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Lesley Ann Warren

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Lesley Ann Warren
Warren in 2009
Born (1946-08-16) August 16, 1946 (age 78)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Other namesLesley Warren
Occupations
  • Actress
  • Singer
Years active1961–present
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1967; div. 1974)​

Ronald Taft
​
(m. 2000)​
Children1

Lesley Ann Warren (born August 16, 1946) is an American actress and singer. Warren made her Broadway debut in 1963, and in 1965 received wide recognition for playing title role in the television musical production of Cinderella. She later had starring roles in Disney musical films The Happiest Millionaire (1967) and The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968).

In 1970s, Warren worked mostly on television, receiving Golden Globe Award nomination for praying Dana Lambert in the CBS drama series Mission: Impossible (1970-71). In 1978, she won Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series for the NBC miniseries Harold Robbins' 79 Park Avenue. In 1982, Warren was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and Golden Globe for playing Norma Cassady in the 1982 film musical comedy-drama film Victor/Victoria. She received two additional Golden Globe Awards nominations for performances in Songwriter (1984) and Family of Spies (1990). Her other film appearances include Choose Me (1984), Clue (1985), Burglar (1987), Cop (1988), Pure Country (1992), Color of Night (1994), and Secretary (2002).

Early life

Warren was born in New York City, the daughter of Margot (née Verblow), a singer, and William Warren, a real estate agent.[1] Her family was Russian-Jewish, on both sides, and her father's original surname was "Warrenoff".[2][3]

She attended the Professional Children's School at the age of 6 and The High School of Music & Art at the age of 13.[4]

Career

1960s and 1970s

Warren as Cinderella, pictured with Stuart Damon as the Prince.

In 1961, Lesley Ann Warren began her career as a ballet dancer, training at the School of American Ballet at the age of 14. Her career began in 1962 at age 15 when she made a tape about herself singing Queen of the Night aria from The Magic Flute (the first and only time she sang opera). She entered the Actors Studio at the age of 17—reputedly the youngest applicant ever to be accepted. Her Broadway debut came in 1963 in the musical 110 in the Shade. She won the Theatre World Award for her performance in the 1965 flop musical Drat! The Cat!.[5] In 1973, she portrayed Scarlett O'Hara in the Los Angeles production of the musical Scarlett; however, the play was poorly reviewed and did not continue to Broadway as planned.

Having failed to obtain the role of Liesl in the film version of The Sound of Music, Warren achieved her first major television success in the title role of Rodgers and Hammerstein's television special Cinderella in 1965.[6] She later began appearing in television shows, including Dr. Kildare, Gunsmoke, The Mod Squad and Love, American Style. She appeared in episode 2 of The Carol Burnett Show in 1967. Her film debut was in the 1967 musical comedy The Happiest Millionaire, the last movie Walt Disney worked on before his death. The following year, she went to star opposite Walter Brennan in the musical film The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band. This year, she listed on Laurel Awards Female New Face on 15th place.[7]

Warren with Mission Impossible cast in 1970

During 1970s, Warren appeared only in two feature films: drama Pickup on 101 (1972) and comedy Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976). Meanwhile, Warren worked regularly on television. She played the role of Dana Lambert, the leading female on the CBS action drama Mission: Impossible during the 1970–71 television season. According to The Complete Mission: Impossible Dossier by Patrick White, she was considered too inexperienced for the part and left after only one year. For her performance, she received Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.[8] Despite her departure, throughout the 1970s Warren became a leading lady of TV movies, TV series, and miniseries. Her notable credits include The Daughters of Joshua Cabe (1972), The Letters (1973), The Legend of Valentino (1975), Betrayal (1978) and Pearl (1978). She appeared as a guest star in the third season of The Muppet Show and made an occasional feature film. In 1975, Warren played a mental patient opposite Peter Falk and George Hamilton in the Columbo episode "A Deadly State of Mind". Warren also played Lois Lane in the 1975 TV special It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman adapted from the Broadway musical of the same name. Warren went on to screen-test for the role of Lois Lane in the 1978 Superman film, a role that was ultimately won by Margot Kidder (footage of Warren's screen test has been included as a supplementary feature on VHS and DVD releases of the film). In 1978, she won Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for the NBC miniseries Harold Robbins' 79 Park Avenue.[9]

1980s and 1990s

In 1981, Warren returned to big screen starring alongside Ken Wahl, George Peppard, and Donald Pleasence in Race for the Yankee Zephyr, a New Zealand suspense-action-thriller film directed by David Hemmings. The following year, she played dim-witted gangster's moll Norma Cassidy in the 1 musical comedy film Victor/Victoria. Warren was nominated for an Golden Globe Award and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.[6] In 1983, she went to star in the romantic drama film A Night in Heaven, critics widely panned the film.[10] Warren received another Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for starring opposite Willie Nelson in the 1984 musical comedy film Songwriter.[9] In 1985, she starred as one of the prime murder suspects, Miss Scarlet, in the comedy film version of the popular board game Clue.

Warren played supporting roles in a number of movies, including Choose Me (1984), Burglar (1987), Cop (1988), Worth Winning (1989), Life Stinks (1991), Pure Country (1992), and Color of Night (1994), in which she played a nymphomaniac; the film was poorly received, and she was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress. However, it was successful on the home video market. On television, she went to star in Beulah Land (1980), Portrait of a Showgirl (1982), Evergreen (1985) and Baja Oklahoma (1988). She receivedPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film nominations for Family of Spies in 1990.[9] Warren also played Princess Jeanetta in the Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre episode The Dancing Princesses, an adaptation of the fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses in 1987. In 1986, Lesley was prominently featured in Bob Seger's popular music video for his hit song "American Storm." In 1989, she appeared in the Aerosmith video "Janie's Got a Gun", wherein she played Janie's mother. She was also featured in a video for the Eagles' "Life in the Fast Lane". In 1995, she co-starred opposite Ben Kingsley in the television film Joseph.

Lesley Ann Warren in 2012

2000s—present

In 2000s, Warren appeared in a number of independent films, most notable 2002 comedy-drama Secretary playing the mother of title character. She had a recurring roles on NBC sitcom Will & Grace as Will Truman's father's mistress from 2001 to 2006, and in the ABC comedy-drama Desperate Housewives as Susan Mayer's mother in 2005.[6] Other television credits including Touched by an Angel, The Practice, Crossing Jordan and Less than Perfect. From 2008 to 2012, Warren played the role of Jinx Shannon, lead character' alcoholic mother in the USA Network drama series In Plain Sight.

Warren appeared in films Peep World (2010), Jobs (2013) and I Am Michael (2015). In 2016, she had a recurring role in Starz comedy Blunt Talk and in 2018 appeared in Netflix superhero series Daredevil as Esther Falb.[11] In 2019, she co-starred in the short-lived Lifetime comedy-drama series American Princess,[12] and appeared opposite Sarah Drew in the Lifetime Christmas movie Twinkle All the Way.[13]

Personal life

Warren married producer Jon Peters in 1967. They divorced in 1974. They have one son, Christopher Peters (born 1968), an actor and producer.[14] She married Ronald Taft in 2000.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1967 The Happiest Millionaire Cordy
1968 The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band Alice Bower Laurel Award for Female New Face (15th place)
1972 Pickup on 101 Nicky
1976 Harry and Walter Go to New York Gloria Fontaine
1981 Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr Sally
1982 Victor/Victoria Norma Cassidy Nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Nominated — New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress
1983 A Night in Heaven Faye Hanlon
1984 Choose Me Eve
1984 Songwriter Gilda Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
1985 Clue Miss Scarlet
1987 Burglar Dr. Cynthia Sheldrake
1988 Cop Kathleen McCarthy
1989 Worth Winning Eleanor Larimore
1991 Life Stinks Molly
1992 Pure Country Lula Rogers
1994 Color of Night Sondra Dorio
1995 Bird of Prey Carla Carr
1996 Natural Enemy Sandy
1997 Going All the Way Nina Casselman
1998 Love Kills Evelyn Heiss
1998 All of It Glenda Holbeck
1999 The Limey Elaine
1999 Twin Falls Idaho Francine
1999 Teaching Mrs. Tingle Faye Watson
2000 Ropewalk Charlie's mom
2000 Trixie Dawn Sloane
2001 Delivering Milo Anna
2001 The Quickie Anna
2001 Losing Grace Mary Reed
2002 Secretary Joan Holloway
2004 My Tiny Universe Vee
2005 Constellation Nancy Boxer
2005 When Do We Eat? Peggy Stuckman
2005 Deepwater Pam
2005 The Shore Mrs. Becky Harris
2006 Miracle Dogs Too Nurse Bleaker
2006 10th & Wolf Tina
2010 Stiffs Joy Tramontana
2010 A Little Help Joan Dunning
2010 Peep World Marilyn Meyerwitz
2013 Jobs Clara Jobs
2015 I Am Michael Susan
2015 The Sphere and the Labyrinth Wendy
2016 It Snows All the Time Anne
2016 Between Us Elsa
2018 American Pets Judy
2019 The Bay House Joan Brooks
2019 3 Days With Dad Dawn
TBA Echo Boomers Author Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1965 Cinderella Cinderella TV film
1965 For the People Terry "Dangerous to the Public Peace and Safety"
1966 Dr. Kildare Bonda Jo Weaver Guest role (4 episodes)
1966 Gunsmoke Betsy Payson "Harvest"
1966 Run for Your Life Julie Foster "The Last Safari"
1967 The Carol Burnett Show Herself "The Lost Episodes"
1969 The Mod Squad Virginia 'Ginny' Wells "A Run for the Money"
1969 Seven in Darkness Deborah Cabot TV film
1969 Love, American Style Tippi "Love and the Divorce Sale"
1970–71 Mission: Impossible Dana Lambert Main role (season 5)
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
1971 Love Hate Love Sheila Blunden TV film
1971 Cat Ballou Cat Ballou TV film
1972 Assignment: Munich Cathy Lange TV film
1972 The Daughters of Joshua Cabe Mae TV film
1973 Dr. Simon Locke Laura March "Requiem for a Canary"
1973 Night Gallery Hyacinth "Death on a Barge"
1973 The Letters Laura Reynolds TV film
1973 Saga of Sonora Emmy Lou TV film
1975 It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman Lois Lane TV film
1975 Columbo Nadia Donner "A Deadly State of Mind"
1975 S.W.A.T. Linda "Deadly Tide: Parts 1 & 2"
1975 Doctors' Hospital Sybil Payson "Sleepless and Pale Eyelids"
1975 Harry O Gail Stephens "APB Harry Orwell"
1975 The Legend of Valentino Laura Lorraine TV film
1976 Snip Beverly Unsold TV series
1976 Jigsaw John Claudine "Too Much, Too Soon"
1977 79 Park Avenue Marja Fludjicki / Marianne TV miniseries
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama
1978 Betrayal Julie Roy TV film
1978 Pearl Dr. Carol Lang TV miniseries
1979 The Muppet Show Herself Episode 3.15
1979 Portrait of a Stripper Susie Hanson TV film
1980 Beulah Land Sarah Pennington TV miniseries
1982 Portrait of a Showgirl Jillian Brooks TV film
1985 Evergreen Anna Friedman TV miniseries
1986 Apology Lily TV film
1986 A Fight for Jenny Kelsey Wilkes TV film
1987 Faerie Tale Theatre Jeanetta "The Dancing Princesses"
1988 Baja Oklahoma Juanita Hutchins TV film
Nominated — CableACE Award for Best Actress in a Movie or Miniseries
1990 Family of Spies Barbara Walker TV miniseries
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated — Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
1990 American Playwrights Theater: The One-Acts Flora "27 Wagons Full of Cotton"
Nominated — CableACE Award for Best Actress in a Movie or Miniseries
1990 Lola Lola Baltic TV film
1991 A Seduction in Travis County Melanie Evans TV film
1992 In Sickness and in Health Anita Mattison TV film
1992 Willing to Kill: The Texas Cheerleader Story Wanda Holloway TV film
1993 A Mother's Revenge Carol Sanders TV film
1995 Murderous Intent Gayle TV film
1995 Joseph Potiphar's Wife TV Miniseries
1999 Jesse Susan "Momma Was a Rollin' Stone"
2000 Twice in a Lifetime Rhonda Finkelstein / Sadie Arnstein "Matchmaker, Matchmaker"
2001 Wolf Girl Dr. Klein TV film
2001–2006 Will & Grace Tina Recurring role
2002 St. Sass Slim Kaplan TV film
2002–2005 Crossing Jordan Arlene Lebowski "Don't Look Back", "Locard's Exchange"
2003 Touched by an Angel Kelly Cartwright "As It Is in Heaven"
2003 The Practice Sylvia Bakey "Choirboys", "Special Deliveries"
2003 Recipe for Disaster Marie Korda TV film
2004 Less than Perfect Diane Steadman "Claude's Apartment"
2005–2011 Desperate Housewives Sophie Bremmer Recurring role
2008–2012 In Plain Sight Jinx Shannon Main role
2009 Bound by a Secret Jane Tetley TV film
2011 Working Class Barbara "Medieval Woman"
2013 Psych Leslie "100 Clues"
2015 Community Deb Perry "Lawnmower Maintenance & Postnatal Care", "Advanced Safety Features"
2015 Gigi Does It Tretchy Feinberg "Wart-a-Colors", "Whine"
2016 Blunt Talk Cornelia 3 episodes
2016–17 Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce Dina "No Means... No", "Let Them Eat Cupcakes"
2018 Daredevil Esther Falb Episode: "Reunion"
2019 The Cool Kids Kathleen Episode: "Charlie's Angel"
2019 American Princess Joanntha Klein 3 Episodes
2019 Twinkle All the Way Twinkle Harrison Television film
2019 Blind Psychosis Tabatha Burks Television film; Post-production

References

  1. ^ "Lesley Ann Warren Biography". Filmreference.com. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  2. ^ "When Do We Eat?" (PDF). Whendoweeat.com. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  3. ^ "Lesley Ann Warren on Victor Victoria and The Actors Studio". Avclub.com. July 4, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  4. ^ Hill, Michael E. "LESLEY ANN WARREN," Washington Post (February 24, 1985).
  5. ^ "Lesley Ann Warren – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". www.ibdb.com.
  6. ^ a b c "Overview for Lesley Ann Warren". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  7. ^ "Lesley Ann Warren". IMDb.
  8. ^ "Lesley Warren". www.goldenglobes.com.
  9. ^ a b c "Lesley Ann Warren". www.goldenglobes.com.
  10. ^ "A Night in Heaven (1983)" – via www.rottentomatoes.com.
  11. ^ "Lesley Ann Warren Joins 'Marvel's Daredevil' Season 3". Marvel Entertainment.
  12. ^ Petski, Denise; Petski, Denise (May 24, 2018). "'American Princess': Lesley Ann Warren & Max Ehrich Set To Recur In Lifetime Series".
  13. ^ Mazzeo, Esme (November 24, 2019). "Twinkle All The Way Review: Sarah Drew's Lifetime Christmas Movie Is Three, Two, One, Magic".
  14. ^ Coleman, Jim (October 1995). "Eight men enter, one man leaves". Black Belt. pp. 54–59. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
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