Marilyn: Beverley Owen
Marilyn Munster is a fictional character in the CBS sitcom The Munsters, originally played by Beverley Owen and later by Pat Priest. In the original series she is the daughter of Lily Munster’s sister, with Herman alluding to her “plain” looks coming from Lily’s side of the family.
Marilyn was originally played by Beverley Owen, who was 27 years old at the time and had to wear a blonde wig to resemble Marilyn Monroe. Convinced that the show would never succeed, she accepted the role of Marilyn, but her problems started when she had to move out of New York. On occasions, she was seen depressed and even crying in the studios. The role was taken over in episode 14 by Pat Priest after Owen left to marry future Sesame Street writer and director Jon Stone. According to Al Lewis in a 2001 interview with Pittsburgh radio’s Doug Hoerth, Beverley Owen was troubled by the separation from her boyfriend, who stayed in New York City, and on petitions from Al Lewis and Fred Gwynne was let go by the studio. According to Michael Davis’s book, Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street, Owen’s problems on the set were acts, formulated by both her and Stone to get her released from the series, so she could relocate to New York permanently.
Despite standing out amongst the cast more than any other character, Marilyn was the least developed character in the series. She usually served as an ear for Lily’s expeditions, or a subject for Grandpa’s foiled potions. –Wikipedia
Beverley Jane Ogg was born on May 13, 1937, in Ottumwa, Iowa. She was the first born child of Wallace E. Ogg and Charlotte M. Vander Ploeg. She grew up in Ames, Iowa, where her father was a professor of agricultural economics at Iowa State University. Her mother died in 1953.
In 1956, Owen appeared in her first TV role in As the World Turns. Owen appeared on the shows The Doctors, Kraft Mystery Theatre, The Virginian, Wagon Train, and Another World, and in the feature film Bullet for a Badman, starring Audie Murphy, after which she got the role of Marilyn Munster on The Munsters. In 1972.
Owen left The Munsters after 13 episodes to marry Sesame Street writer and producer Jon Stone in Newfane, Vermont on June 27, 1964. They were married for ten years until 1974. She had two daughters, Polly and Kate. After her divorce in 1974 she continued to pursue her studies in early American history and earned a master’s degree in 1989. Owen’s daughter Polly confirmed that the actress died of ovarian cancer on February 21, 2019, at the age of 81. Butch Patrick, her co-star on The Munsters, released a Facebook statement on February 24, 2019, saying “Beautiful Beverly Owen has left us. What a sweet soul. I had the biggest crush on her. RIP Bev and thanks for your 13 memorable Marilyn Munster episodes.” Her ashes were sprinkled in Woodford, Vermont’s state park. –Wikipedia