Peggy Rea
Acting • Born 1921-03-31 – Died 2011-02-05
Biography
Peggy Jane Rea was a Los Angeles-born American actress known for her many roles in television, often playing matronly characters. Before she became an actress, Rea left UCLA to attend business school. She landed a job as a production secretary at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the 1940s. Later, she was an assistant to writer-musician Kay Thompson until Thompson dropped her in April 1948. Some of the points of discord apparently included Rea's insistence on staying at the Algonquin Hotel (rather than Essex House, where Thompson was staying), and disappearing, on at least one occasion, on the eve of their New York opening to see Born Yesterday on Broadway without telling Thompson. The time had come for Peggy to make her mark as the character actress she was born to be. She quickly landed on her feet with a supporting role in the National Road Company production of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire (as Eunice Hubbell, 1948–1949) starring Anthony Quinn. Thompson severed ties with Rea, however the younger woman kept in touch with other members of Thompson's family, including Thompson's mother, brother and younger sister, with whom she enjoyed cordial relations.
Filmography
87 credits
Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid
Movie • 1978
Woman on Train
Cold Turkey
Movie • 1971
Mrs. Proctor
Lipstick
Movie • 1976
Reporter
7 Faces of Dr. Lao
Movie • 1964
Mrs. Peter Ramsey
What's the Matter with Helen?
Movie • 1971
Mrs. Schultz
Looking for Love
Movie • 1964
Relative (uncredited)
The Gift of Love
Movie • 1978
Mrs. Mooney
Blood Sport
Movie • 1973
Mrs. Birdsong
Nothing But the Truth
Movie • 1995
Flora
The Great Cash Giveaway Getaway
Movie • 1980
Motel Owner
Strange Bedfellows
Movie • 1965
Mavis Masters
Fun and Games
Movie • 1980
Rose
Valley of the Dolls
Movie • 1967
Neely O'Hara's Vocal Coach (uncredited)
The Learning Tree
Movie • 1969
Miss McClintock
Love Field
Movie • 1992
Mrs. Heisenbuttel
A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion
Movie • 1993
Rose
The Cracker Factory
Movie • 1979
Pomeroy
Promise Him Anything
Movie • 1975
Mother
Win, Place or Steal
Movie • 1975
Josephine
In Country
Movie • 1989
Mamaw
Devil in a Blue Dress
Movie • 1995
Carter’s Secretary
The Night Stalker
Movie • 1972
Curfew
Movie • 1989
Mrs. Mary Cox
Made in America
Movie • 1993
Alberta
A Rainy Day
Movie • 1979
Mrs. Jewels
Hamburger: The Motion Picture
Movie • 1986
Mrs. Cratchmatter
Hunter
Movie • 1973
Helen Shaw's Friend
Family Affair
TV • 1966
77 Sunset Strip
TV • 1958
Burke's Law
TV • 1963
Sylvia Lewis
Here's Lucy
TV • 1968
Maude
Gidget
TV • 1965
The Odd Couple
TV • 1970
Miss Rykof
The Single Guy
TV • 1995
Aunt Heidi
The Golden Girls
TV • 1985
Mrs. Contini
All in the Family
TV • 1971
Bertha
Quincy, M.E.
TV • 1976
Marcus Welby, M.D.
TV • 1969
Mrs. Baker
I Love Lucy
TV • 1951
Nurse
Grace Under Fire
TV • 1993
Charlie's Angels
TV • 1976
Bridget
Mannix
TV • 1967
Step by Step
TV • 1991
Ivy Baker
Medical Center
TV • 1969
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Shopkeeper (uncredited)
The Waltons
TV • 1972
Ironside
TV • 1967
The Wild Wild West
TV • 1965
The Immortal
TV • 1970
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
The Patty Duke Show
TV • 1963
The Donna Reed Show
TV • 1958
Ben Casey
TV • 1961
Ellery Queen
TV • 1975
Dr. Kildare
TV • 1961
Dorothy Gitner
ABC Afterschool Special
TV • 1972
Mrs. Atwater
The Dukes of Hazzard
TV • 1979
Lulu (Coltrane) Hogg
Busting Loose
TV • 1977
Paper Moon
TV • 1974
Bronk
TV • 1975
The Magician
TV • 1973
Emma
Dr. Kildare
TV • 1961
Nurse Helen O'Hara
Dr. Kildare
TV • 1961
Nurse Carrie
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Lady
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Dress Shop Owner
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Mrs. Roniger
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Rosey
Gunsmoke
TV • 1955
Bess Roniger
Adam-12
TV • 1968
Sandra Quillan
Grace Under Fire
TV • 1993
Jean Kelly
Mission: Impossible
TV • 1966
Cleaning Woman
The Red Skelton Show
TV • 1951
Miss Katie - Waiters' Boss
MacGyver
TV • 1985
Angry Woman At Airport
I Love Lucy
TV • 1951
Dorothy
I Love Lucy
TV • 1951
Susan
I Love Lucy
TV • 1951
Clubwoman
The Red Skelton Show
TV • 1951
Big Bertha Kropnik
The Waltons
TV • 1972
Rose Burton
The Red Skelton Show
TV • 1951
Housewife
The Red Skelton Show
TV • 1951
Woman Grocery Shopper
The Red Skelton Show
TV • 1951
Woman on the street
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Lulu
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Peggy
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Widow
Have Gun, Will Travel
TV • 1957
Jean Mosely
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
TV • 1964
Revivalist
Run, Buddy, Run
TV • 1966