Priscilla Morrill

Priscilla Alden Morrill (June 4, 1927 – November 9, 1994) was an American actress. She is best known for playing Edie Grant on the sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1973 and 1975.

Career

The only child of Joseph Henry Morrill and Reina Prichard Hadley, Priscilla Morrill was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. She attended the Carnegie Institute before making her stage debut opposite John Carradine in Julius Caesar. She made her Broadway debut in The Relapse with Cyril Ritchard.

Morrill's first television performance was on the Outer Limits episode "The Man with the Power" in 1963. She was a frequent guest star on numerous television series and in television movies. Morrill had recurring roles on Family, Bret Maverick, Santa Barbara, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Newhart. Jean Stapleton stated in an interview for the Archive of American Television that Morrill was the stand-in for her in the ninth-season episode of All in the Family, "A Girl Like Edith", in which Stapleton had a dual role.

In addition to guest-starring roles, she also co-starred in two short-lived series: In the Beginning starring McLean Stevenson, and Baby Makes Five starring Peter Scolari. Morrill made a guest appearance in MacGyver, in the season two episode "D.O.A.: MacGyver" as Helen Wilson. She also was on the Golden Girls in the episode "In a Bed of Rose's". She made her final onscreen appearance on an episode of Coach in 1992.

Death On November 9, 1994, Morrill died of complications of a kidney infection at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles at the age of 67. She was survived by her husband, Paul Bryson, to whom she had been married since 1954. The couple had lived in Port Hueneme, California.

Selected filmography Year Title Role Notes 1963 The Outer Limits Vera Finley Episode: "The Man with the Power" 1966 The F.B.I. Ann King 1 episode 1967 Felony Squad Liz McCready 1 episode 1968 The Wild Wild West Phalah Episode: "The Night of the Undead" 1968 Mannix Janet Paulson Season 2 Episode 07: "Edge of the Knife" 1973 Breezy Dress Customer 1973-75 The Mary Tyler Moore Show Edie Grant 5 episodes 1974 Barnaby Jones Mrs. Bryner Episode: "The Last Contract" 1975 Kolchak: The Night Stalker Griselda Episode: "The Trevi Collection"1976All in the FamilyKatie KormanEpisode: "Mr. Edith Bunker" 1976-77 Family Elaine Hogan 8 episodes 1977 Father Knows Best(reunion) Louise Episode: "Home for Christmas" 1977 Three's Company Mrs. Snow Episode: "And Mother Makes Four" 1977 The Jeffersons Mrs. Fletcher Episode: "The Costume Party" 1978 The Love Boat Ida Snead Episode: "Taking Sides/A Friendly Little Game/Going by the Book" 1979 Welcome Back, Kotter Mrs. Gladstone Trevors-Smythe Episode: "The Breadwinners" 1981 It's a Living Dean Pressman Episode: "Making the Grade" 1982 One Day at a Time Grandma Cooper Episode: "Gift Horses" 1982-84 Family Ties Kate Donnelly 2 episodes 1983 The Powers of Matthew Star Mrs. Aldridge Episode: "Starr Knight" 1984 St. Elsewhere Sister Teresa 2 episodes 1985 Scarecrow and Mrs. King Margaret Brock Episode: "Spiderweb" 1985 Three's a Crowd Judge Hancock Episode: "September Song" 1985-86 Santa Barbara Mother Isabel 16 episodes 1985-89 Newhart Marian "Mary" Vanderkellen 7 episodes 1986 The Golden Girls Lucille Beatty Episode: "In a Bed of Rose's" 1987 MacGyver Helen Wilson Episode: "D. O. A.: MacGyver" 1989 CBS Summer Playhouse Miss Gordon Episode: "Shivers" 1989-92 Coach Mrs. Rizzendough 4 episodes 1991 Blossom Mrs. Whiting Episode: "School Daze"