Billie Bird

Early life

Born in Pocatello, Idaho, Bird was discovered at the age of eight while living at an orphanage. As a child, she worked in vaudeville, and later in theater/cabaret before moving on to television and films.

Career

She is credited on the Internet Movie Database with an appearance in a 1921 film Grass Widowers, but it is not clear if this is accurate. Otherwise, she broke into films in 1950, later making a brief uncredited appearance in The Odd Couple as a chambermaid. Her only line was "Goodnight", which was said to Felix Ungar, who responded, "Goodbye." Bird was often cast by director John Hughes and appeared in many of his 1980 and 1990s films, such as Sixteen Candles, Home Alone, and Dennis the Menace, the latter two of which both paired her with veteran Hughes actor Bill Erwin playing her husband. She also starred as Mrs. Lois Feldman in Police Academy 4. Her last film appearance was in 1995's Jury Duty, with Pauly Shore.

In addition to films, Bird made numerous appearances on various television series including roles on Silver Spoons, Ironside, Eight Is Enough, The Facts of Life, Who's the Boss?, and Knots Landing. She was also a regular cast member on the sitcoms It Takes Two in 1982 and Benson from 1984 to 1986. In 1988, she joined the cast of Dear John starring Judd Hirsch. Her last acting role was a brief appearance in 1997 on an episode of the CBS sitcom George & Leo, which starred Bob Newhart and Bird's former co-star, Hirsch.

Personal life

Bird was married to Edwin Sellen until his death in 1966; they had three children.

Death

Bird died on November 27, 2002 in Granada Hills, California at the age of 94 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. She is buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.