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Susan Anspach
Susan Anspach 1979.jpg
Anspach in 1979
Born
Susan Florence Anspach

(1942-11-23)November 23, 1942
New York City, New York U.S.
Died April 2, 2018(2018-04-02) (aged 75)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1965–2009
Spouse(s)
Mark Goddard
(m. 1970; div. 1978)
Sherwood Ball
(m. 1982; div. 1988)
Children 2

Susan Florence Anspach (ons-BOK-_; November 23, 1942 – April 2, 2018) was an American stage, film and television actress who had roles in films during the 1970s and 1980s such as Five Easy Pieces (1970), Play It Again, Sam (1972), Blume in Love (1973), Montenegro (1981), Blue Monkey (1987), and Blood Red (1989).

Early life

Anspach was born and raised in Queens, New York City. Her mother was Gertrude (née Kehoe), a secretary and singer. Her father was Renald Anspach, a World War II Army veteran and later factory worker, who was of German-Jewish and English descent. The couple met at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Anspach's grandfather had disapproved of the marriage and disowned his daughter. Anspach was raised by her great aunt until Anspach was six, when her aunt died. She went back to live with her parents in what grew to be an abusive home; she left at age 15. With the help of a Roman Catholic organization, she moved in with a family in Harlem.

Anspach graduated from William Cullen Bryant High School in Long Island City in 1960. She received a full scholarship to the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. She studied music and drama. Anspach made her professional debut in Thornton Wilder's one-act play Pullman Car Hiawatha at a summer theater in Maryland. After college, she moved back to New York City.

Career

Anspach starred in several Broadway and off-Broadway shows, including as the female lead (Sheila) in the musical Hair. The musical ran for 45 performances at the Cheetah Theatre. She was in a play with Al Pacino while at the Actors Studio. Anspach first came to prominence in the 1970 film Five Easy Pieces, directed by Bob Rafelson and starring Jack Nicholson. Vincent Canby of The New York Times called her "one of America's most charming and talented actresses". She followed this with a supporting role in Woody Allen's Play It Again, Sam (1972) and a more prominent role in Paul Mazursky's romantic comedy Blume in Love (1973), alongside George Segal and Kris Kristofferson.

Anspach originally was cast in the role of country singer Barbara Jean in the 1975 film Nashville, but her salary request exceeded the ensemble film's budget; she was replaced by Ronee Blakley.

She starred off-Broadway in 1965 in A View from the Bridge with Robert Duvall, Jon Voight, and Dustin Hoffman.

In her film career, Anspach starred in 19 features and eight television movies and also was featured in two series, The Yellow Rose and The Slap Maxwell Story (with Dabney Coleman). She guest-starred in the NBC romantic anthology series Love Story in 1973, in the episode "All My Tomorrows".

Personal life

Anspach was Roman Catholic. She said that the church and her psychoanalyst were her "parents" for close to 10 years of her youth.

Anspach had a daughter, Catherine Curry (born October 15, 1968) with fellow Hair cast member Steve Curry. She had a son, Caleb Goddard (born September 26, 1970), whom she claimed was fathered by actor Jack Nicholson. She married actor Mark Goddard in June 1970 and divorced him in October 1978. Goddard adopted both children. Anspach married musician Sherwood Ball (son of musician-entrepreneur Ernie Ball) in 1982 and divorced him in 1988.

Activism

Anspach marched with United Farm Workers head Cesar Chavez. She protested against the racist apartheid system of South Africa. Anspach also advocated for human rights in Central America.

Death

Anspach died from heart failure on April 2, 2018, aged 75, in her Los Angeles home.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1970 The Landlord Susan Enders Directed by Hal Ashby
Five Easy Pieces Catherine Van Oost Directed, produced, and story by Bob Rafelson
1972 Play It Again, Sam Nancy
1973 Blume in Love Nina Blume Directed, written, and produced by Paul Mazursky
1978 The Big Fix Lila
  • Comedy–drama film directed by Jeremy Kagan
  • Based on the novel of the same name by Roger L. Simon and screenplay by Simon.
1979 Running Janet Sports drama film directed by Steven Hilliard Stern
1981 The Devil and Max Devlin Penny Hart Fantasy–comedy film directed by Steven Hilliard Stern
Gas Jane Beardsley Canadian comedy film directed by Les Rose
Montenegro Marilyn Jordan
1984 Misunderstood Lily
  • Drama film directed by Jerry Schatzberg
  • Based on the 1869 novel Misunderstood by Florence Montgomery
  • Previously been adapted as the 1966 Italian film Incompreso
1987 Blue Monkey Dr. Judith Glass Horror film directed by William Fruet
Heaven and Earth Karen McKeon
1988 Into the Fire Rosalind Winfield Thriller film directred by Graeme Campbell
1989 The Rutanga Tapes Kate Simpson
Blood Red Widow Drama film directed by Peter Masterson
Back to Back Madeline Hix
2009 Wild About Harry Martha Drama film directed by Gwen Wynne and co-written by Wynne & Mary Beth Fielder
2011 Inversion Edna Boswell (final film role)

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1964 The Nurses Harriet Ravensel
  • Episode: "So Some Girls Play the Cello" (S 3:Ep 10)
  • Also known as The Doctors and the Nurses
1965 The Patty Duke Show Susan Episode: "Will the Real Sammy Davis Please Hang Up?" (S 2:Ep 25)
The Defenders Jackie Dowling Episode: "A Matter of Law and Disorder" (S 4:Ep 26)
The Patty Duke Show Susan Episode: "Cathy, the Rebel" (S 2:Ep 31)
The Nurses Leora
  • Episode: "The Heroine" (S 3:Ep 29)
  • Also known as The Doctors and the Nurses
1966 The Journey of the Fifth Horse Miss Gruboy / Elizaveta Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Larry Arrick and Earl Dawson
1969 Judd, for the Defense Nan Dawes Episode: "Runaway" (S 2:Ep 23)
1973 Love Story Lee McKinley Episode: "All My Tomorrows" (S 1:Ep 2)
1975 For the Use of the Hall Terry Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Lee Grant
1976 McMillan & Wife Lt. Kit Boone Episode: "Point of Law" (S 5:Ep 7)
I Want to Keep My Baby! Donna Jo Martelli Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Jerry Thorpe
The Secret Life of John Chapman Wilma
  • Made-for-TV-Movie directed by David Lowell Rich
  • Based on Appleseed: The Life and Legacy of John Chapman by John R. Coleman
1977 Rosetti and Ryan Beverly Dresden Episode: "Men Who Love Women" (Pilot)
Mad Bull Christina Sebastiani Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Walter Doniger and Len Steckler
1979 The Last Giraffe Betty Leslie-Melville
  • Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Jack Couffer
  • Based on Raising Daisy Rothschild by Leslie-Melville
1980 Portrait of an Escort Jordan West Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Steven Hilliard Stern
1982 The First Time Lucy Dillon Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Noel Nosseck
1982 Deadly Encounter Chris Butler Made-for-TV-Movie directed by William A. Graham
1984 Gone Are the Dayes Phyllis Daye Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Gabrielle Beaumont
1989 Murder, She Wrote Lois Fricksey Episode: "Dead Letter" (S 6:Ep 6)
2002 Dancing at the Harvest Moon Julia Made-for-TV-Movie directed Bobby Roth
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