Award-winning stage and TV performer whose regal presence has made her a leading interpreter of American playwrights from Eugene O'Neill to Edward Albee. Frequently cast as sensual, earth-mother types, Dewhurst first won acclaim on Broadway as James Agee's mother in Tad Mosel's adaptation of Agee's "A Death in the Family" and "All the Way Home" (1961). Though she has appeared in relatively few films, she was memorable as Annie's superbly WASP-y mother in "Annie Hall" (1977). Dewhurst also played Candice Bergen's mother in the popular TV comedy series "Murphy Brown".
- Born:
June 3, 1926 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Died:
August 22, 1991.
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Job Titles:
Actor, Elevator operator, Gym teacher, Switchboard operator
Family
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Father: Fred Dewhurst.
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Son: Alexander R Scott. born in 1961; father, George C Scott
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Son: Campbell Scott. born in 1962; father, George C Scott; acted with his mother in her last stage appearance, Long Day s Journey into Night and Ah, Wilderness! (1988) and her last film, Dying Young (1991)
Significant Others
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Companion: Ken Marsolais. lived together for last 16 years of Dewhurst s life
Education
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Downer College for Young Ladies, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milestones
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1946 Stage debut while a student in The Royal Family at the Carnegie Lyceum
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1952 Broadway stage debut (a bit part as a dancer) in Harold Clurman s revival of Eugene O Neill s Desire Under the Elms
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1956 Acted the roles of Gertrude in Hamlet , Kate in The Taming of the Shrew , Lady Macbeth and Cleopatra in Joseph Papp s Shakespeare in Central Park productions; acted several times opposite future husband George C. Scott
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1959 Screen acting debut in The Nun s Story
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1960 First major Broadway role in production of Albert Camus Caligula
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1974 Achieved greatest stage acclaim in the role of Josie Hogan in revival of O Neill s A Moon for the Misbegotten
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1975 Reprised Moon role on television
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1981 Directed Broadway play, Ned and Jack
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1987 Starred in one-woman New York show, My Gene , playing Eugene O Neill s wife, Carlotta
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1988 Last Broadway appearance, alternating roles in revivals of O Neill s Long Day s Journey Into Night and Ah, Wilderness! ; son Campbell Scott in cast
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1989 Began recurring guest-star role as Avery Brown, Murphy s mother, on hit sitcom Murphy Brown
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1991 Last film, Dying Young , starring her son Campbell Scott
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Directed National Theater of the Deaf production of All the Way Home
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Family left Canada when Dewhurst was a child, moving first to Boston and later to Milwaukee
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Resolved to become a pilot and later a journalist before considering an acting career
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Served as president, Actors Equity Association