Mildred Dorothy Dunnock (January 25, 1901 – July 5, 1991) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

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 ind ...

: 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 montag ...

'' in 1951, then ''

Baby Doll ''Baby Doll'' is a 1956 American dramatic black comedy film directed by Elia Kazan, and starring Carroll Baker, Karl Malden, and Eli Wallach. It was produced by Kazan and Tennessee Williams, and adapted by Williams from his own one-act play '' ...

'' 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 S ...

. 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/h ...

where she was a member of

Alpha Phi Alpha Phi International Women's Fraternity (, also known as APhi) is an international sorority with 172 active chapters and over 250,000 initiated members. Founded at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York on September 18, 1872, it is the fo ...

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 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 ''Life Begins'' (1932) and ''The Hill Between'' (1938), Dunnock won praise for her performance as a Welsh school teacher in ''

The Corn is Green ''The Corn Is Green'' is a 1938 semi-autobiographical play by Welsh dramatist and actor Emlyn Williams. The play premiered in London at the Duchess Theatre in September 1938; with Sybil Thorndike as Miss Moffat and Williams himself portraying Mo ...

'' in 1940 — a role that she performed while she was a full-time teacher at

Brearley School The Brearley School is an all-girls private school in New York City, located on the Upper East Side neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan. The school is divided into lower (kindergarten – grade 4), middle (grades 5–8) and upper (grades 9 ...

. 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 dia ...

marked her screen debut. During the 1940s she performed mainly on stage, in such dramas as ''

Another Part of the Forest ''Another Part of the Forest'' is a 1946 play by Lillian Hellman, a prequel to her 1939 drama ''The Little Foxes''. Plot synopsis Set in the fictional town of Bowden, Alabama, in June 1880, the plot focuses on the wealthy, ruthless, and innatel ...

'' (1946) and ''

'' (1949) and in the musical ''

Lute Song The term lute song is given to a music style from the late 16th century to early 17th century, late Renaissance to early Baroque, that was predominantly in England and France. Lute songs were generally in strophic form or verse repeating with a h ...

'' (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 Yale Repertory Theatre at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut was founded by Robert Brustein, dean of Yale School of Drama, in 1966, with the goal of facilitating a meaningful collaboration between theatre professionals and talented student ...

. 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 founded ...

. 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 ''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 ...

'', although she lost to

Judith Anderson Dame Frances Margaret Anderson, (10 February 18973 January 1992), known professionally as Judith Anderson, was an Australian actress who had a successful career in stage, film and television. A pre-eminent stage actress in her era, she won two ...

. Several of her films include ''

The Trouble with Harry ''The Trouble with Harry'' is a 1955 American Technicolor black comedy film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The screenplay by John Michael Hayes was based on the 1950 novel by Jack Trevor Story. It starred Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe, Mildred N ...

'' (1955), '' Love Me Tender'' (1956), ''

'' (1956), '' Peyton Place'' (1957), '' The Nun's Story'' (1959), ''

Butterfield 8 ''BUtterfield 8'' is a 1960 American drama film directed by Daniel Mann, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Laurence Harvey. Taylor won her first Academy Award for her performance in a leading role. The film was based on a 1935 novel of the same na ...

'' (1960), '' Something Wild'' (1961) and ''

Sweet Bird of Youth ''Sweet Bird of Youth'' is a 1959 play by Tennessee Williams which tells the story of a gigolo and drifter, Chance Wayne, who returns to his home town as the companion of a faded movie star, Alexandra del Lago (travelling incognito as Princess ...

'' (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 Richard Weedt Widmark (December 26, 1914March 24, 2008) was an American film, stage, and television actor and producer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the villainous Tommy Udo in his debut film, '' Kiss of Death'' (1947) ...

) in '' 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 ren ...

'' 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 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 Jean ...

'' 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 Lee J. Cobb (born Leo Jacoby; December 8, 1911February 11, 1976) was an American actor, known both for film roles and his work on the Broadway stage. He often played arrogant, intimidating and abrasive characters, but he also acted as respectabl ...

. 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. Robert John Downey Jr. (born April 4, 1965) is an American actor and producer. His career has been characterized by critical and popular success in his youth, followed by a period of substance abuse and legal troubles, before a resurgence of ...

and

Molly Ringwald Molly Kathleen Ringwald (born February 18, 1968) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and author. She was cast in her first major role as Molly in the NBC sitcom '' The Facts of Life'' (1979–80) after a casting director saw her playing an o ...

. 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, Californ ...

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 Oak Bluffs is a town located on the island of Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,341 at the 2020 United States Census. It is one of the island's principal points of arrival for summer tourists ...

, although at that time she was a resident of nearby West Tilsbury.

Film appearances

*''

The Invisible Man's Revenge ''The Invisible Man's Revenge'' is a 1944 American horror film directed by Ford Beebe and written by Bertram Millhauser. The film stars John Carradine as a scientist who tests his experiment on Jon Hall, a psychiatric hospital escapee who takes ...

'' (1944) – Norma – the Chambermaid (uncredited) *''

The Corn Is Green ''The Corn Is Green'' is a 1938 semi-autobiographical play by Welsh dramatist and actor Emlyn Williams. The play premiered in London at the Duchess Theatre in September 1938; with Sybil Thorndike as Miss Moffat and Williams himself portraying Mo ...

'' (1945) – Miss Ronberry *'' Kiss of Death'' (1947) – Mrs. Rizzo (uncredited) *''

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

'' (1952) – Senora Espejo *''

The Girl in White ''The Girl in White'' is a 1952 American drama film directed by John Sturges and starring June Allyson, Arthur Kennedy and Mildred Dunnock. It is based on the memoirs of the pioneering female surgeon Emily Dunning Barringer. Plot Her pregnan ...

'' (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 isolated ...

'' (1952) – Mrs. Ruth Golding *''

Bad for Each Other ''Bad for Each Other'' is a 1953 American drama film noir directed by Irving Rapper and starring Charlton Heston, Lizabeth Scott and Dianne Foster. It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures. Its genre has been characterized as a "medi ...

'' (1953) – Mrs. Mary Owen *''Hansel and Gretel'' (1954) – Mother (voice) *''

'' (1955) – Mrs. Wiggs *'' Love Me Tender'' (1956) – Martha Reno *''

'' (1956) – Aunt Rose Comfort *'' Peyton Place'' (1957) – Miss Elsie Thornton *'' The Nun's Story'' (1959) – Sister Margharita (Mistress of Postulants) *''

The Story on Page One ''The Story on Page One'' is a 1959 American drama film written and directed by Clifford Odets, and starring Rita Hayworth, Anthony Franciosa, and Gig Young. Shot in CinemaScope, the film was distributed by 20th Century Fox. Plot As the film beg ...

'' (1959) – Mrs. Ellis *''

BUtterfield 8 ''BUtterfield 8'' is a 1960 American drama film directed by Daniel Mann, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Laurence Harvey. Taylor won her first Academy Award for her performance in a leading role. The film was based on a 1935 novel of the same na ...

'' (1960) – Mrs. Wandrous *'' Something Wild'' (1961) – Mrs. Gates *''

'' (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 o ...

'' (1964) – Sarah Hawke *''

7 Women ''7 Women'', also known as ''Seven Women'', is a 1966 Panavision drama film directed by John Ford and starring Anne Bancroft, Sue Lyon, Margaret Leighton, Flora Robson, Mildred Dunnock, Betty Field, and Anna Lee, with Eddie Albert, Mike Mazurk ...

'' (1966) – Jane Argent *''

'' (1966) – Linda Loman *''

What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice? ''What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?'' is a 1969 American neo-noir thriller film directed by Lee H. Katzin with Bernard Girard (uncredited), and starring Geraldine Page, Ruth Gordon, Rosemary Forsyth, Robert Fuller and Mildred Dunnock. The scree ...

'' (1969) – Miss Edna Tinsley *'' The Spiral Staircase'' (1975) – Mrs. Sherman *'' The Shopping Bag Lady'' (1975) – Annie Lewis *'' Dragonfly (1976)'' (later: ''One Summer Love'') – Miss Barrow *''

The Best Place to Be ''The Best Place to Be'' is a 1979 American TV film produced by Ross Hunter. It marked Donna Reed's return to acting after 13 years. Hunter planned a sequel but this did not eventuate. Plot A widowed mother has an affair with a younger man. Ca ...

'' (1979) *'' The Pick-up Artist'' (1987) – Nellie (final film role)

Television

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

'' (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