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Betty Buckley
Betty Buckley 2009.jpg
Buckley in December 2009
Born (1947-07-03) July 3, 1947 (age 78)
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 talented American actress and singer. She is famous for her powerful voice and amazing performances on stage and screen. Betty has won a Tony Award, which is a very important award for theater. She has also been nominated for many other big awards, like the Tony Award again, 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 a Tony Award in 1983 for her role as Grizabella in the original Broadway show Cats. She sang the famous song "Memory" in that musical. Later, she played Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard in London and New York. She was also nominated for another Tony Award for her role in Triumph of Love in 1997. She has been in many other Broadway shows, including 1776 and Pippin. From 2018 to 2019, she starred as the main character in the national tour of Hello, Dolly.

On television, Betty Buckley was a star in the TV series Eight Is Enough from 1977 to 1981. She also played Miss Collins, a gym teacher, in the 1976 movie Carrie. Later, she played Carrie's mother, Margaret, in the Broadway musical version of Carrie in 1988. She has appeared in many other films like Tender Mercies (1983) and Frantic (1988). In 2016, she was in the movie Split and was nominated for an award for her role. Her TV work also includes the series Oz and Preacher.

Betty Buckley's Career

On Screen: Movies and TV Shows

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

Betty Buckley was born in Fort Worth, Texas. She became well-known for her role in the TV show Eight Is Enough, which ran from 1977 to 1981. She joined the show in its second season. She played Sandra Sue "Abby" Abbott, who became the stepmother to eight children.

In 1976, Betty appeared in the original movie Carrie. She played Miss Collins, the gym teacher. She also sang a part in the movie Hair in 1977.

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

In the 1980s, she was in the film Tender Mercies. In this movie, she played a country music singer and sang the song "Over You." She also appeared in films like Woody Allen's Another Woman (1988) and Roman Polanski's Frantic (1988).

From 2001 to 2003, she played Suzanne Fitzgerald in the HBO series Oz. She also made guest appearances in 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, Betty Buckley played Mrs. Jones in M. Night Shyamalan's movie The Happening. In 2017, she was one of the stars in M. Night Shyamalan's Split. This movie was very popular and was the number-one film for three weeks. She also appeared in The Leftovers and Supergirl. In 2018, she was cast in the third season of the series Preacher.

On Stage: Broadway and Beyond

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

In 1982, Betty starred as Grizabella in the original Broadway production of Cats. She stayed with the show for 18 months. For this role, she won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Betty played Norma Desmond in the musical Sunset Boulevard in both London (1994) and New York (1995). She was nominated for an Olivier Award for her performance in London.

In 1997, she starred as Hesione in the Broadway musical Triumph of Love. This role earned her another Tony Award nomination.

Betty sang "Memory" from Cats at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2006. This was part of a special tribute to the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. In 2013, she was inducted into The American Theater Hall of Fame. She also starred in the London premiere of Jerry Herman's Dear World in 2013.

In 2015, Betty Buckley appeared as Big Edie in the musical Grey Gardens. She performed this role in New York and Los Angeles. From 2018 to 2019, she played the main role of Dolly Gallagher Levi in the national tour of Hello, Dolly!.

Her Music

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

Betty Buckley has released many solo albums. Her 18th solo album, Hope, was released in 2018. She often performs concerts across the U.S. She is also a composer and has written many songs. Her first recording mostly featured songs she wrote herself.

She is also featured on many Broadway cast recordings. These include the original Broadway recordings of 1776, Cats, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

In 2002, Betty was nominated for a Grammy Award for her album Stars and the Moon: Live at the Donmar. This was her second Grammy nomination. Her first was in 2000 for The Diaries of Adam and Eve, where she read the story.

Her albums Quintessence and 1967 were released in 2008. 1967 was a recording she made when she was only 19 years old. Her album Ghostlight was released in 2014.

Personal Life

Betty Buckley was married to Peter Flood from 1972 to 1979. They divorced, and she does not have any children.

She has received two special honorary doctorates. These awards recognize her important contributions to musical theater.

Filmography

Movies

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1976 Carrie Miss Collins
1983 Tender Mercies Dixie
1987 Wild Thing Leah
1988 Frantic Sondra Walker
1988 Another Woman Kathy
1994 Wyatt Earp Virginia Earp
1999 Simply Irresistible Aunt Stella
2008 The Happening Mrs. Jones
2016 Split Dr. Karen Fletcher
2024 Imaginary Gloria
2025 By Design Cynthia

Television Shows

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1977–1981 Eight Is Enough Sandra Sue 'Abby' Abbott Bradford 102 episodes
1984 Special Treat Mrs. Lawson Episode: "Bobby and Sarah"
1989 ABC Afterschool Specials Lillian Robinson Episode: "Taking a Stand"
2001–2003 Oz Suzanne Fitzgerald 18 episodes
2003 Monk Mrs. Fleming Episode: "Mr. Monk Goes to the Theater"
2006 Without a Trace Catherine Ryder Episode: "Expectations"
2006 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Attorney Walsh 3 episodes
2010 The Pacific Marion Leckie Episode: "Home"
2011–2013 Pretty Little Liars Regina Marin 2 episodes
2015 The Leftovers Jane Episode: "Ten Thirteen"
2017–2020 Supergirl Patricia Arias 4 episodes
2018 Preacher Madame Marie L'Angelle Season 3
2021–2022 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Trial Division Chief Lorraine Maxwell Recurring role (seasons 23-24)

Theatre Performances

Theatre
Year Title Role Notes
1969 1776 Martha Jefferson Broadway debut
1973 Pippin Catherine (replacement)
1982–1984 Cats Grizabella Won Tony Award
1985 The Mystery of Edwin Drood Edwin Drood / Miss Alice Nutting
1988 Carrie Margaret White
1994–1996 Sunset Boulevard Norma Desmond (replacement) Nominated for Olivier Award
1997 Triumph of Love Hesione Nominated for Tony Award
2013 Dear World Countess Aurelia London Premiere
2015–2016 Grey Gardens Big Edie
2018–2019 Hello, Dolly! Dolly Gallagher Levi National Tour

Discography

Albums

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
Much More 1997 Sterling
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
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

Cast recordings
Show Cast Year Role
1776 Original Broadway Cast 1969 Martha Jefferson
Promises, Promises Original London Cast 1969 Fran Kubelik
Cats Original Broadway Cast 1982 Grizabella
The Mystery of Edwin Drood Original Broadway Cast 1985 Edwin Drood / Dick Datchery / Miss Alice Nutting
Triumph of Love Original Broadway Cast 1998 Hesione

Awards and Nominations

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

Honorary Awards

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

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Betty Buckley para niños

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