1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Sylvia Sidney Biography (1910-)

Born Sophia Kossow, August 8 (some sources say August 10), 1910, in New York,NY; daughter of Victor and Rebecca (Saperstein) Kossow; married Bennett Cerf(a publisher), October, 1935 (divorced, 1936); married Luther Adler (an actor), 1938 (divorced, 1946); married Carlton Alsop, 1947 (divorced, 1951); children: (second marriage) Jacob L. Addresses: Publicist--c/o John Springer, 130 East Sixty-seventh St., New York, NY 10021.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Birth Details

August 8, 1910

New York, New York, United States

Famous Works

• Credits; STAGE APPEARANCES
• (Stage debut) The Challenge of Youth, Poli's Theatre, Washington, DC, 1926.
• (Broadway debut) Anita, The Squall, Forty-eighth Street Theatre, New YorkCity, 1926.
• Annabelle Porter, Crime, Eltinge Theatre, New York City, 1927.
• Mary Norton, Mirrors, Forrest Theatre, New York City, 1928.
• Amy, The Breaks, Klaw Theatre, New York City, 1928.
• Rosalie, Gods of the Lightning, Little Theatre, New York City, 1928.
• Elizabeth Girard, Nice Women, Longacre Theatre, New York City, 1929.
• Patricia, Cross Roads, Morosco Theatre, New York City, 1929.
• Patsy Coster, Many a Slip, Little Theatre, 1930.
• Dot, Bad Girl, Hudson Theatre, New York City, 1930.
• Lola Hobbs, To Quito and Back, Guild Theatre, New York City, 1937.
• Stella Goodman, The Gentle People, Belasco Theatre, New York City, 1939.
• We Will Never Die (pageant), Madison Square Garden, New York City, 1943.
• Alicia Christie, Black Chiffon, Hartman Theatre, Columbus, OH, then Locust Street Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 1951.
• Agnes, The Fourposter, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 1951.
• Fanny Benton, The Gypsies Wore High Hats, Falmouth Playhouse, Coonamessett, MA, 1952.
• Anna, A Very Special Baby, Playhouse Theatre, New York City, 1956.
• Mrs. Kolowitz, Enter Laughing, Henry Miller's Theatre, New York City, 1963.
• Beatrice Wright, "Damn You, Scarlett O'Hara," and Leslie Ross, "All My Pretty Little Ones," in Riverside Drive (double-bill), Theatre de Lys, New YorkCity, 1964.
• Mrs. Banks, Barefoot in the Park, Biltmore Theatre, New York City, 1966.
• Lady Bracknell, The Importance of Being Earnest, Oakland Repertory Theatre, CA, 1966.
• Mrs. Hardcastle, She Stoops to Conquer, National Repertory Theatre, Ford's Theatre, Washington, DC, 1968.
• Mrs. Venable, Suddenly, Last Summer, Ivanhoe Theatre, Chicago, IL, 1973.
• A Family and a Fortune, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle, WA, 1973-74.
• Matty Seaton, A Family and a Fortune, Seattle Repertory Theatre, 1974.
• Tessie, Me Jack, You Jill, John Golden Theatre, New York City, 1976.
• Sabrina Fair, Arlington Park Theatre, Arlington Heights, IL, 1976-77.
• Mrs. Wire, Vieux Carre, St. James Theatre, New York City, 1977.
• Night of 100 Stars, Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1982.
• Also appeared as Prunella, Garrick Theatre, New York City, 1926; FrauleinSchneider, Cabaret, Wallingford, CT, 1970; and Mrs. Baker, Butterflies Are Free, St. Louis, MO, 1972. Appeared in Morning's at 7 and Come Along With Me,both 1981; and 'Night Mother.
• Credits; MAJOR TOURS
• Linda Brown, Accent on Youth, U.S. cities, 1941.
• Mrs. Manningham, Angel Street, U.S. cities, 1942.
• Title role, Auntie Mame, U.S. cities, 1958.
• Mrs. Malaprop, The Rivals, National Repertory Theatre, U.S. cities, 1965-66.
• Constance, the Madwoman of Passy, The Madwoman of Chaillot, National Repertory Theatre, U.S. cities, 1965-66.
• The Trojan Women, National Repertory Theatre, U.S. cities, 1965-66.
• Mrs. Banks, Barefoot in the Park, U.S. cities, 1966.
• Mrs. Baker, Come Blow Your Horn, U.S. and Canadian cities, 1968.
• Also toured as Eliza, Pygmalion, and in Tonight at 8:30, 1938; title role, Jane Eyre, 1943; Joan of Lorraine, 1947; Kind Lady, 1948;O Mistress Mine, 1948-49; The Two Mrs. Carrolls, 1949; Pygmalion, 1949; Goodbye, My Fancy, 1950; Anne of the Thousand Days, 1950; The Innocents, 1950-51; as Cora Flood, TheDark at the Top of the Stairs, stock tour, 1960; The Silver Cord, 1964; KindLady, 1964; and Regina, The Little Foxes, 1966.
• Credits; FILM APPEARANCES
• Valerie Briand, Thru Different Eyes, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1929.
• Roberta Alden, An American Tragedy, Paramount, 1931.
• Nan Cooley, City Streets, Paramount, 1931.
• Patricia, Confessions of a Co-ed, Paramount, 1931.
• Rose Maurrant, Street Scene, United Artists (UA), 1931.
• Kathleen Storm, Ladies of the Big House, Paramount, 1932.
• Cho-Cho San, Madame Butterfly, Paramount, 1932.
• Guest star, Make Me a Star, Paramount, 1932.
• Joan Prentice, Merrily We Go to Hell (also known as Merrily We Go to...),Paramount, 1932.
• Helen Smith, The Miracle Man, Paramount, 1932.
• Title role, Jennie Gerhardt, Paramount, 1932.
• Mary Richards, Pick-Up, Paramount, 1933.
• Nancy Lanea/Princess Catterina Theodora Margerita Zizzi, Thirty-Day Princess, Paramount, 1934.
• Lillie Taylor, Good Dame, Paramount, 1934.
• Linda Brown, Accent on Youth, Paramount, 1935.
• Tonita Stormcloud, Behold My Wife, Paramount, 1935.
• Title role, Mary Burns, Fugitive, Paramount, 1935.
• June Tolliver, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, Paramount, 1936.
• Katherine Grant, Fury, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1936.
• Drina, Dead End (also known as Dead End and Cradle of Crime), UA, 1937.
• Sylvia Verloc, Sabotage (also known as The Woman Alone and A Woman Alone), Gaumont/Janus, 1937.
• Joan Graham, You Only Live Once, UA, 1937.
• Helen Dennis, You and Me, Paramount, 1938.
• Mary Rogers, One Third of a Nation, Paramount, 1939.
• Flo Lorraine, The Wagons Roll at Night, Warner Brothers/First National, 1941.
• Iris Hilliard, Blood on the Sun, UA, 1945.
• Margaret Wyndham Chase, Mr. Ace, UA, 1946.
• Cassie Bowman, The Searching Wind, Paramount, 1946.
• Cecily Harrington, Love from a Stranger (also known as A Stranger WalkedIn), Eagle-Lion, 1947.
• Fantine, Les Miserables, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1952.
• Elsie, Violent Saturday, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1955.
• Hilda Carmichael, Behind the High Wall, Universal, 1956.
• Mrs. Pritchett, Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams, Columbia, 1973.
• Elizabeth Mullin, God Told Me To (also known as Demon), New World, 1976.
• Miss Coral, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, New World, 1977.
• Aunt Marion, Damien--Omen II, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1978.
• Donaldina Cameron, Hammett, Warner Brothers, 1982.
• Margaret Smith, Corrupt (also known as Order of Death), New Line Cinema,1984.
• Juno, Beetlejuice, Warner Brothers, 1988.
• The Exorcist III, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1990.
• Credits; TELEVISION APPEARANCES; MOVIES
• Elizabeth Gibson, Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate, ABC, 1971.
• Kitty, The Secret Night Caller, NBC, 1975.
• Anne Barclay, Winner Take All, NBC, 1975.
• Clara Josephs, Death at Love House, ABC, 1976.
• Carrie Rill, Snowbeast, NBC, 1977.
• Dora Block, Raid on Entebbe, NBC, 1977.
• Lillian Gordon, Siege, CBS, 1978.
• Cousin Polly, F.D.R.--The Last Year, NBC, 1980.
• Felicity Thomas, The Shadow Box, ABC, 1980.
• Sadie Ross, A Small Killing, CBS, 1981.
• Marney, Having it All, ABC, 1982.
• Beatrice McKenna, An Early Frost, NBC, 1985.
• Margaret Finnegan, Finnegan Begin Again, HBO, 1985.
• Fern, Pals, CBS, 1987.
• Credits; TELEVISION APPEARANCES; SERIES
• Star Stage, NBC, 1955-56.
• Sister Mary Joel, Ryan's Hope, ABC, 1975.
• Binnie Byrd Baylor, Morningstar/Eveningstar, CBS, 1986.
• Credits; TELEVISION APPEARANCES; EPISODIC
• Kraft Television Theater, NBC, 1947.
• Theatre, NBC, 1952.
• Playwrights '56, NBC, 1955.
• "The Helen Morgan Story," Playhouse 90, CBS, 1957.
• Appeared on Climax, 1953; Naked City, Tales of Tomorrow, My Three Sons, and thirtysomething, all ABC; 20th Century Hour, The June Allyson Show, G.E. Theatre, Route 66, Playhouse of Stars, Lux Video Theatre, The Nurses, and as Adela, "The Madman," The Defenders, all CBS; Philco Playhouse, The Eleventh Hour, and Star Stage, allNBC; Broadway Television Theatre, independent; Whiz Kids; Magnum, P.I.; and Trapper John, M.D.
• Credits; TELEVISION APPEARANCES; SPECIALS
• In the Last Place (Yom Kippur special), CBS, 1963.
• "Come Along with Me," American Playhouse, PBS, 1982.
• Mrs. Downes, "Andre's Mother," American Playhouse, PBS, 1990.
• Credits; TELEVISION APPEARANCES; PILOTS
• Ruth, Maureen, CBS, 1976.
• Lillian "Mama" Carlson, WKRP in Cincinnati, CBS, 1978.
• Mrs. Flanner, Sense of Humor, PBS, 1982.
• Also appeared as Alma Llewellyn, The Gossip Columnist, 1980.
• Credits; OTHER TELEVISION APPEARANCES
• Appeared in Dark Victory, Kind Lady, and Angel Street, all 1953; Pals; and Sense of Humor.
• Credits; RADIO APPEARANCES
• Miss Anima, "The Undecided Molecule," Norman Corwin, 1945.
• Writings
• (With Alfred Allen Lewis) Sylvia Sidney's Needlepoint Book, Reinhold, 1968.
• (With Lewis) The Sylvia Sidney Question and Answer Book on Needlepoint, Galahad Books, 1974.

Further Reference

PERIODICALS

• Films in Review, January, 1966.