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Mary Janice Rule (August 15, 1931 – October 17, 2003) was an American actress and psychotherapist, earning her PhD while still acting, then acting occasionally while working in her new profession.


Early life

Rule was born in
Norwood, Ohio Norwood is the third most populous city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and an enclave of the larger city of Cincinnati. The population was 19,207 at the 2010 census. Originally settled as an early suburb of Cincinnati in the wooded c ...
, to parents of Irish origin. Her father was a dealer in industrial diamonds.Kenneth Jone
"Janice Rule, of Broadway's Picnic, Dead at 72"
''
Playbill ''Playbill'' is an American monthly magazine for theatergoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most copies of ''Playbill'' are printed for particular productions and distributed at the door as the show's p ...
'', October 22, 2003
She began dancing at the
Chez Paree The Chez Paree was a Chicago nightclub known for its glamorous atmosphere, elaborate dance numbers, and top entertainers. It operated from 1932 until 1960 in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago at 610 N. Fairbanks Court. The club was the ep ...
nightclub in Chicago at age 15, which paid for ballet lessons, and was a dancer in the 1949 Broadway production of '' Miss Liberty''.Obituary: Janice Rule
''Daily Telegraph'' (London), October 24, 2003
Rule also studied acting at the Chicago Professional School.


Career

She was pictured on the cover of ''
Life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energy ...
'' magazine on January 8, 1951, as being someone to watch in the entertainment industry.Ben Sisari
"Janice Rule, 72, Film Actress Who Became a Psychoanalyst"
''New York Times'', October 22, 2003
Gaining a contract by Warner Bros., her first credited screen role was as Virginia in ''
Goodbye, My Fancy ''Goodbye, My Fancy'' is a 1948 play by Fay Kanin. A comedy in 3 Acts and 4 scenes, the work premiered at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario on October 21, 1948 for tryout performances before the production moved to Broadway in New York City. ...
'' (1951), which featured
Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion pict ...
in the lead. The established star belittled the younger woman, making Rule's work on the film difficult, although Crawford years later wrote a letter of apology to Rule for treating her badly on this film. Rule's Warner contract was allowed to lapse after only two films. She was troubled by the attitude toward women's beauty at the studios in the early 1950s: "Because I was afraid of being robbed of my individuality, I fought with the makeup people, the hairdressers, and I didn't understand problems of the publicity department," she was reported as saying in 1957.Mary Rourk
"Janice Rule, 72; Broadway Dancer, 'Picnic' Actress Also Was in Films"
''Los Angeles Times'', October 24, 2003
Rule was in the original 1953 Broadway cast of
William Inge William Motter Inge (; May 3, 1913 – June 10, 1973) was an American playwright and novelist, whose works typically feature solitary protagonists encumbered with strained sexual relations. In the early 1950s he had a string of memorable Broad ...
's ''
Picnic A picnic is a meal taken outdoors ( ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as preceding ...
'' (in the role of Madge Owens, the innocent beauty, played by
Kim Novak Marilyn Pauline "Kim" Novak (born February 13, 1933) is an American retired film and television actress and painter. Novak began her career in 1954 after signing with Columbia Pictures and quickly became one of Hollywood's top box office stars, ...
in the film version), whose company also included
Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...
in his Broadway debut. This commitment led her to turn down the role ultimately played by
Eva Marie Saint Eva Marie Saint (born July 4, 1924) is an American actress of film, theatre and television. In a career spanning over 70 years, she has won an Academy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, alongside nominations for a Golden Globe Award and two Brit ...
in ''
On the Waterfront ''On the Waterfront'' is a 1954 American crime drama film, directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg. It stars Marlon Brando and features Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Pat Henning, and Eva Marie Saint in her film debut. ...
'' (1954). "I knew I couldn't shoot in a movie all day and work on a stage at night and do my best in both," she was quoted as saying by
Hedda Hopper Hedda Hopper (born Elda Furry; May 2, 1885February 1, 1966) was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, her readership was 35 million. A strong supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committ ...
of the ''Los Angeles Times'' in 1966. Among her other Broadway shows were ''
The Flowering Peach ''The Flowering Peach'' is a 1954 dramatic play by American playwright Clifford Odets with music by Alan Hovhaness. The plot is a modern take on the Bible stories of Noah and Noah's Ark. It was the last original play by Odets produced in his lif ...
'', ''
The Happiest Girl in the World ''The Happiest Girl in the World'' is a musical with a book by Fred Saidy and Henry Mayers, lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, and music taken from the works of Jacques Offenbach. Based on the comedy ''Lysistrata'' by Aristophanes and tales of Greek mythol ...
'', and Michael V. Gazzo's ''Night Circus'', a 1958 production which lasted for only a week, but introduced Rule to
Ben Gazzara Biagio Anthony Gazzara (August 28, 1930 – February 3, 2012) was an American actor and director of film, stage, and television. He received numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Drama Desk Award, in addition to nominatio ...
, who became her third husband. Her other films in the 1950s included '' A Woman's Devotion'' (1956), the Western ''
Gun for a Coward ''Gun for a Coward'' is a 1957 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Abner Biberman and starring Fred MacMurray, Jeffrey Hunter and Janice Rule. The film also stars Josephine Hutchinson as MacMurray's mother, despite being less than five ...
'' (1957) and ''
Bell, Book and Candle ''Bell, Book and Candle'' is a 1958 American fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Richard Quine from a screenplay by Daniel Taradash, based on the 1950 Broadway play of the same title by John Van Druten. It stars Kim Novak as a witch who c ...
'' (1958), in which she played the fiancée who loses publisher 'Shep' Henderson (
James Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality ...
) to the spell-casting witch Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak). On television, she appeared in an episode of ''
Checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...
'' ("The Mask of Vengeance", 1960), where she played Elena Nardos, the roommate of
Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021) was an American actress and comedian whose career spanned nearly eight decades. She won many accolades, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards from 22 nominations, making her the most nomina ...
's character, Marilyn Parker. She was also in ''
The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, sup ...
'' episode "
Nightmare as a Child "Nightmare as a Child" is episode 29 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. It originally aired on April 29, 1960 on CBS. Opening narration Plot A school teacher named Helen Foley finds a strange and very serious youn ...
." She appeared as different characters in three episodes of '' Route 66''. She acted as both Barbara Webb and Barbara Wells with David Janssen in two episodes of '' The Fugitive'' entitled "Wife Killer" and "The Walls of Night". She also had a major role as Nancy Reade in "Three Bells to Perdido", the debut episode of the
Richard Boone Richard Allen Boone (June 18, 1917 – January 10, 1981) was an American actor who starred in over 50 films and was notable for his roles in Westerns, including his starring role in the television series '' Have Gun – Will Travel''. Early li ...
western ''
Have Gun – Will Travel ''Have Gun – Will Travel'' is an American Western series that was produced and originally broadcast by CBS on both television and radio from 1957 through 1963. The television version of the series starring Richard Boone was rated number t ...
''. Rule also starred, second billing to
Yul Brynner Yuliy Borisovich Briner (russian: link=no, Юлий Борисович Бринер; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner, was a Russian-born actor. He was best known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in th ...
, in the western film ''
Invitation to a Gunfighter ''Invitation to a Gunfighter'' is a 1964 DeLuxe Color Western film directed by Richard Wilson, starring Yul Brynner and George Segal. It was based on a 1957 teleplay by Larry Klein that appeared on ''Playhouse 90''. A lone Creole gunfighter, J ...
'' (1964). Among her later film roles were Emily Stewart in '' The Chase'' (1966), Sheila Sommers in '' The Ambushers'' (1967),
Burt Lancaster Burton Stephen Lancaster (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an American actor and producer. Initially known for playing tough guys with a tender heart, he went on to achieve success with more complex and challenging roles over a 45-yea ...
's bitter ex-lover in '' The Swimmer'' (1968), Willie in
Robert Altman Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He was a five-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director and is considered an enduring figure from the New ...
's ''
3 Women ''3 Women'' is a 1977 American psychological drama film written, produced, and directed by Robert Altman and starring Shelley Duvall, Sissy Spacek and Janice Rule. It depicts the increasingly bizarre, mysterious relationship between a woman (Duv ...
'' (1977), journalist Kate Newman in
Costa Gavras Costa-Gavras (short for Konstantinos Gavras; el, Κωνσταντίνος Γαβράς; born 12 February 1933) is a Greek-French film director, screenwriter, and producer who lives and works in France. He is known for films with political and s ...
' political thriller ''
Missing Missing or The Missing may refer to: Film * ''Missing'' (1918 film), an American silent drama directed by James Young * ''Missing'' (1982 film), an American historical drama directed by Costa-Gavras * ''Missing'' (2007 film) (''Vermist''), a Bel ...
'' (1982), and
Kevin Costner Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor, producer, film director and musician. He has received various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actor ...
's mother in ''
American Flyers ''American Flyers'' is a 1985 American sports drama film about bicycle racing directed by John Badham and starring Kevin Costner, David Grant, Rae Dawn Chong, Alexandra Paul, Luca Bercovici and Janice Rule. It was written by Steve Tesich ...
'' (1985).


Personal life

Rule had a brief engagement to
Farley Granger Farley Earle Granger Jr. (July 1, 1925 – March 27, 2011) was an American actor, best known for his two collaborations with director Alfred Hitchcock: ''Rope'' in 1948 and '' Strangers on a Train'' in 1951. Granger was first noticed in a small ...
in 1956.Associated Press (November 19, 1955)
"Will Wed Actor"
''Chicago Tribune''. p. 4. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
They had appeared in the Broadway play ''The Carefree Tree'' in 1955. Next followed a relationship with Ralph Meeker; Meeker had played Hal in ''
Picnic A picnic is a meal taken outdoors ( ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as preceding ...
''. Rule was briefly married, during 1955, to television and film writer
N. Richard Nash Nathan Richard Nusbaum (June 8, 1913 – December 11, 2000), known as N. Richard Nash, was an American writer and dramatist best known for writing Broadway shows, including '' The Rainmaker''. Early life Nash was born Nathan Richard Nusbau ...
. Her second marriage was to television and film writer Robert Thom in 1956; they had one daughter, Kate, before divorcing in 1961. Her last marriage was to actor
Ben Gazzara Biagio Anthony Gazzara (August 28, 1930 – February 3, 2012) was an American actor and director of film, stage, and television. He received numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Drama Desk Award, in addition to nominatio ...
in 1961, having one daughter together before their divorce in 1982. During the 1960s, she became interested in
psychoanalysis PsychoanalysisFrom Greek: + . is a set of theories and therapeutic techniques"What is psychoanalysis? Of course, one is supposed to answer that it is many things — a theory, a research method, a therapy, a body of knowledge. In what might ...
. She began her formal studies in 1973, specializing in treating her fellow actors, and received her PhD 10 years later from the Southern California Psychoanalytic Institute in Los Angeles. She practiced in New York and Los Angeles, and continued to act occasionally until her death from a cerebral hemorrhage in 2003. She was
cremated Cremation is a method of final disposition of a dead body through burning. Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India and Nepal, cremation on an open-air pyre ...
after her death.


Partial filmography

* ''
Fourteen Hours ''Fourteen Hours'' is a 1951 American drama directed by Henry Hathaway, which tells the story of a New York City police officer trying to stop a despondent man from jumping to his death from the 15th floor of a hotel. The film won critical accla ...
'' (1951) - Bit Part (uncredited) * ''
Goodbye, My Fancy ''Goodbye, My Fancy'' is a 1948 play by Fay Kanin. A comedy in 3 Acts and 4 scenes, the work premiered at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario on October 21, 1948 for tryout performances before the production moved to Broadway in New York City. ...
'' (1951) - Virginia Merrill * ''
Starlift ''Starlift'' (a.k.a. ''Operation Starlift'') is a 1951 American musical film released by Warner Bros. in directed by Roy Del Ruth and written by Karl Lamb and John D. Klorer. The film stars Janice Rule, Dick Wesson, Ron Hagerthy and Ruth Ro ...
'' (1951) - Nell Wayne * ''
Holiday for Sinners ''Holiday for Sinners'' is a 1952 American drama film directed by Gerald Mayer and starring Gig Young, Keenan Wynn and Janice Rule. Plot Three men, reared together in New Orleans, but whose paths have drifted apart, each face a crisis during the ...
'' (1952) - Susan Corvier * '' Rogue's March'' (1953) - Jane Wensley * '' A Woman's Devotion'' (1956) - Stella Stevenson * ''
Gun for a Coward ''Gun for a Coward'' is a 1957 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Abner Biberman and starring Fred MacMurray, Jeffrey Hunter and Janice Rule. The film also stars Josephine Hutchinson as MacMurray's mother, despite being less than five ...
'' (1957) - Aud Niven * ''
Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...
'' ('The Zeke Thomas Story') (1957) - Maggie Thomas * ''
Bell, Book and Candle ''Bell, Book and Candle'' is a 1958 American fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Richard Quine from a screenplay by Daniel Taradash, based on the 1950 Broadway play of the same title by John Van Druten. It stars Kim Novak as a witch who c ...
'' (1958) - Merle Kittridge * '' The Subterraneans'' (1960) - Roxanne * ''
Invitation to a Gunfighter ''Invitation to a Gunfighter'' is a 1964 DeLuxe Color Western film directed by Richard Wilson, starring Yul Brynner and George Segal. It was based on a 1957 teleplay by Larry Klein that appeared on ''Playhouse 90''. A lone Creole gunfighter, J ...
'' (1964) - Ruth Adams * '' The Chase'' (1966) - Emily Stewart * ''
Alvarez Kelly ''Alvarez Kelly'' is a 1966 American Western film set in the American Civil War directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring William Holden and Richard Widmark. The picture was based on the historic Beefsteak Raid of September 1864 led by Confeder ...
'' (1966) - Liz Pickering * '' Welcome to Hard Times'' (1967) - Molly Riordan * '' The Ambushers'' (1967) - Sheila Sommers * '' The Swimmer'' (1968) - Shirley Abbott * '' Doctors' Wives'' (1971) - Amy Brennan * '' Gumshoe'' (1971) - Mrs. Blankerscoon * ''
Kid Blue ''Kid Blue'' is a 1973 American Comedy Western film directed by James Frawley and starring Dennis Hopper, Warren Oates, Peter Boyle and Ben Johnson. Plot Bickford Waner, who has failed as a train robber, decides to go straight and get an ho ...
'' (1973) - Janet Conforto * ''
3 Women ''3 Women'' is a 1977 American psychological drama film written, produced, and directed by Robert Altman and starring Shelley Duvall, Sissy Spacek and Janice Rule. It depicts the increasingly bizarre, mysterious relationship between a woman (Duv ...
'' (1977) - Willie Hart * ''
Missing Missing or The Missing may refer to: Film * ''Missing'' (1918 film), an American silent drama directed by James Young * ''Missing'' (1982 film), an American historical drama directed by Costa-Gavras * ''Missing'' (2007 film) (''Vermist''), a Bel ...
'' (1982) - Kate Newman * ''
American Flyers ''American Flyers'' is a 1985 American sports drama film about bicycle racing directed by John Badham and starring Kevin Costner, David Grant, Rae Dawn Chong, Alexandra Paul, Luca Bercovici and Janice Rule. It was written by Steve Tesich ...
'' (1985) - Mrs. Sommers * '' Rainy Day Friends'' (1985) - Elaine


Television roles

* '' General Foods 25th Anniversary Show: A Salute to Rodgers and Hammerstein'' (1954) * ''Appointment with Adventure'' (1955) * ''
Wagon Train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...
'', episode " The Zeke Thomas Story" (1957) * ''
Have Gun – Will Travel ''Have Gun – Will Travel'' is an American Western series that was produced and originally broadcast by CBS on both television and radio from 1957 through 1963. The television version of the series starring Richard Boone was rated number t ...
'', pilot episode " Three Bells to Perdido" (1957) * ''
The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, sup ...
'', episode "
Nightmare as a Child "Nightmare as a Child" is episode 29 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. It originally aired on April 29, 1960 on CBS. Opening narration Plot A school teacher named Helen Foley finds a strange and very serious youn ...
" (1960) * '' Dr. Kildare'', episode "Whoever Heard of a Two-Headed Doll?" (1963) * '' Route 66'', episodes " A Lance of Straw" (1960), "
Once to Every Man Once means a one-time occurrence. Once may refer to: Music * ''Once'' (Pearl Jam song), a 1991 song from the album ''Ten'' * ''Once'' (Roy Harper album), a 1990 album by Roy Harper * ''Once'' (The Tyde album), a 2001 debut album by The Tyd ...
" (1961), and
" But What Do You Do in March?" (1963) * '' The Fugitive'', episodes " Wife Killer" (1966) and " The Walls of Night" (1967) * ''
Journey to the Unknown ''Journey to the Unknown'' is a British anthology television series, produced by Hammer Film Productions and 20th Century Fox Television. It aired on ABC from September 26, 1968, to January 30, 1969.Stranger in the Family" (1968) * ''Shadow on the Land'' (1968, TV movie) * '' Trial Run'' (1969, TV movie) * ''The Devil and Miss Sarah'' (1971, TV movie) * ''
The Streets of San Francisco ''The Streets of San Francisco'' is a television crime drama filmed on location in San Francisco and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros. Television (QM produced the show on its ...
'', episode " The First Day of Forever" (1972) * ''
Barnaby Jones ''Barnaby Jones'' is an American detective television series starring Buddy Ebsen as a formerly retired investigator and Lee Meriwether as his widowed daughter-in-law, who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles, California. The show was o ...
'', episode " To Catch a Dead Man" (1973) * '' The Word'' (1978, miniseries) * ''
The Ray Bradbury Theater ''The Ray Bradbury Theater'' is an anthology series that ran for three seasons on First Choice Superchannel in Canada and HBO in the United States from 1985 to 1986, and then on USA Network, running for four additional seasons from 1988 to 19 ...
'' (1992, Episode: " Some Live Like Lazarus") - Anna (age 60) (final appearance) By an odd coincidence, Rule appeared in the first or second episode of four long-running television series: ''
Have Gun – Will Travel ''Have Gun – Will Travel'' is an American Western series that was produced and originally broadcast by CBS on both television and radio from 1957 through 1963. The television version of the series starring Richard Boone was rated number t ...
'' episode 1; '' Route 66'' episode 2; ''
The Streets of San Francisco ''The Streets of San Francisco'' is a television crime drama filmed on location in San Francisco and produced by Quinn Martin Productions, with the first season produced in association with Warner Bros. Television (QM produced the show on its ...
'' episode 2; and, ''
Barnaby Jones ''Barnaby Jones'' is an American detective television series starring Buddy Ebsen as a formerly retired investigator and Lee Meriwether as his widowed daughter-in-law, who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles, California. The show was o ...
'' episode 2.


References


Further reading


"Movies: The First Steps Up a Familiar Ladder; Janice Rule dances and smiles her way from Glen Ellyn, Ill. to Hollywood, Calif."
''Life''. January 8, 1951. pp. 78–79 * Rule, Janice (November 1973
"The Actor's Identity Crisis (Postanalytic Reflections of an Actress)"
''Mental Health Digest''. pp. 54–58


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rule, Janice 1931 births 2003 deaths Actresses from Ohio American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses People from Norwood, Ohio People from Manhattan American people of Irish descent 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American women