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Betty Buckley
Betty Buckley 2009.jpg
Betty Buckley in December 2009
Born (1947-07-03) July 3, 1947 (age 77)
Occupation Actress, singer, music teacher
Years active 1964–present
Spouse(s)
Peter Flood
(m. 1972; div. 1979)
Relatives Norman Buckley (brother)

Betty Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is a famous American actress and singer. She has won a special award called a Tony Award for her amazing work in musicals. She was also nominated for many other big awards, like two Daytime Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and an Olivier Award. In 2012, she was honored by being added to the American Theater Hall of Fame.

Betty Buckley won her Tony Award in 1983. This was for her role as Grizabella in the original Broadway show Cats. Later, she played Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard from 1994 to 1996. She performed this role in both London and New York. For her London performance, she was nominated for an Olivier Award in 1995. She also received a Tony Award nomination in 1997 for Triumph of Love.

Some of her other Broadway shows include 1776 (1969), Pippin (1973), and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1985). From 2018 to 2019, she toured the U.S. playing the main character in Hello, Dolly.

On TV, Betty Buckley starred in the show Eight Is Enough from 1977 to 1981. She also played the gym teacher, Miss Collins, in the 1976 movie Carrie. Later, she was in the short-lived Broadway musical version of Carrie in 1988. In this musical, she played Carrie White's mother, Margaret. Her other movie roles include Dixie Scott in Tender Mercies (1983) and Sondra Walker in Frantic (1988). She was also Kathy in Another Woman (1988) and Mrs. Jones in The Happening (2008). She was nominated for a Saturn Award for her role as Dr. Karen Fletcher in the 2016 movie Split. She also appeared in TV series like Oz (2001–03) and Preacher (2018).

Betty Buckley's Career Highlights

Acting in Movies and TV Shows

Betty Buckley Eight Is Enough 1977
Betty Buckley as Abby Abbott in Eight is Enough, 1977

Betty Buckley grew up in Fort Worth, Texas. Many people know her from the TV show Eight Is Enough, which ran from 1977 to 1981. She joined the show in its second season. The first star, Diana Hyland, passed away, so Betty Buckley was cast as the new stepmother, Abby Abbott. Abby became the stepmom to the eight children the show was named after.

In 1976, Betty Buckley was in the first movie version of Carrie. She played Miss Collins, the gym teacher. In 1977, she sang a part in the movie Hair, though she wasn't credited.

She was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards for her work in children's TV shows. These were for NBC Special Treat - Bobby and Sarah (1984) and ABC Afterschool Special - Taking a Stand (1989).

In the 1980s, she appeared in several movies. She played a country music singer in Tender Mercies and sang the Oscar-nominated song "Over You." She was also in Woody Allen's movie Another Woman (1988) and Roman Polanski's Frantic (1988). She also appeared in Wyatt Earp (1994).

From 2001 to 2003, she played Suzanne Fitzgerald in the HBO series Oz. She has also been a guest star on many other TV shows. These include Without a Trace, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Monk. In 2010, she played Marion Leckie in the HBO series The Pacific.

In 2008, Buckley played Mrs. Jones in M. Night Shyamalan's movie The Happening. In 2017, she was a star in M. Night Shyamalan's Split. This movie was number one at the box office for three weeks! Her other TV roles include being Meg's mother in The Leftovers in 2015. She also appeared in five episodes of Supergirl from 2017 to 2021. In 2018, she was cast in season three of Preacher.

Performing on Stage

Betty Buckley first performed on Broadway in 1969 in the musical 1776. New York magazine has even called her "The Voice of Broadway."

In 1982, Buckley starred as Grizabella in the first Broadway show of Cats. This musical features the famous song "Memory". She performed in Cats for 18 months. For this role, she won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Buckley also played Norma Desmond in the musical Sunset Boulevard. She performed this role in London (1994) and New York (1995). She was nominated for an Olivier Award for her performance in London.

In 1997, she starred in the Broadway musical Triumph of Love. For this role, she received a Tony Award nomination. In 2006, she sang "Memory" from Cats at the Kennedy Center Honors. This was part of a tribute to the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.

On January 28, 2013, she was added to The American Theater Hall of Fame. From January to March 2013, she starred in the London premiere of Dear World. She received great reviews for this musical.

In 2018, it was announced that Betty Buckley would play the main role in the national tour of Hello, Dolly!. She started performing in October 2018. She finished her part of the tour in September 2019.

Her Music Career

Betty Buckley singing 2012
Betty Buckley singing the National Anthem at MetLife Stadium, in 2012

Betty Buckley's 18th solo album, Hope, was released in 2018. She continues to perform concerts across the U.S. every year. She is also a composer, meaning she writes music. Her first recording mainly featured songs she wrote herself.

She is also on many Broadway music collections. You can hear her on the original cast recordings of 1776, Cats, Triumph of Love, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

In 2002, Buckley was nominated for a Grammy Award for her album Stars and the Moon: Live at the Donmar. This was her second Grammy nomination. She was first nominated in 2000 for The Diaries of Adam and Eve.

Her albums Quintessence and 1967 were released in 2008. Quintessence has jazz versions of classic songs. 1967 is a recording she made when she was only 19 years old. Her album Ghostlight was released in 2014.

Betty Buckley's Personal Life

Betty Buckley was married to Peter Flood in 1972, and they divorced in 1979. She does not have any children.

She has received two special honorary doctorates. These were for her important contributions to musical theater. She received them from The Boston Conservatory and Marymount Manhattan College.

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1976 Carrie Miss Collins
1983 Tender Mercies Dixie
1987 Wild Thing Leah
1988 Frantic Sondra Walker
Another Woman Kathy
1992 Rain Without Thunder Beverly Goldring
1994 Last Time Out Maxine Black
Wyatt Earp Virginia Earp
1995 Ride for Your Life Short film
1998 Of Love & Fantasy Dr. Tania Brandt Video
1999 Simply Irresistible Aunt Stella
2002 New World Order Rose Kross
2004 Mummy an' the Armadillo Let
2008 Happening, TheThe Happening Mrs. Jones
2011 5 Time Champion Fran
2016 Split Dr. Karen Fletcher
2024 Imaginary Gloria
2025 By Design Post-production
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1977 Ryan's Hope Divorced Lady Episode: "1.405"
1977 Rubber Gun Squad, TheThe Rubber Gun Squad Rosie TV movie
1977–1981 Eight Is Enough Sandra Sue 'Abby' Abbott Bradford 102 episodes
1981 Ordeal of Bill Carney, TheThe Ordeal of Bill Carney Barbara Slaner TV movie
1984 Special Treat Mrs. Lawson Episode: "Bobby and Sarah"
1984 Three Wishes of Billy Grier, TheThe Three Wishes of Billy Grier Nancy Grier TV movie
1985 Evergreen Mrs. Bradford TV miniseries
1987 Roses Are for the Rich Ella TV movie
1987 Cagney & Lacey Marci Bruckman Episode: "You've Come a Long Way, Baby"
1989 ABC Afterschool Specials Lillian Robinson Episode: "Taking a Stand"
1989 Babycakes Wanda TV movie
1991 L.A. Law Elisa Chandler 2 episodes: "Something Old, Something ..."
"TV or Not TV"
1992 Mathnet Sally Storm Episode: "The Case of the Mystery Weekend"
1992 Bonnie & Clyde: The True Story Mrs. Parker TV movie
1992 Square One TV Sally Storm 3 episodes
1993 Tribeca Ruth Episode: "The Rainmaker"
1994 Betrayal of Trust Dr. Jan Galanti TV movie
1996 Critical Choices Dr. Margaret Ludlow TV movie
1996 Remember WENN Gloria Redmond Episode: "Christmas in the Airwaves"
2001–2003 Oz Suzanne Fitzgerald 18 episodes
2003 Monk Mrs. Fleming Episode: "Mr. Monk Goes to the Theater"
2004 Jury, TheThe Jury Carla Kohler Episode: "Last Rites"
2005 Vinegar Hill Mary Margaret Grier TV movie
2006 Brothers & Sisters Iva March Episode: "Unaired Pilot"
2006 Without a Trace Catherine Ryder Episode: "Expectations"
2006 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Attorney Walsh 3 episodes: "Manipulated", "Clock", "Lunacy"
2010 Melrose Place Bernadette Reese Episode: "Sepulveda"
2010 Pacific, TheThe Pacific Marion Leckie Episode: "Home"
2011 Chicago Code, TheThe Chicago Code Sister Paul Episode: "Hog Butcher"
2011 Pretty Little Liars Regina Marin Episode: "I Must Confess"
2013 Episode: "She's Better Now"
2014 Getting On Dottie Levy Episode: "Is Soap A Hazardous Substance?"
2015 The Leftovers Jane Episode: "Ten Thirteen"
2016 Chicago Med Olga Barlow Episode: "Extreme Measures"
2017–2020 Supergirl Patricia Arias 4 episodes
2018 Preacher Madame Marie L'Angelle Season 3
2021 Supergirl Owl (voice) Episode: "Dream Weaver"
2021–2022 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Trial Division Chief Lorraine Maxwell Recurring role (seasons 23-24)
Theatre
Year Title Role Notes
1969 1776 Martha Jefferson 46th Street Theatre
1969 Promises, Promises Fran Kubelik Prince of Wales Theatre
1972 What's A Nice Girl Like You Doing in a State Like This Off-broadway
1973 Pippin Catherine (replacement) Imperial Theatre
1980–1981 I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road Heather Circle in the Square Theatre Downtown
Huntington Hartford Theatre, Los Angeles
1982–1984 Cats Grizabella Winter Garden Theatre
1985 Song and Dance Emma (replacement) Royale Theatre
1985 Drood Edwin Drood / Miss Alice Nutting Shakespeare in the Park
Imperial Theatre
1985 Juno's Swans Second Stage Theatre
1988 Carrie Margaret White Virginia Theatre
1992 The Threepenny Opera Jenny Diver Williamstown Theatre Festival
1992 Gypsy Mama Rose Arizona Civic Light Opera
1993 The Fourth Wall Chicago Opera Theatre
1994–1996 Sunset Boulevard Norma Desmond (replacement) Adelphi Theatre
Minskoff Theatre
1997 Triumph of Love Hesione Royale Theatre
1998 Gypsy Mama Rose Paper Mill Playhouse
1998 Camino Real Hartford Stage
2003 Elegies: A Song Cycle Lincoln Center
2003 The Threepenny Opera Jenny Diver Williamstown Theatre Festival
2010 White's Lies Mrs. White New World Stages
2011 Arsenic and Old Lace Martha Brewster Dallas Theater Center
2013 Dear World Countess Aurelia Charing Cross Theatre, London
2013–2014 The Old Friends Gertrude Pershing Square Signature Center
Alley Theatre, Houston
2015 Follies Carlotta Campion Royal Albert Hall, London
2015–2016 Grey Gardens Big Edie Bay Street Theater, Sag Harbour, New York
Ahmanson Theater, Los Angeles
2018–2019 Hello, Dolly! Dolly Gallagher Levi National Tour

Discography

Albums
Name Year Label Notes
Betty Buckley 1985 Rizzoli
Children Will Listen 1993 Sterling
With One Look 1994 Sterling
New Ways to Dream – Songs from Sunset Boulevard 1994 Really Useful
The London Concert 1995 Sterling Recorded March 19, 1995
An Evening at Carnegie Hall 1996 Sterling Recorded June 10, 1996
Betty Buckley's Broadway 1996 Sterling Compilation album
Much More 1997 Sterling
Betty Buckley (15 Year Anniversary Re-Release) 2000 KO
Heart to Heart 2000 KO
The Doorway 2001 Fynsworth Alley
Stars and the Moon – Live at the Donmar 2001 Concord Recorded August 31 and September 1, 2000
1967 2007 Playbill Recorded in 1967, released 40 years later
Quintessence 2008 Playbill
Bootleg: Boardmixes from the Road 2010 Practical Magic
Ah, Men! The Boys of Broadway 2012 Palmetto Songs sung by men on Broadway
Ghostlight 2014 Practical Magic Produced by T Bone Burnett
Story Songs 2017 Palmetto
Hope June 8, 2018 Palmetto
Cast recordings
Show Cast Year Role
1776 Original Broadway Cast 1969 Martha Jefferson
Promises, Promises Original London Cast 1969 Fran Kubelik
Hair Film Soundtrack 1979
I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road Off-Broadway Cast 1980 Heather
Cats Original Broadway Cast 1982 Grizabella
The Mystery of Edwin Drood Original Broadway Cast 1985 Edwin Drood / Dick Datchery / Miss Alice Nutting
Prom Queens Unchained Studio Cast 1997
The Civil War Concept Album 1998
Triumph of Love Original Broadway Cast 1998 Hesione
Elegies, A Song Cycle Original Off-Broadway Cast 2003
Other contributions
Album Year Notes
Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall 1992 Sings "Children Will Listen"
George & Ira Gershwin: A Musical Celebration 1993 Sings "How Long Has This Been Going On?"
Mathis on Broadway 2000 Sings "Children Will Listen" and "Our Children"
The Maury Yeston Songbook 2003 Sings "I Had a Dream About You" and "Be on Your Own"
The Diaries of Adam and Eve, by Mark Twain  ?? Reads the part of Eve

Awards and Nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
1983 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical Cats Won
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical Nominated
1985 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Performer in a Children's Program/Special NBC Special Treat: Bobby and Sarah Nominated
1989 ABC Afterschool Special: Taking a Stand Nominated
1995 Olivier Award Best Actress in a Musical Sunset Boulevard Nominated
1998 Tony Award Best Actress in a Musical Triumph of Love Nominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated
2000 Grammy Award Best Spoken Word Album The Diaries of Adam and Eve Nominated
2002 Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Stars and the Moon: Live at the Donmar Nominated
2014 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play The Old Friends Nominated
2016 Fright Meter Awards Best Actress Split Won
2017 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actress Nominated

Special Honors

  • 2004 Legend of Cabaret Award
  • 2007 Texas Film Hall of Fame Inductee
  • 2012 American Theater Hall of Fame Inductee

See also

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