Susan Tyrrell
Susan Tyrrell | |
---|---|
Publicity still for Camino Real, 1970. | |
Born |
Susan Jillian Creamer March 18, 1945 San Francisco, California, United States |
Died |
June 16, 2012 67) Austin, Texas, United States | (aged
Cause of death | Essential thrombocythaemia |
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1964–2012 |
Notable work | Fat City, Andy Warhol's Bad, Forbidden Zone, Cry-Baby |
Parent(s) |
Gillian Tyrrell John Belding Creamer |
Susan Tyrrell (born Susan Jillian Creamer; March 18, 1945, San Francisco, California – died June 16, 2012, Austin, Texas) was a film, stage and television character actress. Tyrrell's career began in theater in New York City in the 1960s in Broadway and off Broadway productions. Her first film was Shoot Out (1971). She was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance as Oma in John Huston's Fat City (1972). In 1978, Tyrrell received the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Andy Warhol's Bad (1977). Her New York Times obituary described her as "a whiskey-voiced character actress (with) talent for playing the downtrodden, outré and grotesque."[1]
Early life
Tyrrell was born in San Francisco, California, to a British mother, Gillian (née Tyrrell 1913-2012);[2] and an American father, John Creamer. Her mother was a socialite and member of the diplomatic corps in China and the Philippines during the 1930s and 1940s. Her father John was an agent with the William Morris Agency who represented Leo Carrillo, Loretta Young, Ed Wynn, and Carole Lombard.[3]
Tyrell spent her childhood in New Canaan, Connecticut. she was a poor student and as a teenager became estranged from her mother.[4] Through her father's connections, Tyrrell was employed in the theatrical production of Time Out for Ginger (1963) starring Art Carney in New York City[5][6] Her father also persuaded Look magazine to follow her as she toured with the show but died shortly afterwards.[4]
Career
Tyrrell made her Broadway debut in 1965 as a replacement performer in the comedy Cactus Flower.[4] In 1968, as a member of the Repertory Theatre of Lincoln Center, she was in the cast of King Lear and revivals of The Time of Your Life (1969) and Camino Real (1970). Off-Broadway, Tyrrell appeared in the 1967 premiere of Lanford Wilson's The Rimers of Eldritch and a 1979 production of Father's Day at The American Place Theatre.[4]
Tyrrell's television debut was in Mr. Novak (1964) and her film debut was in Shoot Out (1971). Tyrrell was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Oma in John Huston's Fat City (1972). In 1978, the actress won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Bad (1977).[7]
Later, Tyrrell starred as Queen Doris in the indie Forbidden Zone (1980). She sang the film's song, "Witch's Egg". A year later, she portrayed Vera in Tales of Ordinary Madness (1981). From 1981 to 1982, Tyrrell starred as Gretchen Feester, in the ABC's short-lived situation comedy series Open All Night. She then had a starring role in the exploitation horror film Night Warning. Other appearances included roles in Tales of Ordinary Madness (1981) and Night Warning (1982).
In 1985 Tyrrell played Solly, in the sexploitation film Angel and its sequel, Avenging Angel. Then followed roles in the adventure film Flesh+Blood, the Vincent Price anthology horror film From a Whisper to a Scream (1987), the animated feature film The Chipmunk Adventure (1987), and Big Top Pee-wee (the 1988 sequel to 1985's Pee-wee's Big Adventure) followed. Tyrrell took a supporting role in John Waters' Cry-Baby (1990).
In 1992, Tyrrell performed her own one-woman show, Susan Tyrrell: My Rotten Life, a Bitter Operetta.[8] In the late 1990s, Tyrrell had roles in the Tales from the Crypt episode, "Comes the Dawn" (1995); the animated series Extreme Ghostbusters (1997); and the psychological thriller film Buddy Boy (1999).
In the 200s, Tyrrell appeared in Bob Dylan's Masked and Anonymous (2003), and The Devil's Due at Midnight (2004). Her final appearance was in the 2012 independent film Kid-Thing.
Personal life
Tyrrell suffered from and in 2012 succumbed to essential thrombocytosis, a disease of the blood. In early 2000, her disease was complicated by bilateral below knee amputations.[9] In 2000, Johnny Depp hosted a benefit at the Viper Room to help defray Tyrrell's medical bills. Megan Mullally, Jack Black, and Chloe Webb attended.[10]
In 2008, the actress moved to Austin, Texas, to be closer to her niece and died there on June 16, 2012.[11] In January 2012, Tyrrell wrote in her journal, "I demand my death be joyful and I never return again." Following her death, she was cremated and her ashes scattered.[11][12]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1971 | Shoot Out | Alma | |
1972 | Fat City | Oma Lee Greer | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress (2nd place) National Society of Film Critics Awards, Best Supporting Actress (2nd place) Nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress |
1974 | Zandy's Bride | Maria Cordova | |
1976 | The Killer Inside Me | Joyce Lakeland | |
1977 | Andy Warhol's Bad | Mary Aiken | Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, Best Supporting Actress |
1980 | Loose Shoes | Boobies | |
1980 | Forbidden Zone | Queen Doris of the Sixth Dimension / Ruth Henderson | |
1981 | Tales of Ordinary Madness | Vera | |
1982 | Night Warning | Cheryl Roberts (Aunt Cheryl) | |
1983 | Fire and Ice | Juliana | Voice |
1984 | Angel | Solly Mosler | |
1985 | Avenging Angel | Solly Mosler | |
Flesh+Blood | Celine | ||
1987 | From a Whisper to a Scream | Beth Chandler | |
The Chipmunk Adventure | Claudia Furschtein | Voice | |
The Underachievers | Mrs. Grant | ||
1988 | Big Top Pee-wee | Midge Montana | |
1989 | Far from Home | Agnes Reed | |
1990 | Cry-Baby
Rockula |
Ramona Rickettes
Chuck the Bartender |
|
1999 | Buddy Boy | Sal | |
2012 | Kid-Thing | Esther | Voice |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1964 | Mr. Novak | Phyllis Freuchen | Episode: "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt" |
1971 | Bonanza | Mrs. Jill Conway | Episode: "Fallen Woman" |
1975 | Baretta | Pamela/Jenny | Episode: "Double Image" |
1976 | Starsky and Hutch | Annie/Isabelle Oates | Episode: "The Collector" |
1978 | Kojak | Mary Torino | Episode: "In Full Command" |
1981 | Open All Night | Gretchen Feester | 1981-82 |
1995 | Tales from the Crypt | Mona | Episode: "Comes the Dawn" |
1997 | Extreme Ghostbusters | Achira (voice) | Episodes: "Darkness at Noon, Part 1", "Darkness at Noon, Part 2" |
Awards and nominations
Year | Work | Award | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1973 | Fat City | NSFC Award | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated |
Fat City | NYFCC Award | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |
Fat City | Academy Award | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | |
1978 | Andy Warhol's Bad | Saturn Award | Best Supporting Actress | Won |
Source:"Susan Tyrrell". IMDB. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
Theatre
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1967 | The Rimers of Eldritch | Patsy Johnson | Cherry Lane Theatre |
1968 | Cactus Flower | Botticelli's Springtime [Replacement] Toni (Understudy) [Replacement] |
Broadway |
1969 | King Lear | Ensemble | Broadway |
Invitation to a Beheading[13] | Marthe | The Public Theater | |
A Cry of Players | Jenny | Broadway | |
The Time of Your Life | Kitty Duval | Broadway | |
1970 | Camino Real | Esmeralda | Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center |
1979 | Father's Day | Louise | The American Place Theatre |
1992 | Susan Tyrrell: My Rotten Life, a Bitter Operetta | The Woman | n.a |
1997 | The Joy of Going Somewhere Definite [14] | Patsy, Older Woman, Waitress | Center Theatre Group |
Source:"Susan Tyrrell - Broadway Theatre Credits, Photos, Who's Who — Playbill Vault". Playbill Vault. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
References
- ↑ Slotnik D. E. Susan Tyrell Oscar nominee dies at 67 New York Times June 21, 2012 Accessed July 2, 2016.
- ↑ accessed August 17, 2014
- ↑ "Susan Tyrrell biography". IMDB.com. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 Simonson, Robert (June 19, 2012). "Susan Tyrrell, Eccentric Presence of Stage and Film, Dies at 67". Playbill. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
- ↑ Adams Sloan, Robin (October 2, 1972). "Susan Tyrrell, Electric Actress". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
- ↑ McLellan, Dennis (June 20, 2012). "Susan Tyrrell dies at 67; actress an Oscar nominee for 'Fat City'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
- ↑ "S". IMDB.com. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
- ↑ Simonson, Robert (June 19, 2012). "Susan Tyrrell, Eccentric Presence of Stage and Film, Dies at 67". Playbill. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- ↑ Paul Cullum (November 1, 2000). "My So-Called Rotten Life Susan Tyrrell's sentimental journey through money, fame, sex and amputation". LA Weekly.
- ↑ "Susan Tyrrell - Biography - IMDb". IMDB.com. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
- 1 2 Odam, Matthew. "Actress Susan Tyrell Dies at 67". Austin Movie Blog. Retrieved June 18, 2012.
- ↑ Stengle, Jamie (June 19, 2012). "Susan Tyrrell Dead: Oscar Nominated Actress Dies at 67". Huffpost Celebrity. Archived from the original on May 2, 2014. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
- ↑ "Invitation to a Beheading". broadwayworld.com/. broadwayworld.com. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
- ↑ Long, Quincy (1999). The Joy of Going Somewhere Definite. Dramatists Play Service Inc. p. 3. ISBN 9780822216735. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
External links
- Susan Tyrrell at the Internet Movie Database
- Susan Tyrrell at the Internet Broadway Database
- LA Weekly: "My So-Called Rotten Life" by Paul Cullum (11 January 2000)
- Susan Tyrrell at Find a Grave