| Nancy McCarthy | |
|---|---|
Nancy McCarthy | |
| Personal Information | |
| Born: | June 8, 1937 |
| Birthplace: | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Also known for: | "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," |
| Character/Series involvement | |
| Series: | "Gilligan's Island" (Marooned) |
| Character played: | Bunny |
Born Nancy Darlyne McCarthy on June 8, 1937 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Nancy McCarthy is an American movie and television actress. She received her degree in Drama from Carnegie Tech, now the Carnegie Mellon University, and began her acting career in local theater while performing on a weekly radio play. While still a student in college, she auditioned for producer Otto Preminger for the title role in his movie "Saint Joan."
McCarthy originally made her New York stage debut as Dixie Evans in 'The Big Knife" at the Seven Arts Playhouse in 1959, which starred Carroll O'Connor and was directed by Peter Bogdanovich. She appeared in several live television plays produced in New York including "True Story," "Divorce Court," and "Moment of Fear" with Robert Redford on "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." On stage in Los Angeles, she played Maggie in 'After The Fall." Her regional credits include "Flirt in Dark at the Top of the Stairs" with Sylvia Sydney at the Cape Playhouse in Dennis, Massachusetts and as Maisie in "The Boy Friend" at the Pittsburgh Playhouse.
McCarthy also had a recurring role as Laurie Burns on "My Three Sons" and during the Sixties, she appeared on "The Donna Reed Show," "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis," "Adventures in Paradise," "Lock Up" and "Surfside 6" before taking the role of Bunny, the blond secretary, in the original pilot episode of "Gilligan's Island." However, after the pilot was made, Sherwood Schwartz after many network problems decided to change three of the characters and recast her with Dawn Wells as Mary Ann Summers. McCarthy also appeared in two other TV pilots for "Zelda" with Sheila James and on "The Peter Lorre Playhouse."
McCarthy married twice, once to a fellow actor, and later to a businessman to whom she is still married. She retired from acting after suffering a back injury in 1972, but she continued to work as a print and fashion model and in the advertising and design field.They live outside of California.