RETA SHAW

September 13, 1912

Reta M. Shaw was born in South Paris, Maine, on September 13, 1912. Her father was an orchestra leader. Shaw’s younger sister was actress Marguerite Shaw. The daughter and granddaughter of women who believed in spiritualism, Shaw reportedly once told a newspaper interviewer that she had been “brought up on a ouija board." She was a graduate of the Leland Powers School of the Theater in Boston, Massachusetts.

Shaw’s first credited appearance on the Broadway stage was in 1947’s It Takes Two. She appeared in as Mabel in the original production of The Pajama Game in 1954 (above), recreating her role in the 1957 film, as well the Broadway production of Picnic, which she also did on film in 1955.  

She is probably best known for her role as housekeeper Mrs. Brill in the blockbuster Disney classic Mary Poppins (1964). 

Shaw made her TV debut with an episode of the anthology series “Armstrong Circle Theatre” in December 1952.  

In 1958, Shaw was hired by Desilu to play the recurring role of Flora McCauly on “The Ann Sothern Show”.  Shaw did eight episodes in 1958 and 1959. Desi Arnaz was the Executive Producer and Lucille Ball guest-starred on the series as Lucy Ricardo in 1959. Shaw would later perform opposite Ann Sothern on “The Lucy Show”. 

In October 1961, Shaw did a guest spot on “Pete and Gladys” a spin-off of Desilu’s “December Bride.”  Coincidentally, she shared the screen with Gale Gordon as Uncle Paul. 

Also in 1961, Shaw returned to Desilu’s “The Real McCoys” a series she first did in 1957. The show featured Richard Crenna, who played Arthur Morton in “The Young Fans” (ILL S1;E20) and was a regular on “Our Miss Brooks.” 

Shaw first collaborated with Lucille Ball in 1962 with “Lucy Misplaces $2,000″ (TLS S1;E4). Shaw played a girthy grandma attending a carnival with her granddaughter. 

Shaw (whose character is un-named) also happens to be sitting on one of Lucy’s lost $500 bills!  Shaw’s imposing frame was definitely a factor in her casting. This was her first encounter with Lucy, but not her last. 

In December 1962, Shaw was back on the Desilu lot to play Big Maude Tyler, an escaped convict on “The Andy Griffith Show.”  The role was quite a departure for Shaw. Two years later Shaw was back in Mayberry as Eleanora Poltice, a character more in keeping with Shaw’s usual casting. 

Also in 1962, Shaw made her first appearance on “My Three Sons” (filmed on the Desilu lot) opposite William Frawley as Bub. The next time she did the show was the vert first appearance of William Demarest as Uncle Charley.  

Shaw was back on “The Lucy Show” (with Byron Foulger as her henpecked husband) as Dora Dunbar in “My Fair Lucy” (TLS S3;E20), a parody of the blockbuster film My Fair Lady. Coincidentally, in 1964 Reta Shaw starred in another blockbuster, Oscar-nominated film musical, Mary Poppins. 

A good sport, Shaw ends the episode with a glass of punch poured down her dress by the Countess (played by her former co-star Ann Sothern) and a rebellion by her husband Fred! “Oh, shut up, Doris!”  Once again cast for her size, The Countess calls Dora “fat lady”. 

In December 1965 Shaw did a single episode of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” (filmed on the Desilu lot). Coincidentally, she shared the episode with Jerry Hausner, who played Jerry the Agent on “I Love Lucy.”

Shaw makes a third appearance on "The Lucy Show” when “Lucy Goes To A Hollywood Premiere” (TLS S4;E20) in 1966.  Shaw plays Mrs. Foley, a neighbor of Lucy’s about to move back to Iowa and give up her lucrative stand selling maps to the star’s homes, a job she’s had for 15 years. Lucy takes over and makes a terrible mess of things. 

In 1967, Shaw was reunited with Byron Foulger, who played her henpecked husband Fred on “My Fair Lucy,” for an episode of the short-lived “The Danny Thomas Hour” filmed at Desilu Studios. 

On “Here’s Lucy,” Shaw first played Mabel Ryker in “Lucy, the Process Server” (HL S1;E3). Here Shaw uses the same first name she had in The Pajama Game on stage and screen, Mabel. Shaw was also cast in one of the new series’ first few episodes, just like she was on “The Lucy Show.” 

Mrs. Ryker is the elusive woman to whom Lucy must serve her first summons. This episode was seen just two days after the third episode of…

“The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” starring Shaw as housekeeper Martha Grant. The show (based on the film of the same name) ran for two seasons on NBC, from 1968 to 1970. Although unrelated to Lucy or Desilu, Shaw performed alongside many “Lucy” cast members. 

Another non-Desilu show on which Shaw often appeared was “Bewitched”.  She did a total of four appearances over the entire run of the sitcom: in 1964 and 1965 as Bertha, and in 1966 and 1972 as Aunt Hagatha. All but one episode was directed by former “I Love Lucy” director William Asher. In one episode she appeared opposite Madge Blake (above) who did two episodes of “I Love Lucy” and one of “The Lucy Show.”    

In “Lucy and the Group Encounter” (HL S5;E14) in 1972, Shaw played Rita Forrester,

the owner of Forrester Publications, a client of Carter’s Unique Employment Agency. The name was actually a form of her real-life married name, Reta Forester. Shaw married only once, to actor William Forester in 1952. They were both in the film of The Pajama Game. They divorced ten years later and had one daughter, Kathryn Anne Forester.

When a pencil starts to roll off the desk, Reta Shaw tries to grab it before it hits the ground, but is unsuccessful. A consummate professional, Shaw continues the scene as if it never happened! 

Shaw’s final appearance opposite Lucille Ball was as Mrs. Witherspoon in “Lucy’s Tenant” (HL S6;E7) in 1973. Witherspoon is the first to respond to Lucy’s ad to rent a room now that Kim has moved out.  While the credits list her as MISS Witherspoon, Lucy addresses her as MRS. Witherspoon. Shaw enters with Lucille Ball early in the episode, so she benefits from Ball’s enthusiastic entrance applause.  

MRS. WITHERSPOON: “I don’t approve of men, loud music, alcohol, and…um…whoop-de-doing.” 
LUCY CARTER: “Well, we might ‘woop’ once in a while, but there’s very little ‘de-doing’!” 

Lucy ends up renting the room to the equally undesirable Kermit Boswell (Jackie Coogan). 

Shaw’s final screen appearance was in the Disney film Escape to Witch Mountain in 1975. She died in 1982 at age 69.