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Constance Towers
Constance Towers, 1960.jpg
Towers in 1960
Born (1933-05-20) May 20, 1933 (age 92)
Alma mater Juilliard School
Occupation Actress, singer
Years active 1952–present
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Spouse(s)
Eugene McGrath
(m. 1959; div. 1966)
(m. 1974; died 2018)
Children 2

Constance Mary Towers (born May 20, 1933) is an American actress and singer. She has worked in movies, on stage, and on television. She became well-known in the 1950s for her movie roles. Later, she moved to theater, starring in many Broadway shows throughout the 1970s. She has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards.

Starting in 1965, Constance began her theater career. Her first Broadway show was the musical Anya. She also appeared in Show Boat in 1966. Throughout the 1970s, she starred in four other Broadway shows. Her most famous role was Anna in The King and I in 1977 and 1978. Later in her career, she mostly worked in television. She played Clarissa McCandless on the TV show Capitol from 1982 to 1987. She also played the famous villain Helena Cassadine on General Hospital, starting in 1997.

Early Life and Beginnings

Constance Towers was born on May 20, 1933, in Whitefish, Montana. She was one of two daughters. Her father, Harry J. Towers, was a pharmacist, and her mother was Ardath L. Towers. Her mother was from Nebraska and had Irish family. Her father was from Dublin, Ireland, and moved to the United States. When Constance was young, her family moved around western Montana, living in Whitefish, Missoula, and Kalispell. They also lived in Moscow, Idaho.

In 1940, when Constance was in first grade, talent scouts found her. They were visiting Montana to find child actors for radio shows. After this, her family moved to Seattle, Washington. For the next three years, she worked as a child radio actress on shows in the Pacific Northwest. When she was 11, a big movie studio, Paramount Pictures, offered her a contract. However, her parents decided not to accept it. At age 12, she worked at a small local movie theater in her hometown of Whitefish.

Later, her family moved to New York City. Her father got a job there as a leader for a medicine company. In New York, Constance went to the Juilliard School to study music. She also studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She learned to sing from a well-known voice teacher named Beverley Peck Johnson.

Constance's Career Journey

Early Film Roles (1955–1964)

Constance Towers
Constance Towers in The Horse Soldiers (1959)

While studying at Juilliard, a film agent discovered Constance. She said she was "very lucky." An agent saw her and believed in her talent. One day, they were walking down Fifth Avenue, and the manager of the St. Regis Hotel asked if she could sing. Her agent said yes, and she was asked to perform in three weeks. She quickly learned songs, performed for critics, and got good reviews. That same night, a casting director from Columbia Pictures saw her. They flew her to Los Angeles to meet with Harry Cohn, the head of Columbia. She read lines with actor Jack Lemmon, and then they signed her to a contract.

Constance's first movie role was a smaller part in Bring Your Smile Along (1955). After that, she had another supporting role in the crime movie Over-Exposed (1956). Constance is quite tall, and at first, it was hard for her to get main roles in movies because of her height. In 1958, she got her first main role as Hannah Hunter in John Ford's Civil War movie The Horse Soldiers (1959). She starred alongside famous actors John Wayne and William Holden. The next year, she appeared in another John Ford movie, Sergeant Rutledge (1960), a Western movie that also looked at issues of race.

Constance Towers in Shock Corridor
Constance Towers in Shock Corridor (1963)

In 1963, Constance had a supporting role in Samuel Fuller's thriller Shock Corridor (1963). This movie is about a journalist who goes undercover in a mental hospital to solve a mystery.

In 1964, Constance appeared in the thriller Fate Is the Hunter, which is about investigating a plane crash. She also worked as a model for a fashion show to help the Heart Fund. Between 1961 and 1965, she made five guest appearances on the TV show Perry Mason.

Theater Focus (1965–1990)

Hello Young Lovers
Constance Towers in a Broadway production of The King and I, 1977

After several roles in movies, TV, and stage shows, Constance made her Broadway debut. She played the main role in Anya, a musical that didn't run for very long in 1965.

Constance played Julie in a 1966 production of Show Boat at Lincoln Center. She also starred in Carousel in 1966 and The Sound of Music in 1967. She played the role of Maria in The Sound of Music again in 1970, 1971, and 1980 at the Jones Beach Theater in New York.

She briefly played Anna Leonowens in The King and I in 1968. Later, she starred with Yul Brynner in a long-running return of The King and I. This show toured and then played on Broadway from 1976 to 1978. Critics loved her performance, and one theater writer called her singing on the 1977 cast album "great."

In 1995, she played Phyllis in Stephen Sondheim's musical Follies.

From the mid-1960s to the 1990s, Constance mostly focused on theater. However, she still appeared in movies sometimes. In 1974, she starred in the TV movie Once in Her Life. For this role, she received a nomination for a special TV award called an Emmy. She also appeared on television as Marian Hiller in Love is a Many Splendored Thing (1971–72).

She had a main role as the kind widow Clarissa McCandless in Capitol (1982–87). She played against the tricky older woman Myrna Clegg. Clarissa tried to help her son succeed in politics and was the long-time love interest of Senator Mark Denning. For this part, she was nominated for a Soap Opera Digest Award.

Television and General Hospital (1991–Present)

US Navy 110728-N-HQ755-104 Rear Adm. Alton Stocks, commander of Navy Medicine East and Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, speaks about Navy Medicine'
Constance Towers during a visit to the set of General Hospital in 2011

Constance had a supporting role in the movie The Next Karate Kid (1994). She also appeared on TV as Audrey North on The Young and the Restless (1996). Later, she played Madame Julianna Deschanel on Sunset Beach (1997). In 1998, Constance had supporting roles in the horror movie The Relic (1997) and the thriller A Perfect Murder (1998). In A Perfect Murder, she played the mother of Gwyneth Paltrow's character.

Constance's most famous soap opera role is as the villain Helena Cassadine on General Hospital. She started playing Helena in late 1997. Even after her character's death in 2015, Constance made guest appearances in 2016, 2017, 2019, and February 2020. In October 2020, Constance briefly played Helena again in a voice-only role.

Constance also made a guest appearance in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "The Forsaken" in 1993. She appeared in other TV shows like Designing Women, Frasier, Baywatch, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Other TV roles include State Trooper, Hawaii Five-O, The Rockford Files, L.A. Law, The 4400, and Cold Case.

In 2008, Constance starred in a Los Angeles show called Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks.

Personal Life

Constance was first married to Eugene McGrath from 1959 until they divorced in 1966. In 1974, she married actor John Gavin, who later became an ambassador to Mexico. Constance has two children from her first marriage. She also has two stepchildren from her marriage to John Gavin. John Gavin passed away on February 9, 2018.

Constance is the chairwoman of the board of directors for the Blue Ribbon group at the Los Angeles Music Center.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Director Notes Ref.
1955 Bring Your Smile Along Nancy Willows Edwards, BlakeBlake Edwards
1956 Over-Exposed Shirley Thomas Seiler, LewisLewis Seiler
1959 The Horse Soldiers Miss Hannah Hunter of Greenbriar Ford, JohnJohn Ford
1960 Sergeant Rutledge Mary Beecher Ford, JohnJohn Ford
1963 Shock Corridor Cathy Fuller, SamuelSamuel Fuller
1964 Fate Is the Hunter Peg Burke Nelson, RalphRalph Nelson
1964 The Naked Kiss Kelly Fuller, SamuelSamuel Fuller
1974 Once in Her Life Joan Baldwin Levin, PeterPeter Levin Television film
Nominated – Emmy Award for Best Actress in a Special Program
1985 Fast Forward Jessie Granger Poitier, SidneySidney Poitier
1985 Sylvester Muffy Hunter, TimTim Hunter
1991 Memories of Midnight Sister Larissa Nelson, GaryGary Nelson Television film
1992 The Nutt House Mrs. Henderson Rifkin, AdamAdam Rifkin
1992 The Sands of Time Sister Larissa Nelson, GaryGary Nelson Television film
1994 The Next Karate Kid Louisa Pierce Cain, ChristopherChristopher Cain
1995 Thunder in Paradise 3 Cavanna Schwartz, DouglasDouglas Schwartz
1997 The Relic Mrs. Blaisedale Hyams, PeterPeter Hyams
1998 A Perfect Murder Sandra Bradford Davis, AndrewAndrew Davis
2008 The Awakening of Spring Mrs. Gable Seidelman, Arthur AllanArthur Allan Seidelman
2013 A Fuller Life Herself Fuller, SamanthaSamantha Fuller Documentary
2015 Aghápe Mature Leean Cembrzynski, RadickRadick Cembrzynski Short film
2018 The Storyteller Rosemary Crump, JoeJoe Crump

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1952 Tales of Tomorrow Martha Episode: "Seeing-Eye Surgeon"
1957 State Trooper Doris Woodley Episode: "Beef ala Murder"
1958 Mike Hammer Jean Barr Episode: "Overdose of Lead"
1957–1958 The Bob Cummings Show Patricia Plumber Episodes: "Bob Gives Psychology Lessons" and "Bob's Forgotten Fiancée"
1960 Adventures in Paradise Laura Knight Episode: "Sink or Swim"
1961 Zane Grey Theater Beth Woodfield Episode: "Knight of the Sun"
1964 The Outer Limits Laura James Episode: "The Duplicate Man"
1965 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Louise Menke Episode: "Exit from a Plane in Flight"
1961–1965 Perry Mason Various roles 5 episodes
1971–1972 Love Is a Many Splendored Thing Marian Hiller Series regular
1975 Hawaii Five-O Mrs. Thorncrest Episode: "Death's Name Is Sam"
1977 Lanigan's Rabbi Vinnie Barcas Episode: "In Hot Weather, the Crime Rate Soars"
1979 The Rockford Files IRS Agent Sally Sternhagen Episode: "The Big Cheese"
1979 Fantasy Island Shirley Forbush Episode: "Hit Man/The Swimmer"
1981 Fantasy Island Maggie Dunphy Episode: "Perfect Husband, The/Volcano"
1982–1987 Capitol Clarissa McCandless Series regular
1986 On Wings of Eagles Margot Perot Miniseries
1987 Murder, She Wrote Margaret Witworth Episode: "Murder, She Spoke"
1988 The Loner Kate Shane Pilot
1987–1988 L.A. Law Charlotte Kelsey Episodes: "Rohner vs. Gradinger" and "Full Marital Jacket"
1989 MacGyver Francine Leyland Episode: "Ma Dalton"
1989 Midnight Caller Teresa Chandler Episode: "Blood Red"
1990 Designing Women Louise Pollard Episode: "The Mistress"
1991 Matlock Alice Windemere Episode: "The Suspect"
1992 Baywatch Maggie James Episode: "Sea of Flames"
1992 2000 Malibu Road Camilla O'Keefe Series regular, 6 episodes
1992 Civil Wars Harriet Guilford Episode: "Das Boat House"
1993 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Taxco Episode: "The Forsaken"
1994 Frasier Clarice Warner Episode: "Slow Tango in South Seattle"
1994 Thunder in Paradise Cavanna Episodes: "Deadly Lessons: Part 1" and "Deadly Lessons: Part 2"
1994 Silk Stalkings Karen Krane Episode: "Ask the Dust"
1995 Caroline in the City Barbara Episode: "Caroline and the Folks"
1995 High Society Boatie Episode: "Tomb with a View"
1996 The Young and the Restless Audrey North Recurring role
1997 Sunset Beach Madame Julianna Deschanel Recurring role, 9 episodes
1997–2007, 2009–2017,
2019–2020, 2022
General Hospital Helena Cassadine Series regular (1997–2002), Recurring guest star (2003–2022)
Nominated: Daytime Emmy Award for America's Favorite Villain (2002)
1998 Kelly Kelly Kate Episode: "The Kilt Show"
2000 Providence Candice Whitman Episode: "Syd in Wonderland"
2006 Criminal Minds Deb Mason Episode: "Riding the Lightning"
2007 The 4400 Audrey Parker Episode: "Audrey Parker's Come and Gone"
2009 Cold Case Caroline Kemp Episode: "Libertyville"
2013 1600 Penn Bunny Thoroughgood Episode: "So You Don't Want to Dance"
2014 Men at Work Mary Episode: "Suburban Gibbs"
2016 11.22.63 Old Sadie Dunhill Episode: "The Day in Question"
2022 9-1-1: Lone Star Helen Strand Episode: "Shift-Less"

Stage Credits

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1960–1961 Guys and Dolls Sarah Brown Civic Light Opera Company, Los Angeles, California
1962 Kismet Lalume U.S. touring production
1964 Camelot Guenevere U.S. touring production
1964 Kiss Me Kate Lilli/Kate U.S. touring production
1965 110 in the Shade Lizzie Kansas City Starlight Production |
1965 Anya Anya Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City
1966 Show Boat Julie New York State Theatre, New York City
1966 Carousel Julie Jordan City Center Theater, New York City
1967–1968 The Sound of Music Maria Rainer City Center Theater, New York City
1967 Dumas and Son Marie Los Angeles Civic Light Opera
1968 The King and I Anna Leonowens City Center Theatre, New York City
1969 Cactus Flower Stephanie Pocono Playhouse, Mountainhome, PA
1970 The Sound Of Music Maria Jones Beach Theater, Long Island
1970 The Engagement Baby Vivian Whitney Helen Hayes Theatre, New York City
1971 Ari Kitty Fremont Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City
1972 The King and I Anna Leonowens Jones Beach Theater, Long Island
1972 I Do! I Do! Agnes Chateau de Ville, John Raitt Saugus, Massachusetts
1973 I Do! I Do! Agnes Meadowbrook Dinner Theatre Van Johnson, Cedar Grove, New Jersey
1973 The Sound of Music Maria Rainer Pittsburg CLO, Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh, PA
1973 The King and I Anna Leonowens State Fair Music Hall, Dallas, Texas
1973 My Fair Lady Eliza Doolittle Indianapolis
1973 Mame Mame Springfield, Missouri
1973 The Desperate Hours Eleanor Hilliard Arlington Park, Illinois
1974 Oh Coward! Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, Connecticut
1974 Oklahoma Laurie Kansas City Starlight Production |
1974 I Do! I Do! Agnes Various with Theodore Bikel, Summer, National Tour
1975 Rogers and Hart! Westwood Playhouse, Los Angeles
1976–1979 The King and I Anna Leonowens Uris Theatre,1976 Summer National Tour 07/26/1976 -10/03/1976. 05/02/1977 -12/30/78 New York City, 01/02/1979 -4/22/79 Chicago and Los Angeles
1980 The Sound of Music Maria Rainer Jones Beach Theater, Long Island
1987 42nd Street Dorothy Brock
Heritage Forum, Anaheim
1989 Steel Magnolias M'Lynn
Royal George, Chicago
1991 The Speed of Darkness N/A Associate producer
Belasco Theatre, New York City
1995 Follies Phyllis Stone Theatre Under the Stars, Houston, Texas
5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington
1998 Something Wonderful McCallum Theatre, Palm Desert, California
2008 Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks Lilly Harrison Falcon Theatre, Los Angeles
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