Elizabeth Hartman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elizabeth Hartman
Hartman in 1966
Born	Mary Elizabeth Hartman (1943-12-23)December 23, 1943 Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
Died	June 10, 1987(1987-06-10) (aged 43) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1964–1982
Spouse(s)	Gill Dennis ​ ​ (m. 1968; div. 1984)​

Elizabeth Hartman (born December 23, 1943 – died June 10, 1987) was a talented American actress. She starred in movies and plays. She became famous in 1965 for her first film, A Patch of Blue. In this movie, she played a blind girl named Selina D'Arcy, acting alongside Sidney Poitier. For this role, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress and won a Golden Globe Award for New Star.

Elizabeth Hartman also appeared in other well-known films. These included You're a Big Boy Now by Francis Ford Coppola, The Beguiled with Clint Eastwood, and the 1973 movie Walking Tall. On stage, she was praised for her roles in plays like The Glass Menagerie and Our Town. She stopped acting in 1982 after voicing Mrs. Brisby in the animated film The Secret of NIMH.

Early Life and Acting Start

Mary Elizabeth Hartman was born on December 23, 1943, in Youngstown, Ohio. She had a sister, Janet, and a brother, William. From a young age, Elizabeth showed great talent in acting. She was a top drama student at Boardman High School, graduating in 1961.

She won an award for best actress in a high school play for her role as Laura in The Glass Menagerie. Elizabeth also performed in many plays at the Youngstown Playhouse. She later studied at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. During her summers, she acted with the Kenley Players.

Elizabeth also performed at the Cleveland Playhouse. She was encouraged to move to New York City to try out for plays there. In 1964, she got a main role in a comedy play. Even though the play wasn't a big hit, her acting was noticed by movie producers.

Becoming a Film Star

In 1964, Elizabeth Hartman was tested for roles by big movie studios like Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Warner Bros.. In the fall of 1964, she was offered a main role in A Patch of Blue. She starred alongside Sidney Poitier and Shelley Winters.

Her performance in this film received great praise from critics. News outlets in her hometown were very proud of her success. The role also earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress nomination. When she was nominated in 1966, Elizabeth Hartman was only 23 years old. This made her one of the youngest nominees ever in that category. She also won a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year.

In 1966, she played Laura again in a stage production of The Glass Menagerie in Pittsburgh.

More Film and Stage Roles

Between the mid-1960s and early 1970s, Elizabeth Hartman appeared in several popular films. These included The Group (1966), You're a Big Boy Now (1966), and The Beguiled (1971). She also starred as Pauline Pusser in the hit movie Walking Tall (1973).

In 1975, Elizabeth starred in a new play called Balaam. Her husband, Gill Dennis, directed this play. In 1981, she was part of a touring play called Morning's at Seven. Her last movie role was in the 1981 horror-comedy Full Moon High.

In 1982, she voiced Mrs. Brisby in Don Bluth's animated movie The Secret of NIMH. She was highly praised for her voice acting in this film. This was her final role in a Hollywood movie.

Later Years

Elizabeth Hartman retired from acting in 1982. She later worked at a museum in Pittsburgh. In 1984, she divorced her husband, Gill Dennis.

Elizabeth Hartman passed away on June 10, 1987. She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in her hometown of Youngstown, Ohio.

Among her close friends from Hollywood were Francis Ford Coppola and Geraldine Page. They continued to support her throughout her life. Geraldine Page, who acted with Elizabeth in two films, passed away just three days after Elizabeth, on June 13, 1987.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Stage Performances

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Elizabeth Hartman para niños

• List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees