Sylvia Sidney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sylvia Sidney
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Sidney in 1940
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| Born |
Sophia Kosow
August 8, 1910 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | July 1, 1999 (aged 88) New York City, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1925–1998 |
| Spouse(s) |
Carlton Alsop
(m. 1947; div. 1951) |
| Children | 1 |
| Signature | |
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Sylvia Sidney (born Sophia Kosow; August 8, 1910 – July 1, 1999) was an American actress. She worked in theater, movies, and TV for over 70 years. She became very famous in the 1930s, starring in many films.
She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1973 for her role in Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams. Later, she became well-known for playing Juno in Tim Burton's 1988 movie Beetlejuice. For this role, she won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.
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Early Life and First Steps in Acting
Sylvia Sidney was born Sophia Kosow in the Bronx, New York. Her mother, Rebecca, was from Romania. Her father, Victor, was from Russia and sold clothes. Her parents divorced when she was young. She was then adopted by her stepfather, Sigmund Sidney, who was a dentist.
Her mother became a dressmaker and changed her name to Beatrice Sidney. Sylvia, now using the last name Sidney, started acting at age 15. She used acting to help her overcome shyness. She studied at the Theater Guild's School for Acting. Critics praised her performances. In 1926, she appeared in her first movie, The Sorrows of Satan, as an extra.
A Long and Busy Career
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During the 1930s, a time called the Great Depression, Sidney starred in many movies. She often played the girlfriend or sister of a gangster. She acted alongside famous stars like Gary Cooper, Spencer Tracy, and Cary Grant.
Some of her well-known films from this time include An American Tragedy (1931) and Street Scene (1931). She also starred in Alfred Hitchcock's Sabotage (1936) and Fritz Lang's Fury (1936). In 1937, she appeared in You Only Live Once and Dead End. She was also in The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, an early movie made with special color technology called Technicolor.
At the time she made Sabotage, Sylvia Sidney was one of the highest-paid actresses. She earned a lot of money for her roles.
Her movie career slowed down a bit in the 1940s. In 1952, she played Fantine in Les Misérables. Even though the movie itself wasn't a huge hit, critics loved her acting.
She also worked a lot in television. In the 1960s, she appeared on shows like Route 66 and My Three Sons.
In 1973, Sidney was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams. As she got older, she continued to act in supporting roles. She was known for her husky voice. She played Miss Coral in I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. She also won a Golden Globe Award for her role as a grandmother in the TV movie An Early Frost.
She played Aunt Marion in Damien: Omen II. Her roles in Beetlejuice and Used People were also very important. Her very last movie role was in Mars Attacks!, another film by Tim Burton. In this movie, she played an old woman whose favorite music helped stop an alien invasion.
On television, she appeared in the first episode of WKRP in Cincinnati. She also had a memorable role in Thirtysomething as a tough grandmother. Sidney also appeared at the start of each episode of the 1990s show Fantasy Island. She was also seen on shows like Starsky & Hutch, The Love Boat, and Magnum, P.I..
Her career on Broadway, which is live theater, lasted for five decades. She started in 1926 at age 15. Her last Broadway play was Vieux Carré in 1977. In 1982, she received the George Eastman Award for her important contributions to film.
Personal Life
Sylvia Sidney was married three times. Her first marriage was to publisher Bennett Cerf in 1935, but they divorced a year later. She then married actor Luther Adler in 1938. They had one son, Jacob, who sadly passed away in 1987 from a serious illness. Sidney and Adler divorced in 1946. Her third marriage was to radio producer Carlton Alsop in 1947; they divorced in 1951.
She was a supporter of the Democratic Party.
Outside of acting, she wrote two books about needlepoint, which is a type of embroidery. She also raised and showed pug dogs.
Later Years and Passing
Sylvia Sidney passed away on July 1, 1999, from esophageal cancer. She had treatment, but it was not successful. She died about a month before her 89th birthday. Her body was cremated.
Images for kids
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Sidney in 1940
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Sylvia Sidney's signature
See also
In Spanish: Sylvia Sidney para niños
