Susan Tolsky

Susan Gaye Tolsky (born April 6, 1943) is an American former actress and voice actress. Her career began in the late 1960s, when she had a main role as Biddie Cloom on the ABC comedy Western series Here Come the Brides (1968–70). She was also a series regular on the variety series The New Bill Cosby Show (1972–73). Following guest appearances on several sitcoms throughout the decade, Tolsky was part of the main cast as Bernadette Van Gilder on the syndicated sitcom Madame's Place (1982–83).

Susan Tolsky
Born
Susan Gaye Tolsky

(1943-04-06) April 6, 1943
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Texas at Austin
Occupation
  • Actress
  • voice actress
Years active1968–2006

Beginning in the early 1990s, Tolsky worked exclusively as a voice actress in animated television. She had recurring roles as Binkie Muddlefoot on Darkwing Duck (1991–92) and Aunt Janie on Pepper Ann (1997–2000), in addition to other episodic voice roles on several other animated series. Her most recent credit is The Buzz on Maggie (2005–06), where she voiced Mrs. Pesky, the mother of the titular character, throughout the series' one-season run on Disney Channel.

Early life

Susan Gaye Tolsky[1] was born on April 6, 1943,[2] in Houston, Texas, to shop owners Sarah (née Hartstein) and Abe Tolsky.[3][4][5] She is of Russian descent.[6] She has one sister, Noel Foreman.[4] Tolsky attended Bellaire High School, where she grew fond of acting.[4] At age 15, she started working in hospitals.[7] When her father advised her not to pursue a career in acting, she enrolled at the University of Texas in Austin to major in nursing.[8] During this time, she worked as a nurse's aide at the Houston Medical Center after school and on weekends.[7] Initially planning to acquire a degree in medicine, she switched to drama two years later.[4] At university, she regularly appeared in school plays.[8] In her senior year, talent scout Eddie Foy III visited on behalf of Screen Gems, and Tolsky auditioned in a scene from Barefoot in the Park.[4] Foy advised her to try acting in Hollywood, where she later moved after graduating with a degree in the fine arts in 1967.[8][9] She shared an apartment in Hollywood, California, with actress Susan Howard.[4]

Career

When in Hollywood, Foy was unable to grant Tolsky a contract with Screen Gems, and instead introduced her to people who worked in casting and helped her get an agent.[8] In 1968, Tolsky made her television debut on an episode of The Second Hundred Years, where she had one line, followed by a small role on an episode of Bewitched, both on ABC.[8] During this time, she worked with the Columbia Pictures Workshop and the Los Angeles Repertory Company.[8] Howard, a contract actress at Screen Gems, brought home a script for the pilot episode of the comedy Western series Here Come the Brides.[8][10] Howard believed Tolsky was "perfect" for the role of Biddie Cloom, but Foy was less enthused of her chances of securing the part, believing she could not play a character from Massachusetts due to her Southern accent.[8] Tolsky ultimately read the part, and recalled that the audition was "awful", stating that she was a "nervous wreck".[8] Two weeks later, she landed the role.[8] Originally written as a minor character, the crew were so impressed with Tolsky's performance as Biddie that she was made a series regular.[11] The series aired for two seasons from September 1968 to April 1970 on ABC.[10]

In the 1970s, Tolsky made her film debut in Roger Vadim's comedy-mystery film Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971) as Miss Craymire, the secretary of Rock Hudson's character.[12][13] Her next film credit was Charley and the Angel (1973), a Disney comedy film directed by Vincent McEveety, in which she portrayed the character Miss Partridge.[14] In the later part of the decade, she acted in the comedy film Record City (1977) and Stan Dragoti's comedy horror film Love at First Bite (1979).[15][16] Also in the 1970s, she had guest roles on the television series Here's Lucy (1972), Love, American Style (1972–73), and Quincy, M.E. (1977).[17][18][19] She was also a regular on the variety series The New Bill Cosby Show (1972–73) on CBS.[20] In 1978, she portrayed Mammy Yokum in a Li'l Abner television special, the musical film Li'l Abner in the Dogpatch Today.[21]

In the 1980s, Tolsky earned her third main role on television, this time on Madame's Place (1982–83), a comedy series about a puppet, controlled by Wayland Flowers, named Madame who hosts a late-night talk show from her mansion. Tolsky portrayed Bernadette Van Gilder, Madame's shy secretary.[22] Madame's Place had a very rushed shooting schedule and aired five days a week in syndication.[22][23] According to Tolsky, 75 episodes were shot in fifteen weeks, and she considers it one of her "most enjoyable" experiences after Here Come the Brides.. She said, "We had a fabulous crew on that ... We did a show a day, so we did have a close crew."[24] Tolsky appeared on four episodes of the CBS sitcom Alice, portraying different one-time characters, from 1980 to 1983.[25] She also guest starred on two episodes of the ABC sitcom Barney Miller in 1981 and 1982.[26] She appeared in the films How to Beat the High Cost of Living (1980), directed by Robert Scheerer, and The Devil and Max Devlin (1981), directed by Steven Hilliard Stern.[27][28]

Tolsky's final film credit is the 1986 comedy crime film The Longshot, where she played the character Dee,[29] and her last on-screen appearance is on an episode of the television series Webster in 1988.[30] Tolsky first started working as a voice actress on the NBC animated children's television series Foofur (1986–88), where she voiced Annabell.[31] Throughout the 1990s, she lent her voice to several animated television series; she had recurring roles as Binkie Muddlefoot on Darkwing Duck (1991–92), Scara on Aladdin (1994), and Aunt Janie, the aunt of the titular character on Pepper Ann (1997–2000).[32][33][34] Tolsky's most recent credit is the Disney Channel series The Buzz on Maggie (2005–06), where she provided the voice of Mrs. Pesky, the mother of the title character, throughout the series' one-season run.[34]

Personal life

Tolsky dated actor Christopher Stone, whom she met on the set of Here Come the Brides in the late 1960s, for five years.[24]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role
1971 Pretty Maids All in a Row Miss Harriet Craymire
1973 Charley and the Angel Miss Partridge
1977 Record City Goldie
1979 Love at First Bite Model Agent
1980 How to Beat the High Cost of Living Patty
1981 The Devil and Max Devlin Nerve's Mom
1986 The Longshot Dee

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1968 The Second Hundred Years WAC Sergeant Episode: "For Whom the Drums Beat"
Bewitched Secretary Episode: "The No-Harm Charm"
1968–70 Here Come the Brides Biddie Cloom Series regular
1972 Here's Lucy Sue Ann Ditbenner Episode: "Kim Finally Cuts You-Know-Whose Apron String"
Love, American Style N/A Episode: "Love and the Mystic; The Tycoon; The Christmas Punch"
1972–73 The New Bill Cosby Show Various Series regular
1974–76 Tony Orlando and Dawn Various Series regular[35]
1977 Quincy, M.E. Toxicology Chemist Episode: "No Deadly Secret"
1978 Li'l Abner in the Dogpatch Today Mammy Yokum Television film
1980–83 Alice Various 4 episodes
1981–82 Barney Miller Wendy / Hofflein 2 episodes
1982–83 Madame's Place Bernadette Van Gilder Series regular
1986–88 Foofur Annabell (voice) Series regular
1988 Webster Kitty Episode: "The Cuckoo's Nest"
1991 TaleSpin Mrs. Morrissey (voice) Episode: "Sheepskin Deep"[36]
1991–92 Darkwing Duck Binkie Muddlefoot (voice) Recurring role
1992 Goof Troop Ms. Pennypacker (voice) Episode: "Date with Destiny"[37]
1994 Aladdin Scara (voice) 2 episodes
1996 Jungle Cubs Clarisse (voice) Episode: "Benny & Clyde/Feather Brains"[38]
The Story of Santa Claus Additional voices Television film[39]
1997 101 Dalmatians: The Series Peeps' mother (voice) Episode: "Rolly's Egg-Celent Adventure/Wild Chick Chase"[40]
1997–2000 Pepper Ann Aunt Janie (voice) Recurring role
1998 Hercules Teacher (voice) Episode: "Hercules and the Kids"[41]
I Am Weasel Additional voices Episode: "Revolutionary Weasel"[42]
2001 Teacher's Pet Animal shelter employee (voice) Episode: "A Few Good Boys"[43]
2005–06 The Buzz on Maggie Mrs. Pesky (voice) Series regular

References
  1. "120 at UT Make Honor Roll List". Austin American-Statesman. July 17, 1964. p. 11. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  2. "Happy Birthday". The Star Press. 6 April 2002. p. 2. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  3. "The TV Picture". The Brazosport Facts. January 17, 1968. p. 12. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  4. "Nursing just couldn't hold 'Biddie Cloom'". Battle Creek Enquirer. June 8, 1969. p. 102. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  5. "Social and Other News Items". The Oakdale Journal. March 11, 1937. p. 8. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  6. Corday, Barbara (February 19, 1970). "She Can Stir a Chocolate Cake". Valley News. p. 47. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  7. "Susan Tolsky Wanted to Become a Doctor". The Atlanta Constitution. October 14, 1972. p. 14. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  8. Hurley, Gene (December 6, 1968). "Though No Beauty, She Lands the Role". Courier-Post. p. 25. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  9. Bustin, John (July 9, 1969). "Show World". The Austin American. p. 31. Retrieved September 26, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  10. Eder, Bruce. "Here Come the Brides (1968)". AllMovie. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  11. "Susan's Rise Was Fast". The Ithaca Journal. April 12, 1969. p. 50. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  12. Martin, Betty (August 15, 1970). "Cannon to Star in 'Machines'". Los Angeles Times. p. 29. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  13. "Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971)". AllMovie. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  14. "Charley and the Angel (1973)". AllMovie. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  15. "Dance groups set at UCLA". Progress Bulletin. August 22, 1977. p. 19. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  16. "Love at First Bite (1979)". AllMovie. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  17. TV Scout (February 28, 1972). "Gunfight to be re-enacted". Journal Gazette. p. 8. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  18. "Love, American Style: Love and the Mystic; The Tycoon; The Christmas Punch (1972)". AllMovie. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  19. "Quincy, M.E.: No Deadly Secret (1977)". AllMovie. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  20. "'The New Bill Cosby Show'". Daily World. November 12, 1972. p. 4. Retrieved September 27, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  21. Henniger, Paul (November 12, 1978). "Dogpatch Comes to Television". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. 219. Retrieved September 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  22. Maksian, George (November 7, 1982). "Station Breaks". New York Daily News. p. 195. Retrieved September 26, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. (subscription required)
  23. "Madame's Place". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  24. Etter, Jonathan (2009). "With Susan Tolsky". Gangway, Lord, (The) Here Come the Brides Book. BearManor Media. ISBN 9781593935061.
  25. Alice credits:
  26. Barney Miller credits:
  27. "How to Beat the High Cost of Living (1980)". AllMovie. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  28. "The Devil and Max Devlin (1981)". AllMovie. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  29. "The Longshot (1986)". AllMovie. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  30. "Webster: The Cuckoo's Nest (1988)". AllMovie. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  31. Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 216. ISBN 9781538103746.
  32. "Susan Tolsky". TV Guide. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  33. Aladdin credits:
  34. Baisley, Sarah (June 17, 2005). "Disney's The Buzz on Maggie Flies Debutes on Disney Channel". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020.
  35. Terrace, Vincent (2008). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2007. McFarland & Company. p. 1549. ISBN 9780786433056.
  36. Latham, Larry; Stefan, Dean (February 4, 1991). "Sheepskin Deep". TaleSpin. Season 1. Episode 51. ABC.
  37. Levi, Stephen; Talkington, Bruce (September 22, 1992). "Date with Destiny". Goof Troop. Season 1. Episode 14. ABC.
  38. "Cartoon Characters, Cast and Crew for Feather Brains (1996)". The Big Cartoon DataBase. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  39. Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays--Animated!: A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Company. p. 301. ISBN 9781476672939.
  40. Schneider, Rich (November 15, 1997). "Rolly's Egg-Celent Adventure/Wild Chick Chase". 101 Dalmatians: The Series. Season 1. Episode 9. ABC.
  41. Weinstein, Phil; Motz, Bill; Roth, Bob (November 28, 1998). "Hercules and the Kids". Hercules. Season 2. Episode 11. ABC.
  42. "Revolutionary Weasel (1998) Season 2 Episode 34-5768". The Big Cartoon DataBase. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  43. Björklund, Timothy; Price, Michael (September 29, 2001). "A Few Good Boys". Teacher's Pet. Season 2. Episode 2. ABC.
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