About Marcia Wallace
Marcia Karen Wallace (November 1, 1942 – October 25, 2013) was an American actress and comedian, primarily known for her roles on sitcoms. She is best known for her role as receptionist Carol Kester on The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978) and as the voice of elementary school teacher Edna Krabappel on the animated series The Simpsons, for which she won an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance in 1992. The character was retired after her death but sporadically appears through archive recording. Wallace was known for her tall frame, red hair, and distinctive laugh. She had a career spanning five decades on TV, film, and stage. She was a frequent guest on The Merv Griffin Show, which led to her receiving a personal request to appear on The Bob Newhart Show in a role created especially for her. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 1985, she became a cancer activist, and remained so until her death in 2013. == Early life == Wallace was born in the small, rural town of Creston, Iowa, on November 1, 1942, the eldest of three children of Arthur "Poke" Wallace and Joann Wallace. Her father owned and operated Wallace Sundries, a general merchandise store, where Marcia, her sister Sharon, and brother Jim would often help. While Wallace attended Creston High School, a teacher encouraged her to consider a career in acting after she did well in a school play.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.