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

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

for her works in ''

Death of a Salesman ''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by the 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 ...

'' (1951) and '' Baby Doll'' (1956).

Early life

Born in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

, 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 university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Towson, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1885 as a Nonsectarian, nonsecterian Women's colleges in the United States, ...

where she was a member of

Alpha Phi Alpha Phi International Women's Fraternity (, also known as APhi) is an international Fraternities and sororities in North America, sorority with 175 active chapters and over 270,000 initiated members. Founded at Syracuse University in Syracuse, ...

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 of Arts degree at

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

and acted in a play while she was there. She also studied at the Actors Studio under

Lee Strasberg Lee Strasberg (born Israel Strassberg; November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an American acting coach and actor. He co-founded, with theatre directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931, which was hailed ...

, Robert Lewis and

Elia Kazan Elias Kazantzoglou (, ; September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003), known as Elia Kazan ( ), was a Greek-American film and theatre director, producer, screenwriter and actor, described by ''The New York Times'' as "one of the most honored and inf ...

Career

After roles in Broadway 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'' (1946) and ''

'' (1949) and in the musical '' Lute Song'' (1946). She also performed in regional theatrical productions, including those of the

Long Wharf Theatre Long Wharf Theatre is a nonprofit institution in New Haven, Connecticut, a pioneer in the not-for-profit regional theatre movement, the originator of several prominent plays, and a venue where many internationally known actors have appeared. Fo ...

and the

Yale Repertory Theatre Yale Repertory Theatre at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut was founded by Robert Brustein, dean of Yale School of Drama, in 1966, with the goal of facilitating a meaningful collaboration between theatre professionals and talented stud ...

. In 1947, she became a founding member of the

Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights located on West 44th Street in Hell's Kitchen in New York City. The studio is best known for its work refining and teaching method actin ...

. Dunnock reprised her role as Linda Loman, Willy's wife, in the 1951 film version of

. She originated the role of Big Mama on Broadway 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 three ...

' play ''

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' is a 1955 American three-act play by Tennessee Williams. The play, an adaptation of his 1952 short story "Three Players of a Summer Game", was written between 1953 and 1955. One of Williams's more famous works and his ...

'', although she lost the film role to

Judith Anderson Dame Frances Margaret Anderson (10 February 18973 January 1992), known professionally as Judith Anderson, was an Australian actress who had a successful career in stage, film, and television. A pre-eminent stage actress in her era, she won two ...

. Several of her films include ''

The Trouble with Harry ''The Trouble with Harry'' is a 1955 American Technicolor black comedy film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The screenplay by John Michael Hayes was based on the 1950 novel by Jack Trevor Story. It starred Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe, Mildred Na ...

'' (1955), '' Love Me Tender'' (1956), '' Baby Doll'' (1956), '' Peyton Place'' (1957), ''

The Nun's Story ''The Nun's Story'' is a 1956 novel by Kathryn Hulme. It was a Book of the Month selection and reached No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list, ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list. Premise The lead character of the book, Sister Luk ...

'' (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 ...

'' (1960), '' Something Wild'' (1961) and '' Sweet Bird of Youth'' (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 film ...

) in '' Kiss of Death'' (1947). She also appeared in guest roles on numerous TV series such as ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 ...

'' and '' Ponds Theater'', and, later in her career, several television movies. Dunnock was twice nominated for an

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performanc ...

, for ''

'' in 1951, and for ''Baby Doll'' in 1956. She was also nominated for the

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...

for Best Supporting Actress for ''Baby Doll'', as well as ''

Viva Zapata! ''Viva Zapata!'' is a 1952 American biographical Western film directed by Elia Kazan, dramatizing the life of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata from his peasant upbringing through his rise to power in the early 1900s and his death in 1919. I ...

'' in 1952 and ''Peyton Place'' in 1957. In 1960 she appeared in the play ''The Crystal Heart'' at the East 74th Street Theater with Virginia Vestoff (in her first professional appearance), with top seats selling for $4.96 ($ in current dollar terms). 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, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

adaptation of ''

'', alongside her original Broadway co-star, Lee J. Cobb. This earned Dunnock a nomination for an

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...

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. Robert John Downey Jr. (born April 4, 1965), also known as RDJ, is an American actor. One of the highest-grossing actors of all time, his films as a leading actor have grossed over $14 billion worldwide. In 2008, Downey was named by ''Time ...

and Molly Ringwald. Dunnock has a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...

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 was founded in 1972 in New York City. The first head of its executive committee was Earl Blackwell. In an announcement in 1972, he said that the new ''Theater Hall of Fame'' would be located in the Uris Theatre, ...

, 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 Oak Bluffs is a New England town, town located on the island of Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,341 at the 2020 United States census. It is one of the island's ...

, although at that time she was a resident of nearby West Tisbury.

Film appearances

*''

The Invisible Man's Revenge ''The Invisible Man's Revenge'' is a 1944 American science fiction horror film directed by Ford Beebe and written by Bertram Millhauser. The film stars John Carradine as a scientist who tests his experiment on a psychiatric hospital escapee, pl ...

'' (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'' (1952) – Dr. Marie Yeomans *''

The Jazz Singer ''The Jazz Singer'' is a 1927 American part-talkie musical drama film directed by Alan Crosland and produced by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is the first feature-length motion picture with both synchronized recorded music and lip-synchronous ...

'' (1952) – Mrs. Ruth Golding *'' Bad for Each Other'' (1953) – Mrs. Mary Owen *'' Hansel and Gretel: An Opera Fantasy'' (1954) – Mother (voice) *''

'' (1955) – Mrs. Wiggs *'' Love Me Tender'' (1956) – Martha Reno *'' Baby Doll'' (1956) – Aunt Rose Comfort *'' Peyton Place'' (1957) – Miss Elsie Thornton *''

'' (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 ...

'' (1960) – Mrs. Wandrous *'' Something Wild'' (1961) – Mrs. Gates *'' Sweet Bird of Youth'' (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?'' (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

Television

*''

'' **(Season 2 Episode 5: "None Are So Blind") (1956) - Aunt Muriel Drummond **(Season 2 Episode 35: "The West Warlock Time Capsule") (1957) - Louise Tiffany **(Season 3 Episode 4: "Heart of Gold") (1957) - Martha Collins *''

Thriller (American TV series) ''Thriller'' (also known as ''Boris Karloff's Thriller'' and ''Boris Karloff Presents'') is an American anthology television series that aired during the 1960–61 and 1961–62 seasons on NBC. The show featured host Boris Karloff introducing a ...

'' (1960) (Season 1 Episode 15: "The Cheaters") - Miriam Olcott *'' The Tom Ewell Show'' (1960) (Season 1 Episode 10: "The Friendly Man") - Mrs. Steckel *'' The Investigators'' (1961) (Season 1 Episode 11: "The Mind's Own Fire") - Mrs. Brewster *''

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, airing on CBS and NBC, alternately, between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers, and mysteries. Between 1962 a ...

'' (1964) (Season 2 Episode 14: "Beyond the Sea of Death") - Minnie Briggs

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 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