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Swoosie Kurtz
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Swoosie Kurtz (born September 6, 1944) is an American actress.
Contents
- 1 Biography
- 1.1 Early life
- 1.2 Career
- 2 Filmography
- 3 Footnotes
- 4 External links
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Biography
Early life
Kurtz was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the only child of Air Force Colonel Frank Kurtz, one of the most decorated WWII American bomber pilots,[1] and author Margo Kurtz. She got her unique first name "Swoosie" (which rhymes with Lucy, rather than woozy) from her father. It is derived from the sole surviving example, at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, of the B-17D Flying Fortress airplane, named "The Swoose" or simply "Swoose" - half swan, half goose - which her father piloted during World War II. Kurtz's first television appearance was on To Tell the Truth at age eighteen, introducing her father and two impostors. As a military brat, Kurtz moved frequently. Kurtz attended the University of Southern California, where she majored in drama. She then attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Career
Kurtz first gained attention in the late 70s in
Uncommon Women and Others, the breakthrough play by
Wendy Wasserstein. Kurtz was soon was awarded
Broadway's "triple crown" (the
Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards) for her portrayal of Gwen in
Lanford Wilson's
The Fifth of July. She won a second Tony for her performance as Bananas in a 1986 revival of
The House of Blue Leaves by
John Guare.
In 1978, she was part of the ensemble cast of Mary Tyler Moore's short lived variety series Mary, that also included David Letterman and Michael Keaton. Later, Kurtz had starring roles in the television series Love, Sidney and Sisters. She has also received an Emmy for her guest-starring performance on Carol Burnett's comedy series Carol & Company, playing a woman who attends her 20th high-school reunion and discovers her former sweetheart — a football player — has been through a sex change operation. Recently, Kurtz has had a recurring guest role as Judy Miller's mother on the CBS sitcom Still Standing, John Locke's mother, Emily Annabeth Locke, on Lost, and as Beth Huffstodt's mother on Huff. She is slated to star on the new ABC teleision series, Pushing Daisies, beginning in September of 2007.
Kurtz frequently received stellar reviews even in less praised projects, and she is widely respected as one of Hollywood's most sought-after supporting actresses, doing a lot of work she would rather not so as to pay the bills and be able to really act in the theatre.
She has never married or had children, although she was for some years partnered with the actor
Brent Spiner.
[citation needed]
Filmography
Footnotes
