Estelle Parsons Biography (1927-)

Born November 20, 1927, in Lynn (one source says Marblehead), MA; daughter ofEben and Elinor (maiden name, Mattson) Parsons; married Richard Gehman (a writer), December 19, 1953 (divorced August, 1958); married Peter L. Zimroth (alawyer), January 2, 1983; children: (first marriage) Martha, Abbie (twins);(second marriage) Abraham (adopted). Addresses: Contact: 924 West EndAve., Suite T5, New York, NY 10025-3543.; Agent: Writers & Artists Agency, 8383 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 550, Beverly Hills, CA 90211.

Nationality: American
Gender: Female
Occupation: Actress, director, writer
Birth Details: November 20, 1927; Lynn, Massachusetts, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Stage Appearances
Reporter, Happy Hunting, Majestic Theatre, New York City, 1956
Nightcap at the Showplace (also known as Jerry Herman's Nightcap), New York City, 1958
Whoop Up, 1958
Cleo, The Most Happy Fella, North Shore Music Festival, Beverly, MA, 1958
Demi-Dozen, Upstairs at the Downstairs, New York City, 1959
Pieces of Eight, Upstairs at the Downstairs, 1959
Ollie, Beg, Borrow, or Steal, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City,1960
Mrs. Coaxer, The Threepenny Opera, Theatre de Lys, New York City,1960
Mrs. Peachum, The Threepenny Opera, Los Angeles and San Francisco,CA, both 1960
Nellie Forbush, South Pacific, Chautaugua, NY, 1961
Lasca, The Automobile Graveyard, 41st Street Theatre, New York City, 1961
Put It in Writing, Royal Poinciana Playhouse, FL, 1962
Lula Roca, Hey You, Light Man!, Theatre by the Sea, Mantunuck, RI,1962
Mrs. Dally, Mrs. Dally Has a Lover, Cherry Lane Theatre, New YorkCity, 1962
Lizzie, Next Time I'll Sing to You, Phoenix Theatre, New York City, 1963
Hortense, Come to the Palace of Sin, Theatre de Lys, 1963
Gertrude Eastman-Cuevas, In the Summer House, Little Fox Theatre,New York City, 1964
Felicia, Ready When You Are, C. B., Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York City, 1964
Major Barbara, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati, OH, 1965
Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park,1965
Mrs. Goldman, Suburban Tragedy (one-act play), and Shirley, Princess Rebecca Birnbaum (one-act play), both part of Monopoly, Stage 73 Theatre, New York City, 1965
Laureen, Malcolm, Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1966
Doris, The East Wind, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, NewYork City, 1967
Virginia, Galileo, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, 1967
Myrtle, The Seven Descents of Myrtle, Barrymore Theatre, New YorkCity, 1968
Honor and Offer, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, 1968
Janice Krieger, A Way of Life, American National Theatre and Academy, New York City, 1969
Aase, Peer Gynt, Delacorte Theatre, New York City, 1969
Leocadia Begbick, Mahagonny, Anderson Theatre, New York City, 1970
Catherine Reardon, ... And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little, Morosco Theatre, New York City, 1971
Milly, People Are Living There, Forum Theatre, New York City, 1971
Oh Glorious Tintinnabulation, Actors Studio, New York City, 1974
Mert, Mert and Phil, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, 1974
The Norman Conquests, Morosco Theatre, 1975-1976
Edna Wrath, The Reason We Eat, Hartman Theatre, Stamford, CT, 1976
Dede Cooper, Ladies of the Alamo, Martin Beck Theatre, 1977
Miss Margarida, Miss Margarida's Way, Public Theatre, New York City, then Ambassador Theatre, New York City, 1977
Man Is Man, Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1978
Martha, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Buffalo Studio Arena, Buffalo, NY, 1978
Ruth, The Pirates of Penzance, Uris (now Gershwin) Theatre, New York City, 1982
Orgasmo Adulto Escapes from the Zoo (solo show), Public Theatre, 1983
Martha Mitchell, The Unguided Missile, American Place Theatre, NewYork City, 1989
Baba Goya, 1989
Denny, Shimada, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1992
Extended Forecast, La MaMa, New York City, 1993
Felicity, The Shadow Box, Circle in the Square Uptown Theatre, NewYork City, 1994-1995
Deja Revue, McGinn/Cazale Theatre, New York City, 1995
Grace and Glorie, Roundabout Theatre, New York City, 1996
Winnie, Happy Days, Lincoln Center, 1996
Fannie Mae Gossett, The Last of the Thorntons, Signature Theater Company, New York City, 2000-2001
Cora Swanson, Mornings at Seven, Lyceum Theater, New York City, 2002

Also appeared in Forgiving Typhoid Mary, The Skin of Our Teeth, and Twice Removed.
Major Tours
Elizabeth Dale, A Sense of Humor, western U.S. cities, 1983-1984
Stage Work
Director, Voices, St. Clement's Theatre, New York City, 1978
Director, Antony and Cleopatra, Interart Theatre, New York City, 1979
Codirector, Orgasmo Adulto Escapes from the Zoo (solo show), Public Theatre, New York City, 1983
Director, Salome: The Reading, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 2003
Film Appearances
JoAnn's mother, Ladybug, Ladybug, United Artists, 1963
Blanche, Bonnie and Clyde, Warner Bros., 1967
Calla Mackie, Rachel, Rachel, Warner Bros., 1968
Marion Hollander, Don't Drink the Water, Avco-Embassy, 1969
Althea Gerber, Watermelon Man (also known as The Night the SunCame Out), Columbia, 1970
Ellen Haney, I Walk the Line, Columbia, 1970
Alice, I Never Sang for My Father, Columbia, 1970
Barbara Newman, Two People, Universal, 1973
Helen, For Pete's Sake (also known as July Pork Bellies), Columbia, 1974
First lady/barmaid, Foreplay (also known as The President's Women), Cinema National, 1975
Mrs. Kupchak, The Lemon Sisters, Miramax, 1990
Mrs. Trueheart, Dick Tracy, Buena Vista, 1990
Louise the psychic, Boys on the Side, Warner Bros., 1995
Queen Margaret, Looking for Richard, Fox Searchlight Pictures, 1996
Old Lady McCracken, That Darn Cat, Buena Vista, 1997
Television Appearances
Series
Today girl and commentator, The Today Show, NBC, 1953-1954
Host and interviewer, Mothers by Daughters, PBS, 1985
Beverly "Bev" Harris, a recurring role, Roseanne, ABC, 1989-1997
Movies
Arlene Glynn, Terror on the Beach, 1973
Sadie Underwood, The Gun and the Pulpit, 1974
Betty Hill, The UFO Incident (also known as Interrupted Journey), 1975
Edwina, Big Henry and the Polka Dot Kid, 1976
Marjorie Seebode, The Gentleman Bandit (also known as The Bandit Priest), 1981
Mrs. O'Connell, Guests of the Nation, 1981
Clare Block, Open Admissions, CBS, 1988
Matty Jennings, Everyday Heroes, 1990
Mary Chessen, A Private Matter (also known as Miss Sherri and The Sherri Finkbine Story), HBO, 1992
Older Doris, "The American Clock" (also known as "Arthur Miller's The American Clock"), TNT Screenworks, TNT, 1993
Mrs. Stanapolous, Freak City, Showtime, 1999
Miniseries
Bess Truman, Backstairs at the Whitehouse, NBC, 1979
Episodic
Carrie Bernice, "The Gambling Heart," The DuPont Show of the Week,1964
"Where There's Smoke," The Nurses, 1965
"Alarums and Excursions," The Trials of O'Brien, 1966
"Wall of Silence," Medical Center, 1972
"Love and the Return of Raymond," Love, American Style, 1972
Dolores Mancheney, "Archie's Secret Passion," All in the Family, CBS, 1976
Blanche Hefner, "Reunion on Hauser Street," All in the Family, CBS, 1978
Blanche Hefner, "Weekend in the Country," All in the Family, CBS,1978
Blanche Hefner, "Blanche and Murray," Archie Bunker's Place, 1979
Mrs. "Lovey" Howell, Roseanne, ABC, 1994
Jennette, "Sandcastles," Touched by an Angel, CBS, 1997
Esther O'Neill, "The Fix," 100 Centre Street, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
Rose Rinato, "Denial," Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (alsoknown as Law & Order: S.V.U.), NBC and USA Network, 2002
Also appeared in Faith for Today, ABC and syndicated; and The Verdict Is Yours, CBS.
Pilots
Mabel Lederer/Angela Motorman, Come along with Me, PBS, 1982
Specials
The 40th Annual Academy Awards, 1968
Hemingway's Spain: A Love Affair, 1969
Mollie Malloy, The Front Page, 1970
Agnes, A Memory of Two Mondays, PBS, 1974
Lucille Sears, June Moon, PBS, 1974
That Was the Year That Was, NBC, 1976
Today at 40, NBC, 1992
The Gospel According to Jesus, Cinemax, 1995
Beatrice Corrigan, "The Love Letter," Hallmark Hall of Fame, CBS,1998
The 70th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1998
Television Work
Series
Production assistant, then feature producer, The Today Show, NBC,1952-1953
WRITINGS
Teleplays
Features for Series
The Today Show, NBC, 1952-1953

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals

American Theatre, July/August, 1996, p. 10
Back Stage, June 11, 1993, p. 40; November 25, 1994, p. 39; July 26, 1996, p. 44
Back Stage West, August 1, 1996, p. 7

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