Mimi Weddell

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Mimi Weddell
Born
Marion Rogers

February 15, 1915
Williston, North Dakota
DiedSeptember 24, 2009 (aged 94)
Manhattan, New York
NationalityAmerican
OccupationActress
Years active1978–2007
TelevisionSex and the City

Marion Rogers "Mimi' Weddell (February 15, 1915 – September 24, 2009)[1] was an American actress. She is best known for portraying Stanford's grandmother on Sex and the City and for being featured in a documentary film, Hats Off, about her life and her collection of some 150 hats.

Early life

She was born as Marion Rogers in

RCA Victor and later became an art dealer.[2]

Acting career

According to the film Hats Off, Weddell only began her acting career in earnest once she was 65, following the death of her husband in 1981, which had left her with a stack of unpaid bills.[3]

She first appeared in the 1980 low-budget horror film

The Turtle and the Hare as Stanford Blatch's grandmother.[2] She also appeared in print and television advertisements for Burberry, Juicy Couture, Louis Vuitton and Nike.[1]

She was voted one of "The Most Beautiful New Yorkers" by

New York Magazine in 2005, with casting director Jennifer Venditti calling her "a whole package", noting that Weddell "has such elegant style and willowy posture, but she doesn't try to conceal her wrinkles and signs of aging".[4]

Weddell had been featured in ads for numerous top fashion brands, including Louis Vuitton.[2] She is also known for her extensive and expensive hat collection.[2]

Hats Off

The

Directors Guild of America Award-nominated director Jyll Johnstone, a friend of Weddell's daughter, who followed Weddell for most of a decade and interviewed other actors, casting directors and family members to shine a light on her life. The film was screened at the Telluride Film Festival and the Palm Springs International Film Festival, as well as on Sveriges Television in Sweden.[3]

Reviewer Jeanette Catsoulis of The New York Times said the film showed Weddell as a unique "individual", an actress in her 90s who still demonstrated a "willingness to work 14-hour days and fight for roles", building a substantial resume despite the "industry's rampant ageism".[3]

Death

Mimi Weddell died at age 94 in her Manhattan home after a short illness on September 24, 2009.[1]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1980 Last Rites Mrs. Bradley
1981 Student Bodies Miss Mumsley
1985 The Purple Rose of Cairo Ticket Buyer
1987 Anna Agent's Secretary
1994 Go Fish Mimi
1999 The Thomas Crown Affair National Art Club Guest
2003 Marci X Woman at Auction
2004 Messengers Ruth White
2005 Hitch Grandma Wellington
2005 A Perfect Fit Mrs. Kinsley (final film role)
2007 Across the Universe
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1990-1997 Law & Order Mrs. Sandinsky / Baglady 2 episodes
1998 Sex and the City Stanford's Grandmother 1 episode

References

  1. ^ a b c d Dennis McLellan, Mimi Weddell, the subject of 'Hats off,' dies at 94 Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on October 4, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d e Grimes, William. "Mimi Weddell, Actress and Hat Devotee, Is Dead at 94", The New York Times, October 5, 2009. Accessed October 7, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c Catsoulis, Jeannette. "Hats Off (2008): An Aristocratic Look and a Powerhouse Personality", The New York Times, March 28, 2008. Accessed October 8, 2009.
  4. ^ "The Most Beautiful New Yorkers: 2005 - Mimi Weddell", New York, 2005. Accessed October 8, 2009.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mimi_Weddell&oldid=1222101112"