And while McClurg will always be associated with her Hogan Family character, she’s had a lengthy career and has played some other very recognizable roles too. Read on to learn more about her work and to find out about her life today. McClurg’s prolific career as a character actor began before she was even cast as Mrs. Poole. Prior to The Hogan Family she had been in the movies Carrie and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and on the TV series The Richard Pryor Show, WKRP in Cincinnati, Harper Valley P.T.A., and The Jeffersons, among many other roles. Her Ferris Bueller’s Day Off part is particularly memorable; she plays school secretary, Grace, who calls Ferris a “righteous dude.” RELATED: Loni Anderson Played Jennifer on WKRP in Cincinnati. See Her Now at 76. Some of McClurg’s other movies include Elvira: Mistress of the Dark, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Curly Sue, Natural Born Killers, and Flubber. She’s also guest starred on numerous shows—including Seinfeld, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Married… with Children—and had recurring roles on 7th Heaven, Caroline in the City, and Melrose Place. Her voice acting career is also extensive and includes voicing characters in The Little Mermaid, A Bug’s Life, Cars and Cars 2, Wreck-It Ralph, and Frozen.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb McClurg was directed by John Hughes in four films: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Curly Sue, and She’s Having a Baby. Of working with the beloved director, McClurg told the Chicago Tribune in 2016, “All the time I was working for him, I felt, ‘Oh, I’m so happy to be here doing this. It was just so wonderful, compared to some of my other experiences. I felt I was very lucky to have the chance to work with all those people he pulled together. But I’m not sure I really understood, at the time, just how wonderful the films would turn out to be. And it was just one after another after another. I was so pleased to be a part of it.” For more celebrity news delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. McClurg hasn’t been in the public eye much in recent years, but TMZ reported in 2019 that she had been diagnosed with dementia. The publication noted that two of the actor’s family members and a friend filed documents requested that her affairs be handled by her cousin as her conservator. That said, McClurg has worked since then. She’s credited for a voice role on a 2020 episode of Family Guy. In 2017, McClurg spoke to KansasCity.com (via PopCulture.com) and looked back on her career. Of Ferris Bueller in particular, she said, “I met people from all over the world who wanted me to [quote the lines]. I just love that people keep remembering the film.” Speaking of her career as a whole, she added, “I feel blessed. A lot of things have flown past my mind for a while. But I know there are many people who still remember and still talk about (my work). They recite the words that were mine to begin with. I’m so pleased people still care about me. I love that they laugh when they think of me.” RELATED: See the Late John Candy’s Kids, Who Are Following in His Footsteps.
