‘Animal House’ Star Dies 1 Day Before Her Birthday: Mary Louise Weller Was 79

Actress Mary Louise Weller passed away last week, one day shy of her 80^th birthday.

Weller quickly gained fame due to her role as Mandy Pepperidge, a sorority sister from the Pi House who dated fraternity president Gregory Marmalard (played by James Daughton) in the movie Animal House, whom the movie’s star, John Blutarsky (played by John Belushi), was enamored with. In the movie’s epilogue, it’s revealed that Pepperidge and Blutarsky later married.

Animal House, released in 1978, quickly became a cult classic, and the movie brought in more than $140 million against a $3 million budget.

She was likely drawn to acting by her godfather, Danny Kaye, the legendary actor/comedian/personality.

In addition to her role as Pepperidge, Weller was credited as a cast member in nine other films over a ten-year period (1972 – 1982). Those included a trio of films in 1982, her final year of acting on the big screen. During that year, Weller was cast in Forced Vengeance (where she played Chuck Norris’ on-screen girlfriend), Q, and Blood Tide.

Weller, whose passing was reportedly preceded by a short illness, also performed onstage and on television, and even wrote Four Alone, a play performed at Pasadena, California’s Greenhouse Theater.

On the small screen, Weller appeared in more than a dozen shows, including the popular late ‘70s buddy-cop show, Starsky & Hutch. Other TV appearances included CHiPS, whose plot was also based around the police. Supertrain, Fantasy Island, Vega$, and Quincy, M.E., were among her other roles. Her appearance in Quincy, M.E., took place over a single episode in 1983 when she was cast as Dr. Wendy Peterman. Weller’s inclusion in the episode “The Cutting Edge” was the final acting credit of her relatively brief career.

Weller is survived by her longtime partner, Michael Roy Curtis.