Sandy Dennis is a famous American theater and film actress, whose popularity peaked in the 1960-1980s. In 1967 she won the Nobel Prize.
Sandy Dennis was born on April 27, 1937. Her full name is Sandra Dale Dennis. She first made her film debut in 1956. Throughout her acting career, she starred in more than 30 projects.
Biography
Sandra Dennis was born in Hastings, Nebraska, USA, to a family of ordinary office workers. Her mother, Yvon Dennis, worked as a secretary, and her father, Jack Dennis, was in charge of paperwork at the post office. Sandy has a brother, Frank Dennis.
Sandy's childhood was spent in Lincoln, Nebraska. There she was a member of the local theater troupe, with which she performed in various productions on the city stage. Then, when Sandra Dennis was 19 years old, she decided to continue developing in a creative direction and moved to New York.
Career
In 1956, Sandy Dennis first appeared on television screens in an episode of the series "Guiding Light." And in 1961, she landed the role of Kay in Elia Kazan's romantic film Splendor in the Country. After her film debut, Sandy got a job at the theater. Her greatest success was her role in the play A Thousand Clowns, for which in 1963 she was awarded the prestigious Tony Theater Award for Best Aspiring Actress.
The girl also managed to play cameo roles in such TV series as "The Naked City", "Arrest and Trial" and "The Fugitive", which at one time were very popular with Americans.
In 1964, Sandy won her second Tony Award for her performance in Any Wednesday.
In 1966, the actress managed to play her first major film role. She played the alcoholic wife Hannah in director Mike Nichols's chamber drama Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. It was the role of Hannah that made Sandy famous. In 1967 she was awarded the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
The next significant role for her was the role of Sylvia Barratt in the film adaptation of the novel by the famous American writer Bal Kaufman "Up the Staircase Leading Down", which was released in screens in 1967. This film describes the fate of a young teacher, who immediately after graduating from college ends up in a school located in a disadvantaged area. The heroine will have to try with all her might to attract the attention of students to her subject, but in general, to positively influence the minds and hearts of children with a difficult fate. The novel itself was based on the real life of the writer. Sandy's colleagues on the set were Patrick Bedford and Eileen Heckart.
About a year later, Sandy starred as Sarah in Robert Ellis Miller's romantic film Sweet November. The film is based on a play by Herman Raucher. It is noteworthy that in 2001, on the basis of this picture, another version of the film was shot.
1982 brought another iconic role to the famous actress's track record. She played the role of Mona in the film adaptation of the famous play by Ed Grazhik "Come to my meeting, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean."
In 1988, Sandy starred in a significant minor role in the horror film The Devil's Telephone, directed by Robert Inglund.
In 1991, she played her final role in The Indian Runner (other translations - Indian Messenger, The Fugitive Indian) directed by Sean Penn, starring David Moros, Viggo Mortensen, Valenia Golino and Patricia Arquette.
About her life and work in theater and cinema, Sandy wrote a book called "Sandy Dennis, a Personal Memoir".
Personal life
It is known that Sandy Dennis had an affair with the famous American jazz musician Jerry Mulligan. In 1976, rumors appeared in the press that the couple had broken up, and later they officially confirmed this.
In 1980, she went to live with the famous film and television actor Eric Anthony Roberts. But this union was short-lived. They broke up in 1985.
Sadly, Sandy Dennis has never been married and has never had any offspring. She died of cancer in March 1992 in Westport, Connecticut. She was 54 years old.
Filmography
- 1991 - the film "The Running Indian", the role of Mrs. Roberts;
- 1988 - the film "The Devil's Telephone", the role of Aunt Lucy;
- 1989 - the film "Strange Parents", the role of Millie Dew;
- 1988 - The Other Woman, the role of Claire;
- 1982 - the film "Come to my meeting, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean", the role of Mona;
- 1981 - the film "The Seasons", the role of Anne Colan;
- 1976 - the film "God Bought Me", the role of Martha Nicholas;
- 1970 - the film "Visitors", the role of Gwen Kellerman;
- 1969 - the film "A Touch of Love", the role of Rosamund Stacy;
- 1969 - the film “That Cold Day in the Park”, the role of Francis Austin;
- 1968 - the film "Sweet November", the role of Sarah Deaver;
- 1967 - the film "The Fox", the role of Jill Benford;
- 1967 - the film Up the Downstairs, the role of Sylvia Barrett;
- 1966 - video recording of the play "Three Sisters", the role of Irina;
- 1966 - the film "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", The role of Honey;
- 1963-1967 - TV series "The Fugitive", the role of Cassie;
- 1963-1964 - TV series Arrest and Trial, the role of Molly White;
- 1962 - the film "Splendor in the Grass", the role of Kay;
- 1958-1963 - TV series "The Naked City", the role of Eleanor Ann Hubber;
- 1956 - the series "Guiding Light", the role of Alice Holden.
