Lois Smith Biography (1930-)

Original name, Lois Arlene Humbert; born November 3, 1930, in Topeka, KS; daughter of William Oren (a telephone company employee) and Carrie Davis (maidenname, Gottshalk) Humbert; married Wesley Dale Smith (a teacher), November 5,1948 (divorced, 1970); children: Moon Elizabeth. Addresses: Agent: Gregg Klein, Abrams Artists Agency, 9200 Sunset Blvd., Suite 1130, Los Angeles,CA 90069.

Nationality: American
Gender: Female
Occupation: Actress
Birth Details: November 3, 1930; Topeka, Kansas, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Stage Appearances
Joan, Time Out for Ginger, Wilmington Playhouse, Wilmington, DE, 1952, then Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1952-1953
Antoinette, The Wisteria Trees, City Center Theatre, New York City, 1955
Cathy, Mardi Gras, Locust Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 1955
Josephine Perry, The Young and Beautiful, Longacre Theatre, then American National Theatre and Academy Playhouse, both New York City, 1955, later Arts Theatre, London, 1956
Laura Wingfield, The Glass Menagerie, City Center Theatre, 1956
Carol Cutrere, Orpheus Descending, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, 1957
Mary Devlin, Edwin Booth, Forty-Sixth Street Theatre, New York City, 1958
Alley, Ding Dong Bell, Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, CT, 1961
Lucha Moreno, Bicycle Ride to Nevada, Cort Theatre, New York City,1963
Sheila Knight, Time of Hope, Playhouse in the Park, Philadelphia,PA, 1963
Jo Britten, Blues for Mr. Charlie, American National Theatre and Academy, 1964
Andromache, Tiger at the Gates, Theatre of the Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA, 1965
Celimene, The Misanthrope, Theatre of the Living Arts, 1965
Confidante, The Critic, Theatre of the Living Arts, 1965
Virginia, Galileo, Theatre of the Living Arts, 1965
Yelena, Uncle Vanya, Theatre of the Living Arts, 1965
Title role, Miss Julie, Theatre of the Living Arts, 1966
Pamela, The Last Analysis, Theatre of the Living Arts, 1966
The preacher woman, Bechlch, Theatre of the Living Arts, 1966
A Dream of Love, Theatre of the Living Arts, 1966
Mary L., The Time of Your Life, Theatre of the Living Arts, 1967
Sonya, Uncle Vanya, Center Theatre Group, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1969
Mary, Sunday Dinner, American Place Theatre, St. Clement's ChurchTheatre, New York City, 1970
Louise Harper, "Come Next Tuesday," Judith Kalmus, "'Twas Brillig," the woman, "So Please Be Kind," and the mother, "Present Tense," in Present Tense, Sheridan Square Playhouse, New York City, 1972
Mission Control voice, A Break in the Skin, Actors Studio Theatre,New York City, 1973
Cora, The Iceman Cometh, Circle in the Square Theatre Company, Joseph E. Levine Theatre, New York City, 1973-1974
Trina Halvey, Summer, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, 1974-1975
Gabby, Harry Outside, Circle Repertory Theatre, New York City, 1975
Woman, Eh, Joe?, Harvard University Theatre, Cambridge, MA, 1975
Multiple roles, Touching Bottom, American Place Theatre, New YorkCity, 1978
Silvia, "Stage I--Denial," blonde sister, "Stage III--Bargaining," nurse,"Stage IV--Depression," and lady customer, "Final Stage--Acceptance," Stages, Belasco Theatre, New York City, 1978
Denise, Hillbilly Women, Actors Studio Theatre, then Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, CT, both 1979
Old woman, Tennessee, Ensemble Studio Theatre, New York City, 1979
Emily, Deer Season, St. Clement's Church Theatre, 1980
Multiple roles, After All, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City,1981
Hillbilly Women, 1981
Molly Malloy, The Front Page, Long Wharf Theatre, 1982
Catherine Senesh, Hannah, Harold Clurman Theatre, New York City, 1983
Madam Arkadina, The Seagull, Tyrone Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis,MN, 1983
Linda, "Special Family Things," Festival of One-Act Plays, American Place Women's Project, American Place Theatre, 1984
Madeleine Bejart, Cabal of Hypocrites, Actors Studio Theatre, 1984
Reba, "Bite the Hand," One-Act Play Marathon, Ensemble Studio Theatre, 1984
Rivers, The Vienna Notes, Second Stage Theatre Company, McGinn-Cazale Theatre, New York City, 1985
Blanche, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Contemporary Theatre, Seattle, WA, 1986
Mrs. Dotson and the bride, Bodies, Rest and Motion, Mitzie E. Newhouse Theatre, New York City, 1986-1987
Grady, "April Snow," One-Act Play Marathon, Ensemble Studio Theatre, 1987
Jessie Bliss, The Stick Wife, Hartford Stage Company, Hartford, CT, 1987
Dolly, 27 Benedict Street, Playwrights' Horizons Theatre, New YorkCity, 1988
Esther French, Juliet, Ensemble Studio Theatre, 1988
Ma Joad, The Grapes of Wrath, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Royal George Theatre, Chicago, IL, 1988
Mrs. Campbell, The Man Who Climbed the Pecan Trees, Ensemble Studio Theatre, 1988
Natalie Bauer-Lechner, Gus and Al, Playwrights' Horizons Theatre,1988
Mary, Beside Herself, Circle Repertory Theatre, 1989
Mistress Overdone, Measure for Measure, Lincoln Center Theatre, New York City, 1989
Ma Joad, The Grapes of Wrath, Cort Theatre, 1990
"Sam I Am," Octoberfest '91, Ensemble Studio Theatre, 1991
Anita, Dog Logic, American Place Theatre, 1992
Escape from Happiness, Center Stage, Baltimore, MD, then Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT, both 1993
Halie, Buried Child, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago, IL, 1995, then Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York City, 1996
Necessary Targets (benefit performance), Helen Hayes Theatre, NewYork City, 1996
Betty, Defying Gravity, American Place Theatre, 1997-1998
Kandall Kingsley, Impossible Marriage, Roundabout Theatre Company,Laura Pels Theatre, New York City, 1998-1999
Maggie Donovan, Give Me Your Answer, Do!, Roundabout Theatre Company, Gramercy Theatre, New York City, 1999-2000
Mother Courage, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, 2001
Also appeared in Mrs. Warren's Profession, Center Stage; and The Vagina Monologues, Westside Theatre Downstairs, New York City.
Major Tours
Trina Halvey, Summer, U.S. cities, 1974
Ma Joad, The Grapes of Wrath, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, U.S. and British cities, 1989
Stage Director
Measure for Measure, Juilliard School Theatre, New York City, 1987
Film Appearances
Anne, East of Eden (also known as John Steinbeck's East of Eden), Warner Bros., 1955
Spurs O'Brien, Strange Lady in Town, Warner Bros., 1955
Jane Aldridge, The Way We Live Now, United Artists, 1970

Partita Dupea, Five Easy Pieces, Columbia, 1970
Neighbor, Brother John, Columbia, 1971
Elinore, Up the Sandbox, National General, 1972
Anita, Next Stop, Greenwich Village, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1976
Kathy, Resurrection, Universal, 1980
Mrs. Axman, Foxes, United Artists, 1980
Mrs. Carnahan, Four Friends (also known as Georgia's Friends), Filmways, 1981
Mary (some sources cite Mare) Spofford, Reuben, Reuben, TwentiethCentury-Fox, 1983
Mrs. Prescott, Reckless, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1984
Helen Giles, Twisted, Hemdale Home Video, 1986
Martha, Fatal Attraction, Paramount, 1987
Sara, Black Widow, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1987
Mrs. Nelson, Midnight Run, Universal, 1988
Bronte's mother, Green Card, Buena Vista, 1990
Mama Threadgoode, Fried Green Tomatoes (also known as Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe), Universal, 1991
Mrs. Bell, Hard Promises, Columbia, 1992
William Foster's mother, Falling Down (also known as Chute libre), Warner Bros., 1993
Orna, Holy Matrimony, Buena Vista, 1994
Helen's mother, Dead Man Walking (also known as After Midnight, Dead Men, Death Wish, and Sister Prejean), Gramercy, 1995
Sophia Darling Richards, How to Make an American Quilt, Universal,1995
Aunt Meg Green, Twister, Warner Bros., 1996
Luluna, Larger Than Life, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1996
Mrs. Ferriter, Trance (also known as The Eternal and TheEternal: Kiss of the Mummy), Trimark Pictures, 1998
Ginger, Tumbleweeds, Fine Line, 1999
Helen Jackson, The Pledge, Warner Bros., 2001
Mother, The Hire: Powder Keg, BMW Films, 2001
Dr. Iris Hineman, Minority Report, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2002
Helen Rounds, Red Betsy, Lang Films, 2003
Ma, A Foreign Affair, Innovation Film Group, 2004
P.S., Newmarket Films, 2004
Television Appearances
Series
Zoe Cannell, Somerset (also known as Another World: Somerset and Somerset: Bay City), NBC, 1972-1974
Eleanor Conrad, The Doctors, NBC, 1975-1977
Ella Fitz, Another World, NBC, 1983
Mrs. Oates, The Edge of Night, ABC, 1983
Mrs. Tannen, Good Sports, CBS, 1991
Elwinna Pendergast, All My Children, ABC, 2000
Betsy Cramer, One Life to Live, ABC, 2003-
Also appeared as Mrs. Bendarik, Love of Life, CBS.
Miniseries
Clara, Rage of Angels (also known as Sidney Sheldon's Rage of Angels), NBC, 1983
Sarah, Doubletake, CBS, 1985
Margaret Hill, Switched at Birth, NBC, 1991
Deadly Matrimony (also known as Shattered Promises and Shattered Vows), NBC, 1992
Miss Maude, A Will of Their Own, NBC, 1998
Voice, New York: A Documentary Film (also known as American Experience: New York--A Documentary Film), PBS, 1999
Movies
Alice Todd, White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd (alsoknown as Hot Toddy), NBC, 1991
Lureen, Keep the Change, TNT, 1992
Madge Wallace Gates, Truman, HBO, 1995
Julia, Hudson River Blues (also known as Family Blues), Romance Classics Channel, 1997
Lucy Thompson, The Laramie Project, HBO, 2002
Anna Howard Shaw, Iron Jawed Angels, HBO, 2004
Helen, The Best Thief in the World, Showtime, 2004
Specials
Alma, Victory, NBC, 1960
"Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen," Dragon Country, PBS,1970
Particular Men, PBS, 1972
Bertha Dorset, The House of Mirth, 1980
Cornelia, The Jilting of Granny Wetherall, 1980
Margaret, "The Unforgivable Secret," ABC Afterschool Specials, ABC, 1981
Mary Neal, The Execution of Raymond Graham, ABC, 1985
Juliet, Arts and Entertainment, 1989
The 44th Annual Tony Awards, 1990
Ma Joad, "The Grapes of Wrath," American Playhouse, PBS, 1991
Voice, "Coney Island," The American Experience, PBS, 1991
Anne Turner, The Last Ferry Home, syndicated, 1992
Voice, "The Donner Party," The American Experience, PBS, 1992
Lou Wheaton, "Skylark" (also known as "Sarah, Plain and Tall: Skylark"),Hallmark Hall of Fame, CBS, 1993
Himself, Sam Shepard: Stalking Himself, PBS, 1998
Episodic
Megan, "The Apple Tree," Kraft Television Theatre, NBC, 1953
Barbara Sparling, "Jack Sperling, Forty-Six," Studio One, CBS, 1954
"How Beautiful the Shoes," Star Tonight, ABC, 1955
"A Matter of Life," Star Tonight, ABC, 1955
"The Second Day of Christmas," Robert Montgomery Presents, NBC, 1955
Jeannie, "Bring Me a Dream," The U.S. Steel Hour, CBS, 1956
"Noon on Doomsday," The U.S. Steel Hour, CBS, 1956
"The Cause," Matinee Theater, NBC, 1958
Herself, The Ed Sullivan Show, CBS, 1958
Cindy, "Cindy's Fella," Ford Startime (also known as Startime), NBC, 1959
Title role, "Miss Julie," Strindberg on Love (also known as Play of the Week), syndicated, 1960
"Men in White," The DuPont Show of the Month, CBS, 1960
Anna, "Incident on a Bridge," Route 66, CBS, 1961
Hilda, "The Master Builder," Play of the Week, syndicated, 1961
Jenny Musgrave, "When Queens Ride By," Letter to Loretta (also known as The Loretta Young Show), NBC, 1961
Brycie Koseloff, "Only by Cunning Glances," Route 66, CBS, 1962
Dana, "Go Read the River," Route 66, CBS, 1962
Dawn Garrison, "Strike a Statue," Naked City, ABC, 1962
Esther Terranova, "The Invisible Badge," The Defenders, CBS, 1962
Libby Clayton, "To Each His Own Prison," Dr. Kildare, NBC, 1963
Jane Wells, "A Pattern of Sundays," The Eleventh Hour, NBC, 1964
Lucy, "Who in His Right Mind Needs a Nice Girl?," Route 66, CBS, 1964
Evelyn, "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night," CBS Playhouse, CBS, 1967
Sara, "Proxy," Tales of the Unexpected, syndicated, 1984
Maria Gannucci, "The Confirmation Day," The Equalizer, CBS, 1985
Dorothy Hermes, "Coal Black Soul," The Equalizer, CBS, 1987
Elsie, "Haunting," Spenser: For Hire, ABC, 1988
Marjorie Warren, "Our Wedding," thirtysomething, ABC, 1991
Mary Beth Berluti, "The Civil Right," The Practice, ABC, 1997
Moira, "Roz's Krantz & Gouldenstern Are Dead," Frasier, NBC, 1997
Libby, "When Nina Met Her Parents," Just Shoot Me, NBC, 2000
Beatrice Graf, "Apocalypse Cow," Going to California, Showtime, 2001
Mildred, "A Rock and a Hard Place," Touched by an Angel, CBS, 2002
Rebecca Tolliver, "Competence," Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (also known as Law & Order: SVU), NBC, 2002
Elizabeth Bennett, "The Saint," Law & Order: Criminal Intent,NBC, 2004
Also appeared in Justice, NBC.
Pilots
Doris Adams, Adams Apple, CBS, 1986
WRITINGS
Stage Plays
All There Is, 1982, first act produced in workshop at Ensemble Studio Theatre, New York City, 1985

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals

New York Times, April 28, 1996

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