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Elizabeth Wilson
Elizabeth Wilson (cropped).jpg
Wilson in 2011
Born
Elizabeth Welter Wilson

(1921-04-04)April 4, 1921
Died May 9, 2015(2015-05-09) (aged 94)
Occupation Actress
Years active 1953–2012

Elizabeth Welter Wilson (April 4, 1921 – May 9, 2015) was an American actress whose career spanned nearly 70 years, including memorable roles in film and television. In 1972 she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role in Sticks and Bones. Wilson was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2006.

Early life

Wilson was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the daughter of insurance agent Henry Dunning Wilson and Marie Ethel (née Welter) Wilson. Her maternal grandfather was a wealthy German immigrant, and Wilson was raised in a large mansion. She attended the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia, and then studied with Sanford Meisner at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City.

According to Wilson, she was a lifelong liberal Democrat and she adhered to the Methodist faith.

Career

Wilson was a versatile character actress, appearing in over 30 movies and many Broadway plays. The Los Angeles Times noted: "Tall and elegant, Wilson often played women who had or sought authority."

Wilson made her Broadway debut in Picnic in 1953. Her stage credits include Desk Set (1955), The Good Woman of Szechuan (1970), Sticks and Bones (1972), Uncle Vanya (1973), Threepenny Opera (1976), The Importance of Being Earnest (1977), Morning's at Seven (1980), You Can't Take It with You (1983), Ah, Wilderness! (1988), and A Delicate Balance (1996).

Wilson made her screen debut reprising her stage role in the 1955 film adaptation of Picnic as Christine Schoenwalder. Additional films include Patterns (1956), The Goddess (1958), The Tunnel of Love (1958), A Child Is Waiting (1963, The Birds (1963), The Graduate (1967), Jenny (1970), Catch-22 (1970) Little Murders (1971), The Day of the Dolphin (1973), Man on a Swing (1974), The Prisoner of Second Avenue (1975), 9 to 5 (1980), Grace Quigley (1984), Regarding Henry (1991), The Addams Family (1991), and Quiz Show (1994). Her last film role was as Sara Delano Roosevelt in Hyde Park on Hudson (2012).

Wilson's television credits include early anthology series such as Kraft Television Theatre, The United States Steel Hour, and Armstrong Circle Theatre. She was a regular on the primetime drama East Side/West Side and the sitcom Doc", and she appeared in Dark Shadows, The Secret Storm, Another World, All in the Family, Murder, She Wrote, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. She also appeared in television movies, including The Boys Next Door (1996). She appeared in the miniseries Nutcracker: Money, Madness and Murder in March 1987 as the mother of Frances Schreuder (played by Lee Remick), as well as the miniseries Alex Haley's Queen.

Death

On May 9, 2015, at age 94, Wilson died at her home in New Haven, Connecticut. She is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her parents.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1955 Picnic Christine Schoenwalder
1956 Patterns Marge Fleming
1958 Goddess, TheThe Goddess Harding
1958 Tunnel of Love, TheThe Tunnel of Love Miss MacCracken
1959 Happy Anniversary Millie
1960 Too Hot to Handle Jacki
1963 Child Is Waiting, AA Child Is Waiting Miss Fogarty
1963 Birds, TheThe Birds Helen Carter
1967 Graduate, TheThe Graduate Mrs. Braddock
1970 Jenny Mrs. Marsh
1971 Little Murders Marjorie Newquist
1973 Day of the Dolphin, TheThe Day of the Dolphin Mrs. Rome
1974 Man on a Swing Dr. Anna Willson
1975 Prisoner of Second Avenue, TheThe Prisoner of Second Avenue Pauline
1975 Happy Hooker, TheThe Happy Hooker Mrs. Gordon
1980 9 to 5 Roz
1981 Incredible Shrinking Woman, TheThe Incredible Shrinking Woman Dr. Ruth Ruth
1984 Grace Quigley Emily Watkins
1986 Where Are the Children? Dorothy Prentiss
1987 Believers, TheThe Believers Kate Maslow
1989 Nora's Christmas Gift Madeline Mumford Video
1991 Regarding Henry Jessica
1991 Addams Family, TheThe Addams Family Abigail Craven / Dr Pinder-Schloss
1994 Quiz Show Dorothy Van Doren
1994 Nobody's Fool Nora
2001 Rocky Road Grandma Louise
2012 Hyde Park on Hudson Sara Roosevelt

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1954, 1959–60 United States Steel Hour, TheThe United States Steel Hour Mrs. Watson, Grace Ferguson, Cora Wylie Episodes: "Welcome Home", "The Pink Burro", "Queen of the Orange Bowl"
1955 Kraft Television Theatre Marge Fleming Episode: "Patterns"
1956 Star Tonight Ma Kirby Episode: "Happy Journey"
1960 Interpol Calling Michele Episode: "The Girl with Grey Hair"
1960 Detectives, TheThe Detectives Beatrice Faustina Episode: "Song of Songs"
1961 Armstrong Circle Theatre Esther Harding Episode: "Black Market Babies"
1963–1964 East Side/West Side Frieda Hechlinger Main role
1965 Nurses, TheThe Nurses Dr. Lanz Episode: "Sixteen Hours to Chicago"
1966 Dark Shadows Mrs. Hopewell Episodes: "1.1", "1.8"
1969 NET Playhouse Miss Moray Episode: "Let Me Hear You Whisper"
1970 Secret Storm, TheThe Secret Storm Felicia Stringer TV series
1974 Another April Ruth Weston TV film
1975 Miles to Go Before I Sleep Kate Stanton TV film
1975 All in the Family Amelia DeKuyper Episode: "Amelia's Divorce"
1975 Easter Promise, TheThe Easter Promise Mrs. Coyle TV film
1975–1976 Doc Annie Bogert Main role (season 1)
1979 Another World Ethel Banta Episode: "1.3746"
1979 Sanctuary of Fear Mrs. Glidden TV film
1980 Once Upon a Family Norma Solomon TV film
1982 Million Dollar Infield Sally Ephron TV film
1982 Tucker's Witch Jewel Porter Episode: "Big Mouth"
1982 Morning's at Seven Aaronetta Gibbs TV film
1984 Great Performances Penny Sycamore Episode: "You Can't Take It with You"
1986 Morningstar/Eveningstar Kathy Kelly TV series, 7 episodes
1987 Nutcracker: Money, Madness and Murder Berenice Bradshaw TV miniseries
1987 Conspiracy of Love, AA Conspiracy of Love Lilly Woldarski TV film
1990 Burning Bridges Freda TV film
1993 Skylark Harriet Wheaton TV film
1993 Delta Rosiland Dupree Episodes: "Mom Comes to Town", "Amateur Night", "Red Hot Mama", "Delta's Little Dilemma"
1994 In the Best of Families: Marriage, Pride & Madness Annie Klenner TV film
1994 Spring Awakening Mrs. Pierson TV film
1994 Scarlett Eulalie Robillard TV miniseries
1995 Murder, She Wrote Serena Haynes Episode: "Home Care"
1996 Boys Next Door, TheThe Boys Next Door Mary Fremus TV film
1996 Special Report: Journey to Mars President Elizabeth Richardson TV film
1997 Dellaventura Eloise Berg Episode: "Clean Slate"
1998 Promised Land Evelyn Hooper Episode: "Recycled"
2000 Gideon's Crossing Camellia Kellogg Episode: "Father Knows Best"
2002 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Lucille Mobray Episode: "Chinoiserie"

Awards and nominations

Awards
Nominations

See also

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