Toni Gerry; Veteran Actress Appeared in 150 TV Shows

Toni Gerry, an actress who once said “my credits read like a TV Guide for the 1950s,” has died after a long struggle with bone cancer.

Her husband, Hal Stiller, said this week that Miss Gerry was 65 when she died July 25 in a Los Angeles hospital.

Born in Utah where she became stage-struck after playing “Snow White” in a high school play, she began her professional career when agent Paul Kohner discovered her in 1949 at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Her first credits came in the infancy of TV in such landmark series as “Hallmark Hall of Fame” and “Lux Video Theatre.” In all she played leads or supporting parts in more than 150 shows, among them “The Millionaire,” “The Loretta Young Show,” “Schlitz Playhouse of Stars,” “Wanted Dead or Alive,” “National Velvet,” “Mr. and Mrs. North,” “Sea Hunt” and more.

Her dozen feature films include “Lust for Life” (as Johanna), “Boots Malone” and “Bullet for Joey.”

Most recently she had been on stage locally in “Hanna Speaks,” a one-woman show she also wrote based on the true story of two Jewish lovers separated by World War II.

Besides her husband, she is survived by her daughter, Lisa, and a sister.