Stritch, Elaine 1925(?)–

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STRITCH, Elaine 1925(?)–

PERSONAL

Born February 2, 1925 (some sources say 1926), in Detroit (some sources cite Birmingham), MI; daughter of George J. (a business executive) and Mildred (a homemaker; maiden name, Jobe) Stritch; married John M. Bay (an actor), February 2, 1973 (some sources cite 1972; died, 1982). Education: Trained for the stage with Erwin Piscator at the Dramatic Workshop of the New School for Social Research, 1944; studied singing with Burt Knapp.

Addresses: Agent—The Blake Agency, 415 North Camden Dr., Suite 121, Beverly Hills, CA 90210; International Creative Management, 8942 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211.

Career: Actress, singer, and writer. Acting instructor at the Stella Adler Conservatory; cofounder of the Youth Theatre Project; performer at benefits and presenter at awards presentations; lecturer at various venues.

Member: Actors' Equity Association.

Awards, Honors: New York Drama Critics Circle Award, best actress, 1955, and Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best supporting or featured dramatic actress, 1956, both for Bus Stop; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best actress in a musical, 1962, for Sail Away!; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best actress in a musical, 1971, for Company; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding supporting actress in a miniseries or special, 1991, for An Inconvenient Woman; Emmy Award, outstanding guest actress in a drama series, 1993, for "Point of View," Law & Order; Drama Desk Award, outstanding featured actress in a play, 1996, for A Delicate Balance; named to the Theatre Hall of Fame, 1996; Antoinette Perry Award, special theatrical event, Drama Desk awards, outstanding book of a musical (with John Lahr) and outstanding solo performance, Outer Critics Circle Award, outstanding solo performance, Obie Award, Village Voice, special citation, Lucille Lortel Award, unique theatrical experience of 2002, New York Critics Circle Award, special citation, Drama League Award, distinguished achievement in musical theatre, and Lucille Lortel Award nomination, outstanding actress, all 2002, L.A. Ovation Award nomination, Los Angeles Stage Alliance, best production from a touring company, Laurence Olivier Award nominations, Society of West End Theatre, best actress in a musical or entertainment and best entertainment, and special citation in The Best Plays of 2001–2002, all 2003, all for Elaine Stritch At Liberty; named a "living landmark" of New York City, for her theatre work, 2003; Emmy Award, individual performance in a variety or music program, 2004, for Elaine Stritch At Liberty.

CREDITS

Stage Appearances:

Cow and tiger, Bobino, New School for Social Research, Adelphi Theatre, New York City, 1944.

Parlor maid, The Private Life of the Master Race, Theatre of All Nations, City College of New York Auditorium, New York City, 1945.

Betty Lord, Woman Bites Dog, Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 1946.

Lady Sybil, What Every Woman Knows, Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, CT, 1946.

Miss Crowder, Made in Heaven, Henry Miller's Theatre, New York City, 1946.

Pamela Brewster, Loco, Biltmore Theatre, New York City, 1946.

Ingabord, Little Nettie, Milly, and member of the ensemble, Angel in the Wings (revue), Coronet Theatre, New York City, 1947.

Member of the ensemble, The Shape of Things (revue), John Drew Theatre, East Hampton, Long Island, NY, 1947.

Regina Giddens, The Little Foxes, Rooftop Theatre, New York City, 1947.

Roberts, Three Indelicate Ladies, Shubert Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1947.

Dallas Smith, Texas Li'l Darlin', Westport Country Playhouse, 1949.

June Farrell, Yes, M'Lord, Booth Theatre, New York City, 1949.

Understudy for Ethel Merman, Call Me Madam, Imperial Theatre, New York City, c. 1950–1952.

Melba Snyder, Pal Joey, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1952–1953.

Carol Frazer, Once Married, Twice Shy, Westport Country Playhouse, 1953.

Title role, Panama Hattie, Iroquois Amphitheatre, Louisville, KY, 1954.

Peggy Porterfield, On Your Toes, 46th Street Theatre, New York City, 1954.

Grace, Bus Stop, Music Box Theatre, New York City, 1955–1956.

Gertrude Muldoon, The Sin of Pat Muldoon, Cort Theatre, New York City, 1957.

Maggie Harris, Goldilocks, Lunt–Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1958–1959.

Leona Samish, The Time of the Cuckoo, Hunterdon Hills Playhouse, Jutland, NJ, 1959.

Mimi Paragon, Sail Away!, Broadhurst Theatre, 1961, then Savoy Theatre, London, 1962.

Martha, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Billy Rose Theatre, New York City, beginning 1963.

Babylove Dallas, The Grass Harp, Trinity Square Repertory Company, Providence, RI, 1966.

Ruth, Wonderful Town, City Center Theatre, New York City, 1967.

Amanda Prynne, Private Lives, Theatre De Lys, New York City, 1968.

Joanne, Company, Alvin Theatre, New York City, beginning 1970, later Her Majesty's Theatre, London, 1972.

Leona Dawson, Small Craft Warnings, Hampstead Theatre Club, then Comedy Theatre, both London, 1973.

Evy Meara, The Gingerbread Lady, Phoenix Theatre, London, 1974.

Tell Me on a Sunday, London production, c. 1980.

Suite in Two Keys, Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ, 1982.

Madeleine Bernard, Dancing in the End Zone, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Coconut Grove, FL, 1983.

Hattie Walker, "Follies": In Concert, Avery Fisher Hall, New York City, 1985.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Abbott! Or Night of 100 Years, Palace Theatre, New York City, 1987.

Melissa Gardner, Love Letters, Promenade Theatre, then Edison Theatre, New York City, 1990.

Rodgers and Hart Revue, Rainbow & Stars, New York City, 1991.

Lillian Hellman, Cakewalk, Loeb Drama Center, Cambridge, MA, 1993, also Variety Arts Theatre.

Company: The Original Cast in Concert (concerts), Long Beach Civic Light Opera, Long Beach, CA, and Vivian Beaumont Theatre, New York City, both 1993.

Parthenia Ann "Parthy" Hawks, Show Boat, North York Performing Arts Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1993, then Gershwin Theatre, New York City, beginning c. 1994.

Claire, A Delicate Balance, Plymouth Theatre, New York City, 1996.

Angela Lansbury—A Celebration (benefit production), Majestic Theatre, New York City, 1996.

Doin' What Comes Natur'lly (tribute concert), 1998.

Herself, My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies, Carnegie Hall, New York City, 1999.

Mimi Paragon, Sail Away! (concert version), Weill Recital Hall, New York City, 1999.

Elaine Stritch Talks, Musical Theatre Works, New York City, 2001.

Elaine Stritch At Liberty (solo show), Public Theatre, New York City, 2001–2002, later Neil Simon Theatre, New York City, 2002.

Elaine Stritch in Conversation with Judith Regan, 92nd Street Y, New York City, 2002.

Reader of writings by Dorothy Parker, Food for Thought (benefit series of readings), Food for Thought Lunch Hour Theatre, National Arts Club, New York City, 2004.

Major Tours:

Sally Adams, Call Me Madam, U.S. cities, 1952–1953.

Stella, The Time of the Barracudas, U.S. cities, 1963.

Anna Leonowens, The King and I, U.S. cities, 1965.

Martha, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, U.S. cities, 1965–1966.

Dorothy Cleves, Any Wednesday, U.S. cities, 1967.

Vera Charles and title role, Mame, U.S. cities, 1967.

Title role, Mame, U.S. cities, 1969.

Elaine Stritch At Liberty (solo show), U.S. and British cities, 2002–2003.

Television Appearances; Series:

Laraine Payne, The Growing Paynes, DuMont, 1948–1949.

Regular, Pantomime Quiz, CBS, 1953, then DuMont, 1953–1954, later ABC, 1955.

Ruth Sherwood, My Sister Eileen, CBS, 1960–1961.

Miss G., The Trials of O'Brien, CBS, 1965–1966.

Dorothy McNab, Two's Company, London Weekend Television, 1975–1979.

Bill Hooper, Nobody's Perfect, London Weekend Television, 1980–1982.

Mrs. DeGroot, The Edge of Night (also known as Edge of Night), ABC, 1984.

Sydney Brewer, The Ellen Burstyn Show, ABC, 1986–1987.

Wilma Bern, One Life to Live, ABC, 1993.

Narrator, EGG, the Arts Show, PBS, c. 2000–2002.

Voice of Mom, Life's a Bitch (animated), The Comedy Network, 2003–2004.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Song by Song, PBS, c. 1975.

Rose Cliveden, An Inconvenient Woman, ABC, 1991.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Nurse, The Spiral Staircase, 1975.

Maxine, Stranded, NBC, 1986.

Marti Sparks, Sparks: The Price of Passion, CBS, 1990.

Rowena Sharphorn, The Secret Life of Archie's Wife (also known as Archie's Wife and Runaway Heart), CBS, 1991.

Sybil Sedgwick, Chance of a Lifetime (also known as A Change of Heart and Heather's Journey), NBC, 1991.

Lucinda Sadwich, An Unexpected Life, USA Network, 1998.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Washington Square, NBC, 1956.

Carmenita, Full Moon over Brooklyn, NBC, 1960.

Lily Pepper, "Red Peppers," Three in One, NBC, 1960.

Aunt Polly, Pollyanna, 1973.

Herself, Night of 100 Stars (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), 1977.

The Royal Variety Performance 1979, 1979.

Herself, Broadway Plays Washington, 1982.

Hattie Walker, "Follies: In Concert," Great Performances, PBS, 1985.

"Sylvia Fine Kaye's Musical Comedy Tonight III (The Spark and the Glue)," Great Performances, PBS, 1985.

Older Marianne, "Sensibility and Sense," American Playhouse, PBS, 1990.

Ouiser Boudreaux, Steel Magnolias, CBS, 1990.

Herself, Marlene Dietrich: Shadow and Light (also known as Marlene Dietrich: Her Life and Legend), 1996.

Herself, My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies, PBS, 1999.

The Noel Coward Story, PBS, 1999.

Herself, Once Upon a Sleigh Ride (documentary), PBS, 2000.

Herself, The Royal Variety Performance 2002, 2002.

Herself, Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There (also known as Broadway: The Golden Age and Broadway: The Movie), 2003.

Herself, Elaine Stritch At Liberty, HBO, 2004.

Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:

Herself, The 49th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1995.

The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1996.

The 53rd Annual Tony Awards, 1999.

Herself, The 56th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 2002.

Herself, The Mark Twain Prize: Lily Tomlin, 2003.

The 26th Annual Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 2003.

The 56th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, 2004.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

"A Cup of Kindness," Kraft Television Theatre, NBC, 1953.

"Nothing to Sneeze At," Goodyear Playhouse, NBC, 1953.

Hazel Beck, "The Family Man," Motorola TV Hour, ABC, 1954.

"Here's Father," Goodyear Playhouse, NBC, 1954.

The Ed Sullivan Show (also known as Toast of the Town), CBS, 1954.

"Beloved Stranger," Goodyear Playhouse, NBC, 1955.

"Escape from Vienna," Appointment with Adventure, CBS, 1955.

"The House on Gellen Street," Appointment with Adventure, CBS, 1955.

Mr. Peepers, NBC, 1955.

"He's for Me," The Alcoa Hour, NBC, 1957.

Kristie Crane, "The Disappearance of Daphne," Climax!, CBS, 1958.

Shirley, "The Left–Handed Welcome," Studio One, CBS, 1958.

"The Red Mill," DuPont Show of the Month, CBS, 1958.

Ethel, "The Haunted," Adventures in Paradise, ABC, 1959.

Tracy Sadler, "The Tracy Sadler Story," Wagon Train, NBC, 1960.

Irma Downey, "The Witch of the East Wing," The Nurses, NBC, 1963.

Anna, "The Wedding," Esso Repertory Theater, syndicated, 1965.

"Pins and Needles," New York Television Theater, NET (later PBS), 1966.

Herself, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, multiple episodes in 1970 and 1971.

Herself, The Dean Martin Show, NBC, 1971.

"Two Gentle People," Shades of Green, PBS, 1976.

Mary Pearl, "William and Mary," Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected, syndicated, 1979.

Pamela Beauchamp, "My Lady Love, My Dove," Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected, syndicated, 1980.

"Super Nurse," Trapper John, M.D., CBS, 1983.

Herself, Wogan, BBC, 1986.

Franny Tattinger, "Rest in Peas," Tattinger's, NBC, 1988.

Mrs. McGee, "Cliff la Douce," The Cosby Show, NBC, 1989.

Mrs. McGee, "Shall We Dance?," The Cosby Show, NBC, 1989.

"Rock Hudson: Tall, Dark and Handsome," Crazy about the Movies, Cinemax, 1989.

Mrs. McGee, "Mr. Sandman," The Cosby Show, NBC, 1990.

Herself, The Full Wax, 1991.

Lanie Stieglitz, "Point of View," Law & Order, NBC, 1992.

Sheila, "Misery on 34th Street," Bless This House, CBS, 1995.

The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS, 1996.

Lanie Stieglitz, "Working Mom," Law & Order, NBC, 1997.

Martha Albright, "Dick–in–Law," 3rd Rock from the Sun (also known as Life as We Know It), NBC, 1997.

Mrs. Foster, "Grabbed by an Angel," Soul Man, ABC, 1997.

Judge Grace Lema, "Losing Your Appeal," Oz, HBO, 1998.

Mia Farrow: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 1998.

Herself, "A&E Biography: Sal Mineo—Hollywood's Forgotten Rebel," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1999.

Herself, Rock Hudson: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 1999.

Herself, Theater Talk, PBS, 1999 and 2001.

Herself, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1999 and 2002.

Martha Albright, "My Mother, My Dick," 3rd Rock from the Sun (also known as Life as We Know It), NBC, 2001.

Herself, Intimate Portrait: Dixie Carter (documentary), Lifetime, 2001.

Herself, Intimate Portrait: Liz Smith (documentary), Lifetime, 2001.

Herself, "Steve Coogan, Diana Krall, Jeremy Paxman, Elaine Stritch," Parkinson, BBC, 2002.

Herself, 60 Minutes, CBS, 2002.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Ruth Sherwood, "You Should Meet My Sister," Alcoa Theatre, NBC, 1960.

"The Mourner," The Powder Room, NBC, 1971.

Isabella, Paradise, Showtime, 2003.

Film Appearances:

Gun Fury, 1953.

Phyllis Rycker, The Scarlet Hour, Paramount, 1956.

Ruby LaSalle, Three Violent People, Paramount, 1956.

Helen Ferguson, A Farewell to Arms, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1957.

Liz Baker, The Perfect Furlough (also known as Strictly for Pleasure), Universal, 1958.

Marge, Kiss Her Goodbye, 1959.

Billie (some sources cite Marian Freeman), Who Killed Teddy Bear?, Magna, 1965.

Too Many Thieves, 1966.

Herself and Joanne, Original Cast Album: Company (documentary), Docurama, 1970.

Tough lady, The Sidelong Glances of a Pigeon Kicker (also known as Pigeons), Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/Plaza, 1970.

Helen Weiner and Molly Langham, Providence, Cinema V, 1977.

Diane Frazier, September, Orion, 1987.

Ruby Feinberg, Cocoon: The Return, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1988.

The widow, Cadillac Man, Orion, 1990.

Mavis LeBreche, Out to Sea, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1997.

Irene Hargrove, Krippendorf's Tribe, Buena Vista, 1998.

Foolproof, 1999.

Chi Chi Potter, Small Time Crooks, DreamWorks SKG, 2000.

Dolly, Autumn in New York, Columbia/TriStar, 2000.

Miss Virginia Crock, Screwed, Universal, 2000.

Grace Murder, Romance & Cigarettes, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 2004.

Radio Appearances; Episodic:

Lillian Hellman, Cakewalk, L.A. Theatre Works, KCRW (Los Angeles), c. 2000.

Appeared in Inner Sanctum, Real Life Stories, and Young Widder Brown.

RECORDINGS

Albums:

Stritch, Stet Records, 1976, DRG, 1995.

Albums with Others:

Cole Porter, Volume III, 1990.

Sony Music 100 Years: Soundtrack for a Century, Sony, 1999.

You're Sensational: Cole Porter in the 20s, 40s & 50s, Koch International Classics, 1999.

Soundtrack Albums:

Pal Joey (1952 original Broadway cast), Capitol, 1952.

Tell Me on a Sunday (original London cast), Decca, 1980.

"Follies": In Concert, RCA Red Seal, 1985.

Show Boat (1993 Toronto revival cast), Quality Music, 1994.

Drat! The Cat! A Musical Comedy (1997 studio cast), Varese, 1997.

On Your Toes (1954 revival cast), Decca, 1997.

Company—A Musical Comedy, Sony, 1998.

My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies, Hybrid (Red), 1999.

Elaine Stritch At Liberty, DRG, 2002.

Sail Away (original 1962 London cast recording), Varese, 2003.

Videos:

Stephen Sondheim's "Follies": In Concert (documentary), Image Entertainment, 2001.

WRITINGS

Teleplays; Specials:

(With John Lahr) Footage from the stage production Elaine Stritch At Liberty, Elaine Stritch At Liberty, HBO, 2004.

Teleplays; Episodic:

Nobody's Perfect (based on the American television series Maude), London Weekend Television, various episodes, 1980–1982.

Writings for the Stage:

(With John Lahr) Elaine Stritch At Liberty (solo show), Public Theatre, New York City, 2001–2002, later Neil Simon Theatre, New York City, 2002, later toured U.S. and British cities, 2002–2003.

Nonfiction:

Am I Blue?: How to Live with Diabetes, Granada, 1983, published in the United States as Am I Blue?: Living with Diabetes and Dammit, Having Fun!, Evans, 1984.