Piper Laurie
Piper Laurie (born Rosetta Jacobs; January 22, 1932 – October 14, 2023) was an American actress. She is known for her roles in the films The Hustler (1961), Carrie (1976), and Children of a Lesser God (1986), and the miniseries The Thorn Birds (1983). She is also known for her performances as Kirsten Arnesen in the original TV production of "Days of Wine and Roses", and as Catherine Martell in the television series Twin Peaks.
Piper Laurie | |
|---|---|
Laurie in a publicity photo, 1951 | |
| Born | Rosetta Jacobs January 22, 1932 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | October 14, 2023 (aged 91) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active |
|
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
She received various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy Awards and a BAFTA Award.
Early life edit
Piper Laurie was born Rosetta Jacobs in Detroit, Michigan, on January 22, 1932.[1] Laurie was the younger of two children (both girls) of Alfred Jacobs, a furniture dealer, and his wife, Charlotte Sadie (née Alperin) Jacobs. Her paternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Poland and her maternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Russia.[2][3][4]
Laurie was delivered, according to her 2011 autobiography Learning to Live Out Loud, in a one-bedroom walk-up on Tyler Street in Detroit, where the family lived.[5] To combat her shyness, her parents provided her with weekly elocution lessons; she eventually landed minor roles at Universal Studios.[2]
Laurie's mother and grandmother placed Laurie's older sister in a sanitarium for her asthma. Laurie was sent along to keep her company.[6][7]
Career edit
In 1949, Jacobs signed a contract with Universal Studios, and changed her screen name to Piper Laurie, which she used ever afterwards. Her breakout role was in Louisa (1950), with Ronald Reagan, whom she dated a few times before his marriage to Nancy Davis. In her autobiography, she claimed that she lost her virginity to him.[8] Several other roles followed: Francis Goes to the Races (1951, co-starring Donald O'Connor);[9] Son of Ali Baba (1951, co-starring Tony Curtis);[10] and Ain't Misbehavin' (1955, co-starring Rory Calhoun).[11]
To enhance her image, Universal Studios told gossip columnists that Laurie bathed in milk and ate flower petals to protect her luminous skin.[12] Discouraged by the lack of substantial film roles,[13] she moved to New York City to study acting and to seek work on the stage and in television.[12] She appeared in Twelfth Night, produced by Hallmark Hall of Fame;[14] in "Days of Wine and Roses" with Cliff Robertson, presented by Playhouse 90 on October 2, 1958[15] (in the film version, their roles were taken over by Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick);[16] and in Winterset, presented by Playhouse 90 in 1959.[17]
Laurie was lured back to Hollywood by the offer to co-star with Paul Newman in The Hustler, released in 1961. She played Newman's girlfriend, Sarah Packard, and for her performance, she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.[12] Substantial movie roles did not come her way after The Hustler, so she and her husband moved to New York. In 1964, she appeared in two medical dramas—as Alicia Carter in The Eleventh Hour episode "My Door Is Locked and Bolted",[18] and as Alice Marin in the Breaking Point episode "The Summer House". In 1965, she starred in a Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie, opposite Maureen Stapleton, Pat Hingle, and George Grizzard.[19]
Laurie did not appear in another feature film until she accepted the role of religious fanatic Margaret White in the horror film Carrie (1976). She received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance; the commercial success of the film, and recognition for her performance, relaunched her career.[20] Her co-star Sissy Spacek praised her acting skill: "She is a remarkable actress. She never does what you expect her to do—she always surprises you with her approach to a scene."[21]
In 1979, Laurie appeared as Mary Horton in the Australian movie Tim opposite Mel Gibson.[22] After her 1981 divorce, Laurie moved to California.[6] She received a third Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Mrs. Norman in Children of a Lesser God (1986).[23] The same year, she was awarded an Emmy for her performance in Promise, a television movie, co-starring James Garner and James Woods.[24] She had a featured role in the Off-Broadway production of The Destiny of Me in 1992,[25] and returned to Broadway for Lincoln Center's acclaimed 2002 revival of Paul Osborn's Morning's at Seven, with Julie Hagerty, Buck Henry, Frances Sternhagen, and Estelle Parsons.[26]
In 1990–1991, Laurie starred as the devious Catherine Martell in David Lynch's television series Twin Peaks.[12] She also appeared in Other People's Money with Gregory Peck (1991),[27] and in horror maestro Dario Argento's first American film Trauma (1993).[28] She played George Clooney's character's mother on ER.[6] In 1997, she appeared in the film A Christmas Memory with Patty Duke,[29] and in 1998, she appeared in the sci-fi thriller The Faculty.[30]
Laurie made guest appearances on television shows such as Frasier,[6] Matlock,[31] State of Grace,[31] and Will & Grace.[31] Laurie also appeared in Cold Case and in a 2001 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit titled "Care", in which she played an adoptive mother and foster grandmother who killed one of the foster granddaughters in her daughter's charge and who abused her adoptive son and foster grandchildren.[31]
She returned to the big screen for independent films, such as Eulogy (2004) and The Dead Girl (2006), opposite actress Toni Collette.[31] In 2010, she played Rainn Wilson's mother in Hesher,[32] and in 2018, she had a supporting role in White Boy Rick as the grandmother of the title character.[33]
Personal life edit
Laurie was married to New York Herald Tribune entertainment writer and Wall Street Journal movie critic Joe Morgenstern. (She had previously dated actor and future U.S. president Ronald Reagan.)[34] They met shortly after the release of The Hustler in 1961 when Morgenstern interviewed her during the film's promotion. They soon began dating, and nine months after the interview, they were married on January 21, 1962. When no substantial roles came her way after The Hustler, she and Morgenstern moved to Woodstock, New York. In 1971, they adopted a daughter, Anne Grace Morgenstern. In 1982, the couple divorced, after which she moved to the Hollywood area and continued working in films and television.[12]
In 1962, she was Harvard's Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year.[35] In 2000, she received the Spirit of Hope Award in Korea for her service during the Korean War. She appeared at the September 2014 Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention in Hunt Valley, Maryland.[36]
Laurie was also a sculptor who worked in marble and clay.[30]
Death edit
Having been unwell for some time, Laurie died in Los Angeles on October 14, 2023, at age 91.[37][38]
Filmography edit
Film edit
Television edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | The Best of Broadway | Billie Moore | Episode: "Broadway" | [1] |
| Robert Montgomery Presents | Stacey Spender | Episode: "Quality Town" | [1] | |
| 1956 | Front Row Center | Judy Jones | Episode: "Winter Dreams" | [1] |
| 1956–1961 | General Electric Theater | Various | 3 episodes | [1] |
| 1957 | Studio One | Ruth Cornelius | Episode: "The Deaf Heart" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Actress – Best Single Performance – Lead or Support | [1] |
| Playhouse 90 | Ruth McAdam | Episode: "The Ninth Day" | [41] | |
| 1958 | Kirsten Arnesen Clay | Episode: "Days of Wine and Roses" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Best Single Performance by an Actress | [39] | |
| 1959 | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse | Eileen Gorman | Episode: "The Innocent Assassin" | [1] |
| 1960–1963 | The United States Steel Hour | Edna Cartey | 2 episodes | [1] |
| 1963 | Naked City | Mary Highmark | Episode: "Howard Running Bear Is a Turtle" | [1] |
| Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | Lee Wiley | Episode: "Something About Lee Wiley" | [1] | |
| Ben Casey | Kathleen Dooley | Episode: "Light Up the Dark Corners" | [1] | |
| 1964 | The Eleventh Hour | Alicia Carter | Episode: "My Door Is Locked and Bolted" | [1] |
| Breaking Point | Alice Marin | Episode: "The Summer House" | [1] | |
| 1977 | In the Matter of Karen Ann Quinlan | Julie Quinlan | Television movie | [39] |
| 1978 | Rainbow | Ethel Gumm | Television movie | [39] |
| 1980 | Skag | Jo Skagska | 6 episodes | [39] |
| 1981 | The Bunker | Magda Goebbels | Television movie Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special | [42] |
| 1982 | Mae West | Matilda West | Television movie | [39] |
| 1983 | The Thorn Birds | Anne Mueller | 3 episodes Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special | [39] |
| St. Elsewhere | Fran Singleton | 3 episodes Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | [39] | |
| 1985 | Hotel | Jessica | Episode: "Illusions" | [1] |
| Murder, She Wrote | Peggy Shannon | Episode: "Murder at the Oasis" | [39] | |
| Tender Is the Night | Elsie Speers | Episode: "1925" | [39] | |
| Love, Mary | Christine Groda | Television movie | [39] | |
| Toughlove | Darlene Marsh | Television movie | [39] | |
| 1985–1986 | The Twilight Zone | Aunt Neva | Segment: "The Burning Man" | [39] |
| Gramma (voice) | Segment: "Gramma" (uncredited)[43] | [39] | ||
| 1986 | Matlock | Claire Leigh | Episode: "The Judge" | [39] |
| Promise | Annie Gilbert | Television movie Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | [39] | |
| 1988 | Go Toward the Light | Margo | Television movie | [39] |
| 1989 | Beauty and the Beast | Mrs. Davis | Episode: "A Gentle Rain" | [39] |
| 1990–1991 | Twin Peaks | Catherine Martell / Mr. Tojamura (credited as Fumio Yamaguchi) | 27 episodes Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (1990) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (1990) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1991) Nominated—Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Actress – Prime Time (1991–1992) | [39] |
| 1993 | Lies and Lullabies | Margaret Kinsey | Television movie | [39] |
| 1994 | Traps | Cora Trapchek | 5 episodes | [1] |
| Frasier | Marianne (voice) | Episode: "Guess Who's Coming to Breakfast" | [1] | |
| Shadows of Desire | Ellis Snow | Television movie | [39] | |
| 1995 | Fighting For My Daughter | Judge Edna Burton | Television movie | [39] |
| 1995–1996 | ER | Sarah Ross | 2 episodes | [39] |
| 1996 | Diagnosis: Murder | A.D.A. Susan Turner | Episode: "The ABC's of Murder" | [39] |
| 1997 | Intensity | Miriam Braynard | Television movie | [39] |
| Touched by an Angel | Annie Doyle | Episode: "Venice" | [39] | |
| A Christmas Memory | Jennie | Television movie | [39] | |
| 1999 | Brother's Keeper | Jane Waide | Episode: "Everybody Says I Love You" | [1] |
| Frasier | Mrs. Mulhern | Episode: "Dr. Nora" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | [1] | |
| Inherit the Wind | Sarah Brady | Television movie | [39] | |
| 2000 | Will & Grace | Sharon | Episode: "There But for the Grace of Grace" | [39] |
| Possessed | Aunt Hanna | Television movie | [39] | |
| 2001 | Midwives | Cheryl Visco | Television movie | [39] |
| The Last Brickmaker in America | Ruth Anne | Television movie | [39] | |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Dorothy Rudd | Episode: "Care" | [39] | |
| 2002 | State of Grace | Aunt Sophie | Episode: "Where the Boys Are" | [39] |
| 2004 | Dead Like Me | Nina Rommey | Episode: "Forget Me Not" | [1] |
| 2005 | Cold Case | Rose 2005 | Episode: "Best Friends" | [39] |
| 2018 | MacGyver | Edith | Episode: "Skyscraper – Power" | [39] |
Audio dramas edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–2023 | Around the Sun | Grandma / Alien Maude | 2 episodes | [44] |
Awards and nominations edit
Explanatory notes edit
- ^ Tied with Joan Allen for The Crucible.
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Piper Laurie: Facts & Related Content". Britannica. from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
- ^ a b Hubler, Richard G. (June 20, 1953). . Collier's. Archived from the original on August 3, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^
- ^ . Deseret News. Associated Press. November 4, 2011. Archived from the original on October 5, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
- ^ Laurie, Piper (2011). Learning to Live Out Loud: A Memoir. New York: Crown Archetype. p. 1. ISBN 978-0823026685. from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Gostin, Nicki (April 6, 2012). "Why I had to reject Hollywood". The Jewish Chronicle. London. from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ "Piper Laurie's life began with abandonment but turned out 'Rich' and 'Beautiful'" July 25, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, wsj.com. Accessed July 25, 2022.
- ^ Laurie, Piper (2011). Learning to Live Out Loud: A Memoir. Crown Archetype. p. 77. ISBN 978-0823026685.
- ^ "Francis Goes to the Races". Leonard Maltin Classic Movie Guide. Turner Entertainment Networks. from the original on December 28, 2015. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
- ^ "Son of Ali Baba". Leonard Maltin Classic Movie Guide. Turner Entertainment Networks. from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
- ^ "Ain't Misbehavin". Leonard Maltin Classic Movie Guide. Turner Entertainment Networks. from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e Park, Jeannie; Nancy Matsumoto (April 30, 1990). . People. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ IMDb reports that in 1955, when she received another script for a Western and "another silly part in a silly movie", she burned the script and called her agent, saying she did not care if they fired her, jailed her, or sued her.
- ^ "Twelfth Night". Turner Entertainment Networks. from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
- ^ O'Connor, John J. (November 27, 1983). "Home Video: New Cassettes of Old Favorites". The New York Times. from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
- ^ "Days of Wine and Roses". Turner Entertainment Networks. from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
- ^ "Winterset". Turner Entertainment Networks. from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
- ^ "Watch The Eleventh Hour". TV Guide. from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
- ^ Fienberg, Richard Tresch (2008). "The Glass Menagerie". Playbill. 115 (4): 10. Bibcode:2008S&T...115d..10F. from the original on January 22, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
- ^ Thomas, Nick (November 7, 2014). "Tinseltown Talks: Piper Laurie goes from Gipper to Carrie". The Oakland Press. from the original on August 17, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ Dick Kleiner, Brownwood Bulletin, May 16, 1976, p. 33
- ^ Canby, Vincent (September 17, 1981). "'Tim,' A Romantic Drama from Australia". The New York Times. p. C25. from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ Sherrod, Kerryn. "Children of a Lesser God". Turner Classic Movies Database. Turner Classic Movies. from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
- ^ Roberts, Jerry (June 5, 2009). Encyclopedia of Television Film Directors. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Books. p. 862. ISBN 978-0810861381. from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
- ^ Rich, Frank (October 21, 1992). "The Destiny of Me; Larry Kramer Tells His Own Anguished Story". The New York Times. p. C15. from the original on September 2, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ Brantley, Ben (April 22, 2002). "Wry Smiles At the Pitfalls Of Closeness". The New York Times. p. E1. from the original on September 13, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ Wuntch, Philip (October 22, 1991). "DeVito is low and delicious in 'Other People's Money'". The Baltimore Sun. from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ Bleiler, David (April 8, 2014). TLA Video & DVD Guide 2005: The Discerning Film Lover's Guide. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 978-1466867826. from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ Hal Erickson (2015). . Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 18, 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
- ^ a b . Full Moon Films. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e "Piper Laurie List of Movies". TV Guide. from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
- ^ a b Mondello, Bob (May 11, 2011). "'Hesher': A Metalhead Mary Poppins, Tattoos And All". NPR. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
... there are some relatively big names attached — The Office's Rainn Wilson as T.J.'s dad, Piper Laurie as granny, ...
- ^ Castillo, Monica. "White Boy Rick". RogerEbert.com. from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
- ^ "Piper Laurie: I lost my virginity to Ronald Reagan... And he was no gentleman". November 20, 2011. from the original on July 3, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
- ^ "Hasty Pudding Ceremonies Rescheduled for Tomorrow". www.thecrimson.com. The Harvard Crimson. February 27, 1962. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
Piper Laurie, now supposedly recovered from her bout with pneumonia, has gleefully announced that she will be in Cambridge tomorrow to accept the Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year award.
- ^ . Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention. Archived from the original on January 31, 2015. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
- ^ Barnes, Mike (October 14, 2023). "Piper Laurie, Actress in 'The Hustler,' 'Carrie' and 'Twin Peaks,' Dies at 91". The Hollywood Reporter. from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
- ^ "Piper Laurie, Oscar nominee for Carrie and The Hustler, dies at 91". the guardian. October 14, 2023. from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz "Piper Laurie". TV Guide. from the original on May 3, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
- ^ O'Connor, John J. (May 25, 1976). "TV: 'Woman Rebel,' a Portrait of Margaret Sanger". The New York Times.
- ^ "Playhouse 90: The Ninth Day (TV)". The Paley Center for Media. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
- ^ O'Connor, John J. (January 27, 1981). "TV: 'Bunker,' on Hitler's Last Days". The New York Times.
- ^ DeGuere, Philip; May, Bradford (2020). The Twilight Zone: The Complete '80s Series: Audio Commentary – "Gramma" (DVD). CBS DVD.
- ^ Bailey, Jeremy (October 14, 2023). "Piper Laurie, Oscar-Nominated 'Carrie' and 'The Hustler' Actress, Dies at 91". Yahoo. from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
- ^ "The 34th Academy Awards (1962) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. from the original on February 15, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2015.
- ^ "The 49th Academy Awards (1977) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. from the original on November 2, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
- ^ "The 59th Academy Awards (1987) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
- ^ "BAFTA in Film (1962)". British Academy Film Awards. from the original on August 19, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ "Piper Laurie". Golden Globe Awards. from the original on June 13, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ "Past Men and Women of the Year". Hasty Pudding Theatricals. from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ "IFS Awards 2018". Los Angeles IFS Film Festival. from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ "Awards – New York Film Critics Circle". New York Film Critics Circle. from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ "Piper Laurie". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ "AWARDS". RiverRun International Film Festival. May 23, 2022. from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ "Golden Space Needle History 1990–1999". Seattle International Film Festival. from the original on February 22, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
- ^ "1996 SEFA Awards". Southeastern Film Critics Association. from the original on December 19, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
External links edit
- Piper Laurie at IMDb
- Piper Laurie at the Internet Broadway Database
- Piper Laurie at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Piper Laurie at Virtual History
- Piper Laurie discography at Discogs
- Interview with Piper Laurie, August 25, 2014, Classic Film & TV Cafe
- Piper Laurie at The Interviews: An Oral History of Television
- Interview with Piper Laurie at USA Today, January 2016.