Anecdotes

Wickes and Lucille Ball were neighbors, good friends, and occasional costars for decades until Ball's death in 1989.

She served as the live-action reference model for the villainous Cruella De Vil in Disney's animated feature Les 101 Dalmatiens (1961).

Mary originated the role of "Mary Poppins" on CBS-TV in 1949.

Was a volunteer at the Hospital of the Good Samaritan in Los Angeles for years.

More than 30 years after a role that brought her fame on Broadway, she once again played the role of Nurse Preen ("Miss Bedpan") in a special TV version of The Man Who Came to Dinner (1972), with Orson Welles replacing the late Monty Woolley in the role of Sheridan Whiteside.

Played a bus driving nun in two movie franchises: as Sister Clarissa in Le dortoir des anges (1966) and its sequel Les gamines explosives (1968), and as Sister Mary Lazarus in Sister Act (1992) and its sequel Sister Act, acte 2 (1993).

Wickes is interred beside her parents at Shiloh Valley Cemetery in Shiloh, Illinois. Her private papers are on deposit in the archives of her alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

She, Kathy Najimy, and Wendy Makkena appeared, as their Sister Act (1992) characters, in Lady Soul's "If My Sister's In Trouble" music video.

Known for the Nurse Preen role from the story "The Man Who Came to Dinner", Mary Wickes portrayed her in the original Broadway production in 1939, the movie version, a television series and in the 1972 Hallmark Hall of Fame production.

While shooting Le père Dowling (1989), she volunteered at Denver General Hospital.

In 1977, she presented a four-week course of acting in comedy at her alumni Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

She and Doris Day appeared together in four movies: Le bal du printemps (1951), La femme de mes rêves (1951), La maîtresse de papa (1953), and Train, amour et crustacés (1959). Wickes also guest-starred on the first season of Day's TV series Doris comédie (1968).

When she lived in Crescent Heights in Los Angeles she volunteered at Good Samaritan Hospital. Later, while living in Century City she volunteered at UCLA Medical Center.

In 1981 she taught seminar at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA.

Was a recurring panelist on Match Game from 1976-1978.

Wickes was the only child of Missouri-born Frank Wickenhauser (1880-1943), a 32nd degree Mason active in St. Louis's Shriners' Moolah Temple and St. Clair County, Illinois-native Mary Isabelle "Isabella" Shannon (1887-1965), a matron of the Tuscan chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star and active in the Temple Club which raised money for Shriners Hospitals. Wickes's mother held leadership positions in the Missouri Federation of Women's Clubs. Two of Isabella Shannon's ancestors were William Kinney (1781-1843) who served as lieutenant governor of Illinois from 1826-1830; and, John McLean (1785-1861), who served as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice where he wrote one of two dissenting opinions on the court's infamous Dred Scott case.

Perhaps remembered best as Nurse Preen, opposite a delightfully irascible Monty Woolley, in William Keighley's L'homme qui vint dîner (1941) or, on TV, as Miss Cathcart in Denis la petite peste (1959) (1959-1963).

Appeared in the 1974 production of "Juno & The Paycock" in Los Angeles, appearing alongside Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, and Maureen Stapleton. She was also Stapleton's understudy.

Worked as a camp counselor during several summers at the Frank Wyman Outing Farm near Eureka, Missouri.

During World War II in New York she volunteered with the Hospital Committee of the American Theatre Wing War Service.

Her first professional theatre appearances were in 1933 as Sophia is Reunion In Vienna and Helen Hallam in Another Language with the Arthur Casey Stock Company.

Began public school at Cupples School on Cote Brilliante Avenue in St. Louis. Attended Harrison Elementary School in St. Louis from 1918-22. Attended Yeatman High School in St. Louis. Graduated in 1926 from Beaumont High School which had opened to alleviate crowding at Yeatman. Entered Washington University in September 1926 at the age of 16 where she majored in English literature and political science. She had been pushed ahead two years in grade school. She was a sister in Phi Mu Fraternity, Zeta Epsilon Chapter. College classmates included Howard Morgens (future President of Proctor & Gamble); Clark Clifford (prominent Democratic lawyer and Beltway insider); Edmund Hartmann (writer/producer); and Kay Thompson (actress, singer, and performer/writer of the "Eloise at The Plaza" stories). After graduating in 1930, Wickes attended Hadley Vocational School in St Louis from 1930-31, to learn stenography. Many years later, she received an honorary Doctor of Arts from Washington University in 1969 and earned her Master's degree at UCLA when she was in her 80s.

In July 1949 co-starred in The Torch Bearers at the Bucks County (Pennsylvania) Playhouse with Grace Kelly in her first professional acting assignment.

Her work on tv commercials include Ford Automobile (February 1969), Cudahy Meats (November 1969), Snowy Bleach (November 1970), Era Laundry Detergent (September 1972) and Crisco Oil (September 1980).

Was the Washington University (St. Louis, MO) first artist in residence in 1968 working for a month with the performing arts students.

Taught a seminar on comic acting at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.

Worked as social secretary for Margaret Huston (sister of Walter Huston) in Fall of 1934 while she was auditioning for roles on Broadway.

After high school, Wickes performed in St Louis community theater in all-women casts in such productions as "Flood Sufferers" (1927), "Belle of Barcelona" (1927), "Sweethearts" (1928), and "Spring Maid" (1929).

She was a lifelong Republican and a solid supporter of Ronald Reagan especially.

From 1929 to 1934 she performed in productions at the St. Louis Little Theatre. The roles included, among others, Alison's House (Louise), Cock Robin (Maria Scott), The Constant Nymph (Kate Sanger), Escape (Dolly), The Good Fairy (Karoline), The Makropoulos Secret (Marie) and The Follies Of 1934 (Jo in a parody called Little Women--Just Little Women).

Appeared on a episode of the Charlotte Peters Show in 1965 which was broadcast locally in St Louis, MO.

Co-starred at the Berkshire Playhouse in Stockbridge, Massachusetts during the 1934 season with Montgomery Clift, in his first professional acting assignment, in the play Fly Away Home.

As a student (1926-1930) she was a member of Washington University's dramatic society, Thyrsus. She performed in musicals through its Quadrangle Club. After graduating, she secured a job on campus as the university's assistant publicity director. While attending Washington University she was President of the Freshman Commission, President of her Phi Mu sorority, President of Mortar Board and Treasurer of the Panhellenic Association. She was on the women's intercollegiate debating team, the women's building executive committee and junior prom committee. She graduated in June 1930. She then secured a job on campus as the university's assistant publicity director.

Lectured on "The Thought & Feel Of Comedy" at the College of San Mateo in 1973.

Appeared on The Merv Griffin Show (1962) on March 17, 1969.