SUSAN TOLSKY

April 6, 1943

Susan Gaye Tolsky was born on April 6, 1943, in Houston, Texas. She attended Bellaire High School, where she grew fond of acting. When her father advised her not to pursue a career in acting, she enrolled at the University of Texas in Austin to major in nursing.  She switched to drama two years later.  In her senior year, a talent scout and casting director advised her to try acting in Hollywood, where she later moved after graduating in 1967. 

Her career began in the late 1960s, when she had a main role as Biddie Cloom on the ABC comedy Western series “Here Come the Brides” (1968–70). 

Her fame on “Brides” earned her a profile in TV Guide on June 21, 1969. 

In February 1972, Tolsky appeared as Sue Ann Ditbenner, a neighbor of Kim Carter’s on the “Here’s Lucy” episode “Kim Finally Cuts You-Know-Whose Apron Strings” (HL S4;E24). This was also a pilot for a possible spin-off for Lucie Arnaz, but it was not picked up for series. Had it been sold, Tolsky would have played Kim’s whacky neighbor. 

Possibly feeling bad for Tolsky about the failure of the spin-off, Lucille Ball re-hired Tolsky later in 1972, at the start of season five of “Here’s Lucy,” to play an off-beat secretary named Miss Quigley, who subs for Lucy at the Employment Agency while her broken leg is healing in “A Home is Not an Office” (HL S5;E4).  Interestingly, on both episodes of “Here’s Lucy,” Tolsky has no scenes with Lucille Ball! 

At the same time, she was also a series regular on the variety series “The New Bill Cosby Show” (1972–73). 

Later, Tolsky was part of the main cast as Bernadette Van Gilder on the syndicated sitcom “Madame’s Place” (1982–83).

Beginning in the early 1990s, Tolsky worked exclusively as a voice actress in animated television. Her most recent work was on the Disney Chanel’s “The Buzz on Maggie” voicing Mrs. Frieda Pesky from 2005 to 2006.