Maureen Stapleton

American stage and screen actress who had a fine talent for comedy, as shown in Plaza Suite (1971), but she was usually considered a dramatic actress. Earthy, vulnerable and strong, she could be homely or matronly as the role demanded. She starred in several Tennessee Williams plays and Broadway vehicles from the time of her debut in 1946 and establishing her reputation in Rose Tattoo (1951), winning a Tony for her role. She won a second Tony Award for Neil Simon's The Gingerbread Lady, which was written especially for her, in 1971.

Stapleton was nominated for an Oscar in her film debut, Lonelyhearts (1958), and again for Interiors (1978). She won the Oscar as Best Supporting Actress in Reds (1981) and did TV productions as well, winning a 1968 Emmy Award for her performance in Among the Paths of Eden.

In her autobiography, A Hell of a Life released in 1995, she admitted to heavy drinking, taking a swing at Burt Lancaster, serious cussing and two failed marriages. Her first was to theater producer Max Allentuck and her second to David Rayfiel, a playwright. A son, Danny, was born in 1950 and she lived with him in Massachusetts to be close to her grandchildren.

Stapleton died on 13 March 2006 from chronic pulmonary disease, aged 80, in Lenox, Massachusetts.