Joyce Collins Bulifant (born December 16, 1937) is an American actress and author. In addition to recurring roles on television, including ''

The Mary Tyler Moore Show ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (also known simply as ''Mary Tyler Moore'') is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring actress Mary Tyler Moore. The show originally aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977. Mo ...

'' as Marie Slaughter, Bulifant is recognized for film roles in '' The Happiest Millionaire'' and ''

Airplane! ''Airplane!'' (alternatively titled ''Flying High!'') is a 1980 American parody film written and directed by the brothers David Zucker, David and Jerry Zucker, and Jim Abrahams in their directorial debuts, and produced by Jon Davison (film prod ...

'' and as a frequent panelist on

game show A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or demonstrative and are typically directed by a host, ...

s, including ''

Chain Reaction A chain reaction is a sequence of reactions where a reactive product or by-product causes additional reactions to take place. In a chain reaction, positive feedback leads to a self-amplifying chain of events. Chain reactions are one way that sys ...

'', ''

Match Game ''Match Game'' is an American television panel game show that premiered on NBC in 1962 and has been revived several times over the course of the last six decades. The game features contestants trying to match answers given by celebrity panelis ...

'', and ''

Password Plus ''Password Plus'' and ''Super Password'' are American TV game shows that aired separately between 1979 and 1989. Both shows were revivals of ''Password'', which originally ran from 1961 to 1975 in various incarnations. With only subtle differen ...

''.

Early years

Bulifant was born in Newport News, Virginia. She attended Solebury School in

New Hope, Pennsylvania New Hope is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The population was 2,612 at the 2020 census. New Hope is located approximately north of Philadelphia, and lies on the west bank of the Delaware River at its confluence with Aquetong Creek. ...

, graduating in 1956 in the same class as her first husband,

James MacArthur James Gordon MacArthur (December 8, 1937 – October 28, 2010) was an American actor with a long career in both movies and television. MacArthur's early work was predominantly in supporting roles in films. Later, he had a starring role as ...

, son of Helen Hayes and

Charles MacArthur Charles Gordon MacArthur (November 5, 1895 – April 21, 1956) was an American playwright, screenwriter and 1935 winner of the Academy Award for Best Story. Life and career MacArthur was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the sixth of seven chil ...

. She then studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Theatre

Bulifant's

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

credits include ''Tall Story'' (1958) and ''The Paisley Convertible'' (1966). She appeared in ''Glad Tidings''; '' Auntie Mame''; ''Gentlemen, The Queens!''; and ''Under the Yum-Yum Tree''. She has written and performed autobiographical shows, ''Life Upon the Wicked Stage'' and ''Remembering Helen Hayes with Love'', about her former mother-in-law, Helen Hayes, as well as Lillian Gish.

Television

Regular cast

One of Bulifant's earliest roles on television was as a dancer on ''Arthur Murray's Dance Party'' (1950–1960).Terrace, Vincent (1999). ''Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 59. She played Timmie Barnes in ''Too Young to Go Steady'' (1959), Mary Gentry in ''

Tom, Dick and Mary ''Tom, Dick and Mary'', also known as ''90 Bristol Court: Tom, Dick and Mary'', is an American situation comedy that aired on NBC from October 5, 1964 until January 4, 1965. It was one of three separate comedies set in the same Los Angeles, Cali ...

'' (1964–1965), Marie Slaughter on ''

'' (1970–1977), Peggy Wilson on ''Love Thy Neighbor'' (1973), Lois on '' It's a Man's World'' (1962–1963), Marsha Patterson on ''

The Bill Cosby Show ''The Bill Cosby Show'' is an American sitcom television series, that aired for two seasons on NBC's Sunday night schedule from 1969 until 1971, under the sponsorship of Procter & Gamble. There were 52 episodes made in the series. It marked Bill ...

'' (1969–1971), Marjorie Martin on '' Big John, Little John'' (1976–1977), and Alice Wurlitzer on ''

The Bad News Bears ''The Bad News Bears'' is a 1976 American sports comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie and written by Bill Lancaster. It stars Walter Matthau as an alcoholic ex-baseball pitcher who becomes a coach for a youth baseball team known as the Bears. ...

'' (1979–1980). She was heard as the voice of Queen Vanda on the syndicated cartoon series ''

Sport Billy ''Sport Billy'' is a 1980 animated television cartoon made by Filmation Associates, initially for broadcast in Germany. The series was a single 26 episode saga that premiered in Germany and other parts of Europe from 1980 to 1981. In 1982, Filma ...

'' (1982).

Guest appearances

Bulifant guest-starred as Jessica in ''Tales of Wells Fargo'', episode "Fraud," in 1961, in addition to episodes of '' Channing''; ''

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

''; '' The Virginian''; '' Bonanza''; '' Gunsmoke''; ''

Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

''; ''Destry Rides Again''; ''

The Real McCoys ''The Real McCoys'' is an American situation comedy starring Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, and Kathleen Nolan. Co-produced by Danny Thomas's Marterto Productions in association with Walter Brennan and Irving Pincus's Westgate Company, ...

''; ''

McHale's Navy ''McHale's Navy'' is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from October 11, 1962, to April 12, 1966, on the ABC television network. The series was filmed in black and white and originate ...

''; ''Dr. Kildare''; '' Naked City''; '' Police Woman''; ''

My Three Sons ''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seasons. ''My Three Sons'' chroni ...

''; '' Love, American Style''; '' The Facts of Life''; '' Harper Valley PTA''; ''

''; ''Alice''; ''

Three's Company ''Three's Company'' is an American sitcom television series that aired for eight seasons on ABC from March 15, 1977, to September 18, 1984. It is based on the British sitcom '' Man About the House''. The story revolves around three single room ...

''; '' The Joey Bishop Show''; and ''

The Donald O'Connor Show ''The Donald O'Connor Show'' (also known as ''Here Comes Donald'') is an American musical situation comedy television series starring singer/dancer Donald O'Connor. It appeared on NBC from October 9, 1954, to September 10, 1955, alternating on t ...

''. She played an intended murder victim in a 1961 episode of

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film '' Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...

's '' Thriller'' (episode: "An Attractive Family"). She starred opposite her future husband, Roger Perry, in a 1962 pilot for

General Electric Theater ''General Electric Theater'' was an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...

called "The First Hundred Years" and with

Eva Le Galliene Eva Le Gallienne (January 11, 1899 – June 3, 1991) was a British-born American stage actress, producer, director, translator, and author. A Broadway star by age 21, Le Gallienne gave up her Broadway appearances to devote herself to founding t ...

in ''

The Play of the Week ''The Play of the Week'' is an American anthology series of televised stage plays which aired in NTA Film Network syndication from October 12, 1959 to May 1, 1961. Ambitious undertaking The series presented 67 (35 in the first season, 32 in th ...

'' ''

Thérèse Raquin ''Thérèse Raquin'' is an 1868 novel by French writer Émile Zola, first published in serial form in the literary magazine ''L'Artiste'' in 1867. It was Zola's third novel, though the first to earn wide fame. The novel's adultery and murder ...

''. She played Jenny Logan, the incorruptible wife of Tom Logan, played by

Frank Aletter Frank George Aletter (January 14, 1926 – May 13, 2009) was an American theatre, film, and television actor. Early years Born in College Point, Queens, New York, Aletter studied acting at the Dramatic Workshop in Manhattan. He served in the ...

, both of whom were being tempted by Mr. Lucifer, played by

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...

, and Mr. Lucifer's assistant, Iris Hecate, played by

Elizabeth Montgomery Elizabeth Victoria Montgomery (April 15, 1932 – May 18, 1995) was an American actress whose career spanned five decades in film, stage, and television. She is best remembered for her leading role as the witch Samantha Stephens on the televisi ...

, in "Mr. Lucifer," a 1962 episode of ''Alcoa Presents''. She played innocent defendant Nancy Banks in the ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...

'' 1964 episode "The Case of the Ice-Cold Hands," the second of two appearances on that show. She played Miriam Willoughby on '' Flo'' and

David Spade David Wayne Spade (born July 22, 1964) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, television host, and writer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' in the 1990s, and he later began an acting career in both film and television. He also s ...

's mother on ''

Just Shoot Me! ''Just Shoot Me!'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from March 4, 1997, to November 26, 2003, with a total of 145 half-hour episodes spanning seven seasons. The show was created by Steven Levitan, the show's executive ...

'' From 1994 to 1997, she played Emily Wallace, the mother of her real-life son

John Asher John Mallory Asher (born John Mallory, January 13, 1971) is an American actor, film director and screenwriter. He is perhaps best known for his performance as Gary on the USA Network's series spinoff of the movie '' Weird Science''. Early life A ...

, in '' Weird Science''.

Television movies

Bulifant appeared in '' Hanging by a Thread'', '' Better Late Than Never'', ''Little Women'', ''Charley's Aunt'', and ''The Shining''.

Game shows

Bulifant appeared as a frequent guest on game shows including ''

Name That Tune ''Name That Tune'' is an American television music game show. Originally created and produced by orchestra conductor Harry Salter and his wife Roberta Semple Salter, the series features contestants competing to correctly identify songs being p ...

'', ''

Password A password, sometimes called a passcode (for example in Apple devices), is secret data, typically a string of characters, usually used to confirm a user's identity. Traditionally, passwords were expected to be memorized, but the large number of ...

'', ''

'', ''Crosswits'', ''

Tattletales ''Tattletales'' is an American game show produced by Goodson- Todman Productions in association with Fremantle. The program had two runs on the CBS daytime schedule between February 1974 and June 1984. It was hosted by Bert Convy, with severa ...

'', '' To Tell the Truth'', '' $25,000 Pyramid'', and ''Decisions Decisions'', along with David Letterman.

''The Brady Bunch''

Bulifant was the original choice for the role of Carol Brady on ABC's ''

The Brady Bunch ''The Brady Bunch'' is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family with six children. The show aired for five seasons and, afte ...

'', but the part ultimately went to

Florence Henderson Florence Agnes Henderson (February 14, 1934 – November 24, 2016) was an American actress. With a career spanning six decades, she is best known for her starring role as Carol Brady on the ABC sitcom ''The Brady Bunch''. Henderson also appeare ...

Film

Bulifant's most popular film roles were as Rosemary in the Disney live-action feature '' The Happiest Millionaire'', in which she sang "Bye-Yum Pum Pum," and in the 1980 comedy ''

'' She has twice been directed by her son,

, in ''Diamonds'' and ''Tooken'', and appeared in a comedic short, '' The Haircut'', opposite

John Cassavetes John Nicholas Cassavetes ( ; December 9, 1929 – February 3, 1989) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. First known as a television and film actor, Cassavetes also helped pioneer American independent cinema, writing and direc ...

Recognition

Bulifant received a

Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...

for 1961–1962 for her performance in ''Whisper to Me''. In 2014, she and her husband Roger Perry were honored with a Golden Palm Star on the Walk of Stars in Palm Springs, California.

Personal life

Bulifant has been married five times: * First husband

. They married on November 2, 1958, had two children together, Mary MacArthur and Charles MacArthur, and divorced in 1967. * Her second husband was '' Days of Our Lives'' star

Edward Mallory Edward Mallory (born Edward Ralph Martz; June 14, 1930 – April 4, 2007) was an American actor, best known for his role as Dr. Bill Horton on the soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', which he played from 1966 to 1980. Mallory once was married to ...

. They married on September 19, 1969, and had one child,

John Mallory Asher John Mallory Asher (born John Mallory, January 13, 1971) is an American actor, film director and screenwriter. He is perhaps best known for his performance as Gary on the USA Network's series spinoff of the movie '' Weird Science''. Early life ...

. They divorced in 1974. * Her third husband,

William Asher William Milton Asher (August 8, 1921 – July 16, 2012) was an American television and film producer, film director, and screenwriter. He was one of the most prolific early television directors, producing or directing over two dozen series. Wit ...

, adopted her son John, giving him the last name of Asher. She and Asher married August 28, 1976, and divorced in 1993. * Her fourth marriage was to Glade Bruce Hansen; they married in 2000 and divorced the next year. * Her fifth husband was Roger Perry. They married in 2002 after he divorced his wife of many years,

Jo Anne Worley Jo Anne Worley (born September 6, 1937) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. Her work covers television, films, theater, game shows, talk shows, commercials, and cartoons. Worley is widely known for her work on the comedy-variety show ...

, and remained wed until Perry's death on July 12, 2018. Bulifant has a grandson, Evan Joseph Asher, from her son John's marriage to

Jenny McCarthy Jennifer McCarthy Wahlberg (' Jennifer Ann McCarthy; born November 1, 1972) is an American actress, model, and television personality. She began her career in 1993 as a nude model for ''Playboy'' magazine and was later named their Playmate of ...

Advocacy

Bulifant discovered she had dyslexia in her 40s and has served as a longtime advocate for dyslexia research, including writing two musicals on the subject, ''Gifts of Greatness'' and ''Different Heroes, Different Dreams''. Recipients of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, which Bulifant founded to recognize dyslexics who've made a positive contribution to society, include Stephen J. Cannell and

Whoopi Goldberg Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ' ...

. Bulifant herself is a recipient of the 2015 Broken Glass Award from The Dyslexia Foundation. She has for many years been actively involved with the child abuse prevention non-profit

Childhelp Childhelp is a US non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse. Founded in 1959 as International Orphans, Inc. by Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, Childhelp is one of the largest non-profit child abuse prevent ...

, including serving as a Celebrity Ambassador and as a vice-president on the National Board of Directors. She also advocates for autism research. Her memoir, ''My Four Hollywood Husbands'', details the alcoholism of four of her spouses and her recovery from codependent relationships.

Filmography

Theatre

Film

Television

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bulifant, Joyce Living people 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from Virginia American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses People from Newport News, Virginia 1937 births