Biography

Widow of Jack Dodson.

Moving from New York, Mary Weaver had been at the NBC's Network Studios as a Union #829 member Scenic Designer. New York's Network standard credit for art direction was designated as a Scenic Designer. In Los Angeles, Mary transferred by accepting Milt Altman's various job offers at the Burbank NBC Studio. John Shrum was the Art Director on "Days of Our Lives" (day-time drama soap pilot and subsequent series). Mary took over Art Direction duties on the series "Days Of Our Lives" relieving Shrum to accept other Network assignments. Mary Dodson joined "IATSE #876 - The Society of Motion Pictures and Television Art Directors". Mary was the first woman to become a member of this male dominated membership roster. (Note: #876 became #800, The Art Directors Guild. This consolidated representation, putting crafts under one umbrella, initiated by the International IA Board, now includes all art department related personnel including: Set Designers, Continuity-story Board Artists, Matt Artists, Set Illustrators, Scenic Artists, Graphics and Sign Painters).

Sister of Fritz Weaver.

Working as a Set (Scenic) Designer (NY Union #829) with NY-Network NBC TV Studios, Mary Weaver (Dodson) was Johnny Carson's Tonight Show Art Director. When Carson's interview show visited Burbank for a series of bicoastal Network appearances, Mary traveled with the production, usually having a West Coast (NBC-Burbank) Art Director acting as a liaison studio assistant, who was John Shrum. Jack Dodson, Mary's actor husband, became a permanent series regular on Andy Griffith's "Mayberry" family. Mary Weaver and Jack resettled in Los Angeles living in the San Fernando Valley, raising two daughters, Amy and Cristina. Mary's NY-Network affiliation made her West Coast move accepting Network TV projects and commercials. After moving West, Mary added (Jack) "Dodson" for her credit, dropping "Weaver" explaining why her name appears, sometimes, Mary Weaver Dodson.

In 1975-76, the film Producer's Roster was opened, allowing television art directors and designers to be listed on the Art Director's #876 (IATSE) Film Roster "available listing", which allowed active television artists-union-members for employment in the film industry. Mary Dodson made the move into film-television series production. Universal-MCA Television's Art Deparrtment, with Bill DeCinzes and Ray Brandt in charge, hired many art directors from NBC's TV art department to fill the film studios Art Director and Assistant Art Director positions. Universal-MCA's prolific television series, pilot and Movie of The Week (MOW) projects provided product to the three networks (ABC TV, CBS TV, and NBC TV) during the 1970s-1990s. Mary Dodson's career encompassed many diverse television projects bouncing from varied production companies and network affiliations.