Mary Aline Langdon McDermott (October 23, 1881 – February 16, 1951) was an American actress. She created the role of Mrs. Lily Mortar in the original
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 Stre ...
production of
Lillian Hellman
Lillian Florence Hellman (June 20, 1905 – June 30, 1984) was an American playwright, Prose, prose writer, Memoir, memoirist, and screenwriter known for her success on Broadway as well as her communist views and political activism. She was black ...
's ''
The Children's Hour'' (1934). She was also in the original Broadway cast of
Thornton Wilder
Thornton Niven Wilder (April 17, 1897 – December 7, 1975) was an American playwright and novelist. He won three Pulitzer Prizes, for the novel ''The Bridge of San Luis Rey'' and for the plays ''Our Town'' and ''The Skin of Our Teeth'', and a U. ...
's ''
Our Town
''Our Town'' is a three-act play written by American playwright Thornton Wilder in 1938. Described by Edward Albee as "the greatest American play ever written", it presents the fictional American town of Grover's Corners between 1901 and 1913 ...
'' (1938).
Early life
McDermott was born in
, the daughter of
Allan Langdon McDermott
Allan Langdon McDermott (March 30, 1854 – October 26, 1908) was an American Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party politician who represented from 1900 to 1903, and the from 1903 to 1907.
Early life
McDermott was born in South ...
and Margaret Elizabeth O'Neill McDermott. Her father was a lawyer and a Congressman.
Career
McDermott was a stage actress. Her Broadway credits included roles in ''The Runaway'' (1911), ''Go West, Young Man'' (1923), ''Bachelors' Brides'' (1925), ''American Born'' (1925), ''The Rhapsody'' (1930), ''Page Pygmalion'' (1932), ''The Children's Hour'' (1934–1936), ''Our Town'' (1938), ''
Blind Alley'' (1940), and ''
State of the Union
The State of the Union Address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a Joint session of the United States Congress, joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning ...
'' (1945–1947). She also appeared on the London stage.
She was a leading lady in touring and stock companies including the Northampton Players, and was known for counseling young women away from a stage career.
Personal life
McDermott was a noted amateur photographer in the 1910s. She injured her arm when she slipped on an icy sidewalk in 1936.
She died in 1951, in New York City.
References
External links
Aline McDermott as Mrs. Lily Mortar a photograph in the collection of the
Museum of the City of New York
The Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) is a history and art museum in Manhattan, New York City, New York. It was founded by Henry Collins Brown, in 1923Beard, Rick. "Museum of the City of New York" in to preserve and present the history ...
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McDermott, Aline
1881 births
1951 deaths
Actresses from Jersey City, New Jersey
20th-century American actresses