Dorothy Loudon (September 17, 1925 – November 15, 2003) was an American actress and singer. She won the

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

for Best Lead Actress in a Musical in 1977 for her performance as Miss Hannigan in '' Annie''. Loudon was also nominated for

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

for her lead performances in the musicals ''

The Fig Leaves Are Falling ''The Fig Leaves Are Falling'' is a musical with a book and lyrics by Allan Sherman and music by Albert Hague. It was inspired by Sherman's 1966 divorce following 21 years of marriage. Production The musical opened on Broadway at the Broadhurs ...

'' and ''

Ballroom A ballroom or ballhall is a large room inside a building, the primary purpose of which is holding large formal parties called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions and palaces, especially historic ...

'', as well as a

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

award for her appearances on '' The Garry Moore Show''.

Early life and career

Loudon was born in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

in 1925 (she later shaved eight years off her age), to James Edwin Loudon and Dorothy Helen Loudon (née Shaw). She was raised in

Claremont, New Hampshire Claremont is the only city in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 12,949 at the 2020 census. History Pre-colonial native populations Before colonial settlement, the Upper Connecticut River Valley was home to the Pe ...

, and

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mar ...

. She attended

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

on a drama scholarship but did not graduate, and moved to New York City to study at the

American Academy of Dramatic Arts The American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) is a private performing arts conservatory with two locations, one in Manhattan and one in Los Angeles. The academy offers an associate degree in occupational studies and teaches drama and related art ...

. She began singing in night clubs, one such being New York's Blue Angel, mingling song with ad-libbed comedy patter, and was featured on

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

on ''

The Perry Como Show Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como (; May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an Italian-American singer, actor and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years, after signin ...

'' and ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...

''. Loudon made her stage debut in 1962 in ''The World of

Jules Feiffer Jules Ralph Feiffer (born January 26, 1929)''Comics Buyer's Guide'' #1650; February 2009; Page 107 is an American cartoonist and author, who was considered the most widely read satirist in the country. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1986 as North- ...

'', a play with incidental music by

Stephen Sondheim Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March 22, 1930November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. One of the most important figures in twentieth-century musical theater, Sondheim is credited for having "reinvented the American musical" with sho ...

, under the direction of

Mike Nichols Mike Nichols (born Michael Igor Peschkowsky; November 6, 1931 – November 19, 2014) was an American film and theater director, producer, actor, and comedian. He was noted for his ability to work across a range of genres and for his aptitude fo ...

. That same year she made her

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut in ''Nowhere to Go but Up'', which ran only two weeks but earned her good reviews and the

Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...

. Simonson, Robert
"Memorial Service for Dorothy Loudon to Be Held Nov. 20"
playbill, 19, November 2003 In 1969, ''

'' ran for only four performances, although it won her the

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. F ...

for Outstanding Performance and a nomination for the

for Best Lead Actress in a Musical. She followed this with a revival of '' Three Men on a Horse'' directed by

George Abbott George Francis Abbott (June 25, 1887 – January 31, 1995) was an American theatre producer, director, playwright, screenwriter, film director and producer whose career spanned eight decades. Early years Abbott was born in Forestville, New Y ...

; '' Lolita, My Love'', which closed out-of-town during its pre-Broadway tryout; and a revival of the

Clare Boothe Luce Clare Boothe Luce ( Ann Clare Boothe; March 10, 1903 – October 9, 1987) was an American writer, politician, U.S. ambassador, and public conservative figure. A versatile author, she is best known for her 1936 hit play '' The Women'', which ha ...

comedy '' The Women''.

Broadway

Loudon's performance as the evil orphanage administrator Miss Hannigan in '' Annie'' won her the

and the

Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. The awards were established ...

in 1977. In the show she introduced the seminal showtunes "Little Girls" and "Easy Street." Of her portrayal,

Clive Barnes Clive Alexander Barnes (13 May 1927 – 19 November 2008) was an English writer and critic. From 1965 to 1977, he was the dance and theater critic for ''The New York Times'', and, from 1978 until his death, '' The New York Post.'' Barnes had sig ...

wrote, "As the wicked Miss Hannigan, Dorothy Loudon, eyes bulging with envy, face sagging with hatred, is deliciously and deliriously horrid. She never puts a sneer, a leer, or even a scream in the wrong place, and her singing has just the right brassy bounce to it." Loudon later revisited the character of Miss Hannigan in the ill-fated 1990 sequel, ''Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge'', which closed quickly after a dismal pre-Broadway engagement in Washington D.C. In 1979, Michael Bennett cast Loudon as Bea Asher, a widow who becomes romantically involved with a mail carrier she meets at the local dance hall, in ''

''. She was nominated for the

for Best Leading Actress in a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. She performed the number "Fifty Percent" from the musical during that year's Tony Awards ceremony. During her rendition of

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...

's "Vodka" at the 1983 Tony Awards ceremony while resplendent in a blue sequined gown, she ad-libbed "I'm too good for this room. I'm too good for this song...but I'm not too good for this dress!" At the 38th Annual Tony Awards ceremony in 1984, Loudon performed "Broadway Baby" from ''

Follies ''Follies'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The plot takes place in a crumbling Broadway theater, now scheduled for demolition, previously home to a musical revue (based on the ''Ziegfeld Fol ...

''. In ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', John O'Connor said of her performance, "Miss Loudon has developed the art of mugging into something of a hyperactive disease." In 1980, Loudon succeeded

Angela Lansbury Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury (October 16, 1925 – October 11, 2022) was an Irish-British and American film, stage, and television actress. Her career spanned eight decades, much of it in the United States, and her work received a great deal ...

as Mrs. Lovett in

's '' Sweeney Todd''. In reviewing her performance for ''

The Christian Science Monitor ''The Christian Science Monitor'' (''CSM''), commonly known as ''The Monitor'', is a nonprofit news organization that publishes daily articles in electronic format as well as a weekly print edition. It was founded in 1908 as a daily newspaper ...

'', David Sterritt said, "Her body sways like a reed in the emotional storms of her own scatter-brained creation, and her off-hand manner becomes still more off-handed when the most explosive matters are at stake ... Loudon gives a comic characterization in the most classical tradition." The following year she co-starred with

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

and Julia Barr in the play '' The West Side Waltz''. In 1982 she won the Sarah Siddons Award for her work in

Chicago theatre The Chicago Theatre, originally known as the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre, is a landmark theater located on North State Street in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Built in 1921, the Chicago Theatre was the flagship for the Balaban a ...

. She appeared in the 1983

Jerry Herman Gerald Sheldon Herman (July 10, 1931December 26, 2019) was an American composer and lyricist, known for his work in Broadway theatre. One of the most commercially successful Broadway songwriters of his time, Herman was the composer and lyrici ...

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own dur ...

Jerry's Girls ''Jerry's Girls'' is a musical revue based on the songs of composer/ lyricist Jerry Herman. Production history Created by Herman and Larry Alford in 1981, the show originated as a modest presentation at Onstage, a nightclub located in the Theate ...

'' and later the same year she played the role of the miserable middle-aged actress Dotty Otley on Broadway in

Michael Frayn Michael Frayn, FRSL (; born 8 September 1933) is an English playwright and novelist. He is best known as the author of the farce '' Noises Off'' and the dramas ''Copenhagen'' and ''Democracy''. His novels, such as '' Towards the End of the M ...

's farce ''

Noises Off ''Noises Off'' is a 1982 play by the English playwright Michael Frayn. Frayn conceived the idea in 1970 while watching from the wings a performance of '' The Two of Us'', a farce that he had written for Lynn Redgrave. He said, "It was funnier ...

''. She was cast as Carlotta Vance in the Lincoln Center Theater production of '' Dinner at Eight'' but was replaced by Marian Seldes in November 2002 when Loudon left the play because of illness.

Television and film

Loudon was chosen as the replacement for

Carol Burnett Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and writer. Her groundbreaking comedy variety show ''The Carol Burnett Show'', which originally aired on CBS was one of the first of its kind to be hosted ...

when Burnett left '' The Garry Moore Show'' in 1962. Although that collaboration was not altogether successful, the excellent reviews she received the same year for her Broadway debut in ''Nowhere to Go but Up'' proved prophetic. Coincidentally, the two roles Loudon later played so successfully on Broadway stage —Miss Hannigan and Dotty Otley — were both played by Burnett onscreen. She also was a frequent guest star on many New York based comedy and game shows. In 1979, Loudon starred in the television series '' Dorothy'', in which she portrayed a former showgirl teaching music and drama at a boarding school for girls. It lasted only one season. She appeared in only two films, playing an agent in the film ''

Garbo Talks ''Garbo Talks'' is a 1984 American comedy-drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Anne Bancroft, Ron Silver, and Carrie Fisher, with a cameo appearance by Betty Comden as Greta Garbo. The film was written by Larry Grusin, and also sta ...

'' (1984) and as Southern eccentric Serena Dawes in ''

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil ''Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil'' is a non-fiction novel by John Berendt. The book, Berendt's first, was published in 1994 and follows the story of an antiques dealer on trial for the murder of a male prostitute. Subtitled ''A Savannah S ...

'' (1997). She also appeared in the book version of the latter.

Personal life

Loudon was married to composer Norman Paris (born Norman Thaddeus Paris; 1925–1977) from 1971 to his death. Together they had no children and Loudon never remarried. She died in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

, age 78, from cancer on November 15, 2003. Loudon was interred in

Kensico Cemetery Kensico Cemetery, located in Valhalla, Westchester County, New York was founded in 1889, when many New York City cemeteries were becoming full, and rural cemeteries were being created near the railroads that served the city. Initially , it ...

Westchester County, New York Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population ...

. She left no immediate survivors except for two step-children from her marriage to Paris.

Discography

*''Dorothy Loudon at the Blue Angel'' *''Saloon'' *''Broadway Baby''

Theatre credits

*''New Faces of 1959'' (1959) (closed before opening) *''The World of Jules Feiffer'' (1962) *'' Nowhere to Go but Up'' (1962) *''

Anything Goes ''Anything Goes'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap ant ...

'' (1962) (replacement for

Eileen Rodgers Eileen Rodgers (July 10, 1930 – July 13, 2003) was an American singer and Broadway performer. Career Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1930, she began her career as a nightclub performer, later singing as lead vocalist with Charlie Spivak ...

) *'' The Unsinkable Molly Brown'' (1963) *''

The Apple Tree ''The Apple Tree'' is a series of three musical playlets with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and a book by Bock and Harnick with contributions from Jerome Coopersmith. Each act has its own storyline, but all three are tied toge ...

'' (1967) *''Noël Coward's Sweet Potato'' (1968) *''The Fig Leaves Are Falling'' (1969) *'' Three Men on a Horse'' (1969) *'' Lolita, My Love'' (1971) (closed on the road) *'' The Women'' (1973) *'' Annie'' (1977) *''

'' (1980) *'' Sweeney Todd'' (1980) (replacement for

) *'' The West Side Waltz'' (1981) *''

'' (1983) *''

'' (1985) *''Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge'' (1990) (closed on the road in Washington, DC) *'' Comedy Tonight'' (1994) *''

Show Boat ''Show Boat'' is a musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the performers, stagehands and dock worke ...

'' (1996) *'' Sweet Adeline'' (1997) *'' Over and Over'' (1999) (Signature Theatre, Arlington, Virginia)Jones, Kenneth
"New Kander & Ebb Musical, 'Over & Over', Debuts Jan. 6 in Arlington, VA"
playbill, January 5, 1999 *'' Dinner at Eight'' (2002)

Filmography credits

Film

*''

'' (1984) - Sonya Apollinar *''

'' (1997) - Serena Dawes (final film role)

Television

*''

It's a Business ''It's a Business'' was a television sitcom that aired on the DuMont Television Network for 10 episodes. Broadcast history ''It's a Business'' aired on DuMont from March 19 to May 21, 1952, replacing ''Famous Jury Trials'', and was a half-hour pro ...

'' (1952) - Secretary *'' The Garry Moore Show'' (1962–1964) - Herself *''

All My Children ''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 2013, via Hulu, Hulu Plus, and ...

'' (1970) - Veronica Mullens (1993) *'' Dorothy'' (1979) - Dorothy Banks *'' Magnum, P.I.'' (1986) *''

Murder, She Wrote ''Murder, She Wrote'' is an American crime drama television series, created by Peter S. Fischer, Richard Levinson and William Link, starring Angela Lansbury, and produced and distributed by Universal Television for the CBS network. The seri ...

'' (1986) *''Performance at the White House: Showstoppers'' (1988) - Herself *''A Salute to Broadway: Showstoppers'' (1988, TV Movie) - Herself *''Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall'' (1993) - Herself *''My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies'' (1999) - Herself

References

External links

*
Filmreference.comDorothy Loudon papers, 1885-2003
held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division,

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, is located in Manhattan, New York City, at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on the Upper West Side, between the Metro ...

Dorothy Loudon papers: online exhibition

{{DEFAULTSORT:Loudon, Dorothy 1925 births 2003 deaths American musical theatre actresses Tony Award winners Drama Desk Award winners RCA Victor artists Actresses from Indianapolis Actresses from Boston Actresses from New Hampshire Deaths from cancer in New York (state) Burials at Kensico Cemetery 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers