Elizabeth Hartman

Infobox actor
name = Elizabeth Hartman


imagesize = 200px
caption = Elizabeth Hartman (1965)
birthname = Mary Elizabeth Hartman
birthdate = birth date|1943|12|23|mf=y
birthplace = Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
deathdate = death date and age|1987|6|10|1943|12|23
deathplace = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Mary Elizabeth Hartman (December 23, 1943 – June 10, 1987) was an American actress, best known for her performance in the 1965 film "A Patch of Blue", a role for which she won the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actress and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Early life

Hartman was born in Youngstown, Ohio, where she became known to patrons of the Youngstown Playhouse as "Biff" Hartman.cite news
title = Biff Hartman of Playhouse Roles Has Broadway Lead
work = The Steel Valley News
page = 24
date = November 22, 1964] After gaining valuable experience in community theater, she relocated to New York City. In 1964, Hartman was signed to play the ingénue lead in the Broadway comedy, "Everybody Out, the Castle is Sinking".

Film career

In 1964, Hartman was screen-tested by MGM and Warner Brothers. In the early autumn of 1964, she was offered a leading role in "A Patch of Blue", opposite Sidney Poitier and Shelley Winters. The role won Hartman widespread critical acclaim, a fact proudly noted by the news media in her hometown.cite news
first = Fred
last = Childress
title = Elizabeth Hartman Wins Praise As "Patch of Blue" Opens
work = The Youngstown Vindicator
page = 44
date = December 16, 1965] The role also won Hartman an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. At the time of her nomination in 1966, Elizabeth Hartman (who was 22 years old) was the youngest nominee ever in the Best Actress category. That same year, Hartman received an achievement award from the National Association of Theater Owners.cite news
title = Elizabeth Hartman Given Award of Theater Owners
work = The New York Times
date = September 30, 1966]

She went on to star in three well-received films, "The Group", "You're a Big Boy Now" and "The Beguiled". A role as wife of former Sheriff Buford Pusser in "Walking Tall" (1973) was followed a decade later by integral voice work in 1982's "The Secret of NIMH", wherein she voiced mouse-heroine Mrs. Brisby. "The Secret of NIMH" happens to be Hartman's last Hollywood film role.

Final years

Throughout much of her life, Hartman suffered from depression. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE7DD103FF931A25755C0A961948260 Elizabeth Hartman, 'Patch of Blue' Star, Is Suspected Suicide] , "New York Times", June 12, 1987] In her later years, her mental health continued to decline and she moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to be closer to her family. In 1984, she divorced her husband, screenwriter Gill Dennis, after a five-year separation. On June 10, 1987, Hartman fell to her death from a fifth-floor window in Pittsburgh, in what was believed to be a suicide. That morning, she had reportedly called her psychiatrist to say that she was feeling low. ["The Vindicator", Youngstown, Ohio, June 11, 1987.] Hartman's body was returned to her hometown and interred at the Boardman Memorial Park, beneath two maple trees.cite news |title = No film stars attend Miss Hartman rites |publisher = "The Youngstown Vindicator" |page = D-19 |date = June 14, 1987]

References

External links

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Persondata
NAME= Hartman, Elizabeth
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Hartman, Mary Elizabeth
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Actress
DATE OF BIRTH= December 23, 1943
PLACE OF BIRTH= Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
DATE OF DEATH= June 10, 1987
PLACE OF DEATH= Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.