Beverlee McKinsey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Beverlee McKinsey
McKinsey as Iris Carrington with Paul Stevens as Brian Bancroft on Another World, 1977
Born	Beverlee Magruder (1935-08-09)August 9, 1935 McAlester, Oklahoma, United States
Died	May 2, 2008(2008-05-02) (aged 72) Santa Maria, California, United States
Spouse(s)	Mark McKinsey (1956–1959; divorced) Angus Duncan (1963–1967); Berkeley Harris (1971 – September 17, 1984; by his death)

Beverlee McKinsey (born August 9, 1935 – died May 2, 2008) was an American actress. She was famous for her roles in TV soap operas. She played Iris Cory Carrington on Another World and its spin-off show Texas from 1972 to 1981. Later, she played Alexandra Spaulding on Guiding Light from 1984 to 1992.

Early Life and Acting Start

Beverlee McKinsey was born Beverlee Magruder in McAlester, Oklahoma, on August 9, 1935. Her parents were Warren and Jewell Magruder.

She graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1956. She earned a degree in Drama. Her acting career began in New York City theater. She was an understudy for the main role of Corie in the original Broadway play Barefoot in the Park. She even performed the role several times with actor Robert Redford.

She also played Honey in the London show Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. She acted alongside famous stars like Uta Hagen. Before Broadway, she worked in Off-Broadway theater. There, she often performed with actors like James Earl Jones.

In the late 1960s, McKinsey moved to Hollywood. She appeared in several TV shows. She then started acting in daytime TV. She played Diana Martin on Love of Life. Later, she joined Love Is a Many Splendored Thing. On that show, she met her future husband, Berkeley Harris.

Daytime TV Career

Playing Iris Carrington

In May 1972, Beverlee McKinsey had a small role as Emma Frame on Another World. The show's head writer, Harding Lemay, was very impressed by her. He then gave her a much bigger and different role. This was the part of the clever and sometimes tricky Iris Carrington.

McKinsey played Iris from December 1972 to July 1980. For much of this time, her character Iris was part of a unique story. Iris tried to break up her father, Mackenzie Cory, and his new wife, Rachel.

Her character, Iris, became very popular. Because of this, she became the star of a new show. This was a spin-off series called Texas, which started on August 4, 1980. She was one of only two actresses in daytime TV to get a star billing on a soap opera.

After McKinsey left the role of Iris in November 1981, the show Texas lost many viewers. It was eventually canceled in 1982. McKinsey was nominated for four Daytime Emmy Awards for her work as Iris.

Playing Alexandra Spaulding

After taking a break from daytime TV, McKinsey was asked to join Guiding Light on CBS. This happened in February 1984. She took on the new role of the rich and powerful Baroness Alexandra Spaulding Von Halkein.

McKinsey was a skilled actress and made sure her characters were very different. As Iris on Another World, she would do anything to get what she wanted. McKinsey showed that Iris's need for power came from wanting her father's approval. Iris could be sad, understanding, or a bossy person.

As Alexandra on Guiding Light, she played a character who loved power. Alexandra also wanted to be better than her brother, Alan Spaulding. She deeply missed her twin sons, Lujack and Nick, who were taken from her at birth. Alexandra also cared a lot for her nephews, Phillip and Alan-Michael.

Alexandra could sometimes be a bit snobby or strong-willed. But she also knew how to have fun. For example, she went bowling with her boyfriend, H.B. Lewis (Larry Gates). Her strong will was clear when Alexandra married Roger Thorpe (Michael Zaslow). She later found out he was involved with someone else. McKinsey's acting in this story was amazing. She went from being sweet to showing fierce anger. The scene where Alexandra embarrassed Roger in public is now a classic moment from Guiding Light.

In 1992, McKinsey decided to leave Guiding Light. She used a part of her contract that allowed her to leave.

Personal Life and Later Years

Beverlee McKinsey was married three times. She had one son, Scott McKinsey, from her marriage to Mark McKinsey. Her son is now a director for the soap opera General Hospital. She even appeared briefly on General Hospital in 1994.

She married Berkeley Harris, an actor she worked with on Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, in 1971. She took care of him during his illness until he passed away in 1984.

In 1994, she made a short appearance as Myrna Slaughter on General Hospital. She said in an interview that she took the role to help with her health costs. She truly considered herself retired from soap operas after leaving Guiding Light in 1992. She refused all requests to return to daytime TV.

After some health problems, including a kidney transplant, McKinsey retired to Southern California. She made very few public appearances. Michael Logan, a TV columnist, once said McKinsey made "Greta Garbo look like a chatterbox!" He also called her "the greatest actress ever to grace daytime drama."

Beverlee McKinsey passed away on May 2, 2008. She died at the Olympic Medical Center in Los Angeles. Her death was due to problems from a kidney transplant she had in 1998.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Theatre Roles

Awards and Nominations