Frances Conroy
Encyclopedia
Frances Conroy is an American actress. She is best known for playing Ruth, the matriarch of the Fisher family, on Six Feet Under, which earned her a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
to a business executive father and a mother who also worked in business. She studied drama at the Neighborhood Playhouse
and the Juilliard School
in New York City
. She was a student at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania during the school year 1971-1972 where she was a member of the Mermaid Players and appeared in college theatrical productions.
and touring theatrical companies (most notably The Acting Company
), and appeared as Desdemona at the Delacorte Theatre in a production of Othello
with Richard Dreyfuss
and Raul Julia
. One of her first film appearances was as a Shakespearean
actress in Woody Allen
's 1979 classic, Manhattan
. In 1980, she made a very well-received Broadway
debut in Edward Albee
's The Lady From Dubuque
. She focused primarily on her stage career for the next two decades, appearing in such productions as Our Town
, The Little Foxes
, and The Ride Down Mt. Morgan
, receiving one Tony
and four Drama Desk Award
nominations (including a Drama Desk win for The Secret Rapture). Conroy had a small role in the 1984 movie Falling in Love, as a waitress in a swanky restaurant.
In 1992, Conroy became friends with playwright
Arthur Miller
, which led to her involvement in many of his productions on both stage and screen. During this period, she also appeared on television shows, miniseries, and made-for-TV movies, and met and married fellow actor Jan Munroe.
She is best known for her critically acclaimed work on HBO
's original drama series Six Feet Under, which started in 2001, playing family matriarch Ruth Fisher. For her work on the series, Conroy was nominated for four Emmy Awards (one for every year she was eligible) and won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards
.
In 2008, she landed a guest role in ABC
's Desperate Housewives
as Virginia Hildebrand, a rich woman who tries to buy the Solis family's love. But Eva Longoria
's character, Gabrielle Solis
, declines Virginia's motives, despite being open to receiving her entire fortune.
In 2010, Conroy played Madylyn, the wife of Robert De Niro
's character Jack Mabrey, in the John Curran
thriller Stone
. In the same year, Conroy played the recurring role of Peggy Haplin in the short-lived ABC drama series Happy Town
created by Josh Appelbaum
, Andre Nemec
, and Scott Rosenberg
.
In 2011, Conroy began appearing in the television series American Horror Story
, on the FX network, as one of two actresses playing the housekeeper.
Early life
Conroy was born in Monroe, GeorgiaMonroe, Georgia
Monroe is a city in Walton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 13,381 at the 2008 census. The city is the county seat of Walton County, Georgia.-Geography:Monroe is located at ....
to a business executive father and a mother who also worked in business. She studied drama at the Neighborhood Playhouse
Neighborhood Playhouse
The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre is an actor training school at 340 East 54th Street in New York City, generally associated with the Meisner technique of Sanford Meisner.-History:...
and the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. She was a student at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania during the school year 1971-1972 where she was a member of the Mermaid Players and appeared in college theatrical productions.
Career
During the 1970s, she performed regularly with regionalRegional theatre in the United States
Regional theaters, or resident theaters, in the United States are professional or semi-professional, theater companies that produce their own seasons. The term regional theatre most often refers to professional theatres outside of New York City...
and touring theatrical companies (most notably The Acting Company
The Acting Company
The Acting Company is a theatre company associated with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1972 by John Houseman, then a professor of acting at the Juilliard School...
), and appeared as Desdemona at the Delacorte Theatre in a production of Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
with Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About...
and Raul Julia
Raúl Juliá
Raúl Rafael Juliá y Arcelay was a Puerto Rican actor.Born in San Juan, he gained interest in acting while still in school. Upon completing his studies, Juliá decided to pursue a career in acting. After performing in the local scene for some time, he was convinced by entertainment personality Orson...
. One of her first film appearances was as a Shakespearean
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
actress in Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
's 1979 classic, Manhattan
Manhattan (film)
Manhattan is a 1979 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Woody Allen about a twice-divorced 42-year-old comedy writer who dates a 17-year-old girl before eventually falling in love with his best friend's mistress...
. In 1980, she made a very well-received Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut in Edward Albee
Edward Albee
Edward Franklin Albee III is an American playwright who is best known for The Zoo Story , The Sandbox , Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , and a rewrite of the screenplay for the unsuccessful musical version of Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's . His works are considered well-crafted, often...
's The Lady From Dubuque
The Lady From Dubuque
The Lady from Dubuque, a play by Edward Albee, opened on Broadway at the Morosco Theatre on January 31, 1980. It closed there after a mere 12 performances...
. She focused primarily on her stage career for the next two decades, appearing in such productions as Our Town
Our Town
Our Town is a three-act play by American playwright Thornton Wilder. It is a character story about an average town's citizens in the early twentieth century as depicted through their everyday lives...
, The Little Foxes
The Little Foxes
The Little Foxes is a 1939 play by Lillian Hellman. Its title comes from Chapter 2, Verse 15 in the Song of Solomon in the King James version of the Bible, which reads, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes." Set in a small town in Alabama in...
, and The Ride Down Mt. Morgan
The Ride Down Mt. Morgan
The Ride Down Mt. Morgan is a play by Arthur Miller.The play's central character is Lyman Felt, an insurance agent and bigamist who maintains families in New York City and Elmira in upstate New York...
, receiving one Tony
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
and four Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
nominations (including a Drama Desk win for The Secret Rapture). Conroy had a small role in the 1984 movie Falling in Love, as a waitress in a swanky restaurant.
In 1992, Conroy became friends with playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
Arthur Miller
Arthur Miller
Arthur Asher Miller was an American playwright and essayist. He was a prominent figure in American theatre, writing dramas that include plays such as All My Sons , Death of a Salesman , The Crucible , and A View from the Bridge .Miller was often in the public eye,...
, which led to her involvement in many of his productions on both stage and screen. During this period, she also appeared on television shows, miniseries, and made-for-TV movies, and met and married fellow actor Jan Munroe.
She is best known for her critically acclaimed work on HBO
Home Box Office
HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
's original drama series Six Feet Under, which started in 2001, playing family matriarch Ruth Fisher. For her work on the series, Conroy was nominated for four Emmy Awards (one for every year she was eligible) and won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards
Screen Actors Guild Awards
A Screen Actors Guild Award is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called "The Actor"...
.
In 2008, she landed a guest role in ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
as Virginia Hildebrand, a rich woman who tries to buy the Solis family's love. But Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria
Eva Jacqueline Longoria is an American actress, best known for portraying Gabrielle Solis on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives...
's character, Gabrielle Solis
Gabrielle Solis
Gabrielle Solís is one of four main characters on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. She is portrayed by Eva Longoria...
, declines Virginia's motives, despite being open to receiving her entire fortune.
In 2010, Conroy played Madylyn, the wife of Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
's character Jack Mabrey, in the John Curran
John Curran (director)
John Curran is an American film director and screenwriter.Born in Utica, New York, Curran studied illustration and design at Syracuse University, then worked as an illustrator, graphic designer, and production designer in Manhattan before moving to Sydney, Australia in 1986...
thriller Stone
Stone (2010 film)
Stone is a 2010 American drama directed by John Curran and starring Robert De Niro, Edward Norton and Milla Jovovich. Most of the filming was done in Washtenaw County, Michigan.-Plot synopsis:...
. In the same year, Conroy played the recurring role of Peggy Haplin in the short-lived ABC drama series Happy Town
Happy Town (TV series)
Happy Town is an American drama television series that premiered on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, and ended on June 16, 2010 on ABC. It was created by Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Scott Rosenberg...
created by Josh Appelbaum
Josh Appelbaum
Josh Appelbaum is a television writer and producer. He has written for shows such as Life on Mars, October Road, and most recently, the series Happy Town.- Works :This is a partial listing of Appelbaum's work.*Profiler...
, Andre Nemec
André Nemec
André Nemec is the writer and producer on hit television show Alias. Past credits for writing include episodes of Alias, Fastlane, She Spies, and Profiler. Nemec is the creator, writer and producer of October Road...
, and Scott Rosenberg
Scott Rosenberg
Scott Rosenberg is an American actor, screenwriter and film producer.- Biography :Born in Needham, Massachusetts in 1963, Rosenberg received a Bachelor's Degree from Boston University. He earned his MFA from UCLA...
.
In 2011, Conroy began appearing in the television series American Horror Story
American Horror Story
American Horror Story is a horror-drama television series created and produced by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. The series centers on the Harmon family: Ben, Vivien and their daughter Violet, who move from Boston to Los Angeles after Vivien has a miscarriage and Ben has an affair...
, on the FX network, as one of two actresses playing the housekeeper.
Filmography
- Falling in Love (1984)
- Dirty Rotten ScoundrelsDirty Rotten Scoundrels (film)Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a 1988 American comedy film directed by Frank Oz. The screenplay by Dale Launer, Stanley Shapiro, and Paul Henning focuses on two con artists who ply their trade on the French Riviera...
(1988) - Another WomanAnother WomanAnother Woman is a 1988 film written and directed by Woody Allen. It stars Gena Rowlands and Mia Farrow and does not feature Allen in an acting role.-Plot:...
(1988) - Crimes and MisdemeanorsCrimes and MisdemeanorsCrimes and Misdemeanors is a 1989 black comedy written, directed by and co-starring Woody Allen, alongside Martin Landau, Mia Farrow, Anjelica Huston, Jerry Orbach, Alan Alda, Sam Waterston and Joanna Gleason....
(1989) - Law and OrderLaw and OrderLaw and Order may refer to:In politics:*Law and order , a term common in political debate and discussion, generally indicating support of a strict criminal justice system*Law and Order Offensive Party, a minor German political party...
(1990) - "Prisoner of Love" as Elizabeth Hendrick - Billy BathgateBilly Bathgate (film)Billy Bathgate is a 1991 American crime film directed by Robert Benton, starring Loren Dean as the titular character and Dustin Hoffman as gangster Dutch Schultz. The film co-stars Nicole Kidman, Steven Hill, Steve Buscemi, and Bruce Willis. It is based on the novel of the same name by E.L....
(1991) - Scent of a WomanScent of a WomanThis article is about the American film. For the Korean drama, see Scent of a Woman .Scent of a Woman is a 1992 drama film directed by Martin Brest that tells the story of a preparatory school student who takes a job as an assistant to an irascible, blind, medically retired Army officer...
(1992) - Sleepless in SeattleSleepless in SeattleThe film was originally to have been scored by John Barry, but when he was given a list of 20 songs he had to put in the film, he quit.#As Time Goes By - Jimmy Durante #A Kiss to Build a Dream on - Louis Armstrong #Stardust - Nat King Cole...
(1993) - The Adventures of Huck FinnThe Adventures of Huck Finn (1993 film)The Adventures of Huck Finn is a 1993 Disney adventure film starring Elijah Wood and Courtney B. Vance; it is based on Mark Twain's novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, though it focuses almost exclusively on the first half of the book...
(1993) - Developing (1995)
- The Neon BibleThe Neon Bible (film)The Neon Bible is a 1995 drama film written and directed by Terence Davies, based on the novel of the same name by John Kennedy Toole. The film is about a boy named David coming of age in Georgia in the 1940s...
(1995) - Angela (1995)
- The Crucible (1996)
- Law and OrderLaw and OrderLaw and Order may refer to:In politics:*Law and order , a term common in political debate and discussion, generally indicating support of a strict criminal justice system*Law and Order Offensive Party, a minor German political party...
(1999) - "Disciple" as Rosa Halasy - Six Feet Under (2001–2005)
- Maid in ManhattanMaid in ManhattanMaid in Manhattan is a 2002 romantic comedy film directed by Wayne Wang about a hotel maid and a high profile politician who fall in love starring Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, and Natasha Richardson. It is based on a story by John Hughes who is credited using a pseudonym. The original music score...
(2002) - Die Mommie Die!Die, Mommie, Die!Die, Mommie, Die! is a 1999 drag queen film written by Charles Busch, who also plays the lead role. Partly spoof and partly homage, it draws heavily on the tropes and themes of American "Grande Dame Guignol" movies from the 1950s and 1960s that featured strong, sometimes dominating female leads,...
(2003) - CatwomanCatwoman (film)Catwoman is a 2004 American superhero film and quasi-spinoff of the Batman film series directed by Pitof and released by Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures on July 23, 2004....
(2004) - The Aviator (2004)
- ShopgirlShopgirlShopgirl is a 2005 American romantic drama film directed by Anand Tucker. The screenplay by Steve Martin is based on his 2000 novella of the same name.-Plot:...
(2005) - Broken FlowersBroken FlowersBroken Flowers is a 2005 French/American comedy-drama film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch and produced by Jon Kilik and Stacey Smith. The film focuses on an aging "Don Juan" who embarks on a cross-country journey to track down four of his former lovers after receiving an anonymous letter...
(2005) - Ira and AbbyIra and AbbyIra and Abby is a 2006 romantic comedy film directed by Robert Cary and released in the US by Magnolia Pictures. The poignant love story stars Chris Messina and Jennifer Westfeldt in the title roles, and co-stars Fred Willard, Frances Conroy, Jason Alexander, Robert Klein and Judith...
(2006) - The Wicker ManThe Wicker Man (2006 film)The Wicker Man is a 2006 American remake of the 1973 British film of the same title. It was written and directed by Neil LaBute, based on a screenplay by Anthony Shaffer, and stars Nicolas Cage and Ellen Burstyn....
(2006) - The Seeker: The Dark is Rising (2007)
- Humboldt CountyHumboldt County (film)Humboldt County is a 2008 comedy/drama film by Darren Grodsky and Danny Jacobs. It stars Jeremy Strong, Fairuza Balk, Frances Conroy, Madison Davenport, Brad Dourif, Chris Messina and Peter Bogdanovich. The film made its debut at SXSW on March 7, 2008...
(2008) - The Tale of DespereauxThe Tale of Despereaux (film)The Tale of Despereaux is a 2008 computer-animated film directed by Sam Fell and Robert Stevenhagen. Loosely based on the 2003 fantasy book of the same name by Kate DiCamillo, the movie is narrated by Sigourney Weaver and stars Matthew Broderick and Emma Watson...
(2008) - Desperate HousewivesDesperate HousewivesDesperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
(2008) - Last Chance HarveyLast Chance HarveyLast Chance Harvey is a 2008 American romantic drama film written and directed by Joel Hopkins. The screenplay focuses on two lonely people who tentatively forge a relationship over the course of three days...
(2008) - How I Met Your MotherHow I Met Your MotherHow I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
(2009-2011) - Love Happens (2009)
- Waking MadisonWaking MadisonWaking Madison, , is an independent drama/thriller film written and directed by Katherine Brooks and starring Sarah Roemer and Elisabeth Shue. It is currently in post-production....
(2009) - New in Town (2009)
- Stay CoolStay CoolStay Cool is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Ted Smith, and written by Mark and Michael Polish. The film stars Winona Ryder, Mark Polish, Hilary Duff, Sean Astin, Josh Holloway, Jon Cryer, and Chevy Chase.- Plot :...
(2009) - ShelterShelter (2009 film)Shelter is a supernatural horror-thriller directed by Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein, written by Michael Cooney, and starring Julianne Moore and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The movie is straight-to-video in the U.S. possibly in 2011. -Plot:...
(2009) - Nip/TuckNip/TuckNip/Tuck is an American drama series created by Ryan Murphy, which aired on FX in the United States. The series focuses on McNamara/Troy, a plastic surgery practice, and follows its founders, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy...
(2010) - Happy TownHappy Town (TV series)Happy Town is an American drama television series that premiered on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, and ended on June 16, 2010 on ABC. It was created by Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Scott Rosenberg...
(2010) - StoneStone (2010 film)Stone is a 2010 American drama directed by John Curran and starring Robert De Niro, Edward Norton and Milla Jovovich. Most of the filming was done in Washtenaw County, Michigan.-Plot synopsis:...
(2010) - Grey's AnatomyGrey's AnatomyGrey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
(2010) - United States of Tara (2011)
- American Horror StoryAmerican Horror StoryAmerican Horror Story is a horror-drama television series created and produced by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. The series centers on the Harmon family: Ben, Vivien and their daughter Violet, who move from Boston to Los Angeles after Vivien has a miscarriage and Ben has an affair...
(2011) - Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of OzTom and Jerry and the Wizard of OzTom and Jerry & The Wizard of Oz is a 2011 animated direct-to-video film starring Tom and Jerry, produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is a crossover film version of MGM's famed 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, with characters from the Tom and Jerry/Droopy universe sharing screen with Dorothy and her...
(2011) - Aunt EmAunt EmAunt Em is a fictional character from the Oz books. She is the aunt of Dorothy Gale and wife of Uncle Henry, and lived together with them on a farm in Kansas...
and Glinda (voice)