Mae Laborde

Mae Laborde
Born
Mae Shamlian

(1909-05-13)May 13, 1909
Fresno, California, United States
DiedJanuary 9, 2012(2012-01-09) (aged 102)
Occupation(s)TV actress, entertainer
Years active2002–2012
Spouse(s)Nicholas Laborde (1892-1980); (his death)

Mae Laborde (May 13, 1909 – January 9, 2012) was an American television and film actress, who began her career at the age of 93 and who was active until her death at age 102. She was best known for her appearances on Talkshow with Spike Feresten as well as portraying Gladys on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Mrs. Mendelson in Pineapple Express (2008).

Background

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Born in 1909 to Armenian parents Paul and Fereday Shamlian,[1] in Fresno, Laborde arrived in Los Angeles at the height of the Great Depression. She met her husband, Nicholas Laborde, when he was the conductor on Los Angeles' old Red Car trolley line that she took home from work. She worked throughout her life, including a stint as bookkeeper for Lawrence Welk.[2]

She began acting in 2002 in her 90s.[3] She was also the subject of the featured article on Yahoo! on March 30, 2007.[4] She appeared frequently on Talkshow with Spike Feresten. Although not an acting gig, she appeared as an interviewee in the 1998 KCET production of "More Things That Aren't Here Anymore" hosted by veteran broadcaster Ralph Story.

In 2006 she appeared as Rosemary in the stoner horror film Evil Bong; ironically she appears in a behind-the-scenes interview expressing disapproval of cannabis use.

In 2007, she appeared in The Heartbreak Kid.

In 2008, Laborde appeared in the TV show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia as Gladys for the episode The Nightman Cometh.[5]

On February 21, 2009, at 99 years old, she was awarded an honorary DTV converter box on Feresten's show in recognition of a comedy sketch she appeared in parodying the difficulties of installing a DTV converter box. Laborde died in 2012, aged 102, in Santa Monica, where she had lived for more than 80 years.[6]

Family

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Laborde outlived both her husband, Nicholas, and only child, Mrs. Shirley Miller.[7]

References

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  1. ^ Listing from www.startiger.com
  2. ^ Patsy Clairmont; Women of Faith; Barbara Johnson; Marilyn Meberg; Sandi Patty; Nicole Johnson; Luci Swindoll; Jan Silvious; Thelma Wells; Carol Kent; Mary Graham; Sheila Walsh (24 May 2010). Infinite Grace: The Devotional. Thomas Nelson Inc. p. 29. ISBN 978-1-4185-7009-5.
  3. ^ "new It girl: Starlet, 97, is just getting started". Today.com. Yahoo! Inc. 2007-04-05. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
  4. ^ Rogers, John (2007-03-29). "No fading star: Actress gets roles at 97". Yahoo! News. Yahoo! Inc. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
  5. ^ Wood, Jennifer (October 3, 2018). "The Nightman Cometh: An Oral History of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Musical Episode–Turned–Live Show Phenomenon". GQ. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  6. ^ "Mae Laborde Obituary (2012) Los Angeles Times". Legacy.com.
  7. ^ Santa Monica Mirror: "Happy 100th Birthday"
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