Lu Leonard

Lu Leonard (born Mary Lou Price; June 5, 1926 – May 14, 2004) credited also as Lou Leonard, was an American character actress who appeared in numerous television series, theatre and, briefly, film. She was the daughter of actor Hal Price. She was best known for her role as Mrs. Pugh in Annie.

Biography

Early life

Leonard was born Mary Lou Price in Long Beach, New York to stage and screen actor Hal Price, notable for his film with Republic Pictures and Amy Goodrich. She appeared on stage at 1 month with her vaudevillian parents, whom she would later write a play about entitled "Goodrick and Price”.

Career

Television and film

She began acting in TV roles from the early 1950s onwards including as Theodosia in the Life of Riley television sitcom. Her first major appearance was as the wife of Three Stooges member Larry Fine in the film Husbands Beware. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Leonard made television appearances on such shows as Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, The Facts of Life, Knight Rider and Married... with Children. Her most memorable was in a recurring role as William Conrad's wise-cracking secretary in Jake and the Fatman. She had small but memorable roles in Starman and Micki + Maude. One of Leonard's visible credits was playing the singing Angel Scribe II in the late 1960s Hallmark television musical special, The Littlest Angel.

Theatre

She appeared in theatre productions including national tours of Plain and Fancy, Oliver! and Man of La Mancha. Broadway roles included The Happiest Girl in the World, The Gay Life, Drat! The Cat!, Bravo Giovanni and The Pajama Game.

During the 1970s and 1980s she became a regional celebrity in the Los Angeles Theatre circuit for her outrageous portrayal as a lesbian head matron in the play Women Behind Bars.

Film and voice

In 1982, she appeared as Oliver Warbucks' maid Mrs. Pugh in the film Annie. She also performed voices in the Hanna-Barbera version of the 1990 animated TV series Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (1990 TV series), and played Mrs. Chang in the 1990 live-action Aladdin television film.

Personal life and death

Leonard never married or had children. Health problems (including diabetes) eventually set in and she left Hollywood in 1995, living primarily in Oregon. She moved into the Motion Picture Country Home in Woodland Hills, California, where she spent her remaining years. She died of a heart attack on May 14, 2004, at age 77. A bench in the Roddy McDowall garden at the Motion Picture Home has been dedicated in her memory.

Filmography

Film and Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
Template:Dts	My Little Margie	—	Episode: "Health Farm"
Template:Dts		Thedosia	Episode: "Riley and the Boss' Niece"
Template:Dts		Sister of Mexican Man / Plump Lady in Soda Shop	2 episodes
Template:Dts	December Bride
Template:Dts	Husbands Beware	Dora - Larry's Wife	Short film
Template:Dts		Heavy Woman	Uncredited
Template:Dts	Route 66	Madame Thornton	Episode: "Only by Cunning Glimpses"
Template:Dts Template:Dts	Car 54, Where Are You?	Mrs. Dobernack / Shopper	2 episodes
Template:Dts		Nurse	Episode: "Double Date"
Template:Dts			Television film
Template:Dts		Nurse Gomez	Episode: "Angels and the Bums"
Template:Dts	Last of the Good Guys	Heavy Woman	Television film
Template:Dts Template:Dts	Police Woman	Messenger Lady / The Rich Lady	2 episodes
Template:Dts	Mork & Mindy	Lady #1	Episode: "Dr. Morkenstein"
Template:Dts	Laverne & Shirley	Dotty	Episode: "Not Quite South of the Border"
Template:Dts	Make Me an Offer	Mrs. Gordon	Television film
Template:Dts	Annie	Mrs. Pugh
Template:Dts	Buffalo Bill	Joan Seegar
Template:Dts		Masseuse	Episode: "TKO"
Template:Dts	Knight Rider	Mable	Episode: "Diamonds Aren't a Girl's Best Friend"
Template:Dts	We Got It Made	Corky	Episode: "The Break-Up: Part 2"
Template:Dts	Legmen	Uncle George	Episode: "Poseidon Indenture"
Template:Dts	Cagney & Lacey		Episode: "Matinee"
Template:Dts	Faerie Tale Theatre	Mother Toad	Episode: "Thumbelina"
Template:Dts	Night Court	Mother Frances	Episode: "The Nun"
Template:Dts	Starman	Roadhouse Waitress
Template:Dts	Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo
Template:Dts	Micki & Maude	Nurse Mary Verbeck
Template:Dts	Stand Alone	Mrs. Whitehead
Template:Dts	Tall Tales & Legends	Queen Victoria
Template:Dts	Fraud Squad	—	Television film
Template:Dts	Riptide	Bella	Episode: "Dead Men Don't Floss"
Template:Dts			Episode: "The Apartment"
Template:Dts	Pros and Cons	Dolly	Television film
Template:Dts		Herself	Television special
Template:Dts	Who's the Boss?	Mrs. Hiller	Episode: "The Way We Was"
Template:Dts		Fraulein Stinkenschmidt
Template:Dts	She's the Sheriff	Princess Babushka	Episode: "The Golden Streak"
Template:Dts	You Can't Hurry Love	Miss Friggit
Template:Dts	My Two Dads	Ethel Baumgartner
Template:Dts	Married... with Children	DeGroot	Episode: "He Thought He Could"
Template:Dts	Hooperman	Nurse Jordan	Episode: "Who Do You Truss?"
Template:Dts Template:Dts	Jake and the Fatman	Gertrude Reilly	10 episodes
Template:Dts	Shadowzone	Mrs. Cutter
Template:Dts	Growing Pains	Guard	Episode: "Carol in Jail"
Template:Dts	Without You I'm Nothing	Ingrid Horn - Sandra's Manager
Template:Dts	Circuitry Man	Juice
Template:Dts	Amen	Heather Fetlock	Episode: "Judge Deacon Frye"
Template:Dts	Aladdin	Mrs. Chang	Television film
Template:Dts		Winnie
Template:Dts	Dexeil's Class	—	Episode: "The Best Thanksgiving Ever"
Template:Dts Template:Dts	Uncle Buck	Ms. Crappier	3 episodes
Template:Dts	Kuffs	Harriet
Template:Dts	Made in America	Sperm Bank Nurse
Template:Dts	Daddy Dearest	Aggie	Episode: "Jaws, Too"
Template:Dts		Nanny #2	Episode: "The Nanny-in-Law"
Template:Dts	Blank Check	Udowitz
Template:Dts	Get Smart	Nurse Scrum	Episode: "Liver Let Die"
Template:Dts	Man of the Year	Dee Dee Sweatman	Final film role

External links

• Template:PAGENAMEBASE at IMDbTemplate:EditAtWikidata