MARY TREEN

March 27, 1907

Mary Treen was born Mary Louise Summers in St. Louis, Missouri. She was raised in California and attended a convent school where she was in the school plays. During her career, Treen was seen in over 40 films. Among her film roles were Tilly, the secretary of the Building and Loan, in It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) and the role of Pat in the drama Kitty Foyle (1940) starring Ginger Rogers. 

Her first screen roles were in 1930: the short film Surprise, and the feature Viennese Nights. 

She worked with Lucille Ball in an uncredited role in The Fuller Brush Girl (1950). 

In 1954, Treen joined the cast of the Desilu sitcom “Willy”, headed by June Havoc as TV’s first female lawyer. It also featured Desilu regulars Lloyd Corrigan, Will Wright, Joseph Kearns, Paul Harvey, Howard McNear, Jesslyn Fax, Charles Lane, Hal March, Aaron Spelling, Madge Blake, Fortunio Bonanova, Kathryn Card, Elizabeth Patterson, Maurice Marsac, Harry Cheshire, and Norma Varden. Desi Arnaz was the Executive Producer. 

Treen played Emily Dodger, the widowed sister of ‘Willy’, for 38 of the show’s 39 episodes. The show lasted just one season. 

In April 1958, Treen appeared in an episode of Desilu’s hit sitcom “December Bride” that featured Mickey Rooney, as well as Desilu regulars James Flavin, Benny Rubin, and Verna Felton. 

In 1959 and 1960, Treen appeared on two episodes of Desilu’s “The Ann Sothern Show.” Lucille Ball played Lucy Ricardo for one episode of the show’s second season. 

In 1960 and 1961, she did three episodes of “The Andy Griffith Show”, filmed on the Desilu backlot. For two of those episodes she played Clara Lindsey, a good friend of Aunt Bee’s. 

Her longest-running role was as Hilda, the maid and baby nurse, in 56 episodes of “The Joey Bishop Show” from 1962 to 1965. 

In 1968, she was back on the Desilu lot (just before it was sold to Paramount) to film an episode of “Gomer Pyle USMC”. In 1966, the show did a crossover with “The Lucy Show”. 

In 1972, Treen played Kay, Alice’s temporary replacement, on an episode of “The Brady Bunch.” In 1970, Desi Arnaz Jr. appeared as himself on the show. 

It was a long time coming, but in 1974, on the very last episode of “Here’s Lucy,” Treen was finally re-united with Lucille Ball. She played Mary Winters, a waitress who was fired for being too old. Lucy decides to get Mary her job back, and enlists Kim to teach the owner the value of an experienced server. 

“I’m very proud to be able to work with stars, but I’ve never wanted to be one. They are nearly always driven, ruthless people and, I suspect, terribly unhappy basically.” ~ Mary Treen

Treen had also done two films with Gale Gordon, as well as appearing with him on the sitcom “Pete & Gladys” in 1961. 

Her final screen appearance was in the TV film Wait ‘Til Your Mother Gets Home in January 1983. 

Mary Treen died on July 20, 1989 at age 82. She was married to Herbert Curtis Pearson from 1944 until his death in 1965.