Claudia Bryar (May 18, 1918 – June 16, 2011) was an American actress who mostly specialized in television. Active from the 1950s to the 1980s, she is perhaps best known for her role as Mrs. Emma Spool in Psycho II.She played small parts in mostly Western television series such as Gunsmoke, Bonanza, and The Guns of Will Sonnett, but also The Real McCoys, The Bob Newhart Show, The Andy Griffith Show, and The Twilight Zone. She appeared in small roles in the big screen in cult movies, such as I Was A Teenage Frankenstein and Bad Company. She appeared in made-for-television movies such as Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn (1977) and The Family Nobody Wanted (1975). Her career ended with her role of Mrs. Prince in Hill Street Blues.
Daughter of former United States Congressman and Federal Judge Ross Rizley.
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She is mostly known for appearing in small roles in a few horror films, such as "Mrs. Spool" in Psycho II (1983) and "Arlene's Mother" in I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957).
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In her death scene in the final scenes of Psycho II (1983), where her character "Mrs. Spool" is hit on the head with a shovel, she wore a protective skull cap under her wig to deflect the blow from the rubber shovel.
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
Hill Street Blues
1986
TV Series
Mrs. Prince
The Twilight Zone
1986
TV Series
Townsperson #1 (segment "Welcome to Winfield")
Psycho II
1983
Mrs. Emma Spool
Dynasty
1983
TV Series
Doris
Who Will Love My Children?
1983
TV Movie
Director of Home
McClain's Law
1982
TV Series
Mrs. Norton
Dallas
1981
TV Series
Dolores, Cleaning Lady
240-Robert
1979
TV Series
Lady #1
CHiPs
1979
TV Series
Matronly Lady
Barnaby Jones
1973-1979
TV Series
Mrs. Pomeroy / Ellen Coogan / Sister Agnes Elizabeth / ...
Quincy M.E.
1979
TV Series
Mrs. Hokans
Suddenly, Love
1978
TV Movie
Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn
1977
TV Movie
Ms. Mathias
Green Eyes
1977
TV Movie
Mrs. Cousins
The Streets of San Francisco
1976
TV Series
Mrs. Thompson / Ann Corby
The Bob Newhart Show
1976
TV Series
Mrs. Firman
The Blue Knight
1975
TV Series
Mrs. Bridger
Matt Helm
1975
TV Series
Petrocelli
1975
TV Series
Mrs. Brancussi
The Waltons
1973-1975
TV Series
Nurse Howard / Nurse Stewart
The Family Nobody Wanted
1975
TV Movie
Eunice Franklin
Marcus Welby, M.D.
1974
TV Series
Nurse Grande / Mrs. Grande
The F.B.I. Story: The FBI Versus Alvin Karpis, Public Enemy Number One