Mary Louise Wilson

This article is about the American actress. For the Native American storyteller and educator, see Mary Louise Defender Wilson.

Mary Louise Wilson (born November 12, 1931) is an American actress, singer, and comedian.

Mary Louise Wilson
Born	(1931-11-12) November 12, 1931 (age 91) New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Actress, singer
Years active	1958–present
Spouse	Alfred Cibelli (m. 1965; div. 1968)

In a career that has spanned more than 50 years, she has appeared in a number of plays, films and television shows. Wilson's most notable work includes a Tony Award-winning role on Broadway in Grey Gardens.^[1] She is also known for her appearances on One Day at a Time.

Early life

Wilson was born in New Haven, Connecticut, but raised in New Orleans, Louisiana.^[2] She married fellow actor Alfred “Chibbie” Cibelli on April 6, 1965 in New Haven. They were married for three years before the union ended in divorce.^[3]

Work

Stage

Broadway^[4] Hot Spot (1963) as Sue Ann (Broadway debut) Flora, The Red Menace (1965) as Comrade Ada Lovers and Other Strangers (1968) as Bernice Noël Coward's Sweet Potato (1968) (replacement) Promises, Promises (1968) as Marge MacDougall Watercolor & Criss-Crossing (1970) The Women (1973) as Nancy Blake Gypsy: A Musical Fable (1974) as Tessie Tura The Royal Family (1975) as Kitty Dean The Importance of Being Earnest (1977) as Miss Prism The Philadelphia Story (1980) as Elizabeth Imbrie Fools (1981) as Lenya Zubritsky Alice in Wonderland (1982) as the Red Queen The Odd Couple (1985) as Mickey Cabaret (1998) as Fräulein Schneider The Women (2001) as Mrs. Morehead Grey Gardens (2006) as Edith Bouvier Beale (Tony Award) On the Twentieth Century (2015) as Letita Peabody Primrose

Off-Broadway^[5] Bonds of Interest (1958) The Threepenny Opera (1959) (replacement)^[6] Dime a Dozen (1962) A Great Career (1968) Whispers on the Wind (1970) Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You and The Actor's Nightmare (1982) (replacement) Baby with the Bathwater (1983) Macbeth (1989) Flaubert's Latest (1992) Full Gallop (1995) (co-author, winner of the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show) Bosoms and Neglect (1998) The Beard of Avon (2004) Grey Gardens (2006) 4000 Miles (2011)

Other Gypsy (1974)^[7] Anyone Can Whistle (1980)^[8] Social Security (1987)^[9] False Admissions (1994)^[10] The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore (1996)^[11] Morning's at Seven (2002)^[12] The Rivals (2005)^[13] The Guardsman (2010)^[14]

Filmography Year Title Role(s) Notes 1971 Klute an ad agency secretary Going Home Mrs. Green the real estate lady 1972 Up the Sandbox Betty 1978 King of the Gypsies Ivy 1982 The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Miss Mo-dene 1983 Zelig Ruth, Zelig's half-sister 1984 Teachers Teacher 1986 The Money Pit Benny's mom 1989 Cheap Shots Dotty Pet Sematary Dory Goldman She-Devil Mrs. Trumper 1990 Everybody Wins Jean Green Card Mrs. Sheehan 1993 The Adventures of Huck Finn Miss Watson Mr. Wonderful Muriel Manners 1998 Stepmom Mrs. Franklin 1999 24 Nights Lillian 2002 Searching for Paradise Evelyn Greenslate 2003 The Third Date Lulu Short film Psychoanalysis Changed My Life Dr. Anya Zurmer 2013 Nebraska Aunt Martha 2018 Ocean's 8 Marlene Television The Royal Family (1977) as Kitty Dean One Day at a Time (1976-1977) as Ginny Wroblicki Maude (1978) as Congresswoman Irene McIlhenny Lou Grant (1982) A Mistaken Charity (1986) as Mrs. Simmonds Tales from the Darkside (1986) The Thorns (1988) Blind Spot (1993) as Mrs. Deitz Remember WENN (1996) Cosby (1999) Frasier (2000) as Helen The Sopranos (2000) as Catherine Romano A Season for Miracles (1999) as Corinna The Women (2002) as Mrs. Morehead Louie (2010) as Louie's mother Nurse Jackie (2012) as Doris Mozart in the Jungle (2014-2018) as Bunny Orange is the New Black (2016) as Millie Modern Family (2018) as Becky Pritchett

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominated Work	Result
1996	Obie Award^[15]	Distinguished Performance by an Actress	Full Gallop	Won
1998	Tony Award^[16]	Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical	Cabaret	Nominated
1999	Drama Desk Award^[17]	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play	Bosoms and Neglect	Nominated
2004	Drama Desk Award^[18]	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play	The Beard of Avon	Nominated
2006	Outer Critics Circle Award^[19]	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical	Grey Gardens	Nominated
	Lucille Lortel Award^[20]	Outstanding Performance by a Featured Actress		Nominated
	Drama League Award^[21]	Distinguished Performance		Nominated
2007	Tony Award^[22]	Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical		Won
	Richard Seff Award^[23]	Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Broadway or Off-Broadway Production		Won
2012	Obie Award^[24]	Distinguished Performance by an Actress	4000 Miles	Won
	Drama League Award^[25]	Distinguished Performance		Nominated
2015	Outer Critics Circle Award^[26]	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical	On the Twentieth Century	Nominated

References

1. Haun, Harry (June 18, 2011). "Mary Louise Wilson: Older, Wiser and Loving It, in Off-Broadway's 4000 Miles". Playbill.
2. Wilson, Mary Louise. My First Hundred Years in Show Business: A Memoir. Abrams Press, 2015. Print.
3. "Mary L Wilson in the Connecticut, Marriage Index, 1959-2012". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
4. "Mary Louise Wilson – Broadway Cast & Staff". Internet Broadway Database.
5. "Mary Louise Wilson". Internet Off-Broadway Database.
6. "Mary Louise Wilson". Actors' Equity Association.
7. "Gypsy – Broadway Musical – 1974-1974 Tour". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
8. Eckert, Thor Jr. (1980-09-08). "The Bard and carpentry make a well-rounded company". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
9. "Social Security – Broadway Play – Tour". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
10. Klein, Alvin (1994-03-13). "THEATER; Untruth And Truth, The Games People Play". The New York Times. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
11. Shewey, Don (1996-07-14). "How to Be a Producer, in One Instant Lesson". The New York Times. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
12. Gallo, Phil (2002-12-12). "Morning's at Seven". Variety. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
13. Rizzo, Frank (2005-01-24). "The Rivals". Variety. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
14. "Mary Louise Wilson cast in Molnar farce". The Berkshire Eagle. New England Newspapers, Inc. 2010-03-10. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
15. "Winners of the 1996 Obie Awards". Playbill. 1996-05-21. Retrieved 2021-08-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
16. "List of 1998 Tony Award Winners". Playbill. 1998-12-14. Retrieved 2021-08-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
17. Lefkowitz, David (1999-05-09). "List of 1999 Drama Desk Winners". Playbill. Retrieved 2021-08-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
18. Gans, Andrew (2004-04-29). "2003-04 Drama Desk Award Nominations Announced; Wicked Leads Pack with 11 Nominations". Playbill. Retrieved 2021-08-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
19. "Outer Critics Circle 2005-2006 winners announced". New York Theater Guide. 2006-05-14. Retrieved 2021-08-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
20. "2006 Nominations and Recipients". w.lortelaward.com. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
21. "Drama League Announces 2006 Nominees". Broadway.com. 2006-04-19.
22. Ku, Andrew (11 June 2007). "Just the Facts: List of 2007 Tony Award Winners and Nominees". Playbill.
23. "Richard Seff Award (NOT PAGE) | actorsequityfdn".
24. "The 2012 Obie Award Winners". The Village Voice. 16 May 2012.
25. "The 2012 Drama League Award Winners". broadwaymusicalblog.com. 18 May 2012.
26. Cox, Gordon (11 May 2015). "Outer Critic Circle Awards 2015 (FULL LIST): 'Curious Incident' Wins Big". Variety.

External links

• Mary Louise Wilson at the Internet Broadway Database  
• Mary Louise Wilson at IMDb
• Mary Louise Wilson at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• , "Working in the Theatre" video from the American Theatre Wing (November 2006)