Sitcoms Online - Main Page / Message Boards - Main Page / News Blog / Photo Galleries / DVD Reviews / Buy TV Shows on DVD and Blu-ray

View Today's Active Threads (No Chit Chat/Chit Chat Only) / View New Posts (No Chit Chat/Chit Chat Only) / Mark All Boards Read / Chit Chat Board

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir links and theme songs at Sitcoms Online / The Ghost and Mrs. Muir Photo Gallery


Sitcoms Online Message Boards - Forums  

Go Back   Sitcoms Online Message Boards - Forums > 1960s Sitcoms > The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
Register Community View Today's Active Threads (No CC/CC Only) Search Photo Galleries Calendar FAQ

Notices

SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Headlines Facebook X/Twitter Bluesky Threads Instagram YouTube RSS

HBO Max Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Six Feet Under; Netflix Orders Dealies
Additional Fox Summer 2026 Dates; BET's Lot Patrol Premiere Date
Kids Make Me Angry Sneak Peek; Shrinking Adds Karen Gillan for Season 4
Netflix's A Different World Premieres September 24; Ted Danson Joins Elizabeth Banks Apple TV Comedy
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 1, 2026)
SitcomsOnline Digest: New Episodes of The Simpsons Headed Exclusively to Disney+; Release Date Set for Reboot of A Different World
Disney+ Announces Brand New The Simpsons Episodes; Remembering the Sitcom Stars and Crew Members We Recently Lost


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD) The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)

11/04/25 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11/25 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11/25 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11/25 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02/25 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16/25 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16/25 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20/26 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27/26 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11/26 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
04/11/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
04/21/26 - Famous Studios Champion Collection (Blu-ray) (DVD)
05/19/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
05/19/26 - Looney Tunes Cartoons - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Search Sitcoms Online:



Donate

Please make a donation if you can help with Sitcoms Online's web hosting costs. Thanks for your support!

We receive a small commission on all DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, Books, and any other items ordered through our Amazon.com links as an associate. Thanks for using our links for your online shopping!

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 04-22-2008, 01:33 PM   #1
OH Nuts!
Member
Forum King
 
OH Nuts!'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 15, 2005
Posts: 133,383
Default The Reta Shaw Appreciation Thread

She was my favorite character actress!

What's in blue below was written by Family Fan on another bd. Family Fan says it all so eloquently!

"The late, great Reta Shaw. Born in South Paris, Maine, the daughter of a New England orchestra leader. Educated in the arts, Shaw debuted in the play, It Takes Two, a 1946 dud. She went on to character roles in such Broadway musicals as Annie Get Your Gun and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She created the part of Mabel when the musical 'The Pajama Game' opened on Broadway in 1954, a role she reprised in the film version. Shaw was one of the few members of the original Broadway cast of Picnic to be invited to appear in the 1956 film version. She appeared in numerous supporting film roles throughout her career including perhaps most noticeably in Mary Poppins, Pollyanna, Meet Me in St. Louis, and The Ghost and Mr Chicken. She also appeared in scores of televisions series including as Martha the housekeeper in the 1968-1970 series The Ghost & Mrs. Muir. Her last film was Escape to Witch Mountain in 1975. She died in Encino, California at the age of 69.

Most male actors can get 'away' with any looks, but, it was harder for women who were not, to put it gently, 'sexy.' But, Reta never cared about those things and was a treat ,whenever she was in any movie or TV show, for me. She reminded me of the strong women I grew up with in my neighborhood. As she said when she played Ms. 'Frosty', the maid in an ODD COUPLE episode, 'I wield an Iron Mop.' She was a real feminist, long before it was fashionable. My faves are as the seance leader of a group in 'the Ghost and Mr. Chicken' and as the kindly 'Aunt Clara' in one of my fave shows of all time 'Lost In Space.' But, no matter what she was in, you knew she was there, a presence. So, three cheers for one of my favorite unsung female actors from my youth. The late, great Reta Shaw. I know, no matter where she is in heaven, she's in charge.

A list of appearances

Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) .... Mrs. Grindley
"The ABC Afternoon Playbreak" .... Mrs. Tusher (1 episode, 1974)
... aka ABC Matinee Today (USA)
- Oh, Baby, Baby, Baby... (1974) TV episode .... Mrs. Tusher
"Happy Days" .... Mrs. McCarthy (1 episode, 1974)
... aka Happy Days Again (USA: syndication title)
- Breaking Up Is Hard to Do (1974) TV episode .... Mrs. McCarthy
The Girl Who Came Gift-Wrapped (1974) (TV) .... Miss Markin
"Cannon" (1 episode, 1973)
- Arena of Fear (1973) TV episode
"The Odd Couple" .... Ms. Frost (1 episode, 1973)
- Maid for Each Other (1973) TV episode .... Ms. Foster
Guess Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? (1973) (TV) .... Mrs. Guzmando
... aka Guess Who's Sleeping in My Bed?
"Emergency!" .... Ozella Peterson (1 episode, 1973)
... aka Emergencia (USA: Spanish title)
... aka Emergency One (USA: syndication title)
- Snakebite (1973) TV episode .... Ozella Peterson
"Here's Lucy" .... Mabel Ryker / ... (3 episodes, 1968-1973)
- Lucy's Tenant (1973) TV episode .... Mrs. Witherspoon
- Lucy and the Group Encounter (1972) TV episode .... Rita Forrester
- Lucy, the Process Server (1968) TV episode .... Mabel Ryker
"Barnaby Jones" .... Flo (1 episode, 1973)
- Death Leap (1973) TV episode .... Flo
The Toy Game (1973) .... Adelle
Call Holme (1972) (TV) .... Woman
"Bewitched" .... Aunt Hagatha / ... (4 episodes, 1964-1972)
- Sam's Witchcraft Blows a Fuse (1972) TV episode .... Aunt Hagatha
- Witches and Warlocks Are My Favourite Things (1966) TV episode .... Aunt Hagatha
- There's No Witch Like an Old Witch (1965) TV episode .... Bertha
- The Witches Are Out (1964) TV episode .... Bertha
"The New Dick Van Dyke Show" .... Nurse (2 episodes, 1972)
- The Birth (1972) TV episode .... Nurse
- Annie Get Your Bike (1972) TV episode .... Nurse
Murder Once Removed (1971) (TV) .... Nurse Regis
... aka The Obsessive Doctor
"Matt Lincoln" .... Mrs. Tweed (2 episodes, 1970)
- Lia (1970) TV episode
- Angie (1970) TV episode .... Mrs. Tweed
"The Ghost & Mrs. Muir" .... Martha Grant (13 episodes, 1968-1970)
- Wedding Day (1970) TV episode .... Martha Grant
- Curious Cousin (1970) TV episode .... Martha Grant
- Amateur Night (1970) TV episode .... Martha Grant
- Martha Meets the Captain (1970) TV episode .... Martha Grant
- Today I Am a Ghost (1969) TV episode .... Martha Grant
(8 more)


"The F.B.I." .... Shoe Store Customer (1 episode, 1968)
- The Hero (1968) TV episode .... Shoe Store Customer
"I Dream of Jeannie" .... Annie / ... (2 episodes, 1968)
- Jeannie and the Wild Pipchicks (1968) TV episode .... Col. Finch
- Genie, Genie, Who's Got the Genie? (1968) TV episode .... Annie
Mad Mad Scientist (1968) (TV) .... Phoebe
... aka Guess What I Did Today? (USA: alternative title)
"The Danny Thomas Hour" .... Receptionist (1 episode, 1967)
- The Zero Man (1967) TV episode .... Receptionist
"The Girl from U.N.C.L.E." .... Mrs. Sedley (1 episode, 1967)
- The Fountain of Youth Affair (1967) TV episode .... Mrs. Sedley
"Please Don't Eat the Daisies" .... Mrs. Newhall / ... (2 episodes, 1966-1967)
- The Officer of the Court (1967) TV episode .... Mrs. Swanson
- The Pied Piper of Ridgemont (1966) TV episode .... Mrs. Newhall
"The Man from U.N.C.L.E." .... Miss Witherspoon (1 episode, 1967)
- The Suburbia Affair (1967) TV episode .... Miss Witherspoon
"The Monkees" .... Mrs. Badderly (1 episode, 1966)
- Too Many Girls (1966) TV episode (as Rita Shaw) .... Mrs. Badderly
"That Girl" .... Saleslady (1 episode, 1966)
- Phantom of the Horse Opera (1966) TV episode .... Saleslady
"I Spy" .... Bessie McGiveney (1 episode, 1966)
- Lisa (1966) TV episode .... Bessie McGiveney
"Love on a Rooftop" .... Lillian (1 episode, 1966)
- Dave's Night Out (1966) TV episode .... Lillian
Meet Me in St. Louis (1966) (TV) .... Katie
"The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" .... Mrs. Bradley (1 episode, 1966)
... aka Ozzie and Harriet
- Dave's Other Office (1966) TV episode .... Mrs. Bradley
Made in Paris (1966) .... American Bar Singer
"The Lucy Show" .... Dora Dunbar (3 episodes, 1962-1966)
... aka The Lucille Ball Show (USA: alternative title)
- Lucy Goes to a Hollywood Premiere (1966) TV episode
- Lucy Misplaces $2,000 (1962) TV episode
- My Fair Lucy (????) TV episode .... Dora Dunbar
The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966) .... Mrs. Halcyon Maxwell
"The Dick Van Dyke Show" .... Dawn McCracken (1 episode, 1965)
... aka The Dick Van Dyke Daytime Show (USA: rerun title)
- Fifty-Two Forty-Five or Work (1965) TV episode .... Dawn McCracken
"Lost in Space" .... Aunt Clara (1 episode, 1965)
- Return from Outer Space (1965) TV episode .... Aunt Clara
The Loved One (1965) .... Manager of The Zomba Cafe
Marriage on the Rocks (1965) .... Saleslady at Saks
That Funny Feeling (1965) .... Woman at Phone Booth
"Valentine's Day" (1 episode, 1965)
- I'll Cry at My Wedding (1965) TV episode
"Wagon Train" .... Tenny (1 episode, 1964)
... aka Major Adams, Trail Master
- The Richard Bloodgood Story (1964) TV episode .... Tenny
"Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre" .... Head Nurse (1 episode, 1964)
... aka The Chrysler Theater
... aka Universal Star Time (syndication title)
- Think Pretty (1964) TV episode .... Head Nurse
"The Cara Williams Show" (1964) TV series .... Mrs. Martha Burkhardt #2 (unknown episodes)
Mary Poppins (1964) .... Mrs. Brill
"Vacation Playhouse" .... Aunt Josie / ... (2 episodes, 1963-1964)
- Hey, Teacher (1964) TV episode .... Mrs. Foley
- Come a-Runnin' (1963) TV episode .... Aunt Josie
"The Andy Griffith Show" .... Big Maude Tyler / ... (2 episodes, 1962-1964)
... aka Andy of Mayberry (USA: rerun title)
- The Song Festers (1964) TV episode .... Eleanora Poultice
- Convicts-at-Large (1962) TV episode .... Big Maude Tyler
A Global Affair (1964) .... Nurse Argyle
"Alcoa Premiere" .... Nurse (1 episode, 1963)
- Million Dollar Hospital (1963) TV episode .... Nurse
"The Lloyd Bridges Show" .... Mrs. Ardmore (1 episode, 1963)
- Tyrees of Capitol Hill (1963) TV episode .... Mrs. Ardmore
"The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" .... Mrs. Ellingboe / ... (2 episodes, 1960-1962)
- Bachelor Father... and Son (1962) TV episode .... Mrs. Finchley
- That's Show Biz (1960) TV episode .... Mrs. Ellingboe
"Thriller" .... Celia Hooper (1 episode, 1962)
... aka Boris Karloff's Thriller
- 'Til Death Do Us Part (1962) TV episode .... Celia Hooper
"Oh, Those Bells" (1962) TV series .... Mrs. Stanfield
"Follow the Sun" .... Bertha Bullfinch (1 episode, 1962)
- The Irresistible Miss Bullfinch (1962) TV episode .... Bertha Bullfinch
"Outlaws" (1 episode, 1962)
- The Dark Sunrise of Griff Kincaid (1962) TV episode
Bachelor in Paradise (1961) .... Mrs. Brown
"Pete and Gladys" .... Cora (1 episode, 1961)
- Uncle Paul's New Wife (1961) TV episode .... Cora
"Ichabod and Me" (1961) TV series .... Aunt Lavinia (unknown episodes)
Sanctuary (1961) .... Miss Reba
"Checkmate" .... Nora Flannery (1 episode, 1961)
- Don't Believe a Word She Says (1961) TV episode .... Nora Flannery
"The Tab Hunter Show" .... Thelma (10 episodes, 1960)
- Hot and Cold (1960) TV episode .... Thelma
- The Doll in the Bathtub (1960) TV episode .... Thelma
- Double Trouble (1960) TV episode .... Thelma
- I Love a Marine (1960) TV episode .... Thelma
- The Matchmaker (1960) TV episode .... Thelma
(5 more)
Pollyanna (1960) .... Mrs. Tillie Lagerlof


Meet Me in St. Louis (1959) (TV) .... Katie
"The Ann Sothern Show" (1958) TV series .... Florence McCauley (unknown episodes, 1958-1959)
"The Millionaire" .... Mrs. Dubrock (1 episode, 1958)
... aka If You Had a Million
- The Johanna Judson Story (1958) TV episode .... Mrs. Dubrock
The Lady Takes a Flyer (1958) .... Nurse Kennedy
... aka A Game Called Love (USA)
... aka Lion in the Sky (USA)
... aka Wild and Wonderful (USA)
"Date with the Angels" .... Mrs. Lyons (1 episode, 1958)
- Double Trouble (1958) TV episode .... Mrs. Lyons
"The Real McCoys" .... Eunice Webster (1 episode, 1957)
... aka The McCoys
- It's a Woman's World (1957) TV episode .... Eunice Webster
All Mine to Give (1957) .... Mrs. Runyon
... aka The Day They Gave Babies Away (UK)
Annie Get Your Gun (1957) (TV) .... Dolly Tate
The Pajama Game (1957) .... Mabel
Man Afraid (1957) .... Nurse Willis
"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" .... Martha Stone (1 episode, 1956)
- The Creeper (1956) TV episode .... Martha Stone
Picnic (1955) .... Irma Kronkite
"Mister Peepers" (1952) TV series .... Aunt Lil (unknown episodes, 1954)
"Johnny Jupiter" .... Mrs. Clandish (2 episodes, 1953)
- The Surprise Birthday Party (1953) TV episode .... Mrs. Clandish
- Duckweather and the Professor (1953) TV episode .... Mrs. Clandish
"The Red Skelton Show" (1 episode)
... aka The Red Skelton Hour (USA: new title)
- Episode dated 8 April 1969 (????) TV episode

Soundtrack:
1960s
1950s
"Mickie Finn's" (1 episode, 1966)
- Episode #1.10 (1966) TV episode (performer: "I'll Never Be Jealous Again")


The Pajama Game (1957) (performer: "I'll Never Be Jealous Again")

Self:
1960s
1950s
"The Red Skelton Show" .... Herself (1 episode, 1968)
... aka The Red Skelton Hour (USA: new title)
- John Wayne's 40th Anniversary (1968) TV episode .... Herself
"Mickie Finn's" .... Herself (1 episode, 1966)
- Episode #1.10 (1966) TV episode .... Herself


"The Betty White Show" (1958) TV series .... Herself (regular performer) (unknown episodes)

Archive Footage:
"Disneyland"
- Escape to Witch Mountain (1980) TV episode .... Mrs. Grindley
- Pollyanna: Part 3 (1963) TV episode .... Mrs. Tilly Langerlof
- Pollyanna: Part 2 (1963) TV episode .... Mrs. Tilly Langerlof
- Pollyanna: Part 1 (1963) TV episode .... Mrs. Tilly Langerlof[/quote]
__________________

I Love Lucy Too!
OH Nuts! is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2008, 01:38 PM   #2
catlover79
God Bless Val
Forum Addict
 
catlover79's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 29, 2006
Location: Bewitched in Ohio
Posts: 70,376
Default

She was great fun every time she appeared on Bewitched, too!
__________________
"Jesus loves you and He approves this message."

"I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013
catlover79 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2008, 02:00 PM   #3
OH Nuts!
Member
Forum King
 
OH Nuts!'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 15, 2005
Posts: 133,383
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by catlover79
She was great fun every time she appeared on Bewitched, too!
She was to die for in Bewitched!!!
OH Nuts! is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2008, 04:45 PM   #4
Jude The Obscure
Retired
Eternal Member
Forum Veteran
 
Join Date: Dec 10, 2006
Posts: 7,519
Default

Great fun on Bewitched and The Lucy Show!
Jude The Obscure is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2008, 07:29 PM   #5
tv star collector
I Love Susie
Forum 4000 Club Member
 
tv star collector's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 18, 2005
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 4,486
TV

One of the best (and most underrated) character actresses, she was especially memorable in Bewitched, "Mary Poppins," and (of course) as
the housekeeper in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.
tv star collector is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2008, 09:38 PM   #6
OH Nuts!
Member
Forum King
 
OH Nuts!'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 15, 2005
Posts: 133,383
Default

And she was on so many shows, it was almost hard figuring out where to set up this thread--she was so prolific. There were so many great Reta guest appearances, but one of my favs is when she plays a fastidious and domineering maid in ep #81 of The Odd Couple. She ends up being even too fastidious for Felix LOL!
OH Nuts! is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2008, 09:52 PM   #7
Jude The Obscure
Retired
Eternal Member
Forum Veteran
 
Join Date: Dec 10, 2006
Posts: 7,519
Default

I also loved her in Pollyanna as the no-nonsense head of staff!
Jude The Obscure is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-11-2008, 11:51 AM   #8
ethelmaepotter
Member
Frequent Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 03, 2005
Posts: 243
Default

There were so many wonderful character performers back in the heydays of TV. You can see people like Reta Shaw and many others on so many different series. It is unfortunate we don't have a talent pool of great character performers today, but then again, their just aren't that many good shows anymore.
ethelmaepotter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-11-2008, 01:48 PM   #9
catlover79
God Bless Val
Forum Addict
 
catlover79's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 29, 2006
Location: Bewitched in Ohio
Posts: 70,376
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ethelmaepotter
There were so many wonderful character performers back in the heydays of TV. You can see people like Reta Shaw and many others on so many different series. It is unfortunate we don't have a talent pool of great character performers today, but then again, their just aren't that many good shows anymore.
Well said - I agree 100%.
catlover79 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:36 AM.


Although the administrators and moderators of the Sitcoms Online Message Boards will attempt to keep all objectionable messages off this forum, it is impossible for us to review all messages. All messages express the views of the author, and neither the owners of the Sitcoms Online Message Boards, nor vBulletin Solutions Inc. (developers of vBulletin) will be held responsible for the content of any message. The owners of the Sitcoms Online Message Boards reserve the right to remove, edit, move or close any thread for any reason.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2026, vBulletin Solutions Inc.