Mary Treen, a stalwart character actress, was renowned for her dependability and ability to inject levity into any film scene. Despite being a minor player for much of her career, she carved out a humble niche for herself in 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s Hollywood.
Born Mary Louise Summers in St. Louis, Missouri in 1907, her life took a significant turn when her father passed away while she was still an infant. Raised by her mother, Helene Sullivan, a former stage performer, and her stepfather, a physician, Mary attended Westlake School for Girls and a convent, where she honed her skills in school plays.
Mary's early career began with dancing in vaudeville shows and revues before transitioning to the silver screen. Standing at 5'9" and having a slender build, she formed a musical comedy duo with Marjorie Barnett, billing themselves as "Treen and Barnett: Two Unsophisticated Vassar Co-eds". Their comedic routine often centered around their height difference, with Mary relying on her humor to stand out. In 1934, Warner Brothers discovered her in a local play and signed her to a contract.
After three years, Mary began freelancing, taking on a wide range of roles, including pudgy-cheeked nurses, waitresses, career girls, wallflowers, and confidantes. She appeared in numerous films, including Kentucky Moonshine (1938),I Love a Soldier (1944),Don Juan Quilligan (1945),and the Christmas classic It's a Wonderful Life (1946),where she played James Stewart's cousin Tilly. Later in her career, she worked with Jerry Lewis and Elvis Presley on their movie projects.
Mary also had a successful television career, playing the role of Hilda Hinkelmeyer, a maid/baby nurse, on The Joey Bishop Show (1961) for three seasons. She frequently guest-starred on light-hearted sitcoms such as "The Andy Griffith Show", "Green Acres", "Here's Lucy", "Happy Days", and "The Dukes of Hazzard".
Despite her ability to portray older, unmarried characters, Mary was actually married to Herbert C. Pearson, a wholesale liquor dealer, in 1944. The couple had no children, and Herbert passed away in 1965. Mary later moved in with her ex-vaudeville partner, Marjorie Barnett-Klein, who was also widowed. In her later years, the two friends would perform their old routines for the delight of other senior citizens.
Mary Treen passed away in 1989 at the age of 82, due to cancer, while living in Balboa Beach, California.
