Frances Sternhagen
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
Inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 2000
Biography
A respected stage-trained supporting and leading player, Sternhagen made her film debut in "Up the Down Staircase" (1967). She subsequently appeared in a wide range of supporting roles, usually as either prim, slightly disapproving characters as well as warmly maternal women. Sternhagen's credits include the classic "The Hospital" (1971), "Two People" (1973) and Billy Wilder's "Fedora" (1978). She won attention for her portrayal as Burt Reynolds' relative under whose auspices he meets his new love in Alan J. Pakula's "Starting Over" (1979) and nearly stole the sci-fi thriller "Outland" (1981), providing comic relief and support to marshal Sean Connery. Sternhagen portrayed a prissy co-worker of Michael J. Fox in "Bright Lights, Big City" (1988), Farrah Fawcett's mother in Pakula's "See You in the Morning" (1989), Richard Farnsworth's wife in "Misery" (1990) and John Lithgow's psychiatrist in "Raising Cain" (1992).
Sternhagen is a familiar face to TV viewers. She is probably best-known for her recurring role as the mother to mailman Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger) on the NBC comedy "Cheers." Sternhagen began appearing on the small screen in the 1950s and spent the better part of the late 60s and early 70s in a variety of roles on daytime soaps ("Love of Life," "The Doctors," "The Secret Storm" and "Another World"). In primetime, she has played regular supporting roles in everything from sitcoms ("Under One Roof") to drama ("Stephen King's Golden Years").
Sternhagen also has extensive stage credits in everything from classic plays to musical comedies. She has received two Tony Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Play for Neil Simon's "The Good Doctor" (1974), based on Chekhov works to a revival of "The Heiress" (1995), based on the Henry James' novella. Sternhagen was married to actor Thomas A. Carlin from 1956 until his death in 1991.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1948
Stage debut at a Bryn Mawr summer theater in "The Glass Menagerie" and "Angel Street"
1953
Acted with the Arena Stage in Washington, DC
1955
TV debut, "The Great Bank Robbery" on "Omnibus" (CBS)
1955
Broadway debut, "The Skin of Our Teeth"
1955
Off-Broadway debut, "Thieves' Carnival"
1967
Film debut, "Up the Down Staircase"
1967
Played Toni Prentiss Davis on CBS daytime drama "Love of Life"
1974
Earned critical praise and a Tony Award for her performance in Neil Simon's short-lived "The Good Doctor"
1985
London stage debut, "The Way at Home"
1985
Co-starred in NBC sitcom "Under One Roof", a revamped version of "Spencer"
1986
Played recurring role of Esther Clavin, mother of Cliff (John Ratzenberger) on NBC comedy "Cheers"
1991
Starred opposite Keith Szarabajka in short-lived CBS drama "Stephen King's Golden Years"
1994
Played Karen Allen's mother on short-lived CBS family drama "The Road Home"
1995
Garnered second Tony Award as Aunt Lavinia in the revival of "The Heiress"
1997
Had recurring role of Millicent Carter on the NBC drama "ER"
1999
Returned to the NYC stage in "The Exact Center of the Universe"
2000
Cast as Bunny MacDougal, mother of Trey, Charlotte's first husband on "Sex and the City" (HBO)
2005
Starred on Broadway in the revival of Edward Albee's "Seascape"
2006
Played Brenda (Kyra Sedgwick)'s disapproving Southern mother in the TNT series, "The Closer"
2007
Co-starred in Frank Darabont's thriller "The Mist"
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Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 2000
