Allyn Ann McLerie was 91.
Actor and dancer Allyn Ann McLerie passed away at the age of 91 in North Bend, Washington. Born in Canada and reared in Brooklyn, McLerie portrayed Amy Spettigue in George Abbott’s musical farce ‘Where’s Charley?’ during its original Broadway runs in 1948-50 and 1951, reported Hollywood Reporter. Her first husband was Adolph Green, the legendary playwright, lyricist, and screenwriter. They divorced in 1953.
She then was married to Police Academy actor George Gaynes for 62 years until his death in February 2016 at the age of 98. McLerie also appeared on Broadway in the 1940s in On the Town and Miss Liberty under the direction of famed choreographers Jerome Robbins and George Balanchine. She later toured Europe with the American Ballet Theatre as the Cowgirl in de Mille’s Rodeo. She was also a mother to two, Iya Gaynes (later Iya Falcone Brown) and Matthew Gaynes. She is survived by granddaughter Niki and her husband, Simon, and great-granddaughters Portia and Harper. She was living with her daughter Iya and her husband, Norman.
She also made television appearances on The Thorn Birds, St. Elsewhere, Barney Miller, The Love Boat, Dynasty, The Waltons, Brooklyn Bridge, among others. She starred in NBC and ABC-CBS sitcoms The Tony Randall Show and The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd. Both the shows were created by Jay Tarses. She also starred in the film Calamity Janes opposite Doris Day, and in other movies like The Desert Song, Phantom of the Rue Morgue, and Battle Cry. She also worked with Robert Redford in movies Jeremiah Johnson, and The Way We Were.