A dark-haired, somber-looking former model, Ali MacGraw gained instant screen stardom as the archetypal 'Jewish American Princess' in "Goodbye, Columbus" (1969). The following year, she earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination as the doomed collegiate heroine of the saccharine but extremely popular "Love Story" (1970). At the time, she was married to Paramount executive Robert Evans who developed several projects for her, including "The Great Gatsby". MacGraw, however, created tabloid headlines when she left Evans for Steve McQueen, her co-star in Sam Peckinpah's "The Getaway" (1972). After her 1973 marriage to McQueen, MacGraw's screen appearances tapered off until the couple divorced in 1978. Although she had some limitations as an actress, she was effective in the comic role of Alan King's mistress in "Just Tell Me What You Want" (1980). For much of the 80s, MacGraw found employment on the small screen, but was often cast in roles that demanded more than her abilities could deliver. She seemed miscast as the Jewish daughter-in-law of Robert Mitchum in the mammoth ABC miniseries "War and Remembrance" (1983) and was equally wrong as the sophisticated Lady Ashley Mitchell for the 1984-85 season of "Dynasty" (ABC). After publishing her memoirs in 1991, MacGraw concentrated on a career as a designer, appearing in the occasional project like her son Josh Evans' first feature "Glam" (1997).
- Also Credited As:
Alice MacGraw
- Born:
April 1, 1938 in Pound Ridge, New York, United States
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Job Titles:
Actor, Editorial assistant, Model, Interior decorator
Family
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Son: Josh Evans. born on January 16, 1971; father, Robert Evans
Significant Others
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Husband: Robert Evans. married in October 1970; divorced in 1972 after she became involved with Steve McQueen on the set of The Getaway ; father of MacGraw s son Josh
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Husband: Steve McQueen. became involved during the filming of The Getaway (1972); married in 1973; divorced in 1978
Education
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Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, art history, 1960
Milestones
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1968 Film debut, A Lovely Way to Die (bit part)
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1969 First leading role in films, Goodbye, Columbus
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1970 Breakthrough film, Love Story ; received Oscar nomination as Best Actress
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1972 Starred in The Getaway opposite Steve McQueen
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1980 Played the mistress of Alan King in Sidney Lumet s Just Tell Me What You Want
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1983 Co-starred as Natalie Jastrow in the ABC miniseries The Winds of War
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1984 Played Lady Ashley Mitchell for a season on the long-running ABC primetime soap opera, Dynasty ; character was one of the victims of the Moldavian massacre cliffhanger
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1992 Starred in the ABC miniseries Survive the Savage Sea
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1996 Hosted the Travel Channel special Wildlife Adventures in Alaska
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2001 Appeared in Glam , a film co-written, produced and directed by her son Josh Evans
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2006 Made her Broadway debut in Festen, also starring Larry Bryggman, Michael Hayden and Julianna Margulies
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TV endorser of Victoria Jackson skin care products
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Worked as a model, then became an assistant to HARPER S BAZAAR editor Diana Vreeland, assistant to fashion photograher Mel Sokolsky and editorial assistant at the magazine