Susan Tyrrell
Publicity still forCamino Real, 1970
Born	Susan Jillian Creamer (1945-03-18)March 18, 1945 San Francisco, California, U.S.
Died	June 16, 2012(2012-06-16) (aged 67) Austin, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1964–2012
Notable work	Fat City,Andy Warhol's Bad,Forbidden Zone,Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker,Cry-Baby

Susan Tyrrell (bornSusan Jillian Creamer; March 18, 1945 – June 16, 2012) was an American character actress. Tyrrell's career began in theater in New York City in the 1960s inBroadway andoff Broadway productions. Her first film wasShoot Out (1971). She was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Oma inJohn Huston'sFat City (1972). In 1978, Tyrrell received theSaturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance inAndy Warhol's Bad (1977). HerNew York Times obituary described her as "a whiskey-voiced character actress (with) talent for playing the downtrodden, outré, and grotesque."^[1]

Tyrrell was born inSan Francisco, California, to a British mother, Gillian (née Tyrrell; 1913–2012),^[2] and an American father, John Belding Creamer. Her mother was a socialite and member of thediplomatic corps inChina and thePhilippines during the 1930s and 1940s. Her father John was an agent with theWilliam Morris Agency who representedLeo Carrillo,Loretta Young,Ed Wynn, andCarole Lombard.^{[citation needed]}

Tyrrell spent her childhood inNew Canaan, Connecticut. She was a poor student and as a teenager became estranged from her mother.^[3] Through her father's connections, Tyrrell was employed in the theatrical production ofTime Out for Ginger (1963) starringArt Carney inNew York City.^[4][5] Her father also persuadedLook magazine to follow her as she toured with the show, but he died shortly afterwards.^[3]

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Tyrrell made her Broadway debut in 1965 as a replacement performer in the comedyCactus Flower.^[3] In 1968, as a member of theRepertory Theatre of Lincoln Center, she was in the cast ofKing Lear and revivals ofThe Time of Your Life (1969) andCamino Real (1970).Off-Broadway, Tyrrell appeared in the 1967 premiere ofLanford Wilson'sThe Rimers of Eldritch and a 1979 production ofFather's Day (play) atThe American Place Theatre.^[3]

Tyrrell's television debut was inMr. Novak (1964) and her film debut was inShoot Out (1971). Tyrrell was nominated for anAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Oma inJohn Huston'sFat City (1972). In 1976, she played a psychotic character inI Never Promised You A Rose Garden. In 1978, she won theSaturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance inBad.^{[citation needed]}

Later, Tyrrell starred as Queen Doris in theindieForbidden Zone (1980). She sang the film's song, "Witch's Egg". A year later, she portrayed Vera inTales of Ordinary Madness (1981). From 1981 to 1982, Tyrrell starred as Gretchen Feester, in theABC's short-livedsituation comedy seriesOpen All Night. She then had a starring role in theexploitationhorror filmButcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1981).

In 1983, Tyrrell played Solly in the sexploitation filmAngel and its 1984 sequel,Avenging Angel. Then followed roles in the adventure filmFlesh+Blood, theVincent Priceanthologyhorror filmFrom a Whisper to a Scream (1987), theanimated feature filmThe Chipmunk Adventure (1987), andBig Top Pee-wee (the 1988 sequel to 1985'sPee-wee's Big Adventure). Tyrrell took a supporting role inJohn Waters'Cry-Baby (1990).

In 1992, she guest starred on an episode of Wings "Marriage Italian Style" and she performed her own one-woman show,Susan Tyrrell: My Rotten Life, a Bitter Operetta.^[3] In the late 1990s, Tyrrell had roles in theTales from the Crypt episode "Comes the Dawn" (1995), theanimated seriesExtreme Ghostbusters (1997), and thepsychological thriller filmBuddy Boy (1999).

In the 2000s, Tyrrell appeared inBob Dylan'sMasked and Anonymous (2003) andThe Devil's Due at Midnight (2004). Her final appearance was in the 2012 independent filmKid-Thing.

Tyrrell moved to New York City in the early 1960s to focus on theater work, for the first time meeting and socializing with openly LGBT people. The artistic crowd of "New York freaks" she associated with included"Andy Warhol people", among themCandy Darling, with whom Tyrrell had a relationship and shared an apartment.^[6]

In the mid-1970s, Tyrrell had a two-year relationship with actorHervé Villechaize and shared a home with him in theLaurel Canyon area of Los Angeles.^[7]

Tyrrell had two brief marriages^[8] and no children. In 1981 she told an interviewer that she had decided ontubal ligation surgery, "to ensure that no actors come out of me."^[9]

Tyrrell suffered fromessential thrombocytosis, a disease of the blood. In early 2000, her disease necessitated bilateral below-kneeamputations.^[6] That year,Johnny Depp hosted a benefit atthe Viper Room to help defray Tyrrell's medical bills.Megan Mullally,Jack Black, andChloe Webb attended.^{[citation needed]}

In 2008, Tyrrell moved toAustin, Texas, to be closer to her niece. In January 2012, Tyrrell wrote in her journal, "I demand my death be joyful and I never return again." She died on June 16, 2012, in Austin. She wascremated and her ashes were scattered.^[10][11]

Source:^{[citation needed]}

• Susan Tyrrell atIMDb 
• Susan Tyrrell at theInternet Broadway Database
• Susan Tyrrell at theInternet Off-Broadway Database (archived)

• 1945 births
• 2012 deaths
• American amputees
• American film actresses
• American stage actresses
• American television actresses
• American voice actresses
• Actresses from San Francisco
• Actresses from Los Angeles
• 20th-century American actresses
• 21st-century American actresses
• Deaths from blood disease

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