Muriel Landers


Muriel Landers was an American actress, singer and dancer. She made more than thirty film and television appearances between 1950 and 1971.

Career

Born in Chicago, Landers began her career as a concert singer before moving to New York City to pursue acting. She initially found it difficult to find parts because of her weight, but found her niche in comedy. In 1951, Landers appeared on the variety series The Frank Sinatra Show. Her performance on the series caught the attention of Jack Benny who invited her to perform with him at the London Palladium. Landers later appeared with Benny in two episodes of The Jack Benny Program in 1956 and 1958.
She also performed on Where's Raymond?, starring Ray Bolger, The Jimmy Durante Show, The Red Skelton Show and Cavalcade of Stars, hosted by Jackie Gleason. In 1952, Landers made her feature film debut in the comedy Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla, starring Sammy Petrillo and Duke Mitchell. That same year, she won a regular role on the sitcom Life with Luigi. The series was canceled in 1953. In 1958, she appeared in the Three Stooges short Sweet and Hot. In the film, she portrayed Joe Besser's sister "Tiny", who is a singer with stage fright. She performs the song "The Heat Is On" which was taken from the 1957 comedy short Tricky Chick Landers filmed for Columbia Pictures. The next year, Landers had a supporting role in the romantic comedy Pillow Talk, starring Rock Hudson and Doris Day.
From 1960 to 1961, she appeared in two episodes of Pete and Gladys as Gladys' cousin Violet. She also had a recurring role as "Mildred Cosgrove" on The Joey Bishop Show. In addition to her comedic roles, Landers also guest starred on several dramas and Westerns including The Gene Autry Show, Peter Gunn, The Dick Powell Show and The Eleventh Hour. In 1962, Landers made a memorable appearance in The Twilight Zone episode "A Piano in the House", playing Marge Moore, an overweight woman who is forced to reveal her inner sadness about feeling unloved and unwanted because of her girth. In 1963, she and actor Stanley Adams released the comedy record Marriage Is for Dinosaurs through Bigtop Records. The next year, she had a role in the comedy film The Disorderly Orderly. For the remainder of the decade, Landers continued with guest starring roles on The Beverly Hillbillies, My Three Sons and Hogan's Heroes. In 1967, she portrayed the role of Mrs. Blossom in Doctor Dolittle. It would be her last film role.
In December 1968, she joined the cast of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. One of Landers' last roles was as Mommy Hoo Doo in an episode of the children's television series Lidsville, in 1971. Her final onscreen role was in the 1974 television film Remember When.

Death

Landers suffered from hypertension and diabetes in the final years of her life. She died of a stroke on February 19, 1977, and is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1950The Philco Television PlayhouseEpisode: "The Reluctant Landlord"
1950The ClockEpisode: "Rumble in Manhattan"
1950Lux Video TheatreHead NurseEpisode: "Mine to Have"
1951Musical Comedy TimeEpisode: "Flying High"
1952The Range RiderIndian MotherEpisode: "Border Trouble"
1952-1953Life with LuigiRosaUnknown episodes
1954Where's Raymond?MillieEpisode: "The Return of Millie"
1955My Little MargieEpisode: "The Big Telecast"
1955Allen in MovielandScrubwomanTelevision movie
1955The Gene Autry ShowLittle MountainEpisode: "Go West, Young Lady"
1955Captain Z-RoMrs. BooneEpisode: "Daniel Boone"
1955-1966The Red Skelton ShowVarious roles2 episodes
1956The Bob Hope ShowDecember 28, 1956 episode
1956-1958The Jack Benny ProgramVarious roles2 episodes
1959Peter GunnClarissa HoltEpisode: "Skin Deep"
1959The Danny Thomas ShowMuriel SchultzEpisode: "The Practical Joke"
1960-1961Pete and GladysClaire
Violet		3 episodes
1961The Dick Powell ShowSuzanneEpisode: "Three Soldiers"
1962The Twilight ZoneMarge MooreEpisode: "A Piano in the House"
1962The Eleventh HourMrs. CooleyEpisode: "The Seventh Day of Creation"
1962-1963The Joey Bishop ShowMildred Cosgrove4 episodes
1964The Beverly HillbilliesEssiebelle CrickEpisode: "The Girl from Home"
1964My Three SonsClaudia MarcusEpisode: "Caribbean Cruise"
1967RangoLittle SparrowEpisode: "You Can't Scalp a Bald Indian"
1968Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InGuest performerUnknown episodes
1969-1970Hogan's HeroesVarious roles2 episodes
1971LidsvilleMommy Hoo DooEpisode: "Mommy Hoo Doo"
1974Remember WhenShirleyTelevision film