Catherine Burns
Catherine Burns | |
---|---|
Born | New York City, U.S. | September 25, 1945
Died | February 2, 2019 Lynden, Washington, U.S. | (aged 73)
Occupation(s) | Actress, writer |
Years active | 1967–1989 |
Spouse |
Kenneth Shire (m. 1989) |
Catherine Burns (September 25, 1945 – February 2, 2019)[1] was an American actress of stage, film, radio and television. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Last Summer (1969).[2]
Early years
Burns was born and raised in Manhattan. She attended Hunter College High School, Hunter College and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.[1][3]
Career
Burns's professional acting debut occurred in David Susskind's TV production of The Crucible (1967).[4] She made her Broadway debut in 1968 in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,[5] for which she received the Clarence Derwent Award.[4] She also appeared in Operation Sidewinder (1970) on Broadway.[5]
Burns made her screen debut in 1969, playing a rape victim in Last Summer[6] as sensitive, conservative Rhoda, receiving critical acclaim and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.[3] Despite the recognition, Burns never appeared in another theatrically released film after 1971, when she was just 26 years of age.
Her other film credits include Me, Natalie (1969) and Red Sky at Morning (1971).
Television
Burns's television debut was the role of
Writing
Burns's children's book, The Winter Bird, was published by
Personal life and death
In June 1989, Burns married Kenneth Shire.[2] At the time, she lived on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.[1] Later in her life, she and Shire resided in a retirement community in Lynden, Washington.[1] Little is known about Burns's life following her acting career; Shire said that she had resented the publicity and scrutiny from it, saying "She hated the movie [Last Summer] ... and most everything that came with it. She wanted to be remembered as a published writer of novels."[1]
A 2020 article in The Hollywood Reporter found that, according to Washington state health records, Burns died at age 73 on February 2, 2019, from complications of a fall she had suffered at home, with cirrhosis listed as a contributing factor.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Feinberg, Scott; Johnson, Scott (February 3, 2020). "Catherine Burns: The Vanishing of an Oscar-Nominated Actress". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 3, 2020. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
- ^ a b Berg, Mary Helen (November 26, 1989). "In Search of... Catherine Burns". Los Angeles Times. p. 30. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
- ^ a b Klemesrud, Judy (April 27, 1970). "A Second Career: Children's Books". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
- ^ Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Catherine Burns". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
- ^ Canby, Vincent (June 11, 1969). "Last Summer (1969) Screen: 'Last Summer':Cinema I Film Brings Trio of Newcomers". The New York Times.
External links
- Catherine Burns at IMDb
- Catherine Burns at the Internet Broadway Database
- Catherine Burns at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Cathy Burns at AllMovie