Mary Ann Mobley
Mobley in 1958
Born(1937-02-17)February 17, 1937
Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S.
DiedDecember 9, 2014(2014-12-09) (aged 77)
Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Cause of deathBreast cancer
Alma materUniversity of Mississippi
OccupationActress
TitleMiss Mississippi 1958
Miss America 1959
PredecessorMarilyn Van Derbur
SuccessorLynda Lee Mead
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1967; died 2012)​
Children3

Mary Ann Mobley (February 17, 1937 – December 9, 2014) was an American actress, television personality and Miss America 1959.

Career

Mobley was born in 1937 in Biloxi, Mississippi.[1] After serving her reign as Miss America 1959, Mobley embarked on a career in both film and television. She signed a five-year contract with MGM.[2] She made her first television appearances on Be Our Guest in 1960, followed by five appearances on Burke's Law from 1963 to 1965, and went on to make multiple appearances on Perry Mason, Love, American Style and Fantasy Island. She had a recurring role as Maggie McKinney Drummond on Diff'rent Strokes in the final season of the series, having taken over the role from Dixie Carter. She would later guest star as Karen Delaporte, a snide head of an historical society who crossed swords with Dixie's character, Julia Sugarbaker, in Carter's later series, Designing Women.[3] She made two Movies with Elvis Presley in the 1960's --Girl Happy, and Harum-Scarum. They were friends as they were both from Mississippi. Elvis liked that Mary Ann was a true southern lady.

She was Awarded the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress in 1965. She was active in many charitable causes and was awarded the Outstanding Young Woman of the Year Award in 1966 by Lady Bird Johnson.[4]

Mobley also made occasional appearances on Match Game as one of the celebrity panelists from 1973 to 1977. From 1984 to 1988, Mobley joined husband Gary Collins by co-hosting the Pillsbury Bake-Off on CBS.

Her last TV acting appearance was in 1994 on Hardball. In 2002, she appeared in the documentary film Miss America which aired on PBS.[5]

Miss America

Mobley was crowned Miss America 1959,[6] the first Mississippian to achieve this honor,[7] winning the national talent award.[8]

Mobley joined her husband, Gary Collins, as co-host of the 1989 Miss America pageant, in September 1988 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the 30th anniversary year of her own Miss America pageant victory.[9]

Personal life

Mobley was a member of Chi Omega sorority at the University of Mississippi,[10][11] and in 1981 was inducted into the University of Mississippi Alumni Hall of Fame.[12]

She married actor and television host Gary Collins in 1967.[13]

The couple separated in 2011 but reconciled and were living in Biloxi, Mississippi, when Collins died on October 13, 2012.[14] Collins and Mobley had one daughter together, Mary Clancy Collins. Mobley was also step-mother to Melissa Collins and Guy William Collins, her husband's children from his first marriage.[15]

Health and death

Mobley had Crohn's disease, and had at times been an activist for improvements in treatment.[16]

She was treated in 2009 for Stage 3 breast cancer.[17] Mobley died at her home in Beverly Hills, California, on December 9, 2014, aged 77, from breast cancer.[1][15]

Filmography

Film

Television

References

  1. ^ a b Fitzsimmons, Emma G. (December 10, 2014). "Mary Ann Mobley, a Midcentury Miss America and an Actress, Dies at 75 [sic]". The New York Times. She was 77. ... Ms. Mobley was born in Biloxi, Miss., in 1937. (Most biographical sources incorrectly give her birth year as 1939.) ... An earlier version of this obituary misstated the year Ms. Mobley was born. It was 1937, not 1939. (Most biographical sources give the later year.)
  2. ^ Barnes, Mike (December 9, 2014). "Mary Ann Mobley, Miss America Turned Actress, Dies at 77". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2014-12-10.
  3. ^ "Actress Starred on Designing Women". Times Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. April 14, 2010.
  4. ^ a b "TV Personalities Film In The Area". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. November 23, 1983. p. 2C.
  5. ^ https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/missamerica/filmmore/index.html
  6. ^ Associated Press (1958-09-07). "A Mississippi Miss Is New Miss America". Chicago Tribune. p. 1.
  7. ^ Associated Press (1960-02-15). "Beauty Queen On Way To Stardom". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 5.
  8. ^ Associated Press (1958-09-03). "Ann's Faith Didn't Let Her Down". Miami News. p. 10A.
  9. ^ "A Changed Miss America Pageant Airs". Ocala Star-Banner. Associated Press. September 8, 1988. p. 23.
  10. ^ Staff (September 28, 1959). "All the Miss Americas, Then and Now". Life. Time Inc. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  11. ^ "Prominent Chi Omegas" (PDF). Chi Omega. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  12. ^ United Press International (1981-10-28). "People". Beaver County Times. p. D12.
  13. ^ United Press International (1967-11-25). "Former Miss America Weds In Mississippi". Henderson Times News. p. 4.
  14. ^ "Actor, TV host Gary Collins dies at 74 in Miss". San Francisco Chronicle. Associated Press. October 18, 2012. Archived from the original on November 19, 2012.
  15. ^ a b D'Zurilla, Christie (December 9, 2014). "Mary Ann Mobley, actress and Miss America 1959, dies at 77". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
  16. ^ Hauprich, Ann (2003). "Mary Ann Mobley". AnnHauprich.com. Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2014. ((cite web)): Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ "Mary Ann Mobley". Producers, Inc. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011.
  18. ^ "Elvis Presley Film Set For Weeklong Run". The Free Lance Star. 1965-05-29. p. 2.
  19. ^ "Harum Scarum". The Evening Independent. 1969-03-14. p. 9-B.
  20. ^ Associated Press (1985-08-04). "Mary Ann Mobley Shouldn't Make A Difference". Spokesman-Review. p. 20.
  21. ^ "The Bulletin Board". Toledo Blade. 1988-02-14. p. TVT12.
Awards and achievements Preceded byMarilyn Van Derbur Miss America 1959 Succeeded byLynda Lee Mead Preceded byMary Allen Miss Mississippi 1958 Succeeded byMargie Wilson
Media offices Preceded byGary Collins Miss America host (with Gary Collins)1989 Succeeded byGary Collins & Phyllis George
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