Hortense "Claudia" Bryar (née Rizley; May 18, 1918 – June 16, 2011) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

actress. She is best known for portraying

Emma Spool Emma Spool (also known simply as Mrs. Spool) is a fictional character created by screenwriter Tom Holland for the 1983 film '' Psycho II''. She serves as the primary antagonist, and is portrayed by Claudia Bryar. More attention is given to her cha ...

in the film '' Psycho II'' (1983).

Early years

Bryar was one of seven children of Ruby Elaine (née Seal) and Ross Rizley, a congressman and federal judge.

Career

Active from the 1950s to the 1980s, she is perhaps best known for her role as Mrs.

in '' Psycho II'' (1983). Bryar gained early acting experience with the

Pasadena Playhouse The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California, United States. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engage ...

. She played small parts in mostly Western television series such as '' Wanted Dead or Alive'', ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...

'', ''

Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...

'', and ''

The Guns of Will Sonnett ''The Guns of Will Sonnett'' is a Western television series set in the 1870s that was broadcast in color on the ABC television network from 1967 to 1969. The series, which began with the working title, "Two Rode West", was the first production co ...

'', plus sitcoms like ''

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, it ...

'', ''

The Bob Newhart Show ''The Bob Newhart Show'' is an American sitcom television series produced by MTM Enterprises that aired on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978, with a total of 142 half-hour episodes over six seasons. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a psy ...

'', ''

The Andy Griffith Show ''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American situation comedy television series that aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color. The ...

'', ''

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. ''Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.''The show (and CBS) renders the title as ''Gomer Pyle – USMC''. is an American situation comedy that originally aired on CBS from September 25, 1964, to May 2, 1969. The series was a spin-off of ''The Andy Griffith Sho ...

'', and ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, su ...

'' (Episode: "

Mute Muteness is a speech disorder in which a person lacks the ability to speak. Mute or the Mute may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Mute'' (2005 film), a short film by Melissa Joan Hart * ''Mute'' (2018 film), a scien ...

"). She had a small role in Leave It To Beaver episode “Community Chest” (5/13/1961). She had a small role in Dennis the Menace episode “Pythias Was a Piker” (1/29/1961).She appeared in small roles in such films as ''

I Was A Teenage Frankenstein ''I Was a Teenage Frankenstein'' (U.K. title: ''Teenage Frankenstein'') is a film starring Whit Bissell, Phyllis Coates and Gary Conway, released by American International Pictures (AIP) in November 1957 as a double feature with '' Blood of Dra ...

'' (1957) and ''

Bad Company Bad Company are an English rock supergroup that was formed in 1973 by singer Paul Rodgers, guitarist Mick Ralphs, drummer Simon Kirke and bassist Boz Burrell.Bad Company ''AllMusic'' Peter Grant, who managed the rock band Led Zeppelin, also ...

'' (1972). She appeared in made-for-TV movies such as ''

The Family Nobody Wanted ''The Family Nobody Wanted'' is a 1954 memoir by Helen Doss (née Grigsby). It retells the story of how Doss and her husband Carl, a Methodist minister, adopted twelve children of various ethnic backgrounds (White Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Fil ...

'' (1975) and '' Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn'' (1977). Her career ended with her role of Mrs. Prince in ''

Hill Street Blues ''Hill Street Blues'' is an American serial police procedural television series that aired on NBC in prime-time from January 15, 1981, to May 12, 1987, for 146 episodes. The show chronicles the lives of the staff of a single police station loca ...

''.

Personal life

Bryar was married to actor

Paul Bryar Paul Bryar (born Gabriel Paul Barrere; February 21, 1910 – August 30, 1985) was an American actor. In a career spanning nearly half a century, he appeared in numerous films and television series. Career Bryar appeared in nearly 220 fil ...

(born Gabriel Paul Barrere) until his death in 1985. The couple had three children, including

Paul Barrere Paul Barrere (July 3, 1948 – October 26, 2019) was an American musician most prominent as a member of the band Little Feat, which he joined in 1972 some three years after the band was created by Lowell George. Career Barrere recorded and per ...

, guitarist and singer with the rock band

Little Feat Little Feat is an American rock band formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles. George disbanded the group because of creative differences shortly before his death in 1979. Surviving ...

. On June 16, 2011, Bryar died in Los Angeles at the age of 93.

Selected filmography

*''

The Houston Story ''The Houston Story'' is a 1956 American crime film noir directed by William Castle and starring Gene Barry, Barbara Hale and Edward Arnold. Plot Frank Duncan (Barry), a shrewd oil driller from Galveston, Texas, conceives a plan to sneakily sip ...

'' (1956) as Clara Phelan (uncredited) *''

Giant In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: '' gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 fr ...

'' (1956) as Older Beauty Operator (uncredited) *''

The Wrong Man ''The Wrong Man'' is a 1956 American docudrama film noir directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Henry Fonda and Vera Miles. The film was drawn from the true story of an innocent man charged with a crime, as described in the book ''The True Sto ...

'' (1956) as Small Role (uncredited) *''

'' (1957) as Arlene's Mother *''

The True Story of Lynn Stuart ''The True Story of Lynn Stuart'' (originally titled ''The Other Life of Lynn Stuart'') is a 1958 American biographical crime drama film starring Betsy Palmer, Jack Lord, Barry Atwater and released by Columbia Pictures. Marking the final dire ...

'' (1958) as Nora Efron (uncredited) *''

Official Detective ''Official Detective'' is an American anthology television series which aired in syndication from 1957 to March 19, 1958. The series was hosted by veteran film actor Everett Sloane.McNeil, Alex (1996). ''Total Television'' (4th ed.). New York: Pen ...

'' (1958, Episode: "The Deserted House") as Melissa Falcon *''

A Big Hand for the Little Lady ''A Big Hand for the Little Lady'' (released in the UK under the misleading title ''Big Deal at Dodge City'', as the film is set in Laredo, Texas) is a 1966 American Western film made by Eden Productions Inc. and released by Warner Bros. The f ...

'' (1966) as Mrs. Price (uncredited) *''

The Ride to Hangman's Tree ''The Ride to Hangman's Tree'' is a 1967 American Western film directed by Alan Rafkin and written by Luci Ward, Jack Natteford and William Bowers. The film stars Jack Lord, Melodie Johnson, James Farentino, Don Galloway, Richard Anderson and ...

'' (1967) as Mrs. Harmon *''

The Shakiest Gun in the West ''The Shakiest Gun in the West'' is a 1968 American comedy Western film starring Don Knotts. It was directed by Alan Rafkin and written by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum. The film is a remake of '' The Paleface'', a 1948 movie starring B ...

'' (1968) as Mrs. Remington (uncredited) *''

Angel in My Pocket ''Angel in My Pocket'' is a 1969 American comedy film directed by Alan Rafkin and starring Andy Griffith. One of three films originally planned by Universal Pictures to star Griffith, it also features Lee Meriwether, Jerry Van Dyke, Kay Medford, ...

'' (1969) as Mrs. Axel Gresham *''

Gaily, Gaily ''Gaily, Gaily'' (released in the United Kingdom as ''Chicago, Chicago'') is a 1969 American comedy film directed by Norman Jewison. It is a fictionalized adaptation of a 1963 memoir of the same name by Ben Hecht and stars Beau Bridges, Brian ...

'' (1969) as Mother *''

'' (1972) as Mrs. Clum *''

Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the ca ...

'' (1973) as Ann *''

Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid ''Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid'' is a 1973 American Revisionist Western film directed by Sam Peckinpah, written by Rudy Wurlitzer, and starring James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, Richard Jaeckel, Katy Jurado, Chill Wills, Barry Sullivan, Jason ...

'' (1973) as Mrs. Horrell *'' Psycho II'' (1983) as Mrs.

*''

Psycho III ''Psycho III'' is a 1986 American slasher film, and the third film in the ''Psycho'' franchise. It stars Anthony Perkins, who also directs the film, reprising the role of Norman Bates. It co-stars Diana Scarwid, Jeff Fahey, and Roberta Maxwell. T ...

'' (1986) as Mrs. Emma Spool (flashback, uncredited)

References

External links

*
Pictures of Claudia Bryar as Mrs. Emma Spool
, Cinemorgue.com
Obituary
latimes.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Bryar, Claudia 1918 births 2011 deaths American film actresses American television actresses American soap opera actresses People from Guymon, Oklahoma Actresses from Oklahoma 21st-century American women