Liz Sheridan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Liz Sheridan
Born	Elizabeth Ann Sheridan (1929-04-10)April 10, 1929 Rye, New York, U.S.
Died	April 15, 2022(2022-04-15) (aged 93) Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1950s–2010
Spouse(s)	Dale Wales ​ ​ (m. 1985; died 2003)​
Children	1
Parent(s)	Frank Sheridan (father) Elizabeth Poole-Jones (mother)

Elizabeth Ann Sheridan (born April 10, 1929 – died April 15, 2022) was an American actress and dancer. She was famous for playing Jerry's mom in the TV show Seinfeld. She also played the curious neighbor, Mrs. Ochmonek, in the sitcom ALF. Liz Sheridan had a long career that lasted many decades, working on stage, in movies, and on television.

Early Life

Liz Sheridan was born in Rye, New York, on April 10, 1929. Her father, Frank Sheridan, was a classical pianist. Her mother, Elizabeth Poole-Jones, was a concert singer. After her parents separated, her mother raised her in Westchester County, New York. When she was a child, people called her "Dizzy."

Career Highlights

Sheridan started her career as a dancer and singer in nightclubs during the 1950s. She spent a lot of her early career living and working in the Caribbean. In the late 1960s, she returned to New York City. There, she performed in cabaret shows.

She also acted in plays and musicals on Broadway. In 1977, she co-starred with famous actors like Meryl Streep and Christopher Lloyd in the musical Happy End. After that, she moved to Los Angeles to work in Hollywood.

Liz Sheridan became well-known for her supporting roles in many movies. She also appeared in over 60 prime-time TV movies and series. Some of these shows included Kojak, Archie Bunker's Place, St. Elsewhere, Newhart, Moonlighting, and The A-Team.

Her first big role was playing Raquel Ochmonek, the nosy neighbor, on the TV show ALF. She was on the show from 1986 to 1990. After ALF, she got her most famous role as Helen Seinfeld, Jerry's mother, on Seinfeld. She was in all nine seasons of Seinfeld, from 1990 to 1998. She was the only actor, besides the four main stars, to appear in every season.

Personal Life

While working as a dancer in New York City, Liz Sheridan met James Dean, who was not famous yet. She wrote a book called Dizzy & Jimmy: My Life with James Dean: A Love Story. This book shared stories about their time together in the early 1950s. She described them as each other's first romantic love. They lived together for a while before he became a big star.

At one point, they traveled to Ohio with a Major League Baseball player named Clyde McCullough. During the trip, they talked about baseball. Liz realized that if she married Dean, her name would be "Dizzy Dean," which was the same name as a famous baseball player.

James Dean started getting acting jobs in New York City and then in Hollywood movies. Their careers began to pull them in different directions. Liz said she couldn't follow him, and their relationship ended.

In 1953, Sheridan moved to the Virgin Islands. She lived in St. Thomas and later Puerto Rico for over ten years. She worked as a dancer, singer, and piano player. She even won a dance contest she choreographed for the first Carnival in St. Thomas. She also won a horse race on her horse, Generalé.

Later, she met jazz musician William Dale Wales in Puerto Rico. They were together from 1960 until he passed away in 2003. They got married in 1985. Their daughter, Stephanie, is a photographer.

Liz Sheridan was also best friends with actress Elizabeth Montgomery. They were known as Dizzy and Lizzie. They both loved horses and often went to the Santa Anita race track together.

Liz Sheridan passed away on April 15, 2022, at her home in Manhattan. This was just five days after her 93rd birthday. Her death happened less than two weeks after her Seinfeld co-star Estelle Harris also passed away.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Liz Sheridan para niños