Irene Worth
About
Biography
Filmography
Notes
She was decorated Commander of the British Empire.
She is a recipient of the Whitbread Anglo-American Award for Outstanding Actress (1967).
Biography
Acknowledged on both sides of the Atlantic as one of the finest stage actresses of this century, Irene (pronounced eye-REE-nee) Worth was born in Omaha, Nebraska but raised in California. She made her Broadway debut in 1943 in "The Two Mrs. Carrolls." Deciding that she wanted to be a classical actress, she moved in 1944 to England. There she became known as an outstanding interpreter of Shakespeare, appearing with the Old Vic Theater Company and the Royal Shakespeare Company and starring opposite such luminaries as Ralph Richardson, Laurence Olivier, Alec Guinness and Noel Coward.
Worth also worked with noted avant-garde director Peter Brook, starring in the famed 1962 production of "King Lear" which opened the New York State Theater two years later. She also appeared in his experimental "Oedipus" opposite John Gielgud in 1968 and toured Iran with "Orghast," Brook's attempt to develop an international language of the theater. In 1965, Worth won the first of three Tony Awards for her commanding performance as the mysterious Miss Alice in Edward Albee's metaphysical drama, "Tiny Alice."
Worth re-settled in the US in 1975, when she played opposite Christopher Walken in the Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' "Sweet Bird of Youth," which brought her a second Tony. She continued to earn critical kudos (and theater awards) as the 1990s dawned, with her role as Grandma Kurnitz in Neil Simon's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, "Lost in Yonkers," a role she recreated in Martha Coolidge's 1993 feature adaptation.
Worth's occasional forays into film include "Orders to Kill" (1958), for which she won the British Academy Award for Best Actress, "The Scapegoat" (1959), "Nicholas and Alexandra" (1971), "Eyewitness" (1981) and "Deathtrap" (1982).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Life Events
1920
Family moved to Reedley, California to reside in a Mennonite community
1928
Moved to another Mennonite community in San Luis Obispo, California
1930
Family left Mennonites and settled in Saticoy, California
1942
Stage debut as Fenella in "Escape Me Never" in Elizabeth Bergner's touring production
1942
Moved to NYC; adopted stage name
1943
Broadway debut as Cecily Harden in "The Two Mrs. Carrolls", starring Bergner
1944
Moved to London
1946
London stage debut in "The Time of Your Life"
1948
Feature acting debut, "One Night With You"
1949
Originated role of Celia Coplestone in T.S. Eliot's play "The Cocktail Party" in Edinburgh
1950
Joined the Old Vic Theater Company
1951
Cast as Desdemona in "Othello"
1952
Toured South Africa with the Old Vic
1953
Invited to lead inaugural season at the Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario, with Alec Guinness
1953
Played Lady Macbeth in "Macbeth" at the Old Vic in London
1954
Appeared as herself in the documentary, "The Stratford Adventure"
1960
Had success in NYC production of "Toys in the Attic"
1964
Originated title role in Edward Albee's "Tiny Alice"; won Tony Award
1967
Had lead role in "Heartbreak House"
1968
Starred in Brook's experimental production of "Oedipus" at London's National Theater
1971
Cast as the Tsar's mother's in "Nicholas and Alexandra"
1975
Returned to US to star in "Sweet Bird of Youth" in Chicago; production fell through; play finally produced at Brooklyn Academy of Music, then moved to Broadway; won second Tony Award
1977
Won acclaim in "The Cherry Orchard"
1979
Appeared in "Rich Kids"
1979
Enjoyed a stage success as Winnie in an NYC production of Samuel Beckett's "Happy Days"
1982
Co-starred as the psychic in "Deathtrap"
1983
Acted in the HBO remake of "Separate Tables"
1994
Starred in the one-person show "Irene Worth's Portrait of Edith Wharton"; reprised role in 1997
1996
Made guest appearance on the AMC original series "Remember WENN"
1999
Had cameo role in "Onegin"
1999
Suffered stroke and had to withdraw from "Ring Around the Moon"
2001
Appeared at Britain's Almeida Theatre in "I Take Your Hand in Mine", based on the love letters of Anton Chekhov and Olga Knipper
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
Bibliography
Notes
She was decorated Commander of the British Empire.
She is a recipient of the Whitbread Anglo-American Award for Outstanding Actress (1967).
