Mildred Dorothy Dunnock (January 25, 1901 – July 5, 1991) was an American stage and screen actress. She was twice nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment in ...

: first ''

Death of a Salesman ''Death of a Salesman'' is a 1949 stage play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. The play premiered on Broadway in February 1949, running for 742 performances. It is a two-act tragedy set in late 1940s Brooklyn told through a monta ...

'' in 1951, then '' Baby Doll'' in 1956.

Early life

Born in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, Dunnock graduated from

Western High School Western High School may refer: Schools in the United States * Western High School (Anaheim, California) – Anaheim, California *Western High School (Illinois) – Barry, Illinois *Western High School (Florida) – Davie, Florida *Western High Sch ...

. She developed an interest in theater while she was a student at

Goucher College Goucher College ( ') is a private liberal arts college in Towson, Maryland. It was chartered in 1885 by a conference in Baltimore led by namesake John F. Goucher and local leaders of the Methodist Episcopal Church.https://archive.org/details/ ...

where she was a member of Alpha Phi sorority and the Agora dramatic society. After graduating, she taught English at

Friends School of Baltimore Friends School of Baltimore is a private Quaker school in Baltimore, serving students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. One of the prestigious Roland Park 5 Preparatory Schools, Friends has been described by author Judy Colbert as "a challen ...

and helped with productions of plays there. While teaching school in New York, she earned her master's degree at Columbia University and acted in a play while she was there.

Career

After roles in Broadway productions of ''Life Begins'' (1932) and ''The Hill Between'' (1938), Dunnock won praise for her performance as a Welsh school teacher in '' The Corn is Green'' in 1940 — a role that she performed while she was a full-time teacher at Brearley School. The 1945

film version A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...

marked her screen debut. During the 1940s she performed mainly on stage, in such dramas as '' Another Part of the Forest'' (1946) and ''

'' (1949) and in the musical '' Lute Song'' (1946). She also performed in regional theatrical productions, including those of the

Long Wharf Theatre Long Wharf Theatre is a nonprofit institution in New Haven, Connecticut, a pioneer in the not-for-profit regional theatre movement, the originator of several prominent plays, and a venue where many internationally known actors have appeared. Fou ...

and the Yale Repertory Theatre. In 1947, she became a founding member of the

Actors Studio The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 West 44th Street between Ninth and Tenth avenues in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was founde ...

. Dunnock reprised her role as Linda Loman, Willy's wife, in the 1951 film version of

. She originated for the role of Big Mama in

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 thre ...

' play '' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'', although she lost to Judith Anderson. Several of her films include '' The Trouble with Harry'' (1955), '' Love Me Tender'' (1956), '' Baby Doll'' (1956), '' Peyton Place'' (1957), ''

The Nun's Story ''The Nun's Story'' is a 1956 novel by Kathryn Hulme. It was a Book of the Month selection and reached #1 on ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list. Hulme wrote the book based partly upon the experiences of her friend, Marie Louise Habets of ...

'' (1959), '' Butterfield 8'' (1960), '' Something Wild'' (1961) and '' Sweet Bird of Youth'' (1962). She was the woman in the wheelchair pushed down a flight of stairs to her death by the psychotic villain Tommy Udo ( Richard Widmark) in ''

Kiss of Death Kiss of Death may refer to: * Kiss of Judas, Judas's betrayal of Jesus with a kiss identifying him to his executioners * Kiss of death (mafia), a Mafia signal that someone has been marked for execution Film and television * ''Kiss of Death'' ...

'' (1947). She also appeared in guest roles on numerous TV series such as ''

Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was r ...

'' and '' Ponds Theater'', and later in her career, several television movies. Dunnock was twice nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, for ''

'' in 1951, and for ''Baby Doll'' in 1956. She was also nominated for the

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

for Best Supporting Actress for ''Baby Doll'', as well as ''

Viva Zapata! ''Viva Zapata!'' is a 1952 American Western film directed by Elia Kazan and starring Marlon Brando. The screenplay was written by John Steinbeck, using Edgcomb Pinchon's 1941 book ''Zapata the Unconquerable'' as a guide. The cast includes Jea ...

'' in 1952 and ''Peyton Place'' in 1957. In 1966, she played Linda Loman for the third time in the

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

adaptation of ''

'', alongside her original Broadway co-star, Lee J. Cobb. This earned Dunnock a nomination for 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 ...

in 1967, in the category of Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Drama. Her final film was '' The Pick-up Artist'' (1987), which starred Robert Downey, Jr. and Molly Ringwald. Dunnock has a star on the

Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Calif ...

for her contribution to motion pictures, at 6613 Hollywood Boulevard. She is also a member of the

American Theater Hall of Fame The American Theater Hall of Fame in New York City was founded in 1972. Earl Blackwell was the first head of the organization's Executive Committee. In an announcement in 1972, he said that the new ''Theater Hall of Fame'' would be located in the ...

, which she was inducted into in 1983.

Personal life and death

Dunnock was married to Keith Urmy, an executive at Chemical Bank in Manhattan, from 1933 until her death. The couple had one child. In 1991, at age 90, Dunnock died from natural causes in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, although at that time she was a resident of nearby West Tilsbury.

Film appearances

*'' The Invisible Man's Revenge'' (1944) – Norma – the Chambermaid (uncredited) *'' The Corn Is Green'' (1945) – Miss Ronberry *''

'' (1947) – Mrs. Rizzo (uncredited) *''

'' (1951) – Linda Loman *'' I Want You'' (1951) – Sarah Greer *''

'' (1952) – Senora Espejo *'' The Girl in White'' (1952) – Dr. Marie Yeomans *''

The Jazz Singer ''The Jazz Singer'' is a 1927 American musical drama film directed by Alan Crosland. It is the first feature-length motion picture with both synchronized recorded music score as well as lip-synchronous singing and speech (in several isolate ...

'' (1952) – Mrs. Ruth Golding *'' Bad for Each Other'' (1953) – Mrs. Mary Owen *''Hansel and Gretel'' (1954) – Mother (voice) *'' The Trouble with Harry'' (1955) – Mrs. Wiggs *'' Love Me Tender'' (1956) – Martha Reno *'' Baby Doll'' (1956) – Aunt Rose Comfort *'' Peyton Place'' (1957) – Miss Elsie Thornton *''

'' (1959) – Sister Margharita (Mistress of Postulants) *'' The Story on Page One'' (1959) – Mrs. Ellis *'' BUtterfield 8'' (1960) – Mrs. Wandrous *'' Something Wild'' (1961) – Mrs. Gates *'' Sweet Bird of Youth'' (1962) – Aunt Nonnie *'' Behold a Pale Horse'' (1964) – Pilar *''

Youngblood Hawke ''Youngblood Hawke'' is a 1962 novel by American writer Herman Wouk about the rise and fall of a talented young writer of hardscrabble Kentucky origin who briefly becomes the toast of literary New York City. The plot was suggested by the life ...

'' (1964) – Sarah Hawke *'' 7 Women'' (1966) – Jane Argent *''

'' (1966) – Linda Loman *'' What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?'' (1969) – Miss Edna Tinsley *'' The Spiral Staircase'' (1975) – Mrs. Sherman *''

The Shopping Bag Lady ''The Shopping Bag Lady'' is a 1975 American short film directed by Bert Salzman and starring Mildred Dunnock. Plot summary A shopping-bag lady, Annie Lewis (Mildred Dunnock), is viewed as a homeless nobody by two thoughtless teenage girls. Af ...

'' (1975) – Annie Lewis *'' Dragonfly (1976)'' (later: ''One Summer Love'') – Miss Barrow *'' The Best Place to Be'' (1979) *'' The Pick-up Artist'' (1987) – Nellie (final film role)

Television

*''Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1957) "The West Warlock Time Capsule"'' 14 *

Thriller Thriller may refer to: * Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television ** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre Comics * ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...

(1960) - S1 E15 “The Cheaters” *''

The Tom Ewell Show ''The Tom Ewell Show'', also known as ''The Trouble With Tom'', is an American situation comedy that aired on CBS during the 1960-61 television season. It depicts the challenges a husband and father faces as he resides in a household otherwise co ...

'' (1960) – episode "The Friendly Man" *'' The Investigators'' (1961) – episode "The Mind's Own Fire"

Radio appearances

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dunnock, Mildred 1901 births 1991 deaths 20th-century American actresses Actresses from Baltimore Actresses from Massachusetts Actresses from New York City American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses Burials in Massachusetts Columbia University alumni Donaldson Award winners Goucher College alumni Johns Hopkins University alumni Method actors Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts People from West Tisbury, Massachusetts Western (genre) film actresses