Actress, Writer and Producer. Born Mary Virginia Skinner, she will best be remembered for partnering with the late Dick Clair to form one of the top comedy writing teams of the 1970s and ’80s. In 1961, she met Clair at a playhouse in West Hollywood where she was teaching acting. They came up with a comedy act, Clair and McMahon, and played nightclubs before graduating to appearances on 'The Ed Sullivan Show', 'The Tonight Show' and 'The Merv Griffin Show' and were regulars on the short-lived comedy variety shows 'What’s It All About, World?' and 'The Funny Side'. On her own, among TV shows she appeared in were, 'Dennis the Menace', 'Twilight Zone', 'Love, American Style' and 'Welcome Back, Kotter'. As a team, they wrote episodes of 'The Bob Newhart Show' and 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' before Carol Burnett, who admired their act, added them to the staff of her famed CBS variety show where they worked there for six seasons (1973-78) and notably created the character of Eunice. They also penned episodes of the comedies 'Maude', 'Flo', 'Soap', 'Diff’rent Strokes', 'The Facts of Life' and later, created the sitcom 'It’s a Living'. McMahon and Clair combined for seven Emmy nominations, and won three for their writing on the Burnett Show. McMahon died of heart failure.
Actress, Writer and Producer. Born Mary Virginia Skinner, she will best be remembered for partnering with the late Dick Clair to form one of the top comedy writing teams of the 1970s and ’80s. In 1961, she met Clair at a playhouse in West Hollywood where she was teaching acting. They came up with a comedy act, Clair and McMahon, and played nightclubs before graduating to appearances on 'The Ed Sullivan Show', 'The Tonight Show' and 'The Merv Griffin Show' and were regulars on the short-lived comedy variety shows 'What’s It All About, World?' and 'The Funny Side'. On her own, among TV shows she appeared in were, 'Dennis the Menace', 'Twilight Zone', 'Love, American Style' and 'Welcome Back, Kotter'. As a team, they wrote episodes of 'The Bob Newhart Show' and 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' before Carol Burnett, who admired their act, added them to the staff of her famed CBS variety show where they worked there for six seasons (1973-78) and notably created the character of Eunice. They also penned episodes of the comedies 'Maude', 'Flo', 'Soap', 'Diff’rent Strokes', 'The Facts of Life' and later, created the sitcom 'It’s a Living'. McMahon and Clair combined for seven Emmy nominations, and won three for their writing on the Burnett Show. McMahon died of heart failure.
Bio by: Louis du Mort
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