Singer & Actress of 'The Andy Griffith Show'

Maggie Peterson | Biography

Incarnated on the 'Missouri Walk of Fame' in 2008 with her fictional musical family, The Darlings

• By Reena Chikanbanjar
• Update : December 09, 2021

---

Maggie Peterson is an American actress best known for playing Charlene Darling in the CBS situation comedy series The Andy Griffith Show.

Who is Maggie Peterson?

Maggie Peterson made her acting debut on Season 3 of the show The Darlings Are Coming of The Andy Griffith Show, portraying the role of Charlene Darling. Charlene shows up in Mayberry with her family to receive her fiancé, PFC Dudley A. 'Dud' Wash (played by Hoke Howell). Charlene eventually develops a crush on the show's lead character Sheriff Andy Taylor (played by Andy Griffith). Charlene was a recurring character and was featured in six episodes from 1963 to 1968. 

Aside from her breakout role, Peterson appeared in nearly a dozen television series, including The Bill Dana Show, Gomer Pyle: USMC, Love, American Style, Green Acres, Mayberry R.F.D., The Odd Couple, and The Magical World of Disney, between 1964 and 1987.

Peterson also appeared in films Angel in My Pocket and The Love God? in 1969. Her television movie credits include Doc (1969), The Over-the-Hill Gang (1969), Pleasure Palace (1980), Stark (1985), and Return to Mayberry (1986). In April 2008, she received a star on the 'Missouri Walk of Fame' with her fictional musical family, The Darlings, of The Andy Griffith Show.

How old is Maggie Peterson?

Born on 10 January 1941 in Colorado, Maggie Peterson's age is 80 years as of 2021. She was born to homemaker Tressa Hill and doctor Arthur Peterson. She has three older siblings. 

Peterson was a singer before she started her acting career. At age 12, she joined a small singing group called the Ja-Da Quartet, which his brother, Jim, formed with his two friends. She traveled the country on tours with the group for many years before being discovered by Dick Linke.

Husband

On 28 January 1978, Peterson married jazz musician Gus Mancuso. The couple first met each other at a casino in Lake Tahoe in 1968 while she was performing as an opening act for Andy Griffith, and Mancuso was playing bass in a lounge act. After marriage, the couple spent several years in Los Angeles before settling in Las Vegas.

Maggie Peterson Today

In early 2019, Peterson underwent shoulder surgery, which eventually partially paralyzed her arms. She also had an undiagnosed weakness in her legs that led her to a series of falls, resulting in stitches on her face, broken ribs, re-injury to her shoulders. Her left ankle also got severely broken, requiring surgery. In November 2019, she got admitted to rehabilitation facilities.

According to Peterson, her husband is an Alzheimer's patient, and she was his caregiver until her health condition got worse. As Peterson also needed care, she said her insurance did not cover her bills, and her finances also could not cover bills. To help Peterson with financial needs, her niece and nephew, Amy Royer and Ben Eaton, started a GoFundMe campaign in March 2020.

In November 2020, Ben updated Peterson's health update on Facebook, stating that she has almost healed from her surgeries, but lost mobility in her arms. In the Facebook post, Ben also wrote that his family provided in-home care for Peterson and Mancuso in 2020. However, stating that in-home service is not a financially sustainable option for long-term care, they would transfer Peterson and Mancuso to an assisted living facility in Las Vegas in December 2020.

In January 2021, the couple tested positive for COVID-19. Peterson was hospitalized on 7 January 2021 after she experienced severe symptoms. She received antiviral treatments and was discharged from the hospital on 14 January 2021.