Marietta Marich (; née Cox; April 5, 1930 – September 28, 2017) was an American actress, singer, writer, stage director, and television host. Born in

Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...

, Texas, Marich became a prominent stage actress in

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

beginning in the 1950s. She later began appearing in films in the 1980s, making her screen debut in ''

Courtship Courtship is the period wherein some couples get to know each other prior to a possible marriage. Courtship traditionally may begin after a betrothal and may conclude with the celebration of marriage. A courtship may be an informal and private m ...

'' (1987). She subsequently appeared in a number of films in supporting roles, including ''

Simple Men ''Simple Men'' is a 1992 American film written and directed by Hal Hartley and starring Robert John Burke, Bill Sage, Karen Sillas, and Martin Donovan. It was the debut film of actress Holly Marie Combs, in a supporting role. It was entered into ...

'' (1992), ''

Leap of Faith A leap of faith, in its most commonly used meaning, is the act of believing in or accepting something outside the boundaries of reason. Overview The phrase is commonly attributed to Søren Kierkegaard; however, he never used the term, as he ...

'' (1993), and

Wes Anderson Wesley Wales Anderson (born May 1, 1969) is an American filmmaker. His films are known for their eccentricity and unique visual and narrative styles. They often contain themes of grief, loss of innocence, and dysfunctional families. Cited by so ...

's '' Rushmore'' (1998). Marich garnered renewed attention for her portrayal of Luda Mae Hewitt, mother of

Leatherface Leatherface is a fictional character in ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'' film series created by Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper. He first appears in '' The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'' as a disfigured, cannibalistic and mentally unstable mass murdere ...

, in the 2003 remake of ''

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ''The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'' is a 1974 American horror film produced and directed by Tobe Hooper from a story and screenplay by Hooper and Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow and Gunnar Hansen, ...

'', as well as its prequel, '' The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning'' (2006). Her final film appearance was in ''

House of Good and Evil ''House of Good and Evil'' is a 2013 American psychological thriller film directed by David Mun and written by Blu de Golyer. It stars Rachel Marie Lewis and Christian Oliver as a married couple who, after a miscarriage caused by the husband phys ...

'' (2013), before her death in 2017 of

aortic dissection Aortic dissection (AD) occurs when an injury to the innermost layer of the aorta allows blood to flow between the layers of the aortic wall, forcing the layers apart. In most cases, this is associated with a sudden onset of severe chest or ...

, aged 87.

Biography

Marich was born Marietta Cox in

, Texas on April 5, 1930. Both her parents were performers, and she began appearing in theatrical productions with them at

USO The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...

events in her childhood. She also sang in the

Tommy Dorsey Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-toned trombo ...

Orchestra. In the 1950s, Marich became a well-known figure in

, where she hosted her own local television show, called ''Midnight With Marietta'', and operated several live theaters in Houston of which she was principal director. She originated the role of Miss Mona in the first Houston version of ''

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas ''The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'' is a musical with a book by Texas author Larry L. King and Peter Masterson and music and lyrics by Carol Hall. It is based on a story by King that was inspired by the real-life Chicken Ranch in La Grange ...

'' in 1979, but was subsequently fired from the production due to professional clashes with the theater company. Marich responded that she had been fired "because I am a perfectionist, and I made demands for perfection." Marich made her feature film debut in the 1987 film ''

''. She went on to appear in supporting roles in a number of films throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, including ''

'' (1992), ''

'' (1993), '' Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering'' (1996), ''

Two Mothers for Zachary ''Two Mothers for Zachary'' is a 1996 ABC television film directed by Peter Werner and starring Valerie Bertinelli and Vanessa Redgrave. It is a true story adaptation of the '' Bottoms v. Bottoms'' family custody battle brought by a mother who di ...

'' (1998), and

cult film A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage ...

'' Rushmore'' (also 1998). In her later years, she became known for her roles in horror films, including the 2003 remake of ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'', starring

Jessica Biel Jessica Claire Timberlake (née Biel ; born March 3, 1982) is an American actress and model. She has received various accolades, including a Young Artist Award, and nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. Biel be ...

. Marich reprised her role as Luda Mae Hewitt in the 2006

prequel A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work. The term " ...

, '' The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning''. In 2013, she replaced fellow veteran actress

Tippi Hedren Nathalie Kay "Tippi" Hedren (born January 19, 1930) is an American actress, animal rights activist, and former fashion model. A successful fashion model who appeared on the front covers of ''Life'' and '' Glamour'' magazines, among others, Hed ...

in ''

''.

Personal life

Marich was married to former radio host Bob Marich who predeceased her in 2012. They had a son, actor Michael Marich, and a daughter, Allison, who portrayed a younger version of Marietta's character in ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning''.

Death

Marich died on September 28, 2017, in Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas, following complications from an

. Her memorial service took place at the Grace Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas, where she was a member.

Filmography

Select stage credits

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Marich, Marietta 1930 births 2017 deaths 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from Dallas Actresses from Houston American film actresses American television actresses American stage actresses American women singers American Presbyterians Deaths from aortic dissection