Matinee Classics - Maureen Stapleton Biography & Filmography

Maureen Stapleton ACTOR

PHOTOS

MAUREEN STAPLETON BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:

Maureen Stapleton was born on June 21st, 1925 in Troy, New York with the birth name Lois Maureen Stapleton, born to Irene and John P. Stapleton. Her parents divorced when she was a young girl and at the age of eighteen she relocated to live in New York City.

Her career in entertainment began as a working model and in 1946 she made her Broadway debut in, "The Playboy of the Western World". Soon other theatrical roles followed such as, "Antony and Cleopatra" and "The Rose Tattoo" (1951), a role for which she received a Tony Award for and later it was made into a film earning her an Oscar for her performance.

Other highly successful stage roles she added to her resume included, "Twenty Seven Wagons Full of Cotton", "The Gingerbread Lady", "The Little Foxes" and "The Gin Game".

Along with stage work she also worked as a film actress appearing in, "Lonelyhearts" (1958), "Bye Bye Birdie" (1963) starring Ann Margret, Dick Van Dyke, Janet Leigh and Bobby Rydell, "Airport" (1970) with an all-star cast consisting of Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Helen Hayes, Van Heflin, George Kennedy, Jacqueline Bisset, Jean Seberg, Lloyd Nolan, Barbara Hale, Marion Ross, Gary Collins, Barry Nelson and Dana Wynter, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" starring Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Jack Carson, Burl Ives and Judith Anderson, "Interiors" (1978) starring Geraldine Page, Diane Keaton, Mary Beth Hurt, E.G. Marshall, Richard Jordan and Sam Waterston, "Reds" (1981) directed, produced and stared in by Warren Beatty as well as featuring Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Gene Hackman, Edward Herrmann and Paul Sorvino, "Johnny Dangerously" (1984) starring Michael Keaton, Joe Piscopo, Marilu Henner, Peter Boyle, Griffin Dunne, Dom DeLuise, Danny DeVito, Dick Butkus and Alan Hale Jr., "Cocoon" (1985) starring Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Brian Dennehy, Jack Gilford, Steve Guttenberg, Jessica Tandy, Gwen Verdon, Herta Ware, Tahnee Welch and Linda Harrison and "Cocoon: The Return" (1988) with this film sharing the almost identical cast as the prequel.

In addition to stage and film work she also worked on such television versions of the plays, "All the King's Men" (1959), "Queen of the Stardust Ballroom" (1975) and "The Gathering" (1977).

Television itself became another venue which Maureen used as a catalyst for her career appearing in such shows as "Medic", "Playhouse 90", "Naked City" and "Kraft Theatre" to name a few.

She received a number of honors during her time involved with he entertainment industry such as receiving the Actors Studio Award in 1980 for her contribution to theatre as well as being inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame in 1981. She also won the Triple Crown of acting in 1981 and a Best Supporting Actress Award for her role in, "Reds" (1981) as well as an Emmy for Best Actress: Drama in the television movie, "Among the Paths to Eden" (1967).

Maureen Stapleton married twice throughout her lifetime, first to Max Allentuck in 1949 and they had two children before the marriage came to an end in 1959. She then married her second husband, David Rayfiel in 1963 however by 1966, this marriage also came to an end. She did not re-marry for a third time and on March 13th, 2006 she passed away in Lenox, Massachusetts from chronic pulmonary disease.

Filmography

2003 Living and Dining

1998 Wilbur Falls

1997 Addicted to Love

1996 My Universe Inside Out

1995 Avonlea

1994 Trading Mom

1994 The Last Good Time

1992 Lincoln

1992 Miss Rose White

1992 Passed Away

1992 Last Wish

1989 The Equalizer

1989 B.L. Stryker

1988 Cocoon: The Return

1988 Liberace: Behind the Music

1988 The Thorns

1988 Doin' Time on Planet Earth

1987 Nuts