As a child, she worked in vaudeville, including the act known as the King Sisters,[2] and later in theater/cabaret before moving on to television and films.

In addition to films, Bird made numerous appearances on various television series, including roles on Happy Days, Silver Spoons, Ironside, Eight Is Enough, The Facts of Life, Who's the Boss?, and Knots Landing.

She was also a regular cast member on the sitcoms It Takes Two in 1982, Benson from 1984 to 1986, and in 1988 Dear John starring Judd Hirsch.

Her last acting role was a brief appearance in 1997 on an episode of the sitcom George and Leo, which starred Bob Newhart and Bird's former co-star, Hirsch.

[2] Bird died on November 27, 2002, in Granada Hills, California, at the age of 94 after several years of Alzheimer's disease.