Estelle Parsons

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (May 2012) Estelle Parsons , Parsons in a Love, American Style episode in 1973. Born Estelle Margaret Parsons, (1927-11-20) November 20, 1927 (age 85), Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S. Occupation Actress Years active 1961-present Spouse(s) Richard Gehman (1953-1958; divorced; 2 children), Peter Zimroth (1983-present; 1 child) Estelle Margaret Parsons (born November 20, 1927) is an American theatre, film and television actress and occasional theatrical director. After studying law, Parsons became a singer before deciding to pursue a career in acting. She worked for the television program Today and made her stage debut in 1961. During the 1960s, Parsons established her career on Broadway before progressing to film. She received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Blanche Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), and was also nominated for her work in Rachel, Rachel (1968). Parsons worked extensively in film and theatre during the 1970s and later directed several Broadway productions. More recently her television work included a role in the sitcom Roseanne. Nominated on four occasions for a Tony Award, in 2004 Parsons was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame. Early life edit: Parsons was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, in the Lynn Hospital. Her mother, Elinor Ingeborg (née Mattsson), was a native of Sweden, and her father, Eben Parsons, was of English descent. She attended the Oak Grove School for Girls in Maine. After graduating from Connecticut College in 1949, Parsons initially studied law at Boston University, and then worked as a singer with a band before settling on an acting career in the early 1950s. Career edit: Moving to New York City, she worked as a writer, producer and commentator for The Today Show. She made her Broadway debut in 1956 in the ensemble of the Ethel Merman musical "Happy Hunting." She began performing Off-Broadway in 1961, and received a Theatre World Award in 1963 for her performance in Whisper into My Good Ear / Mrs. Dally Has a Lover (1962). Parsons has received Tony Award nominations for her work in The Seven Descents of Myrtle (1968), And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little (1971), Miss Margarida's Way (1978), and Morning's at Seven (2002). She played the Widow Begbick in the American premiere of the Weill - Brecht opera Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (1970), and performed as Mrs. Peacham to Lotte Lenya's Jenny in Threepenny Opera on tour and in New York City. She also played "Ruth" in Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance on Broadway in 1981. From June 17, 2008, through May 17, 2009, she played the role of "Violet Weston" in August: Osage County by Tracy Letts. She continued playing the role during the show's national tour beginning July 24, 2009, in Denver. As a director, Parsons has a number of Broadway credits, including a production of Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and As You Like It in 1986. Off-Broadway, she directed Dario Fo's Orgasmo Adulto Escapes from the Zoo (1983). She also served as the Artistic Director of the Actors Studio for five years, ending in 2003. Her film career includes an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Blanche Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), and a nomination for Rachel, Rachel (1968). She also received a BAFTA Award nomination for her role in Watermelon Man (1970), and appeared in I Never Sang for My Father (1971), Two People (1973), A Memory of Two Mondays (1974), For Pete's Sake (1975), Dick Tracy (1990) and Boys on the Side (1995). She was also the original choice to play the part of Pamela Voorhees in the 1980 film Friday the 13th; the part later went to Betsy Palmer. On television, Parsons played the part of Roseanne and Jackie's pretentious mother, Beverly, on the 1988-1997 sitcom Roseanne. Her other television credits include appearances in The Patty Duke Show, All In The Family, Archie Bunker's Place, Open Admissions, Frasier, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the TV-movie The UFO Incident: The Story of Betty and Barney Hill (opposite James Earl Jones), and the PBS production of June Moon. In 2004, Parsons was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame. She recently appeared in London playing psychic Helga ten Dorp in Deathtrap at the Noël Coward Theatre in the West End. She was recently seen on Broadway in David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People, and opened 24 April 2012, in Nice Work If You Can Get It (musical) as well as the Sunday evening series, 'The Good Wife'. Filmography edit: Film edit: Year Title Role Notes 1963 Ladybug Ladybug JoAnn's Mother 1967 Bonnie and Clyde Blanche Won Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress , 2nd place Laurel Award for Best Supporting Performance 1968 Rachel, Rachel Calla Mackie Nominated Academy Award Best Supporting Actress, Won the Laurel Award for Best Supporting Performance 1969 Don't Drink the Water Marion Hollander 1970 Watermelon Man Althea Gerber Nominated British Academy of Film and Television Arts award 1970 I Never Sang for My Father Alice 1970 I Walk the Line Ellen Haney 1973 Two People Barbara Newman 1974 For Pete's Sake Helen Robbins 1975 Fore Play 1st Lady/Barmaid 1989 The Lemon Sisters Mrs. Kupchak 1990 Dick Tracy Mrs. Trueheart 1990 The Blue Men May 1996 Looking for Richard Margaret 1995 Boys on the Side Louise 1997 That Darn Cat Old Lady McCracken 2011 Wilde Salome Television edit: Year Title Role Notes 1954 Today Self Episode dated 6 September 1954 1963 Defenders !The Defenders Mrs. Martin Metamorphosis 1964 DuPont !The DuPont Show of the Week Carrie Bernice The Gambling Heart 1964 Duke !The Patty Duke Show Mrs. Appleton The Con Artist 1965 Doctors !The Doctors and the Nurses Mrs. Meyers Where There's Smoke 1966 Trials !The Trials of O'Brien Miss Baines Alarums and Excursions 1968 Snap Judgment Self Episode dated 18 November 1968 1968 Hemingway's Spain: A Love Affair Self (voice only) 1968 Kraft Music Hall Self Episode #1.30 1968 Academy !The 40th Annual Academy Awards Self Oscar winner 1970 Front !The Front Page Mollie Malloy 1970 Frost !The David Frost Show Self Episode #2.240 1971 25th Tony Awards Self Nominee 1971 Great Performances Agnes A Memory of Two Mondays 1972 Love, American Style Bernice Love and the Clinic/Love and the Perfect Wedding/Love and the President/Love and the Return of Raymond 1972 Medical Center Bev Wall of Silence 1973 Terror on the Beach Arlene Glynn 1974 Gun !The Gun and the Pulpit Sadie Underwood 1974 Great Performances Lucille June Moon 1975 UFO !The UFO Incident Betty Hill 1976 Tenth !The Tenth Level Crossland 1976 NBC Special Treat Edwina Kemp Big Henry and the Polka Dot Kid 1976 All in the Family Dolores Mancheney Fencel Archie's Secret Passion 1978 All in the Family Blanche Hefner Reunion on Hauser Street 1978 All in the Family Blanche Hefner Weekend in the Country 1979 Archie Bunker's Place Blanche Hefner Blanche and Murray 1979 Backstairs at the White House Bess Truman Four episodes 1981 Gentleman !The Gentleman Bandit Marjorie Seebode 1981 Guests of the Nation Kate O'Connell 1982 Today Self Episode dated 14 January 1982 1982 American Playhouse Mabel Lederer/Angela Motorman Come Along with Me 1987 American Playhouse Waiting for the Moon (the producers wish to thank) 1988 Open Admissions Clare Block 1990 Everyday Heroes Matty Jennings 1992 Private !A Private Matter Mary Chessen Nominated CableACE Award Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries 1993 American !The American Clock Older Doris 1993 Family Feud Self Roseanne vs. Jackie Thomas Sitcoms 1994 Inside the Actors Studio Self 1989-1997 Roseanne Beverly Harris 59 episodes as the mother of Roseanne and Jackie, Nominated for TV Land Award 1997 Touched by an Angel Jeannette Fisher Sandcastles 1998 Love !The Love Letter Beatrice Corrigan 1998 Academy !The 70th Annual Academy Awards Self 1999 Freak City Mrs. Stanapolous 2000 Backstory Self Bonnie and Clyde 2001 100 Center Street Esther O'Neill The Fix 2002 Law and Order: Special Victims Unit Rose Rinato Denial 2002 Tony !The 56th Annual Tony Awards Self 2004 Frasier Opal Coots and Ladders 2004 Frasier Celeste's Mother Frasier-Lite 2004 Frasier (thanks) Goodnight, Seattle: 2004 Strip Search Roberta Gray 2004 Happy Birthday Oscar Wilde Self 2005 Empire Falls Bea 2012 Today Self Episode dated 13 January 2012 Personal life edit: Her grandson is Chicago Bears guard/tackle, Eben Britton.

Source: Wikipedia

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