Peggy McCay

At A Glance

A native of Manhattan, Emmy winner Peggy McCay holds the unique honor of being nominated for a primetime and daytime Emmy in the same year (1987). In daytime, she was nominated for Lead Actress for her work on Days of our Lives and in primetime for Best Guest Actress for her work on Cagney and Lacey. McCay took home the statue in 1991 for her performance as a homeless woman on The Trials of Rosie O'Neill. This same performance garnered her a special award from the John Henry Foundation that read: "For your dignified and perceptive depiction of mental illness."

McCay's other nominations include Lead Actress for Days of our Lives (1986) and the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries category (1993) for her work as Tatum O'Neal's mother in Woman on the Run: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story. The latter also earned her a nomination from the Canadian Academy for a Gemini Award, a rare achievement for an American.

The more than 1000 members of the Acting Branch of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences have acknowledged McCay's contributions to her profession by electing her as their Governor. She is a member of the Daytime Awards Committee and as such was instrumental in obtaining the 1995 Lifetime Achievement Emmy for Ted and Betty Corday, who are the creators and executive producers of Days of our Lives. Peggy is also a founding member of The New Image Committee; a bi-coastal organization designed to improve the daytime Emmy Awards show and the nomination process.

Peggy grew up in the Big Apple and spent her childhood playtime acting out scenarios that were constantly overflowing from her creative and active imagination. "I loved 'play acting' with all of my friends," McCay recalls. "I'd set up situations, paint a scenario and then we would all act them out, never knowing how our stories were going to end. Today it's called 'improv,' or better yet, interactive/CD ROM acting, but back then, it was just 'Cops 'N Robbers' and 'Knights in Armor.'"

By the time she entered high school, McCay landed roles on the stage performing in Omnibus and Playhouse 90. After graduating from Barnard College of Columbia University, she immediately landed a role in a Kraft Theater show. She continued cultivating her talents touring as the youngest member of the Margo Jones Repertory Theater and received her training from such greats as Sanford Meisner, Harold Clurman and Lee Strasberg.

After dazzling the theater world, McCay was lured to Hollywood by Warner Bros., who fell in love with her and put her under contract. She immediately had her own comedy series, Room for One More and guest-starred on Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Maverick, among others. More recent guest-starring roles include series such as L.A. Law, Night Court, Newhart, Highway to Heaven, The Jeffersons, and Cagney and Lacey. Peggy was a regular on Gibbsvilleand The Lazurus Syndrome and had a recurring role on Lou Grant.

Not only has Peggy been an invaluable contributor to primetime, but she will always remain an invaluable member of the daytime community, having appeared on Love of Life and General Hospital, not to mention her current role on Days of our Lives. McCay explains her affection for daytime television, "I love the spontaneity of daytime TV; after all it's the nearest thing to theater we have in television."

This love for theater is apparent to any audience member who has seen her in the Chekov masterpiece Uncle Vanya and the subsequent film. For her role as Sonya opposite Franchot Tone in the theatrical production, Peggy became one of the first women to win the Village Voice Obie Award. She also appeared in the television adaptation of The Cherry Orchard with Helen Hayes and Susan Strasberg and toured with Ms. Hayes in the same production. Peggy honed her skills touring with Joseph Mascolo in the smash theater piece Love Letters, and remains a lifetime member of The Actor's Studio, whose lifetime members also include Marlon Brando, Paul Newman and Marilyn Monroe. As appealing on film as she is on television, McCay has starred in films such as Murphy's Romance, Second Thoughts with Lucy Arnaz, and Bustin' Loose with Richard Pryor. McCay's movies-of-the-week include Two of a Kind with George Burns, Amityville with Patty Duke and Deadly Care with Cheryl Ladd.

Peggy was extremely devoted to animal rights issues and contributed a great deal of her time and energy to PETA, Last Chance for Animals, Actors and Others for Animals, L.A.S.P.C.A., and many others. She was so devoted to animals that she requested that the actors on DAYS refrain from wearing fur on the show and considered her home a sanctuary for lost and homeless pets. When she was not caring for a lovable furry creature, Peggy was traveling the country, visiting college campuses, teaching intensive drama workshops and holding fundraisers for college drama/theater departments.

Peggy passed away on October 7, 2018, at the age of 90.

Acting Portfolio: TELEVISION

Days of our Lives Caroline Brady 1983 to December 5, 2003 ; July 14, 2004 to Present Cold Case Zelda Panay '10 2010 James Dean Emma Dean 2001 Judging Amy Phyllis Younger 2000 Silk Hope 1999 Providence Dorothy Chenoweth 1999 Profiler Melinda Gillespie 1997 Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy Avra 1997 Woman on Trial: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story Virginia Bembenek 1993 L.A. Law Patricia Holtz 1993 The Commish Mrs. O'Grady 1992 The Trials of Rosie O'Neill Irene Hayes 1991 Hardball 1990 His & Hers 1990 Amityville: The Evil Escapes Helen Royce 1989 Winnie Mrs. McKenna 1988 I Married Dora Lillian Farrell 1987 Deadly Care Mrs. Halloran 1987 Cagney & Lacey Mrs. Carruthers 1985 Highway to Heaven Louise 1985 Hardcastle and McCormick Dr. Coley 1985 Airwolf Mrs. Taggart 1984 Gimme a Break! Robin Thornton 1984 Night Court Louise Kerr 1984 Memorial Day Mrs. Gibbs 1983 Newhart Flo McKenna 1983 St. Elsewhere Claire Fields 1983 The Jeffersons Shirley Schneide 1983 The Powers of Matthew Star Alice Wellman 1983 Wait Till Your Mother Gets Home! Cynthia Peters 1983 Two of a Kind Nurse Harris 1982 Lou Grant Marian Hume 1978-1982 Quincy M.E. Mrs. Irene Jordan 1982 Mark, I Love You Margaret Hamilton 1980 Fighting Back Ellen Bleier 1980 Archie Bunker's Place Margaret 1979 Mrs. R's Daughter Mrs. Burroughs 1979 The Lazarus Syndrome Stacy 1979 The Amazing Spider-Man Dr. Davis 1978 Bud and Lou 1978 Loose Change Mrs. Berenson 1978 How the West Was Won Maggie Taylor 1978 The Lazarus Syndrome Stacy 1978 Logan's Run Dr. Mildred Krim 1977 Kojak Mrs. Smith 1977 ABC Afterschool Specials Mrs. Calder 1977 Good Against Evil Irene 1977 Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years Grace Tully 1977 Gibbsville Mrs. Malloy 1976-1977 Most Wanted 1976 Cannon Nancy Strickland 1976 Eleanor and Franklin Grace Tully 1976 Barnaby Jones Rose Ballinger 1975 Medical Story 1975 S.W.A.T. Laura Huston 1975 The Waltons Mrs. Thomas 1974 The Streets of San Francisco Nurse 1974 Marcus Welby, M.D. Jane 1974 The F.B.I. Mrs. Barrows 1972 The Rookies Mrs. Sloan 1972 Longstreet Mrs. Ames 1972 A Death of Innocence Helen McCloud 1971 Gunsmoke Pene Lynott 1971 Bonanza Pat Griswold 1971 The City Mrs. Lockney 1971 Make Room for Granddaddy Rita 1971 The Interns 1971 An Afternoon in the Fall 1970 General Hospital Iris Fairchild 1967 to 1970 The Young Marrieds Susan Garrett 1964-1966 Ben Casey Nurse Todd 1964 Ben Casey Doris Farrow 1964 Slattery's People Evelyn Breland 1964 The Great Adventure Mrs. Callaway 1964 Channing Joan 1964 The Fugitive Ann Guthrie 1964 The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Mrs. Grainger 1964 House Guest Sally Mitchell 1962 The Virginian Helen Hammond Judson 1963 Redigo Jessie Graham 1963 The Greatest Show on Earth Anne 1963 Perry Mason Margaret Layton 1963 The Case of the Long-Legged Models Stephanie Falkner 1958 Laramie Martha Halloran 1963 Hawaiian Eye Helena Ogden 1963 The Andy Griffith Show Sharon DeSpain 1963 The Wide Country Mildred Price 1962 Room for One More Anna Rose 1962 Surfside 6 Nicole Crane 1962 Surfside 6 Ann Wayne 1961 77 Sunset Strip Fay Dakota 1961 Lawman Cassie Nickerson 1961 The Roaring 20's Libby Norton 1961 Maverick Melissa Bouchet 1960 Maverick Polly Goodin 1960 Play of the Week Vary 1959 The David Niven Show Ann Thompson 1959 Matinee Theatre Jane Wilson 1957 The Adventures of Jim Bowie Malvina Creel 1957 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Myra Herbert 1957 The Court of Last Resort Darlene Fitzgerald 1957 Lux Video Theatre 1957 Robert Montgomery Presents 1957 Armstrong Circle Theatre Mrs. Robertshaw 1957 Studio One in Hollywood Claire 1957 Goodyear Playhouse Sue 1956 Appointment with Adventure 1955 The United States Steel Hour Agatha 1955 Love Story 1954 Omnibus Hilde 1954 Hallmark Hall of Fame 1952 Love of Life Vanessa 'Van' Dale Raven Sterling (#1) 1951 to 1955 (original cast) Somerset Maugham TV Theatre 1951 The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse 1949 Kraft Theatre 1949

Acting Portfolio: FILM

The Irish Vampire Goes West Aunt Margaret 2007 Daddy's Girl Grandmother 1996 No Man's Land Benjy's Mom 1987 Murphy's Romance Mrs. Willis 1985 UFOria Celia Martin 1985 Second Thoughts Dr. Martha Carpenter 1983 Bustin' Loose Gladys Schuyler 1981 Promises in the Dark Miss Pritikin 1979 FBI Code 98 Deborah Cannon 1963 Lad: A Dog Elizabeth Tremayne 1962 The Case Against Brooklyn Mrs. Jane Harris 1958 Uncle Vanya Sofia 1957 From the Desk of Margaret Tyding 1956

Awards & Acclaim

Daytime Emmys Nomination, Outstanding Lead Actress (2013, 2015 ; for Days of our Lives) Daytime Emmys Nomination, Outstanding Supporting Actress (1986, 1987, 2016 ; for Days of our Lives) Daytime Emmys Pre-Nomination, Outstanding Lead Actress (2013, 2015 ; for Days of our Lives) Daytime Emmys Pre-Nomination, Outstanding Supporting Actress ( 2016 ; for Days of our Lives)

Vital Statistics

DATE OF BIRTH: November 3

PLACE OF BIRTH: New York, New York, USA
EDUCATION: Attended Barnard College and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University