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Audrey Christie (June 27, 1912[a] – December 19,[b] 1989) was an American actress, singer and dancer.
Audrey Christie
| |
|---|---|
| Born | (1912-06-27)June 27, 1912[a] |
| Died | December 19, 1989(1989-12-19) (aged 77) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1929–1982 |
| Spouse | Guy Robertson (divorced) Donald Briggs (1959-1986 his death)[1] |
| Children | 2 |
Christie was born in Chicago, Illinois. She attended a fine arts school in Chicago, but she quit at age 15 after finding success as a performer with the Six Chicago Steppers.[3]
Originally, Christie worked as a singer and dancer, starting as a teenager in vaudeville shows,[2] but she later acted in dramatic roles as well.[1] Early roles on Broadway included Follow Thru (1929), Sailor, Beware! (1933), The Women (1936), I Married an Angel (1938),[2] and Without Love (1942). She had a lead role in The Desk Set (1956).
She performed in the films Keeper of the Flame (1943), Deadline – U.S.A. (1952), Carousel (1956), Splendor in the Grass (1961), The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964), Harlow (1965), Frankie and Johnny (1966), The Ballad of Josie (1967), Mame (1974), and Harper Valley PTA (1978).
Christie acted in several episodes of the anthology TV series Studio One and another TV series, Fair Exchange.[2] During the 1964–1965 television season, she had a recurring role on the situation comedy The Cara Williams Show. In 1975, she appeared on the sitcom Maude, playing the role of Maude’s overbearing mother. And on TV's Barney Miller appeared in two episode, 'The Courtesans' as a "Madame", and in the episode 'Old Love' as an overbearing stage mother.
She won a Donaldson Award for her performance in the play The Voice of the Turtle.[1]
She was married to Guy Robertson, also a performer, and they had a daughter.[3]
Her second marriage was to actor Donald Briggs,[3] who predeceased her. They had a son[3] and three grandchildren.[1]
Christie died of emphysema on December 19,[b] 1989, at her home in West Hollywood, California.[1]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Keeper of the Flame | Jane Harding | |
| 1952 | Deadline – U.S.A. | Mrs. Willebrandt | |
| 1956 | Carousel | Mrs. Mullin | |
| 1961 | Splendor in the Grass | Mrs. Loomis | |
| 1964 | The Unsinkable Molly Brown | Mrs. Gladys McGraw | |
| 1965 | Harlow | Thelma | |
| 1966 | Frankie and Johnny | Peg | |
| 1967 | The Ballad of Josie | Annabelle Pettijohn | |
| 1974 | Mame | Mrs. Upson | |
| 1975 | Maude | Mother | |
| 1978 | Harper Valley PTA | Flora Simpson Reilly |