Mary Louise Weller obit

Mary Louise Weller of ‘Animal House’ Dies at 80

 

She was not on the list.

Mary Louise Weller, remembered for playing sorority girl Mandy in the classic film “Animal House,” died October 1. She was 80.

According to some reports, though her birthdate has always been listed as September 1, her true birthdate was October 1, meaning she may have died on her birthday.

Her Facebook account announced, “With a heavy heart I share that Mary Louise Weller [‘ML to those that knew and loved her] passed away this morning after a brief illness. The family is asking for privacy & respect at this difficult time. Thank you all for your supportive words & continued kindness.”

According to a Cult Film Freaks interview from 2012, Weller said, “I flew out of the womb in full camera makeup and screaming, ‘HAIR! MAKEUP!’”

She said her father was friends with entertainer Danny Kaye and her aunt headed up Dell, which published all the gossip tabloids, two things that inspired her to pursue the spotlight early on.

An in-demand model, she made her first film appearance in 1972’s “Hail!” and, soon after, appeared briefly in the hit “Serpico” (1973).

After the horror film “The Evil” (1978), she landed the iconic part of Mandy in “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” which became a massive box office blockbuster thanks to its nostalgic handling of the early ‘60s and crude frat-boy humor that helped establish the “gross-out” comedy trend.

It was out-there in 1978, but by 2001 the Library of Congress had honored it with preservation at the National Film Registry.

The film is frequently cited as one of the funniest ever made.

Weller also appeared in “Forced Vengeance,” “Q,” and  “Blood Tide” (all 1982), guesting on such TV shows as “Kojak” (1978), “Starsky & Hutch” (1978), “Fantasy Island” (1979 & 1980), “CHiPS” (1981), and “Quincy, M.E.” (1983) before retiring.

Information on survivors was not immediately available.

 

Actress

Jack Klugman in Quincy, M.E. (1976)

Quincy, M.E.

7.3

TV Series

Dr. Wendy Peterson

1983

1 episode

 

Deborah Shelton in Bloodtide (1982)

Bloodtide

4.5

Sherry Grice (as Mary-Louise Weller)

1982

 

Q: The Winged Serpent (1982)

Q: The Winged Serpent

6.0

Mrs. Pauley

1982

 

Chuck Norris in Forced Vengeance (1982)

Forced Vengeance

5.6

Claire Bonner

1982

 

Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox in CHiPs (1977)

CHiPs

6.5

TV Series

PaulaCarol

1978–1981

2 episodes

 

Ricardo Montalban and Hervé Villechaize in Fantasy Island (1977)

Fantasy Island

6.6

TV Series

Dulcie MerchantDulcineaTina Mason

1979–1980

2 episodes

 

Christopher Lee, Ted Danson, and Mary Louise Weller in Once Upon a Spy (1980)

Once Upon a Spy

4.9

TV Movie

Paige Tannehill

1980

 

Douglas Barr, Philip Brown, Susan Buckner, Tim Rossovich, and Dolph Sweet in When the Whistle Blows (1980)

When the Whistle Blows

5.2

TV Series

Beth Hollister

1980

1 episode

 

Valentine Magic on Love Island (1980)

Valentine Magic on Love Island

5.0

TV Movie

Denise

1980

 

Tony Curtis, Robert Urich, Phyllis Davis, and Judy Landers in Vega$ (1978)

Vega$

6.9

TV Series

Jamie Randall

1980

1 episode

 

Semi-Tough (1980)

Semi-Tough

5.7

TV Series

Barbara Jane Bookman

1980

1 episode

 

Detective School (1979)

Detective School

6.8

TV Series

Cora

1979

1 episode

 

The Bell Jar (1979)

The Bell Jar

5.1

Doreen

1979

 

Greg Evigan in B.J. and the Bear (1978)

B.J. and the Bear

6.4

TV Series

Elizabeth Chambers

1979

1 episode

 

Joey Aresco, Ilene Graff, and Harrison Page in Supertrain (1979)

Supertrain

4.5

TV Series

Ali

1979

1 episode

 

Shaun Cassidy, Pamela Sue Martin, and Parker Stevenson in The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977)

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries

7.3

TV Series

Annie Metzger

1978

1 episode

 

Starsky and Hutch (1975)

Starsky and Hutch

7.0

TV Series

Dolly Ivers

1978

1 episode

 

National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)

National Lampoon's Animal House

7.4

Mandy Pepperidge

1978

 

Mary Louise Weller in Hunters of the Reef (1978)

Hunters of the Reef

6.0

TV Movie

Tracey Russell

1978

 

The Evil (1978)

The Evil

5.6

Laurie Belman

1978

 

Telly Savalas in Kojak (1973)

Kojak

7.1

TV Series

Stacy

1978

1 episode

 

Robert Blake in Baretta (1975)

Baretta

6.8

TV Series

Rosalind

1977

1 episode

 

Calling Doctor Storm, M. D.

TV Movie

Venessa Stendak

1977

 

Serpico (1973)

Serpico

7.7

Sally - Girl at Party (uncredited)

1973

 

Hail (1972)

Hail

6.9

Mrs. Ellinson

1972

 

Thanks

Edie Sedgwick in Ciao Manhattan (1972)

Ciao Manhattan

5.6

grateful acknowledgment

1972

 

Self

Johnny Carson in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962)

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

8.5

TV Series

Self - Guest

1978

1 episode

 

Archive Footage

The Yearbook: An 'Animal House' Reunion (1998)

The Yearbook: An 'Animal House' Reunion

6.6

Video

Self - Mandy Pepperidge (archive footage, uncredited)

1998

 

Greg Evigan in B.J. and the Bear (1978)

B.J. and the Bear

6.4

TV Series

Elizabeth Chambers (archive footage)

1979

1 episode