Dolores Sutton (born Dolores Lila Silverstein, February 4, 1927 – May 11, 2009) was an American actress, writer and playwright. Her career spanned seven decades and encompassed television, stage and movie roles.

Early years

Born in New York City to Benjamin and Mary Silverstein, Sutton graduated from

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

in 1948 with a B.A. in philosophy.

Career

In 1960, playwright

Sophie Treadwell Sophie Anita Treadwell (October 3, 1885 – February 20, 1970) was an American playwright and journalist of the first half of the 20th century. She is best known for her play ''Machinal'' which is often included in drama anthologies as an examp ...

selected Sutton for the female lead in a revival of her play, ''

Machinal ''Machinal'' is a 1928 play by American playwright and journalist Sophie Treadwell, inspired by the real-life case of convicted and executed murderer Ruth Snyder. Its Broadway premiere, directed by Arthur Hopkins, is considered one of the highp ...

'' after having seen the actress perform on television. While working on her master's degree, Sutton wrote a radio script (''Siblings''), sold it to NBC, and landed the voice role. This started her career as an actress and writer. As an actress, Sutton worked in experimental theater and was a star with the National Repertory Company. Her Broadway credits included ''Rhinoceros'' (1961), ''General Seeger'' (1962), and ''My Fair Lady'' (1993). Sutton's work as a playwright included adapting

Thomas Wolfe Thomas Clayton Wolfe (October 3, 1900 – September 15, 1938) was an American novelist of the early 20th century. Wolfe wrote four lengthy novels as well as many short stories, dramatic works, and novellas. He is known for mixing highly origin ...

's ''

The Web and the Rock ''The Web and the Rock'' is an American bildungsroman novel by Thomas Wolfe, published posthumously in 1939. Like its sequel, '' You Can't Go Home Again'' (and also ''The Hills Beyond'') it was extracted by Edward Aswell from a larger manuscript af ...

'' for the stage. Critic John Simon's review of a production of the play in '' New York'' magazine included the comment, "Most of the novel's sweep, it's period panorama, was gone; what was left was the churning, puerile poeticism." Sutton also had the lead in the play, leading another reviewer to write, "She is far better as an actress than as a writer."

Death

Sutton died of cancer on May 11, 2009, at the Actor's Home in Englewood, New Jersey, aged 82.

Acting credits

Stage

Sutton played lead roles in three Broadway plays. *1960: ''Rhinoceros'' as Daisy *1961: ''General Seeger'' as The Woman *1994: ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play '' Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons ...

'' as Mrs. Higgins Her Off-Broadway credits include leading roles in the following plays: *1956: ''The Man with the Golden Arm'' as Molly *1958: ''Career'' as Barbara Neilson *1960: ''Machinal'' as Helen Jones when she won the Vernon Rice Citation *1963: ''Brecht on Brecht'' *1969: ''To Be Young Gifted and Black'' in various roles *1972: ''The Web and the Rock'' as Esther (also the playwright) *1973: ''The Seagull'' as Irina Arkadina *1990: ''What's Wrong with This Picture'' as Bella

Film

*1958: ''The Mugger'' *1963: ''Nine Miles to Noon'' as Julia Dimou *1966: '' The Trouble with Angels'' as Sister Rose Marie *1968: ''

Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows ''Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows'' is a 1968 American comedy film directed by James Neilson and starring Rosalind Russell, Stella Stevens and Binnie Barnes. Written by Blanche Hanalis, the film is based on a story by Jane Trahey about an old- ...

'' as Sister Rose Marie *1986: ''

Dream Lover "Dream Lover" is a song written by Bobby Darin. Darin recorded his composition on March 5, 1959 and released it as a single the following month. It was produced by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler and engineered by Tom Dowd. Song background In a ...

'' (voice) *1988: ''

Crossing Delancey ''Crossing Delancey'' is a 1988 American romantic comedy film starring Amy Irving and Peter Riegert. Joan Micklin Silver directed it, drawing upon a play by Susan Sandler, who also wrote the screenplay. The film also features performances fro ...

'' as Aunt Miriam *1989: ''

Crimes and Misdemeanors ''Crimes and Misdemeanors'' is a 1989 American existential comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen, who stars alongside Martin Landau, Mia Farrow, Anjelica Huston, Jerry Orbach, Alan Alda, Sam Waterston, and Joanna Gleason. ...

'' as Judah's Secretary *1990: '' Tales from the Darkside: The Movie'' as Amanda (segment "Cat From Hell")

References

External links

* * *
Dolores Sutton papers, 1945-1996 and undated
held by the Billy Rose Theatre Division,

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, is located in Manhattan, New York City, at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on the Upper West Side, between the Metro ...

LLA archive
1927 births 2009 deaths American film actresses American soap opera actresses American stage actresses American television actresses Deaths from cancer in New Jersey New York University alumni Actresses from New York City 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American women {{US-tv-actor-1920s-stub