Piper Laurie (bornRosetta Jacobs; January 22, 1932 – October 14, 2023) was an American actress. She is known for her roles in the filmsThe Hustler (1961),Carrie (1976), andChildren of a Lesser God (1986), and the miniseriesThe Thorn Birds (1983). She is also known for her performances as Kirsten Arnesen in the original TV production ofDays of Wine and Roses, and asCatherine Martell in the television seriesTwin Peaks.
Piper Laurie | |
|---|---|
 Laurie in 1990 | |
| Born | Rosetta Jacobs (1932-01-22)January 22, 1932 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | October 14, 2023(2023-10-14) (aged 91) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active |
|
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
She received various accolades, including aPrimetime Emmy Award and aGolden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for threeAcademy Awards and aBAFTA Award.
Early life
editPiper Laurie was born Rosetta Jacobs in Detroit, Michigan, on January 22, 1932.[1] Laurie was the younger of two children (both girls) of Alfred Jacobs, a furniture dealer, and his wife, Charlotte Sadie (née Alperin) Jacobs. Her paternal grandparents wereJewish immigrants fromPoland and her maternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Russia.[2][3][4]
Laurie was delivered, according to her 2011 autobiographyLearning to Live Out Loud, in a one-bedroom walk-up on Tyler Street in Detroit, where the family lived.[5] To combat her shyness, her parents provided her with weeklyelocution lessons.
Laurie's mother and grandmother placed Laurie's older sister in a sanitarium for her asthma. Laurie was sent along to keep her company.[6][7]
Career
editIn 1949, Jacobs signed a contract withUniversal Studios, and changed her screen name to Piper Laurie, which she used thereafter. Her breakout role was inLouisa (1950) withRonald Reagan, whom she dated briefly before his marriage toNancy Davis. In her autobiography, she claimed that she lost hervirginity to him.[8] Several other roles followed:Francis Goes to the Races (1951, co-starringDonald O'Connor);[9]Son of Ali Baba (1951, co-starringTony Curtis);[10] andAin't Misbehavin' (1955, co-starringRory Calhoun).[11]
To polish her image, Universal Studios told gossip columnists that Lauriebathed in milk and ate flower petals to protect her luminous skin.[12] Discouraged by the lack of substantial film roles,[13] she moved toNew York City to study acting and to seek work on the stage and in television.[12] She appeared inTwelfth Night, produced byHallmark Hall of Fame,[14] in "Days of Wine and Roses" withCliff Robertson, presented byPlayhouse 90 on October 2, 1958[15] (in the film their roles were played byJack Lemmon andLee Remick),[16] and inWinterset, presented byPlayhouse 90 in 1959.[17]
Laurie was lured back toHollywood by the offer to co-star withPaul Newman inThe Hustler, released in 1961. She played Newman's girlfriend, Sarah Packard, and for her performance, she received an Academy Award nomination forBest Actress.[12] Substantial movie roles did not come her way afterThe Hustler, so she and her husband moved to New York. In 1964, she appeared in two medical dramas—as Alicia Carter inThe Eleventh Hour episode "My Door Is Locked and Bolted",[18] and as Alice Marin in theBreaking Point episode "The Summer House". In 1965, she starred in aBroadway revival ofTennessee Williams'sThe Glass Menagerie, oppositeMaureen Stapleton,Pat Hingle, andGeorge Grizzard.[19]
Laurie did not appear in another feature film until she accepted the role of religious fanaticMargaret White in the horror filmCarrie (1976). She received an Oscar nomination forBest Supporting Actress for her performance. The commercial success of the film, and recognition for her performance, relaunched her career.[20] Her co-starSissy Spacek praised her acting skill: "She is a remarkable actress. She never does what you expect her to do—she always surprises you with her approach to a scene."[21]
In 1979, Laurie appeared as Mary Horton in the Australian movieTim oppositeMel Gibson.[22] After her 1981 divorce, Laurie moved to California.[6] She received a third Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Mrs. Norman inChildren of a Lesser God (1986).[23] The same year, she was awarded anEmmy for her performance inPromise, a television movie, co-starringJames Garner andJames Woods.[24] She had a featured role in theOff-Broadway production ofThe Destiny of Me in 1992,[25] and returned toBroadway forLincoln Center's acclaimed 2002 revival ofPaul Osborn'sMorning's at Seven, withJulie Hagerty,Buck Henry,Frances Sternhagen, andEstelle Parsons.[26]
In 1990–1991, Laurie starred as the deviousCatherine Martell inDavid Lynch's television seriesTwin Peaks.[12] She also appeared inOther People's Money withGregory Peck (1991),[27] and in horror maestroDario Argento's first American filmTrauma (1993).[28] She playedGeorge Clooney's character's mother onER.[6] In 1997, she appeared in the filmA Christmas Memory withPatty Duke,[29] and in 1998, she appeared in the sci-fi thrillerThe Faculty.[30]
Laurie made guest appearances on television shows such asFrasier,[6]Matlock,[31]State of Grace,[31] andWill & Grace.[31] Laurie also appeared inCold Case and in a 2001 episode ofLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit titled "Care", in which she played an adoptive mother and foster grandmother who killed one of the foster granddaughters in her daughter's charge and who abused her adoptive son and foster grandchildren.[31]
She returned to the big screen for independent films, such asEulogy (2004) andThe Dead Girl (2006), opposite actressToni Collette.[31] In 2010, she playedRainn Wilson's mother inHesher,[32] and in 2018, she had a supporting role inWhite Boy Rick as the grandmother of the title character.[33]
Personal life
edit
Laurie was married toNew York Herald Tribune entertainment writer andWall Street Journal movie criticJoe Morgenstern. (She had previously dated actor and future U.S. presidentRonald Reagan.)[34] They met shortly after the release ofThe Hustler in 1961 when Morgenstern interviewed her during the film's promotion. They soon began dating, and nine months after the interview, they were married on January 21, 1962. When no substantial roles came her way afterThe Hustler, she and Morgenstern moved toWoodstock, New York. In 1971, they adopted a daughter, Anne Grace Morgenstern. In 1982, the couple divorced, after which she moved to the Hollywood area and continued working in films and television.[12]
In 1962, she was Harvard'sHasty Pudding Woman of the Year.[35] In 2000, she received the Spirit of Hope Award in Korea for her service during theKorean War. She appeared at the September 2014 Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention in Hunt Valley, Maryland.[36]
Laurie was also a sculptor who worked in marble and clay.[30]
Death
editHaving been unwell for some time, Laurie died in Los Angeles on October 14, 2023, at age 91.[37][38]
Filmography
editFilm
editTelevision
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | The Best of Broadway | Billie Moore | Episode: "Broadway" | [1] |
| Robert Montgomery Presents | Stacey Spender | Episode: "Quality Town" | [1] | |
| 1956 | Front Row Center | Judy Jones | Episode: "Winter Dreams" | [1] |
| 1956–1961 | General Electric Theater | Various | 3 episodes | [1] |
| 1957 | Studio One | Ruth Cornelius | Episode: "The Deaf Heart" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Actress – Best Single Performance – Lead or Support | [1] |
| Playhouse 90 | Ruth McAdam | Episode: "The Ninth Day" | [41] | |
| 1958 | Kirsten Arnesen Clay | Episode: "Days of Wine and Roses" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Best Single Performance by an Actress | [39] | |
| 1959 | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse | Eileen Gorman | Episode: "The Innocent Assassin" | [1] |
| 1960–1963 | The United States Steel Hour | Edna Cartey | 2 episodes | [1] |
| 1963 | Naked City | Mary Highmark | Episode: "Howard Running Bear Is a Turtle" | [1] |
| Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre | Lee Wiley | Episode: "Something About Lee Wiley" | [1] | |
| Ben Casey | Kathleen Dooley | Episode: "Light Up the Dark Corners" | [1] | |
| 1964 | The Eleventh Hour | Alicia Carter | Episode: "My Door Is Locked and Bolted" | [1] |
| Breaking Point | Alice Marin | Episode: "The Summer House" | [1] | |
| 1977 | In the Matter of Karen Ann Quinlan | Julie Quinlan | Television movie | [39] |
| 1978 | Rainbow | Ethel Gumm | Television movie | [39] |
| 1980 | Skag | Jo Skagska | 6 episodes | [39] |
| 1981 | The Bunker | Magda Goebbels | Television movie Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special | [42] |
| 1982 | Mae West | Matilda West | Television movie | [39] |
| 1983 | The Thorn Birds | Anne Mueller | 3 episodes Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special | [39] |
| St. Elsewhere | Fran Singleton | 3 episodes Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | [39] | |
| 1985 | Hotel | Jessica | Episode: "Illusions" | [1] |
| Murder, She Wrote | Peggy Shannon | Episode: "Murder at the Oasis" | [39] | |
| Tender Is the Night | Elsie Speers | Episode: "1925" | [39] | |
| Love, Mary | Christine Groda | Television movie | [39] | |
| Toughlove | Darlene Marsh | Television movie | [39] | |
| 1985–1986 | The Twilight Zone | Aunt Neva | Segment: "The Burning Man" | [39] |
| Gramma (voice) | Segment: "Gramma" (uncredited)[43] | [39] | ||
| 1986 | Matlock | Claire Leigh | Episode: "The Judge" | [39] |
| Promise | Annie Gilbert | Television movie Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | [39] | |
| 1988 | Go Toward the Light | Margo | Television movie | [39] |
| 1989 | Beauty and the Beast | Mrs. Davis | Episode: "A Gentle Rain" | [39] |
| 1990 | Rising Son | Martha Robinson | Television Movie | [44] |
| 1990–1991 | Twin Peaks | Catherine Martell / Mr. Tojamura(credited as Fumio Yamaguchi) | 27 episodes Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film(1990) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series(1990) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series(1991) Nominated—Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Actress – Prime Time(1991–1992) | [39] |
| 1993 | Lies and Lullabies | Margaret Kinsey | Television movie | [39] |
| 1994 | Traps | Cora Trapchek | 5 episodes | [1] |
| Frasier | Marianne (voice) | Episode: "Guess Who's Coming to Breakfast" | [1] | |
| Shadows of Desire | Ellis Snow | Television movie | [39] | |
| 1995 | Fighting For My Daughter | Judge Edna Burton | Television movie | [39] |
| 1995–1996 | ER | Sarah Ross | 2 episodes | [39] |
| 1996 | Diagnosis: Murder | A.D.A. Susan Turner | Episode: "The ABC's of Murder" | [39] |
| 1997 | Intensity | Miriam Braynard | Television movie | [39] |
| Touched by an Angel | Annie Doyle | Episode: "Venice" | [39] | |
| A Christmas Memory | Jennie | Television movie | [39] | |
| 1999 | Brother's Keeper | Jane Waide | Episode: "Everybody Says I Love You" | [1] |
| Frasier | Mrs. Mulhern | Episode: "Dr. Nora" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | [1] | |
| Inherit the Wind | Sarah Brady | Television movie | [39] | |
| 2000 | Will & Grace | Sharon | Episode: "There But for the Grace of Grace" | [39] |
| Possessed | Aunt Hanna | Television movie | [39] | |
| 2001 | Midwives | Cheryl Visco | Television movie | [39] |
| The Last Brickmaker in America | Ruth Anne | Television movie | [39] | |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Dorothy Rudd | Episode: "Care" | [39] | |
| 2002 | State of Grace | Aunt Sophie | Episode: "Where the Boys Are" | [39] |
| 2004 | Dead Like Me | Nina Rommey | Episode: "Forget Me Not" | [1] |
| 2005 | Cold Case | Rose 2005 | Episode: "Best Friends" | [39] |
| 2018 | MacGyver | Edith | Episode: "Skyscraper – Power" | [39] |
Audio dramas
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–2023 | Around the Sun | Grandma / Alien Maude | 2 episodes | [45] |
Awards and nominations
editExplanatory notes
edit- ^Tied withJoan Allen forThe Crucible.
References
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... there are some relatively big names attached — The Office's Rainn Wilson as T.J.'s dad, Piper Laurie as granny, ...
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External links
edit
- Piper Laurie atIMDb
- Piper Laurie at theInternet Broadway Database
- Piper Laurie at theInternet Off-Broadway Database
- Piper Laurie at Virtual History
- Piper Laurie discography atDiscogs
- Interview with Piper Laurie, August 25, 2014, Classic Film & TV Cafe
- Piper Laurie atThe Interviews: An Oral History of Television
- Interview with Piper Laurie atUSA Today, January 2016.