Kim Stanley (born Patricia Kimberley Reid; February 11, 1925 – August 20, 2001) was an American actress, primarily in television and theatre, but with occasional film performances. She began her acting career in theatre, and subsequently attended the Actors Studio in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, New York. She received the 1952

Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...

for her role in '' The Chase'' (1952), and starred in the

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

productions of ''

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 ...

'' (1953) and '' Bus Stop'' (1955). Stanley was nominated for the

Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play is an honor presented at the Tony Awards, a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre. The award is given to actresses for quality lead ...

for her roles in ''

A Touch of the Poet ''A Touch of the Poet'' is a play by Eugene O'Neill completed in 1942 but not performed until 1958, after his death. It and its sequel, ''More Stately Mansions'', were intended to be part of a nine- play cycle entitled ''A Tale of Possessors Sel ...

'' (1959) and ''

A Far Country ''A Far Country'' is a play by Henry Denker. The work premiered on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre on April 4, 1961, where it closed on November 25, 1961, after 271 performances. Produced by Roger L. Stevens and Joel Schenker, the production ...

'' (1962). In the 1950s Stanley was a prolific performer in television; she later progressed to film, with a well-received performance in '' The Goddess'' (1959). She was the narrator of ''

To Kill a Mockingbird ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' is a novel by the American author Harper Lee. It was published in 1960 and was instantly successful. In the United States, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' has become ...

'' (1962), and starred in '' Séance on a Wet Afternoon'' (1964), for which she won the

New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress The New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress is one of the awards given by the New York Film Critics Circle to honor the finest achievements in film-making. Winners * † = Winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress * ‡ = Nomina ...

and was nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Actress The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year ...

. She was less active during the remainder of her career; two of her later film successes were as the mother of Frances Farmer in ''

Frances Frances is a French and English given name of Latin origin. In Latin the meaning of the name Frances is 'from France' or 'free one.' The male version of the name in English is Francis. The original Franciscus, meaning "Frenchman", comes from the F ...

'' (1982), for which she received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and as Pancho Barnes in '' The Right Stuff'' (1983). Stanley received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie for her performance as Big Mama in a television adaptation of ''

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' is a three-act play written by Tennessee Williams. An adaptation of his 1952 short story "Three Players of a Summer Game", the play was written by him between 1953 and 1955. One of Williams's more famous works and his p ...

'' in 1985. That same year, she was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.

Early life

Stanley was born in

Tularosa, New Mexico Tularosa is a villageFor census purposes it is called a village, but in New Mexico it is historically called a town. See, for example, Otero, Miguel A. (1903) ''Report of the Governor of New Mexico to the Secretary of the Interior - 1903'' Governme ...

, the daughter of Ann (''née'' Miller), an interior decorator, and J. T. Reid, a professor of philosophy and education at the

University of New Mexico The University of New Mexico (UNM; es, Universidad de Nuevo México) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1889, it is the state's flagship academic institution and the largest by enrollment, with over 25,400 ...

, located in

Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...

. Her father was of Irish or Scottish descent, born and raised in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

, where he met her mother (who was of German and English ancestry). She had three older brothers (Howard Clinton Reid, a psychiatrist; Kenneth Reid, killed in pilot training during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

; and Justin Truman Reid, a lawyer); and a half-sister (Carol Ann Reid).Biodata
/ref> She was a drama major at the University of New Mexico, and later studied at the

Pasadena Playhouse The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California, United States. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engage ...

and adopted her maternal grandmother's surname as her stage name.

Career

Theatre

Stanley was a successful

actress with only a few film roles. She was singled out by ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' critic

Brooks Atkinson Justin Brooks Atkinson (November 28, 1894 – January 14, 1984) was an American theatre critic. He worked for '' The New York Times'' from 1922 to 1960. In his obituary, the ''Times'' called him "the theater's most influential reviewer of hi ...

for her early work. She eventually attended the Actors Studio, studying under Elia Kazan,

Lee Strasberg Lee Strasberg (born Israel Strassberg; November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an American theatre director, actor and acting teacher. He co-founded, with theatre directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931 ...

, and

Vivian Nathan Vivian Nathan (born Vivian Firko, October 26, 1916 – April 3, 2015) was an American actress and founding member of the Actors Studio, which opened in 1947. She served on the Actors Studio's board of directors until 1999. She appeared in the or ...

. She received the 1952

for her performance as Anna Reeves in '' The Chase'', and starred in such Broadway hits as ''

'' (1953), playing Millie Owens and '' Bus Stop'' (1955), playing Cherie. She was nominated for the 1959

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

for Best Actress in a Play for ''

'' and the 1962 Tony for Best Actress in a Play for her portrayal of Elizabeth von Ritter in

Henry Denker Henry Denker (November 25, 1912 – May 15, 2012) was an American novelist and playwright. Biography Denker was born in New York, the son of a fur trader. After initially studying to be a rabbi, he change to the study of law and graduated fro ...

's ''

''. Stanley also portrayed Maggie "The Cat" in ''

'' in the original London production of the play. In 1965, she played Masha in the

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

run of an Actors Studio production of Anton Chekhov's play '' The Three Sisters''. After a savaging of the production by local critics, she made good on her promise to never act on stage again.

Television

Stanley was a leading lady of live television drama, which flourished in New York City during the 1950s. On October 17, 1950, she starred in "The Vanishing Lady" on '' The Trap''. Her other starring roles included Wilma, a star-struck 15-year-old girl from the U.S. Gulf Coast of Texas in

Horton Foote Albert Horton Foote Jr. (March 14, 1916March 4, 2009) was an American playwright and screenwriter. He received Academy Awards for his screenplays for the 1962 film ''To Kill a Mockingbird'', which was adapted from the 1960 novel of the same name ...

's ''A Young Lady of Property'', which aired on ''

The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse ''The Philco Television Playhouse'' is an American television anthology series that was broadcast live on NBC from 1948 to 1955. Produced by Fred Coe, the series was sponsored by Philco. It was one of the most respected dramatic shows of the Golde ...

'' on April 5, 1953.

Film

Her first film was '' The Goddess'' (1958), playing a tragic movie star. She starred in '' Séance on a Wet Afternoon'' (1964), winning both the National Board of Review Award for Best Actress and the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress, and was nominated for the

and the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. A filmed version of Strasberg-directed '' Three Sisters'' (1966) opened with Stanley reprising the role of Masha, and is the only time one can see her perform in a film alongside Geraldine Page,

Sandy Dennis Sandra Dale Dennis (April 27, 1937 – March 2, 1992) was an American actress. She made her film debut in the drama ''Splendor in the Grass'' (1961). For her performance in the comedy-drama film ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' (1966), she rec ...

Shelley Winters Shelley Winters (born Shirley Schrift; August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006) was an American actress whose career spanned seven decades. She appeared in numerous films. She won Academy Awards for ''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) and ''A Patch o ...

and other well-known names of the Actors Studio. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for her performance as Frances Farmer's possessive mother in ''

'' (1982). She also played Pancho Barnes in '' The Right Stuff'' (1983). Stanley was the uncredited narrator in the drama film ''

'' (1962). As the narrator, she represents the character Jean Louise Finch ("Scout") as an adult.

Mary Badham Mary Badham (born October 7, 1952) is an American actress who portrayed Jean Louise "Scout" Finch in ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' (1962), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. At the time, Badham (aged 10) w ...

portrays Scout as a child in the film. She received an

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

for Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her appearance in the episode, "A Cardinal Act of Mercy" (1963), of the television series, ''

Ben Casey ''Ben Casey'' is an American medical drama series that aired on ABC from 1961 to 1966. The show was known for its opening titles, which consisted of a hand drawing the symbols "♂, ♀, ✳, †, ∞" on a chalkboard, as cast member Sam Jaff ...

'' (1961–1966), and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special for her appearance in the 1984 television adaptation of

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thr ...

's Southern melodrama ''

'', this time as Big Mama.

Last years

Stanley did not act during her later years, preferring the role of teacher in New York City, Los Angeles, and later Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she died. She was inducted into the New Mexico Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2012.

Personal life

Stanley was married four times: to Bruce Hall (1945–1946),

Curt Conway Curt Conway (May 4, 1915 – April 10, 1974) was an American actor. He was sometimes billed as Curtis Conway or Kurt Conway. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Conway appeared in a number of Broadway plays, had small parts in films. such as '' Hud' ...

(1949–1956),

Alfred Ryder Alfred Ryder (born Alfred Jacob Corn; January 5, 1916 – April 16, 1995) was an American television, stage, radio, and film actor and director, who appeared in over one hundred television shows. Career Ryder began to act at age eight and later ...

(1958–1964), and Joseph Siegel (1964–1967). All four marriages ended in divorce. She had three children: one by Curt Conway; one by Brooks Clift (brother of

Montgomery Clift Edward Montgomery Clift (; October 17, 1920 – July 23, 1966) was an American actor. A four-time Academy Award nominee, he was known for his portrayal of "moody, sensitive young men", according to ''The New York Times''. He is best remembered ...

), while she was married to Conway; and one by Alfred Ryder (Laurie). During her marriage to Ryder, Stanley converted to Judaism.

Death

Stanley died of

uterine cancer Uterine cancer, also known as womb cancer, includes two types of cancer that develop from the tissues of the uterus. Endometrial cancer forms from the lining of the uterus, and uterine sarcoma forms from the muscles or support tissue of the ut ...

at a nursing home in Santa Fe at the age of 76. She was survived by her brother Justin, her three children, and several nephews and nieces. A biography, ''Female Brando: the Legend of Kim Stanley'' (2006), by Jon Krampner, was published by Back Stage Books, a division of

Watson-Guptill Watson-Guptill is an American publisher of instructional books in the arts. The company was founded in 1937 by Ernest Watson, Ralph Reinhold, and Arthur L. Guptill. They also published the magazine ''American Artist''. Their headquarters are at 17 ...

Stage work

Partial listing of stage work:

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

* *
Telegraph obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanley, Kim 1925 births 2001 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from New Mexico Actresses from New York City American film actresses American people of English descent American people of German descent American people of Scottish descent American stage actresses American television actresses Deaths from cancer in New Mexico Converts to Judaism Deaths from uterine cancer Donaldson Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners People from Tularosa, New Mexico Actors from Santa Fe, New Mexico University of New Mexico alumni Jewish American actresses 20th-century American Jews

Early life

Career

Theatre

Television

Film

Last years

Personal life

Death

Stage work

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

References

External links