1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Ellen Burstyn Biography (1932-)

Original name, Edna Rae Gillooly; born December 7, 1932, in Detroit, MI; daughter of John Austin (a building contractor) and Correine Marie (Hamel) Gillooly; married William C. Alexander (a poet), 1950 (divorced, 1955); married Paul Roberts (a director), 1957 (divorced, 1959); married Neil Burstyn (an actor), 1960 (divorced, 1971); children: (third marriage) Jefferson. Education: Attended Cass Technical High School, Detroit, MI; studied acting with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio and with Stella Adler. Addresses: Agent-- Todd Smith, Creative Artists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., BeverlyHills, CA 90212. Career: Actress. Appeared in television commercials.Actors Studio, New York City, artistic director (with others), 1982-84, artistic director, 1984-88, then a member of the board of directors; panelist, National Endowment for the Arts and Theatre Advisory Council of New York. Usingthe name Keri Flynn, worked as a dancer in Montreal, Quebec, Canada; using the name Edna Rae, worked as a model in New York and Texas. Also worked as a photographer, fashion coordinator, and short order cook. Member: Actors' Equity Association (president, 1982-85). Awards, Honors: New York Film Critics Circle Award, National Society of Film Critics Award, and Academy Award nomination, all best supporting actress, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best supporting actress--motion picture, all 1972, for The Last Picture Show; Academy Award nomination, best actress, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actress--drama, both 1974, for The Exorcist; Antoinette Perry Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics CircleAward, all best actress, all 1975, for the stage version of Same Time, Next Year; Academy Award, British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award,both best actress, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best motion picture actress--drama, all 1975, for Alice Doesn't Live Here Any More; Golden Globe Award, best motion picture actress--musical/comedy, and Academy Award nomination, best actress, both 1979, for the film version of Same Time,Next Year; Academy Award nomination, best actress, and Golden Globe Awardnomination, best motion picture actress--drama, both 1981, for Resurrection; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding actress in a limited series or a special, 1981, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best performance by an actress in a miniseries or motion picture made for television, 1982, both for The People vs. Jean Harris; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or special, 1987, for "Pack of Lies," Hallmark Hall of Fame; Berlinale Camera Award, Berlin International Film Festival, 1988; honorary degrees include D.H.L., Dowling College, 1983, and D.F.A., School of Visual Arts, New York City, 1983; Special Achievement Award, Retirement Research Foundation, 1996. Addresses: Agent: Todd Smith, Creative Artists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Occupation

Actress

Birth Details

December 7, 1932

Detroit, Michigan, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Film Appearances
• (As Ellen McRae) Franny, Goodbye Charlie, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1964
• (As Ellen McRae) Dr. Pauline Thayer, For Those Who Think Young, United Artists, 1965
• (As Ellen McRae) Ellen McLeod, Pit Stop(also known as The Winner), Crown International Pictures, 1969
• (As Ellen McRae) Mona, Tropic of Cancer, Paramount, 1969
• Beth, Alex in Wonderland, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1970
• Lois Farrow, The Last Picture Show, Columbia, 1971
• Sally, The King of Marvin Gardens, Columbia, 1972
• Chris MacNeil, The Exorcist, Warner Bros., 1973 revised version, Warner Bros., 2000
• Alice Hyatt, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Warner Bros., 1974
• Shirley, Harry and Tonto, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1974
• Sonia Langham, Providence, Cinema V, 1977
• Brenda, A Dream of Passion(also known as Kravyi yinekon), SNC-Coline, 1978
• Doris, Same Time, Next Year, Universal, 1978
• Edna Rae McCauley, Resurrection, Universal, 1980
• Acting: Lee Strasberg and the Actors Studio(documentary), 1981
• Olive Fredrickson, Silence of the North, Universal, 1981
• Herself, In Our Hands(documentary), Almi Classics, 1983
• Alex Hacker, The Ambassador(also known as The Peacemaker),Cannon, 1984
• Alamo Bay, TriStar, 1985
• Kate Mackenzie, Twice in a Lifetime, Pan Canadian, 1985
• Look Away,1987
• Katarina Senesh (some sources say Katalin), Hanna's War, Cannon, 1988
• Mrs. O'Neil, Dying Young, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1991
• Esther Moskowitz, The Cemetery Club(also known as Looking for aLive One), Buena Vista, 1993
• Emily, When a Man Loves a Woman(also known as Significant Other and To Have and to Hold), Buena Vista, 1994
• Kate O'Reilly, The Color of Evening, August Entertainment, 1994
• Emily Haberman, The Baby-Sitters Club, Columbia, 1995
• Hy (Finn's grandmother), How to Make an American Quilt(also known as An American Quilt), Universal, 1995
• Judith, Roommates, Buena Vista, 1995
• Hannah Ferguson, The Spitfire Grill(also known as Care of the Spitfire Grill), Columbia, 1996
• Maura O'Connor, Full Court Press,1997
• Mook, Deceiver(also known as Liar), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1997
• Mildred, Playing by Heart(also known as Dancing about Architecture and If They Only Knew), Miramax, 1998
• Shirley Cooperberg, You Can Thank Me Later, Cinequest, 1998
• Herself in archival footage, The Hurricane, Universal, 1999
• Val Handler, The Yards, Miramax, 1999
• Mattie Rigsbee, Walking across Egypt, Keystone Entertainment, 2000
• Sara Goldfarb, Requiem for a Dream, Artisan Entertainment, 2000
• Also in the documentary Balls of Grace.
• Television Appearances
• Series
• (As Erica Dean) Dancer, The Jackie Gleason Show, CBS, 1956-57
• (As Ellen McRae) Dr. Kate Bartok, The Doctors, NBC, 1964-65
• (As Ellen McRae) Julie Parsons, The Iron Horse, ABC, 1966-67
• Ellen Brewer, The Ellen Burstyn Show, ABC, 1986-87
• Dolly DeLucca, That's Life, CBS, 2000-
• Miniseries
• Veronica Steward, A Will of Their Own, NBC, 1998
• Movies
• Gunfight in Black Horse Canyon,1961
• Lynne Evers, Thursday's Game, ABC, 1974
• Jean Harris, The People vs. Jean Harris, NBC, 1981
• Joan Walker, Into Thin Air(also known as Brian Walker, Please Come Home), CBS, 1985
• Tina Brogan, Surviving(also known as Surviving: A Family in Crisis), ABC, 1985
• Lynn Hollander, Something in Common(also known as Love Forty), CBS, 1986
• Margaret Yablonski, Act of Vengeance, HBO, 1986
• Nurse Cooder, When You Remember Me(also known as The Amazing Legacy of Michael Patrick Smith, The Legacy, and The Legacy of Michael Patrick Smith), ABC, 1990
• Lil Lambert, Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love(also known as RunningOut), CBS, 1991
• Mademoiselle Reisz, Grand Isle(also known as The Awakening), TNT, 1992
• Wilma, Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story(also knownas The Rape of Nancy Ziegenmeyer and Taking Back My Life), CBS, 1992
• Joan Delvecchio, Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney Story(also known as Conspiracy of Silence: The Shari Karney Story), NBC, 1993
• Arlie's mother, Getting Out, ABC, 1994
• Frances Griffin, Trick of the Eye(also known as Primal Secrets), 1994
• Jo Giacalone, Getting Gotti(also known as Diane Giacalone: TheJohn Gotti Story and The Diane Giacalone Story), CBS, 1994
• Gretel, "Follow the River," ABC Family Movie, ABC, 1995
• Helen, My Brother's Keeper, CBS, 1995
• Iva Mae, Our Son, the Matchmaker,1996
• Maud Gannon, Timepiece, CBS, 1996
• Yvette Watson, A Deadly Vision(also known as Love Kills andMurder in Mind), ABC, 1997
• June Clatterbuck, The Patron Saint of Liars, CBS, 1998
• Laura Strong, "Flash," The Wonderful World of Disney, ABC, 1998
• Trish, Mermaid, Showtime, 2000
• Specials
• Broadway Plays Washington!,1982
• Night of 100 Stars II(also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), ABC, 1985
• The ABC Fall Preview Special, ABC, 1986
• Barbara Jackson, "Pack of Lies," Hallmark Hall of Fame, CBS, 1987
• Herself, Hello Actors Studio(documentary), 1987
• Voice of Mrs. Stocks, Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam, HBO, 1988
• From the Heart: The First International Very Special Arts Festival(also known as The Very Special Arts Festival), NBC, 1989
• Host and narrator, Child Care: Families in the Balance, PBS, 1990
• Voice, When It Was a Game II, HBO, 1992
• Voice, Earth and the American Dream, HBO, 1993
• Presenter and narrator, Choosing One's Way: Resistance in Auschwitz/Birkenau(documentary), 1994
• The Roots of Roe, PBS, 1997
• Herself, The Fear of God: The Making of the Exorcist(documentary),BBC, 1998
• Maggie, "Night Ride Home," Hallmark Hall of Fame, CBS, 1999
• Awards Presentations
• An American Tribute to Vaclav Havel and a Celebration of Democracy inCzechoslovakia, PBS, 1990
• The 47th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1993
• The 65th Annual Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 1993
• An American Film Institute Salute to Jack Nicholson, CBS, 1994
• The 70th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1998
• Episodic
• Dorothy Carter (a veterinarian), "1962," The Real McCoys, ABC, 1957
• "Dora Gray," Maverick, ABC, 1958
• "The Human Trap," Naked City, ABC, 1960
• "Benefit of the Doubt," Maverick, ABC, 1961
• (As Ellen McRae) "Day's Pay," Cheyenne, ABC, 1961
• "Double Image," Surfside 6, ABC, 1961
• "The Navy Caper," 77 Sunset Strip, ABC, 1961
• "Ricochet," The Dick Powell Show, NBC, 1961
• "Second Chance," Dr. Kildare, NBC, 1961
• "Cry Run," Kraft Mystery Theatre, NBC, 1962
• "Harry, the Father Image," I'm Dickens... He's Fenster, ABC, 1962
• "In the Name of Love, a Small Corruption," Ben Casey, ABC, 1962
• "Preferably, the Less-Used Arm," Ben Casey, ABC, 1962
• "A Splinter off the Old Block," Dobie Gillis, CBS, 1962
• "The Walls Have Eyes," Tales of Wells Fargo, NBC, 1962
• (As Ellen McRae) Mona Winthrope White, "The Case of the Dodging Domino,"Perry Mason, CBS, 1962
• (As Ellen McRae) Polly, "Wagon Girls," Gunsmoke, CBS, 1962
• "Dial S for Spencer," 77 Sunset Strip, ABC, 1963
• "Hear No Evil," Going My Way, ABC, 1963
• "The Heathen," The Defenders, CBS, 1963
• "No Place to Run," Laramie, NBC, 1963
• "Big Man from Nairobi," The Greatest Show on Earth, ABC, 1964
• "The Deep End," Kraft Suspense Theatre, NBC, 1964
• The Big Valley, ABC, 1965
• "Seized, Confined, and Detained," For the People, CBS, 1965
• (As Ellen McRae) Eve Holland, "Crack of Doom," The Time Tunnel, ABC, 1966
• "Diablo," Iron Horse, ABC, 1967
• "Gallows for Joe Pardee," Iron Horse, ABC, 1967
• (As Ellen McRae) Sister Jacob/Sarah, "Days of Grace," The Big Valley, ABC, 1967
• Amy Waters, "Waste" (parts one and two), Gunsmoke, CBS, 1971
• Rachel Lambert, "Lisa, I Hardly Knew You," The Bold Ones: The Lawyers, NBC, 1972
• Guest host, Saturday Night Live(also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, and SNL), NBC, 1980
• "Broadway Dreamers: The Legacy of Group Theatre," American Masters, PBS, 1989
• "Miracle on 44th Street: A Portrait of the Actors Studio," American Masters, PBS, 1991
• Herself, "Lee Strasberg: The Method Man," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
• Herself in Betty Buckley episode, Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1999
• Also appeared in Inside the Actors Studio, Bravo.
• Pilots
• (As Ellen McRae) Ellen, The Big Brain, CBS, 1963
• Stage Appearances
• (As Ellen McRae) Fair Game, Longacre Theatre, New York City, 1957
• John Loves Mary, summer theatre production, 1960
• Doris, Same Time, Next Year, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York City, 1975
• Masha, The Three Sisters, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Theatre,Brooklyn, New York City, 1977
• Helen Hanff, 84 Charing Cross Road, Nederlander Theatre, New YorkCity, 1982
• Kathleen Hogan, Park Your Car in Harvard Yard, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City, 1984
• Night of 100 Stars II(also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1985
• Title role, Shirley Valentine, Booth Theatre, New York City, 1989then Chicago, IL, 1990
• Sister Grace, Sacrilege, Belasco Theatre, New York City, 1995
• Also appeared in Andromeda II, off-Broadway; Love Letters,Los Angeles, CA; and Shimada, New York City.
• Major Tours
• Daisy Werthan, Driving Miss Daisy,1988
• Stage Work
• Director
• Judgement, St. Peter's Church, New York City, 1980
• RECORDINGS
• Taped Readings
• The Wheel of Life: A Memoir of Living and Dying, Simon & Schuster Audio, 1997
• Taped Readings with Others
• Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Book One, Audio Volume I, Audio Literature, 1997
• Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Book One, Audio Volume II, Audio Literature, 1997
• Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Book One, Audio Volume III, Audio Literature, 1997
• Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Book Two, Audio Volume I, Audio Literature, 1997
• Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Book Two, Audio Volume II, Audio Literature, c. 1997
• Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Book Two, Audio Volume III, Audio Literature, c. 1997
• Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue, Book Three, Audio Volumes I-III, Audio Literature, 1999
• WRITINGS
• Contributor of photographs to periodicals, including Darkroom Photography.

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals:

• People Weekly, September 9, 1996 , p. 120.
• Take One, March 9, 1977 .