Estelle Parsons Biography (1927-) (original) (raw)

1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
2. Chris Owen to Bernadette Peters

Born November 20, 1927, in Lynn (one source says Marblehead), MA; daughter ofEben and Elinor (maiden name, Mattson) Parsons; married Richard Gehman (a writer), December 19, 1953 (divorced August, 1958); married Peter L. Zimroth (alawyer), January 2, 1983; children: (first marriage) Martha, Abbie (twins);(second marriage) Abraham (adopted). Addresses: Contact: 924 West EndAve., Suite T5, New York, NY 10025-3543.; Agent: Writers & Artists Agency, 8383 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 550, Beverly Hills, CA 90211.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Occupation

Actress, director, writer

Birth Details

November 20, 1927

Lynn, Massachusetts, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Stage Appearances
• Reporter, Happy Hunting, Majestic Theatre, New York City, 1956
• Nightcap at the Showplace (also known as Jerry Herman's Nightcap), New York City, 1958
• Whoop Up, 1958
• Cleo, The Most Happy Fella, North Shore Music Festival, Beverly, MA, 1958
• Demi-Dozen, Upstairs at the Downstairs, New York City, 1959
• Pieces of Eight, Upstairs at the Downstairs, 1959
• Ollie, Beg, Borrow, or Steal, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City,1960
• Mrs. Coaxer, The Threepenny Opera, Theatre de Lys, New York City,1960
• Mrs. Peachum, The Threepenny Opera, Los Angeles and San Francisco,CA, both 1960
• Nellie Forbush, South Pacific, Chautaugua, NY, 1961
• Lasca, The Automobile Graveyard, 41st Street Theatre, New York City, 1961
• Put It in Writing, Royal Poinciana Playhouse, FL, 1962
• Lula Roca, Hey You, Light Man!, Theatre by the Sea, Mantunuck, RI,1962
• Mrs. Dally, Mrs. Dally Has a Lover, Cherry Lane Theatre, New YorkCity, 1962
• Lizzie, Next Time I'll Sing to You, Phoenix Theatre, New York City, 1963
• Hortense, Come to the Palace of Sin, Theatre de Lys, 1963
• Gertrude Eastman-Cuevas, In the Summer House, Little Fox Theatre,New York City, 1964
• Felicia, Ready When You Are, C. B., Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York City, 1964
• Major Barbara, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati, OH, 1965
• Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park,1965
• Mrs. Goldman, Suburban Tragedy (one-act play), and Shirley, Princess Rebecca Birnbaum (one-act play), both part of Monopoly, Stage 73 Theatre, New York City, 1965
• Laureen, Malcolm, Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1966
• Doris, The East Wind, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, NewYork City, 1967
• Virginia, Galileo, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, 1967
• Myrtle, The Seven Descents of Myrtle, Barrymore Theatre, New YorkCity, 1968
• Honor and Offer, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, 1968
• Janice Krieger, A Way of Life, American National Theatre and Academy, New York City, 1969
• Aase, Peer Gynt, Delacorte Theatre, New York City, 1969
• Leocadia Begbick, Mahagonny, Anderson Theatre, New York City, 1970
• Catherine Reardon, ... And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little, Morosco Theatre, New York City, 1971
• Milly, People Are Living There, Forum Theatre, New York City, 1971
• Oh Glorious Tintinnabulation, Actors Studio, New York City, 1974
• Mert, Mert and Phil, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, 1974
• The Norman Conquests, Morosco Theatre, 1975-1976
• Edna Wrath, The Reason We Eat, Hartman Theatre, Stamford, CT, 1976
• Dede Cooper, Ladies of the Alamo, Martin Beck Theatre, 1977
• Miss Margarida, Miss Margarida's Way, Public Theatre, New York City, then Ambassador Theatre, New York City, 1977
• Man Is Man, Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1978
• Martha, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Buffalo Studio Arena, Buffalo, NY, 1978
• Ruth, The Pirates of Penzance, Uris (now Gershwin) Theatre, New York City, 1982
• Orgasmo Adulto Escapes from the Zoo (solo show), Public Theatre, 1983
• Martha Mitchell, The Unguided Missile, American Place Theatre, NewYork City, 1989
• Baba Goya, 1989
• Denny, Shimada, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1992
• Extended Forecast, La MaMa, New York City, 1993
• Felicity, The Shadow Box, Circle in the Square Uptown Theatre, NewYork City, 1994-1995
• Deja Revue, McGinn/Cazale Theatre, New York City, 1995
• Grace and Glorie, Roundabout Theatre, New York City, 1996
• Winnie, Happy Days, Lincoln Center, 1996
• Fannie Mae Gossett, The Last of the Thorntons, Signature Theater Company, New York City, 2000-2001
• Cora Swanson, Mornings at Seven, Lyceum Theater, New York City, 2002
• Also appeared in Forgiving Typhoid Mary, The Skin of Our Teeth, and Twice Removed.
• Major Tours
• Elizabeth Dale, A Sense of Humor, western U.S. cities, 1983-1984
• Stage Work
• Director, Voices, St. Clement's Theatre, New York City, 1978
• Director, Antony and Cleopatra, Interart Theatre, New York City, 1979
• Codirector, Orgasmo Adulto Escapes from the Zoo (solo show), Public Theatre, New York City, 1983
• Director, Salome: The Reading, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 2003
• Film Appearances
• JoAnn's mother, Ladybug, Ladybug, United Artists, 1963
• Blanche, Bonnie and Clyde, Warner Bros., 1967
• Calla Mackie, Rachel, Rachel, Warner Bros., 1968
• Marion Hollander, Don't Drink the Water, Avco-Embassy, 1969
• Althea Gerber, Watermelon Man (also known as The Night the SunCame Out), Columbia, 1970
• Ellen Haney, I Walk the Line, Columbia, 1970
• Alice, I Never Sang for My Father, Columbia, 1970
• Barbara Newman, Two People, Universal, 1973
• Helen, For Pete's Sake (also known as July Pork Bellies), Columbia, 1974
• First lady/barmaid, Foreplay (also known as The President's Women), Cinema National, 1975
• Mrs. Kupchak, The Lemon Sisters, Miramax, 1990
• Mrs. Trueheart, Dick Tracy, Buena Vista, 1990
• Louise the psychic, Boys on the Side, Warner Bros., 1995
• Queen Margaret, Looking for Richard, Fox Searchlight Pictures, 1996
• Old Lady McCracken, That Darn Cat, Buena Vista, 1997
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Today girl and commentator, The Today Show, NBC, 1953-1954
• Host and interviewer, Mothers by Daughters, PBS, 1985
• Beverly "Bev" Harris, a recurring role, Roseanne, ABC, 1989-1997
• Movies
• Arlene Glynn, Terror on the Beach, 1973
• Sadie Underwood, The Gun and the Pulpit, 1974
• Betty Hill, The UFO Incident (also known as Interrupted Journey), 1975
• Edwina, Big Henry and the Polka Dot Kid, 1976
• Marjorie Seebode, The Gentleman Bandit (also known as The Bandit Priest), 1981
• Mrs. O'Connell, Guests of the Nation, 1981
• Clare Block, Open Admissions, CBS, 1988
• Matty Jennings, Everyday Heroes, 1990
• Mary Chessen, A Private Matter (also known as Miss Sherri and The Sherri Finkbine Story), HBO, 1992
• Older Doris, "The American Clock" (also known as "Arthur Miller's The American Clock"), TNT Screenworks, TNT, 1993
• Mrs. Stanapolous, Freak City, Showtime, 1999
• Miniseries
• Bess Truman, Backstairs at the Whitehouse, NBC, 1979
• Episodic
• Carrie Bernice, "The Gambling Heart," _The DuPont Show of the Week,_1964
• "Where There's Smoke," The Nurses, 1965
• "Alarums and Excursions," The Trials of O'Brien, 1966
• "Wall of Silence," Medical Center, 1972
• "Love and the Return of Raymond," Love, American Style, 1972
• Dolores Mancheney, "Archie's Secret Passion," All in the Family, CBS, 1976
• Blanche Hefner, "Reunion on Hauser Street," All in the Family, CBS, 1978
• Blanche Hefner, "Weekend in the Country," All in the Family, CBS,1978
• Blanche Hefner, "Blanche and Murray," Archie Bunker's Place, 1979
• Mrs. "Lovey" Howell, Roseanne, ABC, 1994
• Jennette, "Sandcastles," Touched by an Angel, CBS, 1997
• Esther O'Neill, "The Fix," 100 Centre Street, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
• Rose Rinato, "Denial," Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (alsoknown as Law & Order: S.V.U.), NBC and USA Network, 2002
• Also appeared in Faith for Today, ABC and syndicated; and The Verdict Is Yours, CBS.
• Pilots
• Mabel Lederer/Angela Motorman, Come along with Me, PBS, 1982
• Specials
• The 40th Annual Academy Awards, 1968
• Hemingway's Spain: A Love Affair, 1969
• Mollie Malloy, The Front Page, 1970
• Agnes, A Memory of Two Mondays, PBS, 1974
• Lucille Sears, June Moon, PBS, 1974
• That Was the Year That Was, NBC, 1976
• Today at 40, NBC, 1992
• The Gospel According to Jesus, Cinemax, 1995
• Beatrice Corrigan, "The Love Letter," Hallmark Hall of Fame, CBS,1998
• The 70th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1998
• Television Work
• Series
• Production assistant, then feature producer, The Today Show, NBC,1952-1953
• WRITINGS
• Teleplays
• Features for Series
• The Today Show, NBC, 1952-1953

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals

• American Theatre, July/August, 1996, p. 10
• Back Stage, June 11, 1993, p. 40; November 25, 1994, p. 39; July 26, 1996, p. 44
• Back Stage West, August 1, 1996, p. 7