Mary Wickes

Biography

Mary Wickes was an American character actress in film, television, and theater from the 1930s to the 1990s. Born in St. Louis in 1910, she was drawn to theater by her parents. She made her Broadway debut in 1934 in The Farmer Takes a Wife, then moved into films and Orson Welles's Mercury Theatre radio company. She specialized in prim, professional women, often secretaries, nurses, and nuns, who made sharp remarks. Her early films included The Man Who Came to Dinner (1941) and Now, Voyager (1942), and she was a comic presence in White Christmas (1954) and The Music Man (1962). On television she played the title role in a 1949 Mary Poppins and earned an Emmy nomination for Mrs. G. Goes to College. Later films included Postcards from the Edge (1990), Sister Act (1992), and Little Women (1994). She died in 1995.

85years old at death

Born June 13, 1910St. Louis
Died October 22, 1995Los Angeles
Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
Also credited as Mary Isabelle Wickenhauser

Movie Career

Films: 28
Career span: 72 years1941 to 2013

Genres

Comedy61%, 17 films
Drama32%, 9 films
Romance25%, 7 films
Family21%, 6 films
Music14%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

First role
In 1934, Wickes made her first appearance on Broadway in Marc Connelly's The Farmer Takes a Wife, a production that also featured Henry Fonda.
First role
Wickes moved into television in 1949. That year she played the title role in a Westinghouse Studio One version of Mary Poppins.

Mary Wickes movies on Netflix

Too Much Johnson2013IMDb rating 5.6as Mrs. Battison
The Hunchback of Notre Dame1996IMDb rating 7.0as Gargoyle Laverne (voice)
Little Women1994IMDb rating 7.3as Aunt March
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit1993IMDb rating 5.8as Sister Mary Lazarus
Sister Act1992IMDb rating 6.6as Mary Lazarus
Postcards from the Edge1990IMDb rating 6.7as Grandma
Napoleon and Samantha1972IMDb rating 6.1as Clerk
Snowball Express1972IMDb rating 6.3as Miss Wigginton
Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows1968IMDb rating 6.4as Sister Clarissa
The Spirit Is Willing1967IMDb rating 5.6as Gloria Tritt
The Trouble with Angels1966IMDb rating 7.3as Sister Clarissa
How to Murder Your Wife1965IMDb rating 6.4as Harold's Secretary
Dear Heart1964IMDb rating 7.2as Miss Fox
Fate Is the Hunter1964IMDb rating 6.8as Mrs. Llewlyn
The Music Man1962IMDb rating 7.7as Mrs. Squires
The Sins of Rachel Cade1961IMDb rating 5.9as Marie Grieux
Cimarron1960IMDb rating 6.4as Mrs. Neal Hefner
It Happened to Jane1959IMDb rating 6.6as Matilda Runyon
The Proud Rebel1958IMDb rating 6.9as Mrs. Ainsley
Dance with Me, Henry1956IMDb rating 5.6as Miss Mayberry
Destry1954IMDb rating 6.6as Bessie Mae Curtis
White Christmas1954IMDb rating 7.6as Emma Allen
By the Light of the Silvery Moon1953IMDb rating 7.0as Stella
On Moonlight Bay1951IMDb rating 6.9as Stella
Now, Voyager1942IMDb rating 7.8as Dora Pickford
The Mayor of 44th Street1942IMDb rating 5.5as Mamie
Who Done It?1942IMDb rating 7.3as Juliet Collins
The Man Who Came to Dinner1941IMDb rating 7.5as Miss Preen

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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The Hunchback of Notre Dame1996 Animation, Drama, Familyas Gargoyle Lavernevoice
IMDb rating 7.0187K votes
Sister Act1992 Comedy, Music, Musicalas Mary Lazarus
IMDb rating 6.6120K votes
White Christmas1954as Emma Allen
IMDb rating 7.657K votes
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit1993as Sister Mary Lazarus
IMDb rating 5.864K votes
Postcards from the Edge1990as Grandma
IMDb rating 6.723K votes
Little Women1994as Aunt March
IMDb rating 7.370K votes
The Trouble with Angels1966as Sister Clarissa
IMDb rating 7.36.5K votes
Who Done It?1942as Juliet Collins
IMDb rating 7.33.0K votes

Most often with

Michael Curtiz directed two of these films, Richard Quine two. Max Showalter appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Max Showalter

Glenn Ford

Doris Day

Charles Drake

Whoopi Goldberg

Bette DavisMichael CurtizDirector, 2 films

Richard QuineDirector, 2 films

Films together

Max Showalter4 films together, 1959 to 1965
Max Showalter's page
- How to Murder Your Wife1965IMDb rating 6.4Wickes as Harold's SecretaryShowalter as Tobey Rawlins
- Fate Is the Hunter1964IMDb rating 6.8Wickes as Mrs. LlewlynShowalter as Dan Crawford
- The Music Man1962IMDb rating 7.7Wickes as Mrs. SquiresShowalter as Salesman On Train
- It Happened to Jane1959IMDb rating 6.6Wickes as Matilda RunyonShowalter as Selwyn Harris
Glenn Ford3 films together, 1960 to 1964
Glenn Ford's page
- Dear Heart1964IMDb rating 7.2Wickes as Miss FoxFord as Harry Mork
- Fate Is the Hunter1964IMDb rating 6.8Wickes as Mrs. LlewlynFord as Sam McBane
- Cimarron1960IMDb rating 6.4Wickes as Mrs. Neal HefnerFord as Yancey 'Cimarron' Cravat
Doris Day3 films together, 1951 to 1959
Doris Day's page
- It Happened to Jane1959IMDb rating 6.6Wickes as Matilda RunyonDay as Jane Osgood
- By the Light of the Silvery Moon1953IMDb rating 7.0Wickes as StellaDay as Marjorie Winfield
- On Moonlight Bay1951IMDb rating 6.9Wickes as StellaDay as Marjorie 'Marjie' Winfield
Charles Drake3 films together, 1941 to 1964
Charles Drake's page
- Dear Heart1964IMDb rating 7.2Wickes as Miss FoxDrake as Frank Taylor
- Now, Voyager1942IMDb rating 7.8Wickes as Dora PickfordDrake as Leslie Trotter
- The Man Who Came to Dinner1941IMDb rating 7.5Wickes as Miss PreenDrake as Sandy
Whoopi Goldberg2 films together, 1992 to 1993
Whoopi Goldberg's page
- Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit1993IMDb rating 5.8Wickes as Sister Mary LazarusGoldberg as Deloris
- Sister Act1992IMDb rating 6.6Wickes as Mary LazarusGoldberg as Deloris
Bette Davis2 films together, 1941 to 1942
Bette Davis's page
- Now, Voyager1942IMDb rating 7.8Wickes as Dora PickfordDavis as Charlotte Vale
- The Man Who Came to Dinner1941IMDb rating 7.5Wickes as Miss PreenDavis as Maggie Cutler
Michael CurtizDirector, 2 films, 1954 to 1958
All films by Michael Curtiz
- The Proud Rebel1958IMDb rating 6.9Wickes as Mrs. Ainsley
- White Christmas1954IMDb rating 7.6Wickes as Emma Allen
Richard QuineDirector, 2 films, 1959 to 1965
All films by Richard Quine
- How to Murder Your Wife1965IMDb rating 6.4Wickes as Harold's Secretary
- It Happened to Jane1959IMDb rating 6.6Wickes as Matilda Runyon
Also two films together27 more actors
- Ellen CorbyNapoleon and Samantha (1972) and On Moonlight Bay (1951)
- Jack LemmonHow to Murder Your Wife (1965) and It Happened to Jane (1959)
- Maggie SmithSister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) and Sister Act (1992)
- Harry MorganSnowball Express (1972) and Cimarron (1960)
- Edgar BuchananCimarron (1960) and Destry (1954)
- Kathy NajimySister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) and Sister Act (1992)
- Leon AmesBy the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953) and On Moonlight Bay (1951)
- Dean JaggerThe Proud Rebel (1958) and White Christmas (1954)
- Lou CostelloDance with Me, Henry (1956) and Who Done It? (1942)
- Percy HeltonThe Proud Rebel (1958) and White Christmas (1954)
- Bud AbbottDance with Me, Henry (1956) and Who Done It? (1942)
- Rosalind RussellWhere Angels Go, Trouble Follows (1968) and The Trouble with Angels (1966)
- Rosemary DeCampBy the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953) and On Moonlight Bay (1951)
- William GarganThe Mayor of 44th Street (1942) and Who Done It? (1942)
- Binnie BarnesWhere Angels Go, Trouble Follows (1968) and The Trouble with Angels (1966)
- Walter ReedDance with Me, Henry (1956) and The Mayor of 44th Street (1942)
- Eddie MarrDance with Me, Henry (1956) and On Moonlight Bay (1951)
- Billy GrayBy the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953) and On Moonlight Bay (1951)
- Pat Crawford BrownSister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) and Sister Act (1992)
- Wendy MakkenaSister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) and Sister Act (1992)
- Howard WendellHow to Murder Your Wife (1965) and By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953)
- Gordon MacRaeBy the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953) and On Moonlight Bay (1951)
- Johnny WhitakerNapoleon and Samantha (1972) and Snowball Express (1972)
- Richard ReevesDance with Me, Henry (1956) and Destry (1954)
- Russell ArmsBy the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953) and The Man Who Came to Dinner (1941)
- Dolores SuttonWhere Angels Go, Trouble Follows (1968) and The Trouble with Angels (1966)
- Barbara HunterWhere Angels Go, Trouble Follows (1968) and The Trouble with Angels (1966)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Mary Wickes's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$793 million

11 of the 28 films have a worldwide figure.

11Worldwide figure
1US gross only
16Figure not found

Top grosser

The Hunchback of Notre Dame1996Gargoyle Laverne$325 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 99% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
The Hunchback of Notre Dame1996as Gargoyle Laverne (voice)
$325M41.0% of the total
2
Sister Act1992as Mary Lazarus
$232M29.2% of the total
3
Little Women1994as Aunt March
$95M12.0% of the total
4
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit1993as Sister Mary Lazarus
$57M7.2% of the total
5
Postcards from the Edge1990as Grandma
$39M4.9% of the total
6
The Music Man1962as Mrs. Squires
$15M1.9% of the total
7
How to Murder Your Wife1965as Harold's Secretary
$12M1.5% of the total
8
Cimarron1960as Mrs. Neal Hefner
$11M1.4% of the total