Straight, Beatrice (1914–2001)

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Straight, Beatrice (1914–2001)

American stage and screen actress. Born Beatrice Whitney Straight, Aug 2, 1914, in Old Westbury, NY; died April 7, 2001, in Los Angeles, CA; dau. of Willard Dickerman Straight (banker and diplomat) and Dorothy Payne Whitney (1887–1968, philanthropist); sister of Michael Straight (writer and editor of The New Republic); cousin of Gloria Vanderbilt; m. Louis Dolivet (div. 1949); m. Peter Cookson (actor), 1949 (died 1990); children: Gary Cookson (actor) and Tony Cookson (writer-director).

Made NY debut in Bitter Oleander (1935); other plays include Twelfth Night (Viola), Land of Fame, Eastward in Eden, Macbeth (Lady Macduff), The Heiress (succeeding Wendy Hiller as Catherine Sloper), The Grand Tour, Phèdre (title role), Everything in the Garden and Ghosts; made film debut in Phone Call from a Stranger (1952), followed by Patterns, The Nun's Story, The Promise, Endless Love, Poltergeist, Power, Two of a Kindand Under Seige, among others; on tv, had recurring role of Lynda Carter's mother on "Wonder Woman." Won a Tony Award as Best Supporting Actress for role of Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible, a part she originated (1953); nominated for Emmy for "The Dain Curse" (1978); won Oscar as Best Supporting Actress for Network (1976).