Mildred Dorothy Dunnock (January 25, 1901 – July 5, 1991) was an American stage and screen actress. She was twice nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

: first ''

Death of a Salesman ''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a montage ...

'' in 1951, then '' Baby Doll'' in 1956.

Early life

Born in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, Dunnock graduated from Western High School. She developed an interest in theater while she was a student at

Goucher College Goucher College ( ') is a private liberal arts college in Towson, Maryland. It was chartered in 1885 by a conference in Baltimore led by namesake John F. Goucher and local leaders of the Methodist Episcopal Church.https://archive.org/details/h ...

where she was a member of

Alpha Phi Alpha Phi International Women's Fraternity (, also known as APhi) is an international sorority with 172 active chapters and over 250,000 initiated members. Founded at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York on September 18, 1872, it is the fo ...

sorority and the Agora dramatic society. After graduating, she taught English at Friends School of Baltimore and helped with productions of plays there. While teaching school in New York, she earned her master's degree at Columbia University and acted in a play while she was there.

Career

After roles in

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 ...

productions of ''Life Begins'' (1932) and ''The Hill Between'' (1938), Dunnock won praise for her performance as a Welsh school teacher in ''

The Corn is Green ''The Corn Is Green'' is a 1938 semi-autobiographical play by Welsh dramatist and actor Emlyn Williams. The play premiered in London at the Duchess Theatre in September 1938; with Sybil Thorndike as Miss Moffat and Williams himself portraying Mo ...

'' in 1940 — a role that she performed while she was a full-time teacher at Brearley School. The 1945 film version marked her screen debut. During the 1940s she performed mainly on stage, in such dramas as ''

Another Part of the Forest ''Another Part of the Forest'' is a 1946 play by Lillian Hellman, a prequel to her 1939 drama '' The Little Foxes''. Plot synopsis Set in the fictional town of Bowden, Alabama, in June 1880, the plot focuses on the wealthy, ruthless, and innate ...

'' (1946) and ''

'' (1949) and in the musical ''

Lute Song The term lute song is given to a music style from the late 16th century to early 17th century, late Renaissance to early Baroque, that was predominantly in England and France. Lute songs were generally in strophic form or verse repeating with a h ...

'' (1946). She also performed in regional theatrical productions, including those of the Long Wharf Theatre and the Yale Repertory Theatre. In 1947, she became a founding member of the Actors Studio. Dunnock reprised her role as Linda Loman, Willy's wife, in the 1951 film version of

. She originated for the role of Big Mama in

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thr ...

' play '' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'', although she lost to Judith Anderson. Several of her films include '' The Trouble with Harry'' (1955), '' Love Me Tender'' (1956), '' Baby Doll'' (1956), '' Peyton Place'' (1957), '' The Nun's Story'' (1959), ''

Butterfield 8 ''BUtterfield 8'' is a 1960 American drama film directed by Daniel Mann, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Laurence Harvey. Taylor won her first Academy Award for her performance in a leading role. The film was based on a 1935 novel of the same na ...

'' (1960), '' Something Wild'' (1961) and ''

Sweet Bird of Youth ''Sweet Bird of Youth'' is a 1959 play by Tennessee Williams which tells the story of a gigolo and drifter, Chance Wayne, who returns to his home town as the companion of a faded movie star, Alexandra del Lago (travelling incognito as Princess ...

'' (1962). She was the woman in the wheelchair pushed down a flight of stairs to her death by the psychotic villain Tommy Udo (

Richard Widmark Richard Weedt Widmark (December 26, 1914March 24, 2008) was an American film, stage, and television actor and producer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the villainous Tommy Udo in his debut film, ''Kiss of Death'' (1947) ...

) in '' Kiss of Death'' (1947). She also appeared in guest roles on numerous TV series such as '' Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' and '' Ponds Theater'', and later in her career, several television movies. Dunnock was twice nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, for ''

'' in 1951, and for ''Baby Doll'' in 1956. She was also nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for ''Baby Doll'', as well as ''

Viva Zapata! ''Viva Zapata!'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Elia Kazan and starring Marlon Brando. The screenplay was written by John Steinbeck, using Edgcomb Pinchon's 1941 book ''Zapata the Unconquerable'' as a guide. The cast includes Jean ...

'' in 1952 and ''Peyton Place'' in 1957. In 1966, she played Linda Loman for the third time in the

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

adaptation of ''

'', alongside her original Broadway co-star, Lee J. Cobb. This earned Dunnock a nomination for an Emmy Award in 1967, in the category of Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Drama. Her final film was '' The Pick-up Artist'' (1987), which starred Robert Downey, Jr. and

Molly Ringwald Molly Kathleen Ringwald (born February 18, 1968) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and author. She was cast in her first major role as Molly in the NBC sitcom '' The Facts of Life'' (1979–80) after a casting director saw her playing an o ...

. Dunnock has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution to motion pictures, at 6613 Hollywood Boulevard. She is also a member of the

American Theater Hall of Fame The American Theater Hall of Fame in New York City was founded in 1972. Earl Blackwell was the first head of the organization's Executive Committee. In an announcement in 1972, he said that the new ''Theater Hall of Fame'' would be located in the ...

, which she was inducted into in 1983.

Personal life and death

Dunnock was married to Keith Urmy, an executive at Chemical Bank in Manhattan, from 1933 until her death. The couple had one child. In 1991, at age 90, Dunnock died from natural causes in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, although at that time she was a resident of nearby West Tilsbury.

Film appearances

*'' The Invisible Man's Revenge'' (1944) – Norma – the Chambermaid (uncredited) *''

The Corn Is Green ''The Corn Is Green'' is a 1938 semi-autobiographical play by Welsh dramatist and actor Emlyn Williams. The play premiered in London at the Duchess Theatre in September 1938; with Sybil Thorndike as Miss Moffat and Williams himself portraying Mo ...

'' (1945) – Miss Ronberry *'' Kiss of Death'' (1947) – Mrs. Rizzo (uncredited) *''

'' (1951) – Linda Loman *'' I Want You'' (1951) – Sarah Greer *''

'' (1952) – Senora Espejo *''

The Girl in White ''The Girl in White'' is a 1952 American drama film directed by John Sturges and starring June Allyson, Arthur Kennedy and Mildred Dunnock. It is based on the memoirs of the pioneering female surgeon Emily Dunning Barringer. Plot Her pregnan ...

'' (1952) – Dr. Marie Yeomans *''

The Jazz Singer ''The Jazz Singer'' is a 1927 American musical drama film directed by Alan Crosland. It is the first feature-length motion picture with both synchronized recorded music score as well as lip-synchronous singing and speech (in several isolate ...

'' (1952) – Mrs. Ruth Golding *''

Bad for Each Other ''Bad for Each Other'' is a 1953 American drama film noir directed by Irving Rapper and starring Charlton Heston, Lizabeth Scott and Dianne Foster. It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures. Its genre has been characterized as a "medi ...

'' (1953) – Mrs. Mary Owen *''Hansel and Gretel'' (1954) – Mother (voice) *'' The Trouble with Harry'' (1955) – Mrs. Wiggs *'' Love Me Tender'' (1956) – Martha Reno *'' Baby Doll'' (1956) – Aunt Rose Comfort *'' Peyton Place'' (1957) – Miss Elsie Thornton *'' The Nun's Story'' (1959) – Sister Margharita (Mistress of Postulants) *'' The Story on Page One'' (1959) – Mrs. Ellis *''

BUtterfield 8 ''BUtterfield 8'' is a 1960 American drama film directed by Daniel Mann, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Laurence Harvey. Taylor won her first Academy Award for her performance in a leading role. The film was based on a 1935 novel of the same na ...

'' (1960) – Mrs. Wandrous *'' Something Wild'' (1961) – Mrs. Gates *''

'' (1962) – Aunt Nonnie *'' Behold a Pale Horse'' (1964) – Pilar *'' Youngblood Hawke'' (1964) – Sarah Hawke *'' 7 Women'' (1966) – Jane Argent *''

'' (1966) – Linda Loman *''

What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice? ''What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?'' is a 1969 American neo-noir thriller film directed by Lee H. Katzin with Bernard Girard (uncredited), and starring Geraldine Page, Ruth Gordon, Rosemary Forsyth, Robert Fuller and Mildred Dunnock. The scree ...

'' (1969) – Miss Edna Tinsley *'' The Spiral Staircase'' (1975) – Mrs. Sherman *'' The Shopping Bag Lady'' (1975) – Annie Lewis *'' Dragonfly (1976)'' (later: ''One Summer Love'') – Miss Barrow *'' The Best Place to Be'' (1979) *'' The Pick-up Artist'' (1987) – Nellie (final film role)

Television

*''Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1957) "The West Warlock Time Capsule"'' 14 * Thriller(1960) - S1 E15 “The Cheaters” *'' The Tom Ewell Show'' (1960) – episode "The Friendly Man" *'' The Investigators'' (1961) – episode "The Mind's Own Fire"

Radio appearances

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dunnock, Mildred 1901 births 1991 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Baltimore Actresses from Massachusetts Actresses from New York City American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses Burials in Massachusetts Columbia University alumni Donaldson Award winners Goucher College alumni Johns Hopkins University alumni Method actors Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts People from West Tisbury, Massachusetts Western (genre) film actresses