Thea White, the actress who played Muriel Bagge in the horror-comedy Courage the Cowardly Dog, has sadly passed away at the age of 81.
As a result, the crossover Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog is her last performance as the kindly Muriel. In the show, Courage is found as a puppy outside a dumpster after his family are sent to space by a veterinarian. Muriel calls him "Courage" due to his bravery after being abandoned and orphaned and so he defends Muriel and her husband Eustace from the terrifying paranormal creatures that encroach on their farm.
Of course, Muriel and Eustace are oblivious to the lengths to which the little dog goes to keep them safe and sound. Courage the Cowardly Dog's dark and absurdist sense of humour meant it was a hit with children and adults alike. The character of Muriel earned a special place in the audience's hearts, however, and the news of White's death has hit fans hard.
Her brother John Zitzner shared that White passed "peacefully of complications from surgery" following her treatment for liver cancer. "Sadly we lost our legendary Feefer (the voice of Muriel) on Friday morning after she fought hard with courage to try to beat her liver cancer and to resume life or to die trying," explained Zitzner on Facebook. "(She ended up with an infection after cutting out the damn cancer)."
Advert
Born in Newark, New Jersey in 1940, White's mother and grandmother were Eleanor and Eva Hazard - two vaudeville actresses. It was understandable then that White wanted to become an actress too and she attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and the American Theater Wing. She starred in several stage productions in Texas and even worked with Marlene Dietrich as her personal assistant.
Expectedly, tributes have rushed in for the actress on social media. "She delivered Muriel's lines beautifully and its [sic] really sad to hear that she is gone," said @Cray_RT on Twitter. "She will be very missed. She did so much for the show and for our childhoods." Our thoughts are with White's family and friends in this difficult time.
Featured Image Credit: Warner Bros. Television DistributionTopics: TV and Film, no article matching, News
