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Gretchen Wyler (born Gretchen Patricia Wienecke; February 16, 1932 – May 27, 2007) was an Americans actress and dancer. She was also an animal rights advocate and founder of the Genesis Awards for animal protection.Fox, Margalit. (2007). "Gretchen Wyler, 75, Actress and Advocate for Animals, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
She also appeared at the 1964 World's Fair alternating with Chita Rivera in Wonder World. The Michael Kidd/Jule Styne extravaganza played at the outdoor amphitheater. Eventually she went west to Hollywood to pursue movie stardom, which eluded her, but did co-star in the sitcom On Our Own (1977-1978) and appeared on many television programs, ranging from The Phil Silvers Show (aka Sergeant Bilko) to Naked City to Somerset, , Charlie's Angels, Dallas, St. Elsewhere, Remington Steele, Falcon Crest, Santa Barbara, Punky Brewster, MacGyver, Who's the Boss, Designing Women, Friends, and Judging Amy. She made a number of appearances as a panelist on the game show To Tell the Truth; her last television appearance was on Chicken Soup for the Soul.
She appeared in Rick McKay 2004 award-winning feature documentary, , in which she recounted her "aggressive" nature and an almost Eve Harrington-esque ambition, when she recalled trying on the star (Yvonne Adair)'s outfits when she was merely second understudy in the pre-Broadway touring production of Silk Stockings. When Adair collapsed in the middle of a show one night, and the first understudy (Sherry O'Neil) had surreptitiously gone to New York City to audition for another play (which Wyler knew), Wyler stepped in, and played the role when the show arrived on Broadway theatre. Wyler had already filmed her appearance in McKay's sequel, Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age (2008) before she died.
Wyler opposed animal testing and argued that "animals should have the right to run if they have legs, swim if they have fins and fly if they have wings". Wyler became a Vegetarianism in 1969 for ethical reasons. "The Satya Interview with Gretchen Wyler". Satya. Retrieved 26 January 2024. She was featured on the front cover of The British Vegetarian magazine, published by the Vegetarian Society.
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> "Radical Objects: The British Vegetarian". historyworkshop.org.uk. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
In 1986, she was Vice Chairperson of The Fund for Animals. In 1991, she founded The Ark Trust, presenter of the annual Genesis Awards for animal protection; this event is now a program of The Humane Society of the United States. In 2005, Wyler was inducted into the U.S. Animal Rights Hall of Fame for her dedicated career in animal advocacy. U.S. Animal Rights Hall of Fame . In 2007, the first Gretchen Wyler Award was given to Paul McCartney. The Humane Society of the United States official website
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