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TürkçeEileen Heckart (Anna Eileen Stark)
Photos with Eileen Heckart
Biography
Columbus, Ohio, USA
Versatile, award-winning character actress Eileen Heckart, with the lean, horsey face and assured, fervent gait, was born Anna Eileen Stark on March 29, 1919, in Columbus, Ohio. An only child, she lived with her mother after her parents separated at age 2. Her childhood was an acutely unhappy one. Her mother, an alcoholic, was married five times, and her stern grandmother, whom Eileen was often shuttled off to stay with, was physically abusive. To survive, Eileen escaped into the joy and imaginary world of movies as an adolescent. Read more...
Following extensive work on the NY stage, which included her Broadway debut as an understudy and eventual replacement in "The Voice of the Turtle" (1945), she established herself as a major force on the Great White Way. Her first big break under the Broadway lights was her portrayal of the arch, lonely schoolteacher in William Inge's "Picnic," which earned her both the Outer Critic's Circle and Theatre World awards in 1953. She began quick in demand as flinty, overwrought, down-to-earth types or wise-to-the-bone old gals who, more than not, lived a life of drudgery. Later award-worthy Broadway hits would include "The Bad Seed" (which earned her the Donaldson award), "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs" (Tony-nom), "Invitation to a March" (Tony-nom), and "Butterflies Are Free" (Tony-nom). Intermixed were live performances on TV for such prestigious programs as "Goodyear Television Playhouse", "Kraft Television Theatre", "Studio One", "Suspense", "The Alcoa Hour" and "Playhouse 90".
Heckart was a dominant yet only intermittent force in films, making her debut in the so-so Miracle in the Rain (1956) featured as Jane Wyman's confidante. Although greatly disappointed at losing the bid to recreate her Broadway role in the film version of Picnic (1955) (Rosalind Russell won the honors), she did receive the satisfaction of transferring her scene-chewing stage role as the despairing, drunken mom whose son falls victim to young Patty McCormack's malevolent mischief in The Bad Seed (1956). For this Eileen copped both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. During this period she fell into a number of dowdy matrons, dour moms and matter-of-fact gal friends with flashy roles in Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956), Bus Stop (1956), Hot Spell (1958) and Heller in Pink Tights (1960). Earning another Tony nomination and the New York Drama Critics award for her brittle role in the 1957 production of Inge's "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs," she was pregnant with her third child when the film version of The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960) started rolling and Angela Lansbury stepped in to replace her.
For most of the 60s, Eileen traded off TV guest parts ("Ben Casey," "Dr. Kildare", "The F.B.I.", "The Defenders") with theater roles ("Pal Joey", "Barefoot in the Park", "You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running"). She was finally rewarded on film as blind Edward Albert's busybody mom in the welterweight comedy Butterflies Are Free (1972), netting the Academy Award for "Best Supporting Actress". It was a role she had played on Broadway, receiving her fourth Tony nomination.
The Oscar did not bring her pick-of-the-litter roles afforded to other fortunates, but the veteran continued on in all three mediums quite enviably. While not fond of sitcom work, she gave Emmy-style for her guest work on such shows as "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", "Love & War", "Ellen", "Cybill" and was part of a short-lived ensemble series as one of The 5 Mrs. Buchanans (1994). She also put together a one-woman stage tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt and gave assertive theater performances in "The Ladies of the Alamo," "The Cemetery Club" and "Northeast Local".
Strangely enough, the Tony Award eluded the three-time nominee during her long, eventful career. The Tony committee finally made up for this oversight in 2000 by awarding her a "special" Tony for "excellence in theater, triggered by her final, multiple award-winning success (Obie, Drama Desk) as an Alzheimer's patient in "The Waverly Gallery" in 2000. In retrospect, it was none too soon for Ms. Heckart, who worked nearly until the end, was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away on the last day of 2001. She was 82.
Following extensive work on the NY stage, which included her Broadway debut as an understudy and eventual replacement in "The Voice of the Turtle" (1945), she established herself as a major force on the Great White Way. Her first big break under the Broadway lights was her portrayal of the arch, lonely schoolteacher in William Inge's "Picnic," which earned her both the Outer Critic's Circle and Theatre World awards in 1953. She began quick in demand as flinty, overwrought, down-to-earth types or wise-to-the-bone old gals who, more than not, lived a life of drudgery. Later award-worthy Broadway hits would include "The Bad Seed" (which earned her the Donaldson award), "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs" (Tony-nom), "Invitation to a March" (Tony-nom), and "Butterflies Are Free" (Tony-nom). Intermixed were live performances on TV for such prestigious programs as "Goodyear Television Playhouse", "Kraft Television Theatre", "Studio One", "Suspense", "The Alcoa Hour" and "Playhouse 90".
Heckart was a dominant yet only intermittent force in films, making her debut in the so-so Miracle in the Rain (1956) featured as Jane Wyman's confidante. Although greatly disappointed at losing the bid to recreate her Broadway role in the film version of Picnic (1955) (Rosalind Russell won the honors), she did receive the satisfaction of transferring her scene-chewing stage role as the despairing, drunken mom whose son falls victim to young Patty McCormack's malevolent mischief in The Bad Seed (1956). For this Eileen copped both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. During this period she fell into a number of dowdy matrons, dour moms and matter-of-fact gal friends with flashy roles in Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956), Bus Stop (1956), Hot Spell (1958) and Heller in Pink Tights (1960). Earning another Tony nomination and the New York Drama Critics award for her brittle role in the 1957 production of Inge's "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs," she was pregnant with her third child when the film version of The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960) started rolling and Angela Lansbury stepped in to replace her.
For most of the 60s, Eileen traded off TV guest parts ("Ben Casey," "Dr. Kildare", "The F.B.I.", "The Defenders") with theater roles ("Pal Joey", "Barefoot in the Park", "You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running"). She was finally rewarded on film as blind Edward Albert's busybody mom in the welterweight comedy Butterflies Are Free (1972), netting the Academy Award for "Best Supporting Actress". It was a role she had played on Broadway, receiving her fourth Tony nomination.
The Oscar did not bring her pick-of-the-litter roles afforded to other fortunates, but the veteran continued on in all three mediums quite enviably. While not fond of sitcom work, she gave Emmy-style for her guest work on such shows as "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", "Love & War", "Ellen", "Cybill" and was part of a short-lived ensemble series as one of The 5 Mrs. Buchanans (1994). She also put together a one-woman stage tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt and gave assertive theater performances in "The Ladies of the Alamo," "The Cemetery Club" and "Northeast Local".
Strangely enough, the Tony Award eluded the three-time nominee during her long, eventful career. The Tony committee finally made up for this oversight in 2000 by awarding her a "special" Tony for "excellence in theater, triggered by her final, multiple award-winning success (Obie, Drama Desk) as an Alzheimer's patient in "The Waverly Gallery" in 2000. In retrospect, it was none too soon for Ms. Heckart, who worked nearly until the end, was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away on the last day of 2001. She was 82.
Actor
Character:
Hortense Daigle
The Bad Seed 1956
1
Character:
Vera
Bus Stop 1956
4
Character:
Ma Barbella
Somebody Up There Likes Me 1956
2
Character:
Grace Ullman
Miracle in the Rain 1956
7
Character:
Ethel
My Six Loves 1963
1
Character:
Mrs. Brummel
No Way to Treat a Lady 1968
1
Character:
Herself
The 24th Annual Tony Awards 1970
4
Character:
Mrs. Baker
Butterflies Are Free 1972
3
6
Character:
Catherine MacDuggan
The First Wives Club 1996
33
Character:
Mabel
Breathing Lessons 1994
0
Character:
Sarah McNeil
Ultimate Betrayal 1994
0
Character:
Little Mary
Heartbreak Ridge 1986
7
Character:
Courtesan
The Comedy of Errors 1949
0
Character:
Nathalie Garrett
The Ellen Burstyn Show 1986
0
Character:
Flo Meredith
Lou Grant 1977
0
Character:
Amanda Cooper
Little House on the Prairie 1974
0
Character:
Mildred Pepper
Naked City 1958
3
Character:
Janet Furguson
CBS Playhouse 1967
0
Character:
Aunt Lillian Fiedler
Rhoda 1974
0
Character:
Lydia Pearl
Trapper John, M.D. 1979
0
Character:
Nurse Amy Decker
Trauma Center 1983
0
Character:
Polly Jenks
Ben Casey 1961
0
Character:
Vi Miller
The Alcoa Hour 1955
0
Character:
Stella 'Stell' Charnovski
The Streets of San Francisco 1972
0
Character:
Bea Miller
The Eleventh Hour 1962
0
Character:
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt
Backstairs at the White House 1979
0
Character:
Dr. Katherine Tasso
The Defenders 1961
0
Character:
Sister Veronica
The Fugitive 1963
0
Character:
Eleanor Roosevelt
F.D.R.: The Last Year 1980
0
Character:
Harriet Watts
The Doctors and the Nurses 1962
0
Character:
Nurse Jenny Freesmith
Dr. Kildare 1961
1
Character:
Mrs. Shaw
Banyon 1971
0
Character:
Rose Hyatt
Alice 1976
1
Character:
Roz Allardyce
Burnt Offerings 1976
25
Character:
Herself
The 74th Annual Academy Awards 2002
7
Character:
Rose Pennywell
Tales from the Darkside 1983
0
Character:
Margaret Quartermain
Suspense 1949
0
Character:
Herself - Winner: Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series & Presenter: Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
The 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards 1994
1
1
Character:
Three Bag Lady
White Mama 1980
0
Character:
Kate
Goodyear Playhouse 1951
0
Character:
Funeral Woman #1
Seize the Day 1986
0
Character:
Herman's Mother
Wedding Band 1974
0
Character:
Henrietta Pastorfield
Up the Down Staircase 1967
0
Character:
Alma's Friend
Hot Spell 1958
0
Character:
Ma Allan
Zandy's Bride 1974
0
