Jane Connell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jane Connell
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Connell as Hepzibah with Cesar Romero in Bewitched, 1971
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| Born |
Jane Sperry Bennett
October 27, 1925 Berkeley, California, U.S.
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| Died | September 22, 2013 (aged 87) Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress, singer |
| Spouse(s) | William Gordon Connell (1948–2013; her death) |
| Children | 2 |
Jane Sperry Connell (pronounced con-NELL) was an American actress and singer. She was born on October 27, 1925, and passed away on September 22, 2013.
Jane Connell is best known for playing Agnes Gooch. This was a famous role in the 1966 stage musical Mame and the 1974 movie version.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Jane Connell was born in Berkeley, California. Her parents were Louis Wesley and Mary Bennett. She studied drama at the University of California. There, she met her future husband, Gordon Connell.
Jane started her career with her husband, Gordon. They performed in night clubs in San Francisco. Some of these clubs were The Purple Onion and The Hungry I. Later, they moved to New York City.
A Career on Stage
Jane Connell made her first Off-Broadway appearance in 1955. This was in a play called The Threepenny Opera. It was a very popular show. She later made her Broadway debut in the same play.
One of her biggest successes was in 1966. She played Agnes Gooch in the original Broadway show Mame. She was so good that she played the same role in the 1974 movie. The movie's star, Lucille Ball, wanted Jane for the part.
Jane Connell was a small woman, only four feet eleven inches tall. But she had a very big, squeaky voice! People said she was great at making funny, big movements on stage.
She was nominated for a Tony Award for her role in Me and My Girl in 1986. A Tony Award is a very important award for Broadway shows.
Jane performed in many other Broadway shows. These included Dear World and Mame again, both with Angela Lansbury. She also appeared in Moon Over Buffalo with Carol Burnett. Later, she was in The Full Monty and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
Jane and Gordon Connell had long and successful careers in theater. They even performed together on Broadway in Lysistrata in 1972.
Film and Television Roles
Jane Connell also appeared in many movies. Some of her film roles include Ladybug Ladybug (1963) and Mame (1974). She was also in Kotch (1971) and House Calls (1978). Later films included Robot in the Family (1994) and Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde (1995).
She worked on television for many years. She was on Bewitched six times. In this show, she played different characters like Mother Goose and Queen Victoria. She often said, "We are not amused" as Queen Victoria.
Jane also appeared on other popular TV shows. These included Green Acres, All in the Family, and M*A*S*H. She was also in Maude, Good Times, and Law & Order.
She played Jane in the comedy series Stanley in 1956. She was a regular on the children's show Mr. Mayor (1964). From 1991 to 1994, she had a repeating role on the sitcom Big Brother Jake.
Family Life
Jane married Gordon Connell, who was also an actor and musician, in 1948. They were married for 65 years until Jane passed away. They had two daughters together.
Later Years and Passing
Jane Connell passed away on September 22, 2013. She was 87 years old. She died at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, New Jersey. She was survived by her husband, Gordon, and their two daughters, Melissa and Maggie. Gordon passed away in 2016.
Filmography
- Ladybug Ladybug (1963) - Mrs. Maxton
- Trilogy (1969) - Mrs. Connolly
- Kotch (1971) - Miss Roberts
- Mame (1974) - Agnes Gooch
- Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976) - Waitress
- The Magnificent Magical Magnet of Santa Mesa (1977) - Ida Griffith
- House Calls (1978) - Mrs. Conway
- Rabbit Test (1978) - Anthropologist
- Getting There (1980) - Grandma
- See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) - Woman
- Robot in the Family (1994) - Mrs. Miller
- Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde (1995) - Aunt Agatha
