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Kim Stanley | |
|---|---|
 Stanley in 1961 | |
| Born | Patricia Kimberley Reid (1925-02-11)February 11, 1925 Tularosa, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Died | August 20, 2001(2001-08-20) (aged 76) Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Actors Studio University of New Mexico |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1950–1985 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3 |
Kim Stanley (bornPatricia Kimberley Reid; February 11, 1925 – August 20, 2001) was an American actress who was primarily active in television and theatre but also had occasional film performances.
She began her acting career in theatre and subsequently attended theActors Studio in New York. She received the 1952Theatre World Award for her role inThe Chase (1952), and starred in theBroadway productions ofPicnic (1953) andBus Stop (1955). Stanley was nominated for theTony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her roles inA Touch of the Poet (1959) andA Far Country (1962).
In the 1950s, Stanley was a prolific performer in television; she later progressed to film, with a well-received performance inThe Goddess (1958). She was the narrator ofTo Kill a Mockingbird (1962), and starred inSéance on a Wet Afternoon (1964), for which she won theNew York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress and was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Actress. She was less active during the remainder of her career; two of her later film successes were as the mother ofFrances Farmer inFrances (1982), for which she received a nomination for theAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and asPancho Barnes inThe Right Stuff (1983). Stanley received aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie for her performance as Big Mama in a television adaptation ofCat on a Hot Tin Roof in 1985. That same year, she was inducted into theAmerican Theatre Hall of Fame.[1]
Stanley was born inTularosa, New Mexico, the daughter of Ann (née Miller), an interior decorator, and J. T. Reid, a professor of philosophy and education at theUniversity of New Mexico, located inAlbuquerque.[2] Her father was of Irish or Scottish descent, born and raised inTexas, where he met her mother (who was of German and English ancestry). She had three older brothers (Howard Clinton Reid, a psychiatrist; Kenneth Reid, killed in pilot training duringWorld War II; and Justin Truman Reid, a lawyer); and a half-sister (Carol Ann Reid).[2] She was a drama major at the University of New Mexico, and later studied at thePasadena Playhouse and adopted her maternal grandmother's surname as her stage name.[2]
Stanley was a successfulBroadway actress with only a few film roles. She was singled out byThe New York Times criticBrooks Atkinson for her early work. She eventually attended theActors Studio, studying underElia Kazan,Lee Strasberg, andVivian Nathan.[3] She received the 1952Theatre World Award for her performance as Anna Reeves inThe Chase,[4] and starred in such Broadway hits asPicnic (1953), playing Millie Owens andBus Stop (1955), playing Cherie.
She was nominated for the 1959Tony Award forBest Actress in a Play forA Touch of the Poet and the 1962 Tony for Best Actress in a Play for her portrayal of Elizabeth von Ritter inHenry Denker'sA Far Country. Stanley also portrayed Maggie "The Cat" inCat on a Hot Tin Roof in the original London production of the play. In 1965, she played Masha in theLondon run of an Actors Studio production ofAnton Chekhov's playThe Three Sisters. After a savaging of the production by local critics, she made good on her promise to never act on stage again.
Stanley was a leading lady of live television drama, which flourished in New York City during the 1950s. On October 17, 1950, she starred in "The Vanishing Lady" onThe Trap.[5] Her other starring roles included Wilma, a star-struck 15-year-old girl from theU.S. Gulf Coast of Texas inHorton Foote'sA Young Lady of Property, which aired onThe Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse on April 5, 1953.
Her first film wasThe Goddess (1958), playing a tragic movie star. She starred inSéance on a Wet Afternoon (1964), winning both theNational Board of Review Award for Best Actress and the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress, and was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Actress and theBAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.[6]
A filmed version of Strasberg-directedThree Sisters (1966) opened with Stanley reprising the role of Masha, and is the only time one can see her perform in a film alongsideGeraldine Page,Sandy Dennis,Shelley Winters and other well-known names of the Actors Studio. She was nominated for anAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actress and aGolden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for her performance asFrances Farmer's possessive mother inFrances (1982). She also playedPancho Barnes inThe Right Stuff (1983). Stanley was the uncredited narrator in the drama filmTo Kill a Mockingbird (1962). As the narrator, she represents the character Jean Louise Finch ("Scout") as an adult.Mary Badham portrays Scout as a child in the film.
She received anEmmy Award forOutstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her appearance in the episode, "A Cardinal Act of Mercy" (1963), of the television series,Ben Casey (1961–1966), and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special for her appearance in the1984 television adaptation ofTennessee Williams's Southern melodramaCat on a Hot Tin Roof, this time as Big Mama.
Stanley was married four times: to Bruce Hall (1945–1946),Curt Conway (1949–1956),Alfred Ryder (1958–1964), and Joseph Siegel (1964–1967). All four marriages ended in divorce.
She had three children: one by Curt Conway; one by Brooks Clift (brother ofMontgomery Clift), while she was married to Conway; and one by Alfred Ryder (Laurie).[7] During her marriage to Ryder, Stanley converted to Judaism.[8]
Stanley did not act during her later years, preferring the role of teacher in New York City, Los Angeles, and later Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Stanley died ofcancer at a hospital in Santa Fe at the age of 76.[9][7] She was survived by her brother Justin, her children, and three grandchildren.[7] A biography,Female Brando: the Legend of Kim Stanley (2006), byJon Krampner, was published by Back Stage Books, a division ofWatson-Guptill.[10][11]
She was inducted into the New Mexico Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2012.
Partial listing of stage work:
| Opening date | Closing date | Title | Role | Playwright | Theatre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 1949 | Yes Is For A Very Young Man[9] | Gertrude Stein | Cherry Lane Theatre | ||
| Oct 29, 1949 | Dec 24, 1949 | Montserrat[9] | Replacement forJulie Harris as Felisa | Lillian Hellman adaptation originalEmmanuel Roblès | Fulton | |
| Jan 7, 1951 | Jan 20, 1951 | The House of Bernarda Alba[12] | Adela | Federico García Lorca Translation James Graham Lujan and Richard L. O'Connell | ANTA | |
| Apr 15, 1952 | May 10, 1952 | The Chase[13] | Anna Reeves | Horton Foote | Playhouse | 1952Theatre World Award[14] for Kim Stanley |
| Feb 19, 1953 | Apr 10, 1954 | Picnic[7] | Millie Owens | William Inge | Music Box | New York Drama Critics Award |
| Oct 27, 1954 | Nov 20, 1954 | The Traveling Lady[7] | Georgette Thomas | Horton Foote | Playhouse | |
| Mar 2, 1955 | Apr 21, 1956 | Bus Stop[9][7] | Cherie | William Inge | Music Box Winter Garden | |
| Jan 10, 1957 | Feb 9, 1957 | A Clearing in the Woods[7] | Virginia | Arthur Laurents | Belasco | |
| Jan 30, 1958 | 1958 | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof[9] | Maggie | Tennessee Williams | Comedy Theatre | |
| Oct 2, 1958 | Jun 13, 1959 | A Touch of the Poet[9] | Sara Melody | Eugene O'Neill | Helen Hayes | Tony Award nomination, Best Actress |
| Oct 12, 1959 | Nov 28, 1959 | Chéri[7] | Léa de Lonval | Anita Loos Colette | Morosco | |
| Apr 4, 1961 | Nov 25, 1961 | A Far Country[7] | Elizabeth von Ritter | Henry Denker | Music Box | Tony Award nomination, Best Actress |
| Jan 31, 1963 | Mar 02, 1963 | Natural Affection[15] | Sue Barker | William Inge | Booth | |
| Jun 22, 1964 | Oct 03, 1964 | The Three Sisters[7] | Masha | Anton Chekhov Randall Jarrell English version | Morosco |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | The Goddess[7][9] | Emily Ann Faulkner | |
| 1962 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Scout as an Adult – Narrator | Voice, Uncredited |
| 1964 | Séance on a Wet Afternoon[7] | Myra Savage | Laurel Award for Top Dramatic Performance, Female (3rd place) National Board of Review Award for Best Actress New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress Nominated-Academy Award for Best Actress[7] Nominated-BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role |
| 1966 | The Three Sisters[7] | Masha | |
| 1982 | Frances[7] | Lillian Farmer | Nominated-Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated-Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture[7] |
| 1983 | The Right Stuff[7] | Pancho Barnes |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | The Magnavox Theatre | Unknown | Father, Dear Father |
| 1950 | Cavalcade of Stars | Self | Episode #1.53 |
| 1950 | Sure As Fate | Unknown | The Vanishing Lady |
| 1950 | The Trap | Unknown | Sentence of Death |
| 1950 | Escape | Unknown | The Covenant |
| 1951 | Danger | Unknown | The Anniversary |
| 1951 | Out There | Unknown | The Bus to Nowhere |
| 1952 | Danger | Helen | The System |
| 1954 | Danger | Unknown | The Bet |
| 1953 | You Are There | Cleopatra | The Death of Cleopatra (30 B.C.) |
| 1953 | You Are There | Joan of Arc | The Final Hours of Joan of Arc (May 30, 1431) |
| 1953 | The Gulf Playhouse | Unknown | The Tears of My Sister |
| 1953 | The Ed Sullivan Show | Self | Episode #6.36 |
| 1952 | Goodyear Television Playhouse | Unknown | The Witness |
| 1954 | Goodyear Television Playhouse | Unknown | The Brownstone |
| 1956 | Goodyear Television Playhouse | Kay | Joey |
| 1956 | Goodyear Television Playhouse | Unknown | In the Days of Our Youth |
| 1956 | Goodyear Television Playhouse | Unknown | Conspiracy of Hearts |
| 1953 | The Philco Television Playhouse | Unknown | A Young Lady of Property |
| 1953 | The Philco Television Playhouse | Unknown | The Strong Women |
| 1953 | The Philco Television Playhouse | Unknown | The Sixth Sense |
| 1954 | The Philco Television Playhouse | Unknown | Somebody Special |
| 1954 | Armstrong Circle Theatre | Unknown | H Is for Hurricane |
| 1954 | Inner Sanctum Mystery | Maggie | The Hands |
| 1954 | Kraft Television Theatre | Unknown | The Scarlet Letter |
| 1956 | Kraft Television Theatre | Unknown | Death Is a Spanish Dancer |
| 1957 | Kraft Television Theatre | Unknown | The Glass Wall |
| 1955 | A.N.T.A. Album of 1955 | Herself | Production ofAmerican National Theater and Academy |
| 1955 | Playwrights 56 | Abby | The Waiting Place |
| 1955 | Playwrights 56 | Martha Anderson | Flight |
| 1955 | The Elgin Hour | Lili | The Bridge |
| 1957 | Westinghouse Studio One | Georgette Thomas | The Traveling Lady |
| 1957 | Playhouse 90 | Mae D'Amato | Clash by Night |
| 1960 | Playhouse 90 | Sarah Eubanks | Tomorrow |
| 1958 | Armchair Theatre | Georgette Thomas | The Travelling Lady |
| 1960 | Armchair Theatre | Unknown | The Cake Baker |
| 1960 | DuPont Show of the Month | Sarah Anne Howe | Ethan Frome |
| 1962 | Westinghouse Presents: That's Where the Town Is Going | Wilma Sills | TV movie |
| 1963 | Ben Casey[7] | Faith Parsons | A Cardinal Act of Mercy:, Parts 1 and 2 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role[16] |
| 1964 | The Eleventh Hour | Unknown | Does My Mother Have to Know?:, Parts 1 and 2 |
| 1968 | Flesh and Blood | Della | TV movie |
| 1969 | U.M.C. | Joanna Hanson | TV movie, Pilot forMedical Center |
| 1970 | NET Playhouse:Dragon Country | Unknown | TV movie |
| 1971 | Night Gallery | Elizabeth Croft | A Fear of Spiders/Junior/Marmalade Wine/The Academy |
| 1971 | The Name of the Game | Veta Marie Goss | The Man Who Killed a Ghost |
| 1982 | It Takes Two | Mrs. Tandy | Death Penalty |
| 1983 | 55th Academy Awards | Self | |
| 1983 | Quincy, M.E. | Mrs. Edith Jordan | Beyond the Open Door |
| 1984 | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof[7] | Big Mama | TV movie Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special[17] (final performance) |
| 2005 | The Needs of Kim Stanley | Self | Documentary |
