Marietta Marich

Marietta Marich (née Cox; April 5, 1930 – September 28, 2017) was an American actress, singer, writer, stage director, and television host whose career spanned more than six decades across theater, television, and film. Born in Dallas, Texas on April 5, 1930, she grew up in a family of performers; both of her parents worked in entertainment, and she began appearing in theatrical productions alongside them at USO events during her childhood. She also sang with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.

By the 1950s, Marich had established herself as a prominent figure in Houston's cultural life. She hosted her own local television program, Midnight With Marietta, and operated multiple live theaters in the city, serving as principal director at each. Her work in Houston positioned her as a central force in the regional theater community for decades.

Her Broadway credit came in 1979, when she originated the role of Miss Mona in the Houston production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. She was subsequently dismissed from the production following professional disagreements with the theater company. Marich attributed her firing to her exacting standards, stating that she had been let go because of her demands for perfection.

Marich transitioned to film work in the 1980s, making her screen debut in Courtship in 1987. She went on to appear in supporting roles throughout the late 1980s and 1990s in films including Simple Men (1992), Leap of Faith (1992), Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering (1996), Two Mothers for Zachary (1998), and Wes Anderson's Rushmore (1998).

In her later years, Marich became widely recognized for her work in horror films. She portrayed Luda Mae Hewitt, the mother of Leatherface, in the 2003 remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and reprised the role in the 2006 prequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. Her daughter Allison appeared in the prequel as a younger version of the same character. Marich's final film appearance was in House of Good and Evil (2013), in which she replaced Tippi Hedren.

In her personal life, Marich was married to radio host Bob Marich, who died in 2012. The couple had two children: a son, actor Michael Marich, and a daughter, Allison. Marich died on September 28, 2017, at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston following complications from an aortic dissection, at the age of 87. A memorial service was held at Grace Presbyterian Church in Houston, where she had been a member.