1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
2. Marla Singer to Rod Steiger

Jean Stapleton Biography (1923-)

Original name, Jeanne Murray; born January 19, 1923, in New York, NY; daughter of Joseph E. (a billboard advertising sales representative) and Marie (a singer; maiden name, Stapleton) Murray; married William H. Putch (a theatre producer and director), October 26, 1957 (died, 1983); children: John (an actor), Pamela (an actress).

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Occupation

Actress

Birth Details

January 19, 1923

New York, New York, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Stage Appearances
• Mrs. Watty, The Corn Is Green, Equity Library Theatre, New York City, 1948
• (Broadway debut) Inez, In the Summer House, Playhouse Theatre, 1953
• Mother, American Gothic, Circle in the Square Theatre, New York City, 1953
• Sister, Damn Yankees, 46th Street Theatre, New York City, 1955
• Sue, Bells Are Ringing, Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1956
• A Soft Touch, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Miami, FL, 1957
• Swart Petry, A Swim in the Sea, Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 1958
• Woody, Goodbye, My Fancy, Totem Pole Playhouse, Fayetteville, PA,1958
• Miss Cooper, Separate Tables, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1958
• Mother, Charm, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1958
• Grace, Bus Stop, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1958
• Madame St. Pe, The Waltz of the Toreadors, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1958
• Sally Adams, Call Me Madam, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1959
• Maisie Madigan, Juno, Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1959
• Laura Partridge, The Solid Gold Cadillac, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1960
• Mrs. Ochs, Rhinoceros, Longacre Theatre, New York City, 1961
• Mrs. Keller, The Miracle Worker, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1962
• Emma, Apple in the Attic, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1962
• A Thurber Carnival (revue), Totem Pole Playhouse, 1962
• Title role, Everybody Loves Opal, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1962
• Aunt Eller, Oklahoma!, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1962
• Mrs. Baker, Come Blow Your Horn, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1963
• Mrs. Spofford, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1963
• Nannie, All for Mary, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1963
• Mrs. Strakosh, Funny Girl, Winter Garden Theatre, 1964
• Brewster, A Rainy Day in Newark, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1964
• Rosemary, Picnic, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1964
• Annabelle, George Washington Slept Here, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1964
• Mrs. Walworth, Speaking of Murder, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1964
• Mrs. Pearce, My Fair Lady, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1964
• Mrs. Yoder, Papa Is All, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1964
• Mother Abbess, The Sound of Music, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1964
• Anna Leonowens, The King and I, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1965
• Bloody Mary, South Pacific, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1965
• Lottie, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1965
• Miss Skillon, See How They Run, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1965
• Veta Louise, Harvey, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1965
• Abby Brewster, Arsenic and Old Lace, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1965
• Grace Kimbrough, Never Too Late, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1965
• Mother, Enter Laughing, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1965
• Anne Michaelson, Take Her, She's Mine, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1965
• Miss Holroyd, Bell, Book, and Candle, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1966
• Mrs. Deazy, Jenny Kissed Me, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1966
• Aunt Kate Barnaby, How Far Is the Barn?, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1966
• Nettie Fowler, Carousel, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1966
• Dorothy, Any Wednesday, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1966
• Dolly Gallagher Levi, Hello Dolly!, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1971
• Southwest Corner, 1971
• Mrs. Baer, Butterflies Are Free, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1972
• Lola, Come Back, Little Sheba, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1972
• Title role, Everybody Loves Opal, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1972
• The Time of the Cuckoo, 1973
• Lullaby, 1974
• The Vinegar Tree, 1974
• The Time of the Cuckoo, Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 1974
• Title role, The Secret Affairs of Mildred Wild, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1975
• Hay Fever, 1976
• The Late Christopher Bean, 1976
• The Reluctant Debutante, 1977
• The Show-Off, 1977
• Title role, Daisy Mayme, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1978
• The Great Sebastian's, 1978
• Little Mary Sunshine, 1978
• Papa Is All, 1979
• Miss Marple, A Murder Is Announced, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1979
• Miss Marple, Murder at the Vicarage, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1981
• Aunt Eller, Oklahoma!, Totem Pole Playhouse, 1981
• The Curious Savage, 1981
• Butterfly Days, 1981
• The Corn Is Green, 1982
• Wardrobe mistress, Parade of Stars Playing the Palace, Palace Theatre, New York City, 1983
• The Late Christopher Bean, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,Washington, DC, 1983
• Ernest in Love, 1983
• The Show-Off, Syracuse Stage, Syracuse, NY, 1983, then Paper MillPlayhouse, Millburn, NJ, 1984
• Old woman, Candide, Baltimore Opera Company, Baltimore, MD, 1984
• The Italian Lesson, Baltimore Opera Company, 1985
• Abby Brewster, Arsenic and Old Lace, 46th Street Theatre, 1986
• Julia Child, Bon Appetit, Terrace Theatre, Kennedy Center for thePerforming Arts, 1989
• Elderly woman, Mountain Language, Classic Stage Company, CSC Theatre, New York City, 1989
• Meg, The Birthday Party, Classic Stage Company, CSC Theatre, 1989
• Philamente, The Learned Ladies, Classic Stage Company, New York City, 1991
• Mrs. Clancy and Julia Child, Bon Appetit!, 1991
• Romeo and Juliet, The Shakespeare Company, Washington, DC, 1994
• Night Seasons, Signature Theatre, New York City, 1994
• Stepmother, Cinderella (also known as Rodgers and Hammerstein'sCinderella), New York City Opera, Lincoln Center, New York City, 1995
• Madame Arcati, Blithe Spirit, South Coast Repertory Theatre, CostaMesa, CA, 1995
• The Matchmaker, American Conservatory Theatre, Tucson and Phoenix,AZ, 1996
• The Entertainer, CSC Theatre, 1996
• Eleanor Roosevelt, Eleanor: Her Secret Journey (solo show), Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, CT, 1998
• Curtain Call 2000, Hartford, CT, 2000
• Grace Ann, The Carpetbagger's Children, Mitzi Newhouse Theater, New York City, 2002
• Charles Nelson's Casts and Forecasts, 2002
• Also appeared in Sweeney Todd, San Jose Civic Light Opera; appeared at Peterborough Playhouse, Peterborough, NH, 1941; Chase Barn Playhouse, Whitefield, NH, 1947-1948; and Pocono Playhouse, Mountainhome, PA, 1951-1953.
• Major Tours
• Myrtle Mae, Harvey, U.S. cities, 1948-1950
• Mrs. Coffman, Come Back, Little Sheba, U.S. cities, 1950-1951
• Mrs. Ochs, Rhinoceros, U.S. cities, 1961
• Aary, Morning's at Seven, U.S. cities, 1976
• Title role, Daisy Mayme, U.S. cities, 1979-1980
• The Show-Off, U.S. cities, 1983
• Clara's Play, U.S. cities, 1983
• Abby Brewster, Arsenic and Old Lace, U.S. cities, 1987
• Eleanor Roosevelt, Eleanor: Her Secret Journey (solo show), U.S. cities, 2000
• Grace Ann, The Carpetbagger's Children, U.S. cities, 2001
• Also appeared as Princess Puffer, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, U.S.cities.
• Film Appearances
• (Film debut) Sister Miller, Damn Yankees (also known as What Lola Wants), Warner Bros., 1958
• Sue, Bells Are Ringing, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1960
• Shirley Johnson, Something Wild, United Artists, 1961
• Sadie Finch, Up the Down Staircase, Warner Bros., 1967
• Mrs. Wrappler, Cold Turkey, United Artists, 1971
• Goldfarb's secretary, Klute, Warner Bros., 1971
• Mrs. Price, The Buddy System, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1984
• Herself, Waiting to Act, 1985
• Landlady, The Trial, Angelika Films, 1993
• Pansy Milbank, Michael, New Line Cinema/Turner Pictures, 1996
• This Is My Father (documentary), Cinema Guild, 1998
• Birdie Conrad, You've Got Mail, Warner Bros., 1998
• Voice of Mrs. Jenkins, Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (animated; also known as Disney's Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World andPocahontas: Journey to a New World), Walt Disney Home Video, 1998
• Lorraine, Pursuit of Happiness, Showcase Entertainment, 2001
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Gwen, Woman with a Past, CBS, 1954
• Edith Bunker, All in the Family (also known as Those Were the Days), CBS, 1971-1979
• Edith Bunker, Archie Bunker's Place, 1979-1980
• Jasmine Zweibel, Bagdad Cafe (also known as Bagdad Gas and Oil), CBS, 1990
• Title role, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (children's series), Showtime, 1994
• Beakman's mom, Beakman's World, 1995-1996
• Miniseries
• Voice of Edith Wilson, The Great War (also known as The Great War and the Shaping of the Twentieth Century), PBS, 1996
• Movies
• Mrs. DeCamp, Tail Gunner Joe, NBC, 1977
• Isabel Cooper, Isabel's Choice, CBS, 1981
• Betty Eaton, Angel Dusted (also known as Angel Dust), NBC,1981
• Title role, Eleanor, First Lady of the World, CBS, 1982
• Irene Wallin, A Matter of Sex, NBC, 1984
• Ariadne Oliver, Agatha Christie's "Dead Man's Folly" (also known as Dead Man's Folly), CBS, 1986
• Mother Goose, Mother Goose Rock `n' Rhyme, The Disney Channel, 1990
• Henny Dutton, Fire in the Dark (also known as Aging Parent), CBS, 1991
• Leonora Tolliver, "The Habitation of Dragons," TNT Screenworks, TNT, 1992
• Mildred Mallory, Ghost Mom (also known as Bury Me in Niagara and Bury Me in St. Louis, Louis), Fox, 1993
• Mrs. Coons, Lily Dale, Showtime, 1996
• Mrs. Duncan, Chance of a Lifetime, CBS, 1998
• Byrd, Baby, TNT, 2000
• Mrs. Irene Silverman, Like Mother, Like Son: The Strange Story of Sante and Kenny Kimes (also known as A Most Deadly Family), CBS, 2001
• Pilots
• Edith Bunker, Those Were the Days, CBS, 1971
• Specials
• Marlo Thomas in Acts of Love--And Other Comedies, ABC, 1973
• Circus of the Stars, CBS, 1977
• They Said It with Music: Yankee Doodle to Ragtime, 1977
• Cohost (part one), CBS: On the Air, CBS, 1978
• The Stars Salute Israel at Thirty, ABC, 1978
• Penny Sycamore, You Can't Take It with You, CBS, 1979
• Aunt Mary Dobkin (title role), "Aunt Mary," Hallmark Hall of Fame,CBS, 1979
• Herself, Good Evening, Captain, CBS, 1981
• Miss Tweed, Something's Afoot, Showtime, 1982
• Herself, The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, 1982
• Parade of Stars, ABC, 1983
• Josephine, Tender Places, syndicated, 1987
• CBS Comedy Bloopers, CBS, 1990
• The 14th Annual Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the PerformingArts, CBS, 1991
• All in the Family 20th Anniversary Special, CBS, 1991
• (In archive footage) Herself, Funny Women of Television, 1991
• A Birthday Tribute to Julia Child--Compliments to the Chef!, PBS,1993
• Fifty Years of Television: A Celebration of the Academy of TelevisionArts and Sciences Golden Anniversary, HBO, 1997
• Herself, All in the Family: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 2000
• Herself, Intimate Portrait: Isabel Sanford, Lifetime, 2003
• Awards Presentations
• Herself, The 31st Annual Tony Awards, 1977
• The 30th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, 1978
• The 6th Annual Television Academy Hall of Fame, Fox, 1990
• The 23rd Annual NAACP Image Awards, NBC, 1991
• The 48th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1994
• The 23rd Annual People's Choice Awards, 1997
• Herself, TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV (also known as 1st Annual TV Land Awards), TV Land, 2003
• Episodic
• "Storm," Robert Montgomery Presents, 1952
• Teacher, "A Time for Heroes," The Lux Video Theatre, 1953
• "A Business Proposition," Philco Television Playhouse (also knownas Goodyear Television Theater), NBC, 1955
• True Story, NBC, 1960
• "The End of the Beginning," Robert Herridge Theater, CBS, 1960
• "Bullets Cost Too Much," Naked City, ABC, 1961
• Nurse Whitney, "The Patient," Dr. Kildare, NBC, 1961
• "Mr. Wilson's Housekeeper," Dennis the Menace, CBS, 1962
• "The Multiplicity of Herbert Konish," Naked City, ABC, 1962
• Mrs. Montgomery, "The Barbara Bowers Story," The Nurses, CBS, 1962
• "The Hidden Jungle," The Defenders, CBS, 1962
• "Je t'adore Muldoon," Car 54, Where Are You?, NBC, 1962
• "The Highest of Prizes," Naked City, ABC, 1963
• Rosa Criley, "The Bride Wore Pink," Eleventh Hour, NBC, 1963
• "93 Percent in Smiling," Route 66, CBS, 1963
• Molly Dunbar, "The People's House," My Three Sons, ABC, 1964
• Mrs. Pollack, "The Raffle," The Patty Duke Show, ABC, 1965
• Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (also known as Laugh-In), NBC, 1972
• The Carol Burnett Show, CBS, 1975
• Cher, 1975
• Saturday Night Live, NBC, 1976
• Herself, The Muppet Show, 1978
• Judith Klammerstadt, "A Girl Like Edith," All in the Family (alsoknown as Justice for All), CBS, 1979
• Ogress, "Jack and the Beanstalk," Faerie Tale Theatre, Showtime, 1983
• Lady Emily Farnsworth, "The Legend of Das Gersterschloss (The Ghost Castle)," Scarecrow and Mrs. King, CBS, 1984
• Lady Emily Farnsworth, "The Three Wishes of Emily," Scarecrow and Mrs.King, CBS, 1984
• Fairy Godmother, "Cinderella," Faerie Tale Theatre, Showtime, 1985
• Helen, "Grown Ups," Broadway on Showtime, Showtime, 1985, then Great Performances, PBS, 1986
• Widow, "Egyptian Cruise: Parts 1 & 2," The Love Boat, ABC, 1986
• "Margaret Fuller," An American Portrait, CBS, 1986
• We the People (documentary), CBS, 1986
• Edna, "The Boss," Trying Times, PBS, 1989
• Helen, "Let Me Hear You Whisper," American Playwrights Theatre: The One Acts, Arts and Entertainment, 1990
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, 1990
• Narrator, "Elizabeth and Larry," Shelly Duvall's Bedtime Stories,Showtime, 1992
• Grandma, "Fee Fie Foe Fum," The Ray Bradbury Theatre, 1992
• Emilie, "The Parallax Garden," General Motors Playwrights Theater,Arts and Entertainment, 1993
• Aunt Vivian, "The Road to Paris, Texas," Grace under Fire, ABC, 1994
• Aunt Mary Kosky, "Caroline and the Opera," Caroline in the City, NBC, 1995
• Nana Silverberg, "All in the Family," Murphy Brown, 1996
• Aunt Alda, "I Wish I Was Gus," Everybody Loves Raymond, CBS, 1996
• Gloria Utley, "A Recipe for Disaster," Style and Substance, CBS, 1998
• Emma, "Mother's Day," Touched by an Angel, CBS, 2000
• Also appeared in Armstrong Circle Theatre, NBC; Camera Three, CBS; Danger, CBS; The Jackie Gleason Show, CBS; The MikeDouglas Show, ABC; Omnibus, CBS; The Sonny and Cher Show, CBS; Studio One, CBS; and Today Is Ours, NBC.
• RECORDINGS
• Albums
• (With others) Edith Bunker, All in the Family, Atlantic, c. 1972
• Videos
• A Simple Matter of Justice (documentary), Films, Inc., 1978
• Narrator, A Place for the Spirit (documentary), John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 1985
• Video Games
• Grandma Ollie's Morphabet Soup, 1996

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

• TV Guide, June 11, 1994, p. 28