Biography
A bona fide legend of Broadway, Elaine Stritch spent over five decades on the musical and dramatic stage, though her reputation as a sharp-tongued, unapologetically audacious personality spread far beyond the boards of New York and London. With her whiskey-soaked voice and wry comic timing, Stritch established herself as an unconventional leading lady in 1950s Broadway productions "Pal J y" and "Bus Stop," with her show-stopping performance of …
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Career Milestones
| Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan | ||
| Joined the Stella Adler Conservatory as an advanced acting teacher | ||
| Regular panelist on TV's "Pantomine Quiz" | ||
1944 | Made NY Stage debut as a tiger and a cow in the children's show, "Bobino" | |
1944 | Moved to New York City | |
1946 | Made Broadway debut in "Loco" | |
1947 | Played Regina Giddens in the Broadway production of "The Little Foxes" | |
1949 | Made TV debut on the eseries "The Growing Paynes" (Dumont) | |
1950 | Was the understudy to Ethel Merman for the Irving Berlin musical "Call Me Madam" | |
1952 | Cast as newspaper reporter Melba Snyder in the revival of the Rodgers and Hart show "Pal Joey" | |
1952 | Headlined the national tour of "Call Me Madam" | |
1955 | Cast as Trixie Norton in the pilot episode of "The Honeymooners" (CBS); fired by Jackie Gleason | |
1956 | Earned a Tony nomination for her dramatic role as Grace, the diner owner, in "Bus Stop" | |
1956 | Made film debut in "The Scarlet Hour" | |
1960 | Starred on the short-lived CBS sitcom "My Sister Eileen" | |
1961 | Received a Tony nomination for her role in Noel Coward's Broadway musical "Sail Away!"; Coward wrote the role for Stritch; reprised role in 1962 for the London production | |
1962 | Assumed the role of Martha in the Broadway production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" | |
1965 | Featured on the CBS series "The Trials of O'Brien" | |
1965 | Last feature for 12 years, "Who Killed Teddy Bear?" | |
1970 | Appeared in the documentary "Original Cast Album: Company"; film depicted the gruelling 15-hour recording of the original cast album of the stage musical; Stritch's many takes and growing frustrations was one of the more fascinating parts of the film | |
1970 | Delivered a scene-stealing turn as the acerbic Joanne in the Broadway musical "Company"; performed what became her signature song "The Ladies Who Lunch"; earned a Tony nomination | |
1975 | Moved to London; starred in the British TV comedy, "Two's Company" | |
1977 | Last film for a decade, "Providence" opposite John Gielgud and Ellen Burstyn | |
1983 | Returned to New York City | |
1985 | Appeared in the all-star concert version of the Stephen Sondheim-James Goldman musical "Follies" | |
1986 | Played Ellen Burstyn's mother on the short-lived ABC sitcom "The Ellen Burstyn Show" | |
1987 | Made return to features after a decade in Woody Allen's "September" | |
1990 | Had starring role in the busted CBS pilot for a sitcom based on "Steel Magnolias" | |
1992 | Created the role of lawyer Lanie Siegel on an episode of the NBC series "Law & Order"; reprised role four years later in another episode | |
1993 | Played Parthenia Hawks in Harold Prince's revival of the landmark musical, "Show Boat" | |
1996 | Earned fourth Tony nomination for her performance as the alcoholic sister Claire in the revival of Edward Albee's "A Delicate Balance" | |
1997 | Featured as Dyan Cannon's mother in the comedy "Out to Sea" | |
1999 | Reprised starring role in concert version of "Sail Away" | |
2002 | Appeared in the one-woman show, "Elaine Stritch at Liberty"; began performances Off-Broadway at the Public Theatre and later moved to Broadway (aired on HBO in 2003) | |
2004 | Received a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word for The Best Halloween Ever | |
2005 | Cast as James Gandolfini's mother in "Romance & Cigarettes" directed by John Turturro (released theatrically in 2007) | |
2007 | Appeared as the mother of Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) on the NBC hit series "30 Rock"; earned Emmy nomination (2008, 2009, 2010) for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | |
2011 | Returned to the stage for "Elaine Stritch At Home at The Carlyle: Singin' Sondheim Again. Why Not?" at the Café Carlyle | |
Awards
1991 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress In a Miniseries or Special in An Inconvenient Woman |
1993 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress In a Drama Series in Law & Order |
2004 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance In a Variety or Music Program in Elaine Stritch at Liberty |
2007 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress In a Comedy Series in 30 Rock |
2008 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress In a Comedy Series in 30 Rock |
2009 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress In a Comedy Series in 30 Rock |
2010 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress In a Comedy Series in 30 Rock |