Betty Buckley
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This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2008) |
| Betty Buckley | |
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Buckley in 2009 |
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| Born | Betty Lynn Buckley July 3, 1947 Big Spring, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Spouse(s) | Peter Flood (1972-1979) (divorced) |
| Website | |
| www.bettybuckley.com | |
Betty Lynn Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is an American theater, film and television actress and singer. She is a Tony Award Winner, a 2012 inductee into the Theater Hall of Fame and a twice Grammy Award nominee.
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Early life [edit]
Betty Lynn Buckley was born in Big Spring, Texas and raised in Fort Worth, the daughter of Betty Bob (née Diltz), a dancer and journalist, and Ernest Lynn Buckley, a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force and former dean of engineering at South Dakota State University. She is the oldest of their four children. She has three brothers—Norman Buckley is a film editor and TV director. While a student at Texas Christian University (TCU), she was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha and crowned "Miss Fort Worth" in 1966 and was runner-up in the Miss Texas competition. Buckley was then invited to perform at the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, and it was there that she was spotted by a talent scout. After returning to TCU to earn her college degree, she toured Asia to visit soldiers wounded in the Vietnam War. After this, she worked for a time as a reporter for the Fort Worth newspaper, but went to New York City in 1969, where she landed the role of Martha Jefferson in 1776 her first day in town.
Career [edit]
Stage and screen career [edit]
Buckley made her Broadway debut in 1969 in the musical 1776; she has been called "The Voice of Broadway" by New York magazine. Her rendition of "Memory" in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats established her reputation. She is perhaps best known for the 1977–81 TV dramedy Eight is Enough. She joined the show in its second season when the original star, Diana Hyland, died after the first four episodes of season one. Hyland's character (Joan Bradford) died, and Buckley was cast as the widower's new romantic interest, Sandra Sue Abbott (nicknamed Abby), who became stepmother of the eight children to which the series' title refers.
Buckley also appeared in the original movie version of Carrie in 1976. She played Miss Collins, Carrie's gym teacher; in 1987, she appeared as Margaret White in the musical adaptation of the film. In 1977, she recorded an uncredited solo on the song "Walking in Space", in the movie Hair.
She played the role of a country singer in Bruce Beresford's film Tender Mercies (1982), in which she sang the song "Over You".
She also appeared in the Woody Allen film Another Woman (1988) and in Roman Polanski's Frantic (1988). In 2001–03, she played a role in seasons 4–6 of the HBO series Oz. She also has guest-starred in a number of television series, including Without a Trace, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Monk. She guest-starred in a Christmas special of the TV series Remember WENN, in which she sang "You Make It Christmas".
Buckley sang "Memory" from Cats at the Kennedy Center Honors in December 2006 as part of the tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber. In 2007, Buckley appeared with Quintessence at Lincoln Center in its Great American Songbook series.
In 2008, Buckley played "Mrs. Jones" in M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening opposite Mark Wahlberg and Zooey Deschanel. She appeared as "Marion Leckie", mother of Robert Leckie in the HBO series The Pacific, produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, which aired in 2010.
Buckley also appeared in the 18th episode of Melrose Place in 2010 as a food critic cast by her brother Norman Buckley, who directed the episode. She has recently filmed a guest star appearance in an episode of the new Fox series The Chicago Code. Most recently she appeared on Pretty Little Liars as Regina Marin, also directed by her brother Norman in which she is a recurring guest star.
Buckley participated in a reading of the musical Ruthless! in September, 2010, playing the role of Sylvia St. Croix/Ruth DelMarco.
In 2011 Buckley starred in the Dallas Theater Center production of Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring with Tovah Feldshuh.
On January 28, 2013 Buckley was inducted into The Theater Hall of Fame.
In February and March 2013, she starred in the London revival of Jerry Herman's Dear World."
Music career [edit]
Buckley has recorded 15 solo albums, and gives concerts and makes guest solo appearances across the U.S. each year. She is also a composer; her first recording contains mostly songs she wrote. She is also featured on many Broadway compilation recordings, and on the original cast recordings of 1776, Cats, the London recording of Promises, Promises, Triumph of Love and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. She has been twice nominated for a Grammy Award.
Her albums Quintessence and 1967 were released by Playbill Records in February 2008. Quintessence features jazz arrangements of standards by her longtime collaborator, jazz pianist Kenny Werner; while 1967 is a recording produced by T-Bone Burnett, and made when Buckley was just 19.
Her album Bootleg: Boardmixes From the Road was released in 2010, and her recording of her hit show at Feinstein's at the Regency with pianist Christian Jacob, entitled Ah, Men: The Boys of Broadway, debuted on 28 August 2012.
Her most recent album Ghostlight was produced by the legendary T Bone Burnett and will be released in 2014.
Personal life [edit]
Buckley was married to Peter Flood in 1972, divorced in 1979, and has no children. She lives on a ranch in Texas and participates in NCHA cutting horse competitions while continuing to appear in films, television and theater and to sing concerts in a wide variety of venues.
Buckley has also taught song interpretation and scene study for over 40 years. She conducts master classes in Fort Worth, New York City, Los Angeles and other cities around the country. "No matter what your career, to communicate at your best is absolutely vital, whether it's to one person, a group or an entire audience. But most people get nervous, forgetful and too fearful to express themselves," says Buckley. "I'll help you redefine that fear and use it to your advantage. We'll talk about the dynamics of communication, the essence of common respect, and training your mind to focus on your behalf."
Buckley's official website contains her concert and theater schedule, a detailed biography and timeline, and summaries of her singing and acting accomplishments.
Filmography [edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Carrie | Miss Collins | |
| 1983 | Tender Mercies | Dixie | |
| 1987 | Wild Thing | Leah | |
| 1988 | Frantic | Sondra Walker | |
| 1988 | Another Woman | Kathy | |
| 1992 | Rain Without Thunder | Beverly Goldring | |
| 1994 | Last Time Out | Maxine Black | |
| 1994 | Wyatt Earp | Virginia Earp | |
| 1995 | Ride for Your Life | Short film | |
| 1998 | Of Love & Fantasy | Dr. Tania Brandt | Video |
| 1999 | Simply Irresistible | Aunt Stella | |
| 2002 | New World Order | Rose Kross | |
| 2004 | Mummy an' the Armadillo | Let | |
| 2008 | The Happening | Mrs. Jones | |
| 2011 | 5 Time Champion | Fran |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Ryan's Hope | Divorced Lady | Episode: "1.405" |
| 1977 | The Rubber Gun Squad | Rosie | TV movie |
| 1977-1981 | Eight Is Enough | Sandra Sue 'Abby' Abbott Bradford | 102 episodes |
| 1981 | The Ordeal of Bill Carney | Barbara Slaner | TV movie |
| 1984 | Special Treat | Mrs. Lawson | Episode: "Bobby and Sarah" |
| 1984 | The Three Wishes of Billy Grier | Nancy Grier | TV movie |
| 1985 | Evergreen | Mrs. Bradford | TV miniseries |
| 1987 | Roses Are for the Rich | Ella | TV movie |
| 1987 | Cagney & Lacey | Marci Bruckman | Episode: "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" |
| 1989 | ABC Afterschool Specials | Lillian Robinson | Episode: "Taking a Stand" |
| 1989 | Babycakes | Wanda | TV movie |
| 1991 | L.A. Law | Elisa Chandler | Episode: "Something Old, Something Nude" Episode: "TV or Not TV" |
| 1992 | Mathnet | Sally Storm | Episode: "The Case of the Mystery Weekend" |
| 1992 | Bonnie & Clyde: The True Story | Mrs. Parker | TV movie |
| 1992 | Square One TV | Sally Storm | 3 episodes |
| 1993 | Tribeca | Ruth | Episode: "The Rainmaker" |
| 1994 | Betrayal of Trust | Dr. Jan Galanti | TV movie |
| 1996 | Critical Choices | Dr. Margaret Ludlow | TV movie |
| 1996 | Remember WENN | Gloria Redmond | Episode: "Christmas in the Airwaves" |
| 2001-2003 | Oz | Suzanne Fitzgerald | 18 episodes |
| 2003 | Monk | Mrs. Fleming | Episode: "Mr. Monk Goes to the Theater" |
| 2004 | The Jury | Carla Kohler | Episode: "Last Rites" |
| 2005 | Vinegar Hill | Mary Margaret Grier | TV movie |
| 2006 | Brothers & Sisters | Iva March | Episode: "Unaired Pilot" |
| 2006 | Without a Trace | Catherine Ryder | Episode: "Expectations" |
| 2006 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Attorney Walsh | Episode: "Manipulated" Episode: "Clock" |
| 2008 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Attorney Walsh | Episode: "Lunacy" |
| 2010 | Melrose Place | Bernadette Reese | Episode: "Sepulveda" |
| 2010 | The Pacific | Marion Leckie | Episode: "Home" |
| 2011 | The Chicago Code | Sister Paul | Episode: "Hog Butcher" |
| 2011 | Pretty Little Liars | Regina Marin | Episode: "I Must Confess" |
| 2013 | Episode: "She's Better Now" |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 1776 | Martha Jefferson | Replacement |
| 1973 | Pippin | Catherine | Replacement |
| 1982 | Cats | Grizabella | |
| 1985 | Song and Dance | Emma | Replacement |
| 1985 | Drood | Edwin Drood / Miss Alice Nutting | |
| 1988 | Carrie | Margaret White | |
| 1994 | Sunset Boulevard | Norma Desmond | Replacement |
| 1997 | Triumph of Love | Hesione | |
| 2010 | White's Lies | Mrs. White |
References [edit]
- ^ "Betty Buckley at IMDB". IMDB.com. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
bettybuckley.com Theatre: 1776- Martha Jefferson- 1969, then returning in 1971 Betty was in Promises, Promises 1970- nominated for Evening Standard Award for Best Actress in a Musical Off Broadway- What's a Nice Country Like You Doing in a State Like This- 1972 Pippin - 1973-1976 New York- Heather- I'm Getting my Act Together and Taking it on the Road- 1980 Los Angeles- Heather- I'm Getting my Act Together and Taking it on the Road-1981 Second Stage Theater- Juno's Swans- 1985 N.Y's Shakespear Festival- Edwin Drood-1985 Emma- Song and Dance- 1986 Carrie-Margaret White-1988 williamstown theatre festival-Pirate Jenny- The Threepenny Opera- 1992 Southern Light Arizona Company- Mama Rose- Gypsy- 1992 Chigcago- The Fourth Wall-1993 London- Norma Desmond- Reprise of Sunset Boulevard-1994 Broadway- Norma Desmond- Sunset Boulevard- 1995 Broadway- Triumph of Love- 1997 Papermill Playhouse- Mama Rose- 1998 Hartford Stage Production- Camino Real Lincoln Center- Elegies- A Song Cycle- 2003 Reprised Role Jenny- Threepenny Opera- 2003 London-Dear World 2013
Awards Even Standard Nomination for Best Actress- 1970 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical- 1983
Emmy Nominated-Abc Special-1988 Olivier Award Nomination-1994 Tony Award Nomination- Triumph of Love-1997 Grammy Award Nomination for Stars and Moon(Album)-2004
Legend of Cabaret Award 2004 Texas Film Hall of Fame Induction-2007 BroadwayWorld's Cabaret Award for Best Female Vocalist-2012
External links [edit]
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Betty Buckley |
- Betty Buckley's Official web site
- Official Website for Carrie The Musical
- Betty Buckley at AllRovi
- Betty Buckley at the Internet Broadway Database
- Betty Buckley at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Betty Buckley at the Internet Movie Database
- TonyAwards.com Interview with Betty Buckley
- AMC Interview with Betty Buckley about The Happening
- Sony BMG Masterworks Betty Buckley Podcast
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