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Phyllis AveryAmerican television and film actress
Date of Birth: 14.11.1922
Country:  USA |
Content:
Early Life and Career
Phyllis Avery was born on November 14, 1922, in New York City to Evelyn Martine and Stephen Morehouse Avery. Her father was a screenwriter from Webster Groves, Missouri, and her mother was a homemaker. Phyllis's parents divorced when she was young, and her father remarried in 1943. Sadly, he passed away in 1948.
Avery's first acting role was as Marjorie in the 1951 comedy "Queen for a Day," based on the popular radio and television show of the same name hosted by Jack Bailey. In 1952, she portrayed Tracy McAuliffe, the wife of Charlton Heston's character in the romantic drama "Ruby Gentry."
Television Stardom
From 1953 to 1955, Avery played Peggy McNutley, a professor's wife, in 70 of the 75 episodes of the CBS sitcom "Meet Mr. McNutley." She also made six appearances on the CBS anthology series "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars" from 1953 to 1958.
Avery continued to gain recognition on television, appearing in Charles Bronson's ABC series "Man with a Camera" in 1958 and as Ann Macauley in "Rawhide" on CBS in 1959. She had recurring roles in "Richard Diamond, Private Detective," playing three different characters from 1957 to 1959.
Additional Roles
In addition to her television career, Avery also appeared in films such as "The Best Things in Life Are Free" (1956), where she portrayed Maggie Henderson, and "Made in America" (1993). She also had a brief stint as a real estate agent in Los Angeles in the 1980s.
Personal Life
Avery was married twice. Her first marriage to James Howell Van Campen lasted from 1942 to 1944. She then married actor Don Taylor in 1944, and they had two daughters, Anne Taylor Fleming and Avery Taylor Moore. They divorced in 1955.
Later Years and Death
Avery retired from acting in the 1980s and passed away on May 19, 2011, at the age of 88, after suffering a heart attack.
