Phyllis Somerville
Phyllis Somerville | |
---|---|
New York City, New York, U.S. | |
Education | University of Northern Iowa |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1968–2020 |
Phyllis Jeanne Somerville (December 12, 1943 – July 16, 2020)[1] was an American stage, film, and television actress. She is best known for her roles in Little Children (2006), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), Surviving Family (2012), The Big C (2010–2013), and Outsiders (2016–2017).
Personal life
Somerville was born in
She attended
She lived in New York City, where she died in 2020, aged 76, of natural causes.[6][7]
Theatre
Somerville made her Broadway debut as Wilma in the 1974 musical
In 1990, she originated the role of Joyce in The Sum of Us by David Stevens. In 2001, she originated the role of Hannah in the off-Broadway musical The Spitfire Grill, a role played in the 1996 film by Ellen Burstyn. In 2009, she performed in the musical Happiness at the Lincoln Center Theatre. She has appeared in other productions off-Broadway, as well as in regional theatre, including many roles with the Hartford Stage Company. She was a member of the LAByrinth Theater Company. In 2014, she appeared off-Broadway in an experimental all-female production of I Remember Mama, alongside Rita Gardner, Heather MacRae, and Barbara Barrie.[8][1]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1981 | Arthur | Saleslady | |
1992 | Leap of Faith | Dolores | |
1997 | Trouble on the Corner | Crazy Woman | |
1998 | Montana | Waitress | |
The Impostors | Woman at Bar with Pills | ||
Just One Time | Scratchy-voiced Woman | ||
Curtain Call | Gladys | ||
Better Living | Nellie | ||
1999 | Simply Irresistible | Ruth | |
Bringing Out the Dead | Mrs. Burke | ||
2001 | The Sleepy Time Gal | Rebecca's Adoptive Mother | |
2002 | Swimfan | Aunt Gretchen Christopher | |
2005 | Just Like the Son | Judge | |
2006 | Little Children | May MacGorvey | |
2007 | Broken English | Psychic | |
Lucky You | Pawnbroker | ||
2008 | The Brooklyn Heist | Connie | |
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | Grandma Fuller | ||
2009 | The Mighty Macs | Sister Sister | |
2011 | One Fall | Mrs. Barrows | |
A Bird of the Air | Ivy Campbell | ||
2012 | Forgetting the Girl | Ruby | |
Surviving Family | Mary Giaconne | ||
2013 | Stoker | Mrs. McGarrick | |
The Double | Mrs. James | ||
2015 | Stuff | Ginger | |
2016 | Detours
|
Annie Delaney | |
2017 | Our Souls at Night | Ruth | |
2018 | Diane | Ina | |
2019 | Poms | Helen |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1990 | Law & Order | Ms. Maltese | Episode: "Subterranean Homeboy Blues" |
1991 | Law & Order | Kristen Cameron | Episode: "Heaven" |
1992 | Loving | Mrs. Swan | Episode #1.2201 |
1994 | As the World Turns | Alice | 1 episode |
1995 | New York News | Edith Schemer | Episode: "The Using Game" |
1995–1996 | NYPD Blue | Dorothy Russell | 2 episodes |
1998 | One Life to Live | Charlotte Stonecliff | Episode #1.7668 |
Guiding Light | Mrs. Beasley | Unknown episodes | |
Sex and the City | Gertrude Morgan | Episode: "The Power of Female Sex" | |
Homicide: Life on the Street | Faye Ann Ralston | Episode: "Brotherly Love" | |
2000 | The Sopranos | Brenda | Episode: "Big Girls Don't Cry" |
2001 | Third Watch | Fran | Episode: "A Hero's Rest" |
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Mrs. Moss | Episode: "Victims" | |
2002 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Mrs. McLeish | Episode: "The Third Horseman" |
2003 | Chappelle's Show | Old Lady #2 | Episode: "O'Dweeds & Trading Spouses" |
2004 | As the World Turns | Annabelle Fettle | 1 episode |
Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Louise Politano | Episode: "The Saint" | |
2007 | Kidnapped | Annie Phillips | 3 episodes |
2008 | Life on Mars
|
Mrs. Raimes | Episode: "Out Here in the Fields" |
2010 | CSI: Miami | Louise Russo | Episode: "In the Wind" |
2010–2013 | The Big C | Marlene | 19 episodes |
2011 | Fringe | Alice Merchant | Episode: "6B" |
2013 | House of Cards | Russo's Mother | Episode: "Chapter 8" |
Unforgettable
|
Ruth | Episode: "Memory Kings" | |
Elementary | Miriam Berg | Episode: "The Marchioness" | |
2014 | Taxi Brooklyn | Sasha Lowenthal | Episode: "Brooklyn Heights" |
The Blacklist
|
Skye Kincaid | Episode: " The Mombasa Cartel "
| |
2015 | Blue Bloods | Beth Del Rio | Episode: "Occupational Hazards" |
The Night Shift | Marilyn Capshaw | Episode: "Eyes Look Your Last" | |
Daredevil | Mrs. Vistain | 2 episodes | |
The Good Wife | Louise Nolfi | Episode: "The Deconstruction" | |
2016 | Impastor | Ester Strumble | Episode: "Guardian Angel" |
2016–2017 | Outsiders | Lady Ray | 13 episodes |
2017 | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | Meemaw | Episode: "Kimmy Steps on a Crack!" |
2018 | Castle Rock | Leanne Chambers | Episode: "Severance" |
Madam Secretary | Gloria Paley | Episode: "Requiem" | |
2021 | Mare of Easttown | Betty Carroll | Posthumous release |
Podcasts
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Homecoming | Ellen Bergman | 3 Episodes |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award / Festival | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | Awards Circuit Community Awards | Best Cast Ensemble | Little Children | Nominated |
2009 | Gold Derby Awards | Best Ensemble Cast | The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | Nominated |
Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Nominated | ||
2012 | Indie Gathering International Film Festival | Best Supporting Actress | Surviving Family | Nominated |
Golden Door Film Festival | Best Supporting Actress | Won | ||
2016 | Long Island International Film Expo | Best Supporting Actress | Stuff | Won |
References
- ^ a b "Phyllis Somerville Dies: 'The Big C', Broadway's 'To Kill A Mockingbird' Actress Was 76". www.msn.com.
- ^ Profile, iagenweb.org; accessed May 30, 2014.
- ^ Lefa Pash Somerville obituary, iowajones.org; accessed May 28, 2014.
- ^ Profile Archived 2014-05-29 at the Wayback Machine, unialum.org; accessed May 28, 2014.
- ^ Phyllis Somerville interview with AARP, aarp.org; accessed May 28, 2014.
- ^ Profile, wcfcourier.com; accessed May 28, 2014.
- ^ Profile, historicimages.com; accessed May 28, 2014.
- ^ Profile, abouttheartists.com; accessed May 24, 2014.