Элизабет Уэджворт: Американская актриса (1934–2017)

American actress (1934–2017)

Elizabeth Ann Wedgeworth (January 21, 1934 – November 16, 2017) was an American character actress, known for her roles as Lana Shields in Three's Company, Hilda Hensley in Sweet Dreams, and Merleen Elldridge in Evening Shade. She won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for Chapter Two (1978).

Elizabeth Ann Wedgeworth was born in Abilene, Texas. She graduated from Highland Park High School in University Park, Texas, where she was a childhood friend and high school classmate of Jayne Mansfield. She dropped her first name after graduating from the University of Texas in 1957, and moved to New York City. After auditioning several times, she was admitted to The Actors Studio.

Wedgeworth made her Broadway debut in the play Make a Million in 1958. In 1978, she won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for Chapter Two. Wedgeworth appeared off Broadway at New York's Promenade Theatre from December 5, 1985, until June 1, 1986, in Sam Shepard's A Lie of the Mind, co starring Harvey Keitel and Geraldine Page; coincidentally, Page, a decade Wedgeworth's senior, had married actor Rip Torn after his divorce from Wedgeworth. Wedgeworth appeared in just nine episodes of the series before her character was casually written out without any explanation and never referred to again. In 1982, Wedgeworth worked with Linda Bloodworth Thomason in her first comedy series, Filthy Rich, playing ditsy, good natured Bootsie Westchester. The series was canceled after two seasons in 1983. In 1989, she guest starred as Audrey Conner, the emotionally fragile mother of Dan Conner (played by John Goodman) on the ABC sitcom, Roseanne. Her longest role was on the CBS sitcom Evening Shade as Merleen Eldridge. The series aired from 1990 to 1994. In 1994, Wedgeworth starred in the unsuccessful Evening Shade spin off, Harlan & Merleen.

Wedgeworth married Rip Torn in 1955. They had a daughter, actress Danae Torn. The couple divorced in 1961.

Year Title Role Notes1965AndyMargie1973ScarecrowFrenchy1973Bang the Drum SlowlyKatie1974Law and DisorderSally1974The Catamount Killing [fr]Kit Loring1976One Summer LovePearlie1976Birch IntervalMarie1977ThievesNancy1977Handle with CareDallas AngelNational Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress1977The War Between the TatesDanielle ZimmermanTV movie1980BogieMayo MethotTV movie1981Elvis and the Beauty QueenAunt BettyTV movie1981Soggy Bottom, U. S. A. Dusty Wheeler1981KilljoyRosieTV movie1984No Small AffairJoan Cummings1985Right to Kill?Eve WhitcombTV movie1985My Science ProjectDolores1985Sweet DreamsHilda HensleyNominated—National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress1986The Men's Club Jo1987A Stranger WaitsSusan BergerTV movie1987A Tiger's TaleClaudine1987Made in HeavenAnnette Shea1988Far NorthAmy1989Miss FirecrackerMiss Blue1989Steel MagnoliasAunt Fern1990Green CardParty Guest #11991Hard PromisesChris's Mom1993CooperstownLila KunznickTV movie1994Love and a .45Thaylene Cheatham1994A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell StoryMrs. O'FlahertyTV movie1995Fight for Justice: The Nancy Conn StoryMary HowellTV movie1996The Whole Wide WorldMrs. Howard1999The Hunter's MoonBorlene2006The Hawk Is DyingMa Gattling(final film role)

Year Title Role Notes1957Kraft TheatreRuth CashelEpisode: "Vengeance"1964The DefendersSally BernardEpisode: "Hero of the People"1966–1967The Edge of Night Angela 'Angie' TalbotUnknown episodes1966HawkHelen RaineyEpisode: "Death Comes Full Circle"1967–1970Another WorldLahoma Vane LucasUnknown episodes1970SomersetLahoma Vane LucasEpisode: "#1.1"1975BronkKateEpisode: "The Gauntlet"1979Three's CompanyLana Shields9 episodes1980When the Whistle BlowsSheila NorrisEpisode: "Wildcatters"1982–1983Filthy RichBootsie Westchester15 episodes1985One Life to LiveCharlie BarnesUnknown episodes1986The Twilight ZoneClerkEpisode: "The After Hours"1987The EqualizerIrene BaylorEpisode: "Suspicion of Innocence"1989RoseanneAudrey ConnerEpisode: "We Gather Together"1990–1994Evening ShadeMerleen Elldridge98 episodesNominated—Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Specialty Player