California Gold Rush (film) (1946) as Hazel Parker
Sheriff of Redwood Valley (1946) as Molly
Alias Billy the Kid (1946) as Ann Marshall
Red River Renegades (1946) as Julia Bennett
Conquest of Cheyenne (1946) as Cheyenne Jackson
The Invisible Informer (1946) as Rosalind Baylor
Stagecoach to Denver (1946) as ‘Beautiful’
Son of Zorro (1947) as Kate Wells
Trail to San Antone (1947) as Kit Barlow
Vigilantes of Boomtown (1947) as Molly McVey
Rustlers of Devil’s Canyon (1947) as Bess
Messenger of Peace (1947) as Evangeline Lockley
Tex Granger (1948) as Helen Kent
Dead Man’s Gold (1948) as June Thornton
Frontier Revenge (1948) as Joan De Lysa
Ride, Ryder, Ride! (1948) as Libby Brooks
Desert Vigilance (1949) as Betty Long
The Fighting Redhead (1949) as Sheila O’Connor
Cody of the Pony Express (1950) as Linda Graham
The Cisco Kid (1950) (TV)
The Gene Autry Show (1950) (TV) as Ellie March
Pride of Maryland (1951) as Christine Loomis
Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok(1951) (TV) as Jane
The Black Lash (1952) as Joan De Lysa
The Roy Rogers Show (1952) (TV, 2 episodes) as Eileen
Barton/Myra Fuller
Kansas Territory (1952 film) (1952) as Kay Collins
Montana Incident (1952) as Clara Martin
Gang Busters (1952) (TV) as Violet Fairchild
The Living Bible (TV series) (1952)
The Range Rider (1953) (TV) as Mrs. Brant
The Millionaire (1956) (TV) as Mary
The Silent Service (1957) (TV) as First nurse
Have Gun-Will Travel (1958) (TV, 2 episodes) as Edna
Raleigh/Sarah Holt
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp(1958) (TV)
Gunsmoke (1959) (TV)
Peter Gunn (1959) (TV) as Wilma Baxter
Yancy Derringer (1959) (TV) as Karen Ogilvie
Not for Hire (TV series) (1959) as Nadine
National Velvet (1960) as Mrs. Anderson
Hotel de Paree (1960) (TV) as Martha Holcombe
Pony Express (1960) (TV)
Gunsmoke 1961 TV The Long, Long Trail played Fan Hacker
The Rebel (1961) (TV) as Sarah Wallace
The Smith Family (1961) (TV) as Mrs. Dennison
The Americans (1961) (TV) as Mrs. Gilroy
Lassie (1961) (TV) as Mrs. Johnson
When the Clock Strikes (1961) as Mrs. Pierce
The Twilight Zone (1961) (TV) as Grace Stockton
Gun Street (1961) as Mrs. Knudson
The Clown and the Kid (1961) as Sister Grace
The Fugitive (1964) (TV) as Mrs. Franklin
Daniel Boone (1965) (TV) as Ida Morgan
The Way West (1967) as Mrs. Turley
Hondo (1967) (TV) as Mrs. Malcolm
The Mod Squad (TV series) (1969) (TV) as Mrs. Kane
Ironside (1970) (TV) as Mrs. Knudson
The Animals (1970 film) (1970) as Mrs. Emily Perkins
Sarge (1972) (TV) as Mrs. Whitman
Pickup on 101 (1972)
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors(1972) (TV) as Mrs. Norman
The Stranger (1973) as Inner council member
Terror in the Wax Museum (1973) as Second chairwoman
Emergency! (1974) (TV, 2 episodes) as Martha Felt/Claire
Freeman
Baretta (1975) (TV) as Teacher
White House Madness (1975) as Rosemary Woods
Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw (1976) as Hattie Baker
Black Oak Conspiracy (1977) as Virginia Metcalf
The Fall of the House of Usher(1979) as Barmaid
Taxi (1980) (TV) as Buyer
Beyond Evil (1980) as Lady patient
Quincy M.E. (1980) (TV) as Mrs. Ethel Sullivan
The Adventures of Nellie Bly (1981) (TV) as Mrs. Long
Seinfeld (1993) as Aunt May
Beverly Hills, 90210 (1999) (TV) as Mrs. Fike
Norm Show (2001) (TV) as Tippi
Popular (2001) (TV) as Old lady
Yes, Dear (2001) (TV) as Old lady
Big Chuck, Little Chuck (2004) as Liz
My Name Is Earl (2007) (TV) as Dotty Lake
The Riches (2007) (TV) as Cherien’s mother
NCIS (2008) (TV) as Elderly lady
Weeds (2009) (TV)
FlashForward (2009) (TV) as Secretary
Operating Instructions (2009) as Older lady
The Office (2009) (TV) as Pam’s Nana Sylvia
The Runaways (2010) Grandma Oni
Justified (2010) (TV) as Mrs. Inez Davis
Community (2010) (TV) as Agnes
Dadgum, Texas (2011) (TV) as Pearl Ruth Anna ‘MiMa’ Magee
That’s My Boy (2012) as Grandma Delores
Getting On (2014) as Mrs. Decker
She co-starred with all of the studios top stars of the 1940s
and continued into the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and beyond with an array of solid
performances.
She really never stopped working and even appeared on the
modern western, “Justified.”
Always smiling and happy to talk with fans, Peg (June 5,
1923-May 29, 2019) grew up in Atlanta with her older sister, Pat.