Nancy Dussault | |
|---|---|
 Dussault in 2010 | |
| Born | (1936-06-30)June 30, 1936 (age 88) |
| Education | Northwestern University |
| Occupation(s) | Actress,singer |
| Years active | 1961–present |
| Known for | |
| Spouses | |
Nancy Dussault (born June 30, 1936)[1] is an American actress and singer.
She is best known for playing Muriel Rush in the sitcomToo Close for Comfort (1980–1987). In a career spanning over half a century, Dussault received twoTony Award nominations.
In 1962, Dussault stepped into the role of Maria in theBroadway production ofThe Sound of Music. She received aTony Award nomination in 1961 for Best Featured Actress (Musical) forDo Re Mi and was nominated for her performance inBajour (1965). Of her performance inDo Re Mi and later career, Bloom and Vlastnik wrote: "Confidently clowning alongside such pros asPhil Silvers and Nancy Walker...she never faded into the scenery. Equally comfortable as a pure soprano or a rangy high belter, her versatility was well captured on the...cast album...Well cast as a situation comedy wife, she spent much of the 1970s and 80s in California."[2] Other stage shows includedQuality Street in 1965 at theBucks County Playhouse inPennsylvania.[3] In 1978 she played the title role inPeter Pan at the Meldoy Top Theatre in Wisconsin and Sacramento Music Circus. She also appeared in the City CenterGilbert & SullivanNYC Company, directed byDorothy Raedler, with such opera singers asNico Castel,Muriel Costa-Greenspon, and Frank Porretta, Sr. Dussault took over as the Witch inInto the Woods on Broadway (1987–1989). She had appeared twelve years earlier in the revueSide by Side by Sondheim on Broadway. More recently she has appeared at The American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco as Mrs Peachum in "The Threepenny Opera" (1999) and as Toinette in Moliere's "The Imaginary Invalid" (2007)[citation needed]
InArthur Hiller's 1979 filmThe In-Laws, she played Carol Kornpett, wife ofAlan Arkin who played Sheldon S. Kornpett, D.D.S.
On television, Dussault made guest appearances (primarily as a vocalist and dancer) onvariety shows of the 1960s, includingThe Ed Sullivan Show,The Carol Burnett Show, andThe Garry Moore Show. She was a regular on the 1970s seriesThe New Dick Van Dyke Show and the long-runningCBS game showMatch Game.In 1973,Carl Reiner created "The Nancy Dussault Show" as a vehicle for Nancy, but the pilot never sold, and the show was shelved.Dussault played the pivotal character in the 1975 "The Courtesans" episode ofBarney Miller (S1 E5), when creator/producerDanny Arnold threatened to quit his own show if networkcensors removed a risque line. The resulting publicity over the x-rated episode ensured the series ratings survival, according toHal Linden.[4]
Dussault guest-starred in an episode of the 1979NBCanthology series$weepstake$. She also playedTed Knight's wife in the role of photographer Muriel Rush on the 1980ssituation comedyToo Close for Comfort. She was part of the first anchor team of theABCmorning showGood Morning America, paired withDavid Hartman, when that show launched in 1975. Dussault was the first actress to portray the character of Theresa Stemple, the mother of character Jamie Stemple Buchman, in season one of theNBC TV seriesMad About You. In January 1997, she played the mayor of Metropolis inLois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman ("Lethal Weapon" – Season 4, Episode 12).
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Theatre World Awards | — | Do Re Mi | Won | [5] |
| 1961 | Tony Awards | Best Supporting or Featured Actress in a Musical | Nominated | [6] | |
| 1965 | Best Leading Actress in a Musical | Bajour | Nominated | [7] |
| Preceded by None | Good Morning America co-host November 3, 1975–August 5, 1977 withDavid Hartman | Succeeded by Sandy Hill asDavid Hartman's co-host from 1977 to 1980 |