Next person biography:
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Edie McClurg began her performing career at the tender age of five with the Kansas City Rhythm Kids. Her early start in show business was cut short, however, when the dance teacher was arrested on a morals charge for "dating" the young star dancer in the troupe. This girl's big number, which culminated in a back-bend, was made even more impressive by Edie's ability to drink a soda upside down.
After retiring from the world of dance, Edie earned a Bachelor's degree in Speech Education and a Master of Science degree from Syracuse University. She went on to teach radio at the University of Missouri-Kansas City for eight years, during which time she re-entered the entertainment field as a DJ, newswoman, and producer for the NPR affiliate KCUR-FM. One of her proudest moments was portraying John Ehrlichman in Conversation 26 of the NPR national broadcast of the Nixon Tape Transcripts.
Edie's career-long devotion to satirical improvisation included an impressive tenure with The Groundlings. She created original characters, performed on the short-lived talk show The David Letterman Show, and appeared on various television shows, including The Richard Pryor Show, WKRP in Cincinnati, and Valerie. Her movie career paralleled her time with The Groundlings, with early films including Brian De Palma's Carrie and several John Hughes movies.
Offbeat cult favorites include Eating Raoul, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, and HBO's The Pee-Wee Herman Show. She received a National Media Award for her portrayal of a mentally disabled woman in Bill: On His Own and worked with notable directors such as Robert Redford, Oliver Stone, and Diane Keaton.
