Mary Grace Canfield was born in Rochester, New York, the second child of Hildegard (née Jacobson) and Hubert Canfield. She grew up in Pittsford, New York. She had a sister, Constance, who was two years older. Acting mostly in small theatre companies and regional theatre between 1952 and 1964, she appeared in several Broadway plays, but most ran for no more than a month. Her Broadway credits include
The Waltz of the Toreadors and
The Frogs of Spring. Canfield's first credited performance on television was in March 1954 when she portrayed Frances in the episode "Native Dancer" on
Goodyear Playhouse. After making additional television appearances, she played housekeeper Amanda Allison on the sitcom
The Hathaways during the 1961-1962 season. As Thelma Lou's "ugly" cousin in an episode of
The Andy Griffith Show, she had an arranged blind date with
Gomer Pyle, played by
Jim Nabors. Her name on this episode was her actual name, Mary Grace. The episode was originally scheduled to air on November 25, 1963, but it was preempted by the coverage of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy three days earlier. ==
Green Acres==