- Maureen Stapleton
-
Maureen Stapleton 
Born Lois Maureen Stapleton
June 21, 1925
Troy, New York,
United StatesDied March 13, 2006 (aged 80)
Lenox, Massachusetts,
United StatesOccupation Actress Years active 1946–2003 Spouse Max Allentuck (1949-1959)
David Rayfiel (1963-1966)Maureen Stapleton (June 21, 1925 – March 13, 2006) was an American actress in film, theater and television.
Contents
Early life
Stapleton was born Lois Maureen Stapleton in Troy, New York, the daughter of Irene (née Walsh) and John P. Stapleton, and grew up in a strict Irish American Catholic family.[1][2] Her father was an alcoholic and her parents separated during her childhood.[3][4]
Career
Stapleton moved to New York City at the age of eighteen, and did modeling to pay the bills. She once said that it was her infatuation with the handsome Hollywood actor Joel McCrea which led her into acting. She made her Broadway debut in the production featuring Burgess Meredith of The Playboy of the Western World in 1946. That same year, she played the role of Iras in Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra" in a touring production by actress and producer Katharine Cornell.[5] Stepping in because Anna Magnani refused the role due to her limited English, Stapleton won a Tony Award for her role in Tennessee Williams' The Rose Tattoo in 1951. (Magnani's English improved, however, and she was able to play the role in the film version, winning an Oscar.) Stapleton played in other Williams' productions, including Twenty-Seven Wagons Full of Cotton and Orpheus Descending (and its film adaptation, The Fugitive Kind, co-starring her friend Marlon Brando), as well as Lillian Hellman's Toys in the Attic. She won a second Tony Award for Neil Simon's The Gingerbread Lady, which was written especially for her, in 1971. Later Broadway roles included "Birdie" in The Little Foxes opposite Elizabeth Taylor and as a replacement for Jessica Tandy in The Gin Game.
Stapleton's film career, though limited, brought her immediate success, with her debut in Lonelyhearts (1958) earning a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She appeared in the 1963 film version of Bye Bye Birdie, in the role of Mama Mae Peterson, with Dick Van Dyke, Janet Leigh, Paul Lynde and Ann-Margret. Stapleton played the role of Dick Van Dyke's mother, even though she was only five months and 22 days older than Van Dyke. She was nominated again for an Oscar for Airport (1970) and Woody Allen's Interiors (1978). She won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Reds (1981), directed by Warren Beatty, in which she portrayed the Lithuanian-born anarchist, Emma Goldman. She ended her acceptance speech with the quip "I would like to thank everyone I've ever met in my entire life."[6]
Stapleton won a 1968 Emmy Award for her performance in Among the Paths of Eden. She was nominated for the television version of All the King's Men (1959), Queen of the Stardust Ballroom (1975), and The Gathering (1977). Her more recent appearances included Johnny Dangerously (1984), Cocoon (1985) and its sequel Cocoon: The Return (1988).
She was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1981.[7]
Personal life
Stapleton's first husband was Max Allentuck, general manager to the producer Kermit Bloomgarden, and her second, playwright David Rayfiel, from whom she divorced in 1966.[8] She had a son, Daniel, and a daughter, Katherine, by her first husband. Her daughter, Katherine Allentuck, garnered good reviews for her single movie role, that of "Aggie" in Summer of '42 (Stapleton herself also had a minor, uncredited role in the film as the protagonist's mother, though only her voice is heard, she does not appear on camera).
Stapleton suffered from anxiety and alcoholism for many years and once told an interviewer, "The curtain came down and I went into the vodka."[9] She also said that her unhappy childhood contributed to her insecurities. A lifelong heavy smoker, Stapleton died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 2006 at her home in Lenox, Massachusetts.[9]
In 1981 Hudson Valley Community College in Stapleton's childhood city of Troy, New York, dedicated a theater in her name.[10]
Filmography
"The Gathering Part II" Kate Thornton
Year Film Role Other notes 1955 Justice "Track of Fear" (1 episode) (NBC) 1958 All the King's Men TV; Nominated - Emmy Award Lonelyhearts Fay Doyle Nominated - Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture1959 The Fugitive Kind Vee Talbot 1961 Vu du pont Beatrice Carbone aka A View from the Bridge 1963 Bye Bye Birdie Mama Mae Peterson 1967 Among the Paths to Eden Mary O'Meaghan TV; Emmy Award 1969 Truman Capote's Trilogy Mary O'Meaghan Reprise of Emmy winning 1967 role 1970 Airport Inez Guerrero Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
Nominated - Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress1971 Plaza Suite Karen Nash Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture Summer of '42 Hermie's mother Voice (Uncredited) 1972 Dig Mother 1974 Voyage to Next Mother Earth Voice 1975 Queen of the Stardust Ballroom Beatrice 'Bea' Asher Nominated - Emmy Award 1977 The Gathering Kate Thornton Nominated - Emmy Award 1978 Interiors Pearl Nominated - Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture1979 The Runner Stumbles Mrs. Shandig Lost and Found Jemmy 1981 Reds Emma Goldman Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion PictureThe Fan Belle Goldman On the Right Track Mary the Bag Lady 1982 The Electric Grandmother Grandmother TV Little Gloria... Happy at Last Nurse Emma Kieslich TV miniseries 1984 Johnny Dangerously Ma Kelly 1985 Cocoon Marilyn Luckett 1986 Heartburn Vera The Cosmic Eye Mother Earth Voice The Money Pit Estelle 1987 Nuts Rose Kirk Made in Heaven Aunt Lisa Sweet Lorraine Lillian Garber 1988 Liberace: Behind the Music Frances Liberace TV The Thorns Peggy/Mrs. Hamilton TV series Doin' Time on Planet Earth Helium Balloon Saleslady Cocoon: The Return Marilyn 'Mary' Luckett 1989 B.L. Stryker Auntie Sue (1 episode) Nominated - Emmy Award 1992 Passed Away Mary Scanlan Lincoln Sarah Bush Lincoln TV, voice Miss Rose White Tanta Perla Nominated - Emmy Award 1994 Trading Mom Mrs. Cavour, the Gardener The Last Good Time Ida Cutler 1995 Road to Avonlea Maggie MacPhee - 1 episode Nominated - Emmy Award 1996 My Universe Inside Out Voice 1997 Addicted to Love Nana 1998 Wilbur Falls Wilbur Falls High Secretary 2003 Living and Dining Mrs. Lundt References
- ^ Sean O’Driscol (March 2006). "Stapleton, Oscar Winner, Dies at 80". Irish Abroad. http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irishinamerica/entertainment/StapletonOscarWinnerDiesat80.asp. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ Tom Vallance (15 March 2006). "Maureen Stapleton". The Independent. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20060315/ai_n16218780. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ The Associated Press (13 March 2006). "Famed Actress Maureen Stapleton Dies". CBS News. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/13/entertainment/main1393376.shtml. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ Robert Berkvist (19 March 2006). "Maureen Stapleton; actress collected Oscar, Tonys, Emmy". The San Diego Union-Tribune. http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060319/news_mz1p19passst.html. Retrieved 2008-05-11.
- ^ Mosel, "Leading Lady: The World and Theatre of Katharine Cornell
- ^ IMDB
- ^ "26 Elected to the Theater Hall of Fame." The New York Times, March 3, 1981.
- ^ Daniel McEneny (June 2009). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: David Rayfiel House". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. http://www.oprhp.state.ny.us/hpimaging/hp_view.asp?GroupView=102983. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
- ^ a b Berkvist, Robert (2006-03-13). "Maureen Stapleton, Oscar-Winning Actress, Is Dead at 80". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/13/movies/13cnd-stapleton.html. Retrieved 2008-05-04.
- ^ Staff writers (1981-11-30). "College to Call Theater The Maureen Stapleton". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0CE1DE1738F933A05752C1A967948260. Retrieved 2008-05-04.
External links
- Maureen Stapleton at Find a Grave
- Maureen Stapleton at the Internet Broadway Database
- Maureen Stapleton at the Internet Movie Database
Awards for Maureen Stapleton Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (1981–2000) Maureen Stapleton (1981) · Jessica Lange (1982) · Linda Hunt (1983) · Peggy Ashcroft (1984) · Anjelica Huston (1985) · Dianne Wiest (1986) · Olympia Dukakis (1987) · Geena Davis (1988) · Brenda Fricker (1989) · Whoopi Goldberg (1990) · Mercedes Ruehl (1991) · Marisa Tomei (1992) · Anna Paquin (1993) · Dianne Wiest (1994) · Mira Sorvino (1995) · Juliette Binoche (1996) · Kim Basinger (1997) · Judi Dench (1998) · Angelina Jolie (1999) · Marcia Gay Harden (2000)
Complete list · (1936–1940) · (1941–1960) · (1961–1980) · (1981–2000) · (2001–2020) BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (1968–1984) Billie Whitelaw (1968) · Celia Johnson (1969) · Susannah York (1970) · Margaret Leighton (1971) · Cloris Leachman (1972) · Valentina Cortese (1973) · Ingrid Bergman (1974) · Diane Ladd (1975) · Jodie Foster (1976) · Jenny Agutter (1977) · Geraldine Page (1978) · Rachel Roberts (1979) · Rohini Hattangadi / Maureen Stapleton (1982) · Jamie Lee Curtis (1983) · Liz Smith (1984)
Complete list · (1968–1984) · (1985–2009) · (2010–2034) Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture (1961–1980) Rita Moreno (1961) · Angela Lansbury (1962) · Margaret Rutherford (1963) · Agnes Moorehead (1964) · Ruth Gordon (1965) · Jocelyne LaGarde (1966) · Carol Channing (1967) · Ruth Gordon (1968) · Goldie Hawn (1969) · Karen Black/Maureen Stapleton (1970) · Ann-Margret (1971) · Shelley Winters (1972) · Linda Blair (1973) · Karen Black (1974) · Brenda Vaccaro (1975) · Katharine Ross (1976) · Vanessa Redgrave (1977) · Dyan Cannon (1978) · Meryl Streep (1979) · Mary Steenburgen (1980)
Complete List · (1943–1960) · (1961–1980) · (1981–2000) · (2001–present) Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie (1952–1975) Judith Anderson (1954) · Mary Martin (1955) · Claire Trevor (1956) · Polly Bergen (1957) · Julie Harris (1959) · Ingrid Bergman (1960) · Judith Anderson (1961) · Julie Harris (1962) · Kim Stanley (1963) · Shelley Winters (1964) · Lynn Fontanne (1965) · Simone Signoret (1966) · Geraldine Page (1967) · Maureen Stapleton (1968) · Geraldine Page (1969) · Patty Duke (1970) · Lee Grant (1971) · Glenda Jackson (1972) · Cloris Leachman (1973) · Susan Hampshire / Cicely Tyson / Mildred Natwick (1974) · Katharine Hepburn / Jessica Walter (1975)
Complete List · (1952–1975) · (1976–2000) · (2001–2025) Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play (1947–1975) Patricia Neal (1947) · Shirley Booth (1949) · Maureen Stapleton (1951) · Marian Winters (1952) · Beatrice Straight (1953) · Jo Van Fleet (1954) · Patricia Jessel (1955) · Una Merkel (1956) · Peggy Cass (1957) · Anne Bancroft (1958) · Julie Newmar (1959) · Anne Revere (1960) · Colleen Dewhurst (1961) · Elizabeth Ashley (1962) · Sandy Dennis (1963) · Barbara Loden (1964) · Alice Ghostley (1965) · Zoe Caldwell (1966) · Marian Seldes (1967) · Zena Walker (1968) · Jane Alexander (1969) · Blythe Danner (1970) · Rae Allen (1971) · Elizabeth Wilson (1972) · Leora Dana (1973) · Frances Sternhagen (1974) · Rita Moreno (1975)
Complete list · (1947–1975) · (1976–2000) · (2001–2025) Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play (1947–1975) Ingrid Bergman / Helen Hayes (1947) · Judith Anderson / Jessica Tandy (1948) · Shirley Booth (1950) · Uta Hagen (1951) · Julie Harris (1952) · Shirley Booth (1953) · Audrey Hepburn (1954) · Nancy Kelly (1955) · Julie Harris (1956) · Margaret Leighton (1957) · Helen Hayes (1958) · Gertrude Berg (1959) · Anne Bancroft (1960) · Joan Plowright. (1961) · Margaret Leighton (1962) · Uta Hagen (1963) · Sandy Dennis (1964) · Irene Worth (1965) · Rosemary Harris (1966) · Beryl Reid (1967) · Zoe Caldwell (1968) · Julie Harris (1969) · Tammy Grimes (1970) · Maureen Stapleton (1971) · Sada Thompson (1972) · Julie Harris (1973) · Colleen Dewhurst (1974) · Ellen Burstyn (1975)
Complete list · (1947–1975) · (1976–2000) · (2001–2025) Categories:- 1925 births
- 2006 deaths
- Actors Studio alumni
- American film actors
- American stage actors
- American television actors
- American Theatre Hall of Fame inductees
- BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress
- Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winners
- Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (film) winners
- Deaths from lung disease
- Drama Desk Award winners
- Emmy Award winners
- American people of Irish descent
- People self-identifying as alcoholics
- People from Troy, New York
- Tony Award winners
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