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Beatrice Straight Biography (1918-2001)

Full name, Beatrice Whitney Straight; born August 2, 1918, in Old Westbury, NY; daughter of Willard Dickerman (a career U.S. Army officer, businessman, and diplomat) and Dorothy Payne (Whitney) Straight; married Peter Cookson (a producer, actor, and writer), June 2, 1949 (died January 6, 1990); children: Gary, Tony. Addresses: AGENT--STE Representation, 888 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019. PUBLICIST--Gertrude Brooks, 333 W. 56th Street, New York, NY 10019.

Nationality

American

Gender

Female

Birth Details

August 2, 1918

Old Westbury, New York, United States

Death Details

April 7, 2001

Los Angeles, California

Famous Works

• Credits
• BROADWAY DEBUT--A spinning girl, Bitter Oleander, Lyceum Theatre, 1935.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL STAGE APPEARANCES
• Viola, Twelfth Night, and Goneril, King Lear, both Dartington Hall Players, Ridgefield, CT, 1939.
• Lisa, The Possessed, Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 1939.
• Viola, Twelfth Night, St. James Theatre, New York City, 1941.
• Angela, Land of Fame, Belasco Theatre, New York City, 1943.
• Felina, The Wanhope Building, Princess Theatre, New York City, 1947.
• Emily Dickinson, Eastward in Eden, Royale Theatre, New York City, 1947.
• Lady Macduff, Macbeth, National Theatre, New York City, 1948.
• Catherine Sloper, The Heiress, Biltmore Theatre, New York City, 1948.
• Miss Giddens, The Innocents, Playhouse Theatre, New York City, 1950.
• Nell Valentine, The Grand Tour, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, 1951.
• Hesione Hushabye, Heartbreak House, Brattle Theatre, Cambridge, MA, 1952.
• Elizabeth Proctor, The Crucible, Martin Beck Theatre, 1953.
• Christine Collinger, Sing Me No Lullaby, Phoenix Theatre, New York City,1954.
• Marie Chassaigne, The River Line, Carnegie Hall Playhouse, New York City,1957.
• Title role, Phedre, Greenwich Mews Theatre, New York City, 1966.
• Blanche du Bois, A Streetcar Named Desire, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Stockbridge, MA, 1967.
• Mrs. Toothe, Everything in the Garden, Plymouth Theatre, New York City, 1967.
• the Mother, The Palace at 4 A.M., John Drew Theatre, Easthampton, NY, 1972.
• Helene Alving, Ghosts, Roundabout Theatre, New York City, 1973.
• Kate Keller, All My Sons, Roundabout Theatre, 1974.
• Gertrude, Hamlet, Circle Repertory Company, New York City, 1979.
• Also appeared with the Long Island Festival Repertory Company, Long Island, NY, 1968; and as Kate, Old Times, Lake Forest, IL, 1977.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL STAGE WORK
• Producer, Pygmalion, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 1945.
• producer, Playboy of the Western World, Booth Theatre, New York City, 1946.
• producer, Henry IV, Parts I and II, Uncle Vanya, and a double bill of Oedipus and The Critic, all Old Vic Theatre Company, Century Theatre, New York City, 1946.
• director, Who Am I?, Young World Foundation Theatre Company, New York City, 1971-73.
• Credits; MAJOR TOURS
• Catherine Sloper, The Heiress, U.S. cities, 1948.
• title role, Phedre, U.K. cities, 1966-67.
• Blanche du Bois, A Streetcar Named Desire, U.S. cities, 1969-70.
• Also The Right Honourable Gentleman, U.S. cities, 1971.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL FILM APPEARANCES
• Mrs. Fortness, Phone Call from a Stranger, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1952.
• Nancy Staples, Patterns, United Artists, 1956.
• Theorai, The Silken Affair, RKO, 1957.
• Mother Christophe, The Nun's Story, Warner Brothers, 1959.
• Mrs. Burns, The Young Lovers, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1964.
• Louise Schumacher, Network, United Artists, 1977.
• Kate Erling, Bloodline, Paramount, 1979.
• Marion, The Promise, Univeral, 1979.
• Kay Neeley, The Formula, United Artists, 1980.
• Rose, Endless Love, Universal, 1981.
• Dr. Lesh, Poltergeist, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1983.
• Ruth, Two of a Kind, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1983.
• Claire Hastings, Power, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1986.
• Credits; PRINCIPAL TELEVISION APPEARANCES; SERIES
• Mrs. Hacker, Beacon Hill, CBS, 1975.
• Louisa Beauchamp, King's Crossing, ABC, 1982.
• Also Mrs. Phillips, Love of Life, CBS.
• MINI-SERIES Alice Dain Leggett, The Dain Curse, CBS, 1978.
• Rose Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and His Times, CBS, 1985.
• Credits; PILOTS
• Joanna Sanford, World of Darkness, CBS, 1977.
• Credits; EPISODIC
• Queen Mother, Wonder Woman, CBS, 1977.
• Credits; Also Cosmopolitan Theatre, DuMont, 1951; The Inner Sanctum, syndicated, 1954; Love Story, DuMont, 1954; "Where Have You Been, Lord Randall, My Son?," Eleventh Hour, NBC, 1963; Mission
• Impossible, CBS, 1966; Felony Squad, ABC, 1967; Matt Lincoln, ABC, 1970;Morningstar/Eveningstar, CBS, 1986; Playhouse 90, CBS; Kraft Television Theatre, NBC; Studio One, CBS; Ben Casey, ABC; Dr.
• Kildare, NBC; The Nurses, CBS; Lamp unto My Feet, CBS; St. Elsewhere, NBC; "The Princess and the Pea," Faerie Tale Theatre, Showtime; Jack and Mike, ABC.
• Credits; MOVIES
• Beatrice Richmond, Killer on Board, NBC, 1977.
• Marion Creighton, Chiller, CBS, 1985.
• Margaret Sloan, Under Siege, NBC, 1986.
• Also Run Till You Fall, CBS.
• Credits; SPECIALS
• Mrs. Crampfurl, "The Borrowers," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1973.
• Also "The Magnificent Failure," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1952.