Alice Nunn

Alice Elizabeth Nunn (October 10, 1927 – July 1, 1988) was an American film and theatre actress.[1] She was born in Jacksonville, Florida and died at her apartment in West Hollywood, California.[1] Although she played many roles across her 31-year career, appearing in more than 50 films and TV series,[2] she is primarily remembered for her role as Large Marge,[1][2] the ghost of a deceased truck driver, in Tim Burton's 1985 film Pee-wee's Big Adventure, which is number 5 on the IFC list of the 25 scariest moments in non-horror film history,[3] and has earned her a cult following from her fans.[2]

Alice Nunn
Nunn in 1965
Born
Alice Elizabeth Nunn

(1927-10-27)October 27, 1927
DiedJuly 1, 1988(1988-07-01) (aged 60)
Resting placeOld Jacksonville City Cemetery, Florida
OccupationActress
Years active1956–1987

Life and career

Alice Nunn was born in Jacksonville in 1927. Her parents were N.G. Nunn and Alice Bush. She showed an early interest in the performing arts and took part in school productions of My Sister Eileen.[1] She studied acting at Wesleyan University and took classes with the American Theater Wing.[1] She did some radio work and she finally got an acting part in New Faces of 1956.[1] She also played in the theatre alongside Shelley Berman and Nancy Walker.[1]

She became a character actress and first appeared on television in episodes of Petticoat Junction...1967's episode "Shoplifter at the Shady Rest" (as Mrs. Benson), 1968's episode "Mae's Helping Hand", as well as 1969's episodes "The Other Woman" (as Mrs. Birdwell) and "Kathy Joe's First Birthday Party" (as the 'Lady with wallet').[1] She also appeared in Ironside, and The Wild Wild West.[2]

She went on to appear in numerous sitcoms such as Camp Runamuck where she played Mahala May Gruenecker, the head counselor of Camp Divine, and the chief opponent of Commander Wivenhoe played by series star Arch Johnson.[1] In her sitcom appearances during the 1960s, Nunn often played strong-willed and edgy women but in a humorous vein.[1]

Nunn's first film appearance was in 1971 in Johnny Got His Gun, where she played the role of a nurse.[1] She was a regular cast member of the Tony Orlando and Dawn variety show and played small parts in films such as the "Fat Lady" in Mame in 1974 and Airport 1975 where she appeared as the "Passenger with a Dog".[1] In 1978, she appeared as Mrs. Callahan in Brian De Palma's The Fury.[4] In 1980, she played the role of Duffy the Cook in Alan Beattie's slasher/mystery Delusion (Also known as The House Where Death Lives), with Patricia Pearcy and Joseph Cotten. In 1981, she played the role of the maid Helga in Mommie Dearest.[1]

Her most memorable role was as Large Marge, a truck driver who frightens Pee-wee Herman in the 1985 film Pee-wee's Big Adventure, providing one of the scariest moments in non-horror film history.[1][3] In the 1986 film Trick or Treat, she played Mrs. Sylvia Cavell, and in 1987, she appeared in Who's That Girl with Madonna. Her last role was that of Nurse Palmer in the 1987 film Three O'Clock High.[1]

In 1988, Nunn died at her apartment in West Hollywood, California, of a heart attack at age 60.[1][2][5]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1971Johnny Got His GunThird Nurse
The SteagleMrs. FurstUncredited
1974MameFat Lady
Airport 1975Passenger with DogUncredited
SnakesSis
1978The FuryMrs. Callahan
The Fifth FloorEmma
1981DelusionDuffy
Mommie DearestHelga
1983Focus on FishkoOld MimiShort
1985Pee-wee's Big AdventureLarge Marge
1986Thrashin'Truck DriverUncredited
Trick or TreatMrs. Sylvia Cavell
1987Who's That GirlWoman Parole Member
Three O'Clock HighNurse Palmer
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1965HazelHildegardeEpisode: "Hazel's Inquisitive Mind"
1965-1966Camp RunamuckMahala May Gruenecker / Mahala May21 episodes
1967The Phyllis Diller ShowMrs. HillEpisode: "Phyllis, the Beauty Queen"
Judd for the DefenseMrs. MerrellEpisode: "A Civil Case of Murder"
1968The Wild Wild WestHildaEpisode: "The Night of the Big Blackmail"
1967-1969Petticoat JunctionMrs. Benson / Lady With Wallet / Mrs. Birdwell4 episodes
1970The Bill Cosby ShowWinona FiskEpisode: "Growing, Growing, Grown"
1971Mayberry R.F.D.Mrs. PlunkettEpisode: 'Millie's Egg Farm"
The Jimmy Stewart ShowBig MotherEpisode: "Another Day, Another Scholar"
1972Evil Roy SladeClaire BeckendorfTV movie
McMillan & WifeWoman / Mrs. Maxwell2 episodes
IronsideMrs. WinstonEpisode: "Buddy, Can You Spare a Life?"
Emergency!Mrs. Lucille RodgersEpisode: "Musical Mania"
Alias Smith and JonesHotel ClerkEpisode: "McGuffin"
1974Tony Orlando and DawnRegular
1975Love NestTV movie
1976ABC Afterschool SpecialConnieEpisode: "Francesca, Baby"
1977Great DayMollyTV movie
Westside MedicalCarrie13 episodes
1978Chico and the ManMrs. KeeverEpisode: "Ed Brown's Car Wash"
1980The Love BoatThe HarridanEpisode: "Celebration/Captain Papa/Honeymoon Pressure"
1974-1981Happy DaysMama Delvecchio / Mrs. Stewart3 episodes
1981Eight Is EnoughHorace's WifeEpisode: "Vows"
Checking InMrs. SabitinoEpisode: "Whose Side Are You On?"
StockersTV movie
Callie & SonMrs. WatkinsTV movie
Dark Night of the ScarecrowMrs. BunchTV movie
Flamingo RoadEpisode: "The Stranger"
1980-1982WKRP in CincinnatiMrs. Hutchinson / Mrs. Nedelman2 episodes
1982Hart to HartBujieEpisode: "The Harts Strike Out"
Nine to FiveBag LadyEpisode: "Temporarily Disconnected"
1984Knight RiderNurse GilmoreEpisode: "Lost Knight"
1985Crazy Like a FoxMrs. De CurtisEpisode: "Eye in the Sky"
Misfits of ScienceSailor SamEpisode: "Sonar... and Yet So Far"
227WomanEpisode: "Football Widow"
1986RiptideNurse Carla WintersEpisode: "A Matter of Policy"
1982-1986Simon & SimonWoman customer at Quickie Mart / Barney - seller of maps to stars' home"2 episodes
1987Murder, She WroteHenriettaEpisode: "No Laughing Murder"
1988My Sister SamLilyEpisode: "Walk a While in My Shoes"

References

  1. "by Bruce Eder critic of All Movie Guide via Hollywood.com". Archived from the original on 2009-12-22. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
  2. E.J. Fleming (11 September 2015). Hollywood Death and Scandal Sites: Seventeen Driving Tours with Directions and the Full Story, 2d ed. McFarland. p. 101. ISBN 978-0-7864-9644-0.
  3. Willmore, Alison (October 29, 2005). "The 25 Scariest Moments in Non-Horror Movies: 5. Large Marge". IFC. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  4. Canby, Vincent (March 15, 1978). "Film: De Palma Mixes Genres in 'Fury':Psyching a Spy". The New York Times. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  5. Strickland, Sandy (April 9, 2017). "Old City Cemetery a history museum". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved February 6, 2020. There’s actress Alice Nunn, who co-starred in the TV series “Camp Runamuck” and is remembered for her role as Large Marge, the scary truck driver in the 1985 film “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.” She died in 1988 at age 60.
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