Miriam Byrd Nethery was a talented and versatile actress who appeared in many films and TV shows, such as Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, Tales of the Unexpected, and From a Whisper to a Scream. She was also the wife of actor Clu Gulager and the mother of filmmakers John and Tom Gulager. But how did she die and what was her cause of death? In this article, we will explore the life and career of Miriam Byrd Nethery, as well as the details of her death and the legacy she left behind.
Early Life and Career
Miriam Byrd Nethery was born on May 17, 1929 in Lewisville, Arkansas, to Daniel Thompson “Tom” Nethery and Ruby Estelle Byrd. She was one of five siblings and grew up in a musical family. She developed an interest in acting at an early age and attended the University of Arkansas, where she met her future husband, Clu Gulager, in a drama class. They married on June 21, 1952 and moved to New York City to pursue their acting careers.
Miriam Byrd Nethery made her Broadway debut in 1954 in The Desperate Hours, a thriller starring Karl Malden and Paul Newman. She also appeared in other plays, such as The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, The Miracle Worker, and The Glass Menagerie. She and her husband moved to Hollywood in the late 1950s and started working in film and television. Some of her notable film roles included Bound for Glory (1976), a biopic of folk singer Woody Guthrie; Nickelodeon (1976), a comedy about the early days of cinema; and Walk Like a Man (1987), a comedy starring Howie Mandel.
Miriam Byrd Nethery was also a prolific TV actress who guest-starred in many popular shows, such as Starsky and Hutch, Barney Miller, Charlie’s Angels, Quincy, Highway to Heaven, and Mr. Belvedere. She often played supporting characters who were warm, kind, or humorous. She also worked with her husband and sons in some projects, such as The Offspring (1987), a horror anthology film directed by Jeff Burr; Stepfather II (1989), a sequel to the cult thriller starring Terry O’Quinn; and Dan Turner, Hollywood Detective (1990), a TV movie based on the pulp fiction character.
Illness and Death
Miriam Byrd Nethery was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the early 1990s and underwent surgery to remove it. However, the tumor recurred and caused her to lose sight in one eye. She continued to act despite her condition and appeared in some films and TV shows in the 1990s, such as In the Line of Duty: Ambush in Waco (1993), a TV movie about the siege of the Branch Davidian compound; Across Five Aprils (1990), a Civil War drama based on the novel by Irene Hunt; and Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990), the third installment of the horror franchise.
Miriam Byrd Nethery’s last film role was in Vic (2006), a short film directed by her son John Gulager and starring her husband Clu Gulager as an aging actor who gets a chance to revive his career. The film was dedicated to her memory and won several awards at film festivals. Miriam Byrd Nethery died on January 6, 2003 in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 73. She was survived by her husband, two sons, four grandchildren, and two sisters.
Legacy
Miriam Byrd Nethery was a beloved actress who left behind a rich body of work that spanned five decades. She was known for her versatility, professionalism, and charm. She worked with many acclaimed directors, such as Hal Ashby, Peter Bogdanovich, Jeff Burr, John Carpenter, David Lynch, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Robert Wise. She also collaborated with many famous actors, such as Tim Allen, James Arness, Ernest Borgnine, Jeff Bridges, Glenn Close, Robert Duvall, Sally Field, Jodie Foster, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, Diane Keaton, Steve Martin, Bette Midler, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, Robert Redford, Mickey Rooney, Susan Sarandon, Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek, Sylvester Stallone, Patrick Swayze, Lily Tomlin, John Travolta, and Robin Williams.
Miriam Byrd Nethery was also a loving wife and mother who supported her family’s artistic endeavors. She inspired her sons to become filmmakers and appeared in some of their projects. Her husband Clu Gulager praised her as his “best friend” and “greatest teacher”. He also said that she was “the most beautiful woman I ever saw in my life”. Miriam Byrd Nethery’s cause of death was cancer, but her spirit lives on in her films and TV shows, as well as in the hearts of her fans and loved ones. She was a remarkable woman who left a lasting impression on the world of entertainment.
