Samantha Eggar
Encyclopedia
Samantha Eggar is an English
film, television and voice actress.
, London
to an Anglo-Irish father (Ralph, a major in the British Army
) and a mother (Muriel) of Dutch
and Portuguese
descent. She was raised Roman Catholic and educated at St Mary's Providence Convent, Woking, Surrey.
companies, and debuted on film in 1962 in The Wild and the Willing
. Also in 1962 she played Ethel Le Neve in the film Dr. Crippen, alongside Donald Pleasence
. Eggar starred in the comedy Walk Don't Run
(1966) with Cary Grant
, his last picture. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress
for The Collector (1965), directed by William Wyler
. She won a Golden Globe award for this performance and was also named Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival
.
Eggar appeared in such films as Curtains
, Doctor Dolittle
, The Molly Maguires
, Dark Horse
, The Brood
, and The Light at the Edge of the World
. In 1972, she played the governess opposite Yul Brynner
for the short-run TV show Anna and the King
. In 1977, she co-starred with Peter Falk
and Theodore Bikel
in the Columbo episode The Bye-Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case. She appeared as Maggie Gioberti in "The Vintage Years", the pilot for the drama Falcon Crest
, but was replaced by Susan Sullivan
when the series went into production.
In 1997, she provided the voice of Hera in Disney's animated film Hercules
. Eggar also had a role in a 1999 picture, The Astronaut's Wife
, which starred Johnny Depp
.
She has appeared as the wife of Captain Jean-Luc Picard
's brother Robert in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
, as Sister Vivian in Cold Case, and as Sarah Templeton, the wife of Speaker of the House
Nathan Templeton (Donald Sutherland
), on the short-lived television series Commander in Chief
, which starred Geena Davis
. In 2000, she had a brief run in the American
soap opera
All My Children
. In 2009, she played the mother of Jack and Becky Gallagher in Season 1, Episode 11 ("Lines in the Sand") of the FOX television series Mental
.
, and a daughter, Jenna Stern
. Eggar and Stern divorced in 1971.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
film, television and voice actress.
Early life
She was born Victoria Louise Samantha Marie Elizabeth Therese Eggar in HampsteadHampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to an Anglo-Irish father (Ralph, a major in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
) and a mother (Muriel) of Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
and Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
descent. She was raised Roman Catholic and educated at St Mary's Providence Convent, Woking, Surrey.
Career
She began her acting career in several ShakespeareanWilliam 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"...
companies, and debuted on film in 1962 in The Wild and the Willing
The Wild and the Willing
The Wild and the Willing is a 1962 British romantic drama film directed by Ralph Thomas and starring Virginia Maskell, Paul Rogers, Ian McShane, Samantha Eggar and John Hurt. It marked the film debut of McShane, who later became famous for his television roles in Lovejoy and Deadwood...
. Also in 1962 she played Ethel Le Neve in the film Dr. Crippen, alongside Donald Pleasence
Donald Pleasence
Sir Donald Henry Pleasence, OBE, was a British actor who gained more than 200 screen credits during a career which spanned over four decades...
. Eggar starred in the comedy Walk Don't Run
Walk Don't Run
Walk, Don't Run is a 1966 comedy film set in Tokyo during the Olympic Games in 1964. The movie marked the last appearance by Cary Grant in a feature film, and is a remake of the 1943 film The More the Merrier.-Plot:...
(1966) with Cary Grant
Cary Grant
Archibald Alexander Leach , better known by his stage name Cary Grant, was an English actor who later took U.S. citizenship...
, his last picture. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress
Academy Award for Best Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
for The Collector (1965), directed by William Wyler
William Wyler
William Wyler was a leading American motion picture director, producer, and screenwriter.Notable works included Ben-Hur , The Best Years of Our Lives , and Mrs. Miniver , all of which won Wyler Academy Awards for Best Director, and also won Best Picture...
. She won a Golden Globe award for this performance and was also named Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
.
Eggar appeared in such films as Curtains
Curtains (film)
Curtains is a 1983 Canadian horror film. Though a fairly obscure film, Curtains has gained some underground cult status among fans of the slasher film genre, many of whom cite the 'ice skating' murder scene as the film's memorable highlight...
, Doctor Dolittle
Doctor Dolittle (film)
Doctor Dolittle is a 1967 American musical film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Rex Harrison, Samantha Eggar, Anthony Newley and Richard Attenborough. It's adapted by Leslie Bricusse from the novel series by Hugh Lofting, primarily The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, The Story of Doctor...
, The Molly Maguires
The Molly Maguires (film)
The Molly Maguires is a 1970 American film based on a novel by Arthur H. Lewis that was directed by Martin Ritt. It stars Richard Harris and Sean Connery....
, Dark Horse
Dark Horse (1992 film)
Dark Horse is a 1992 American drama film directed by David Hemmings. The screenplay by Janet Maclean was adapted from an original story by Tab Hunter.-Plot:...
, The Brood
The Brood
The Brood is a 1979 Canadian horror film written and directed by David Cronenberg, starring Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar and Art Hindle.The film depicts a series of murders committed by what seems at first to be a group of children...
, and The Light at the Edge of the World
The Light at the Edge of the World
The Light at the Edge of the World is a 1971 adventure film, adapted from Jules Verne's classic 1905 adventure novel Le Phare du bout du monde...
. In 1972, she played the governess opposite Yul Brynner
Yul Brynner
Yul Brynner was a Russian-born actor of stage and film. He was best known for his portrayal of Mongkut, king of Siam, in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor for the film version; he also played the role more than 4,500 times on...
for the short-run TV show Anna and the King
Anna and the King (TV series)
Anna and the King is a short-lived sitcom broadcast in the United States by CBS as part of its 1972 fall lineup.-Overview:Anna and the King is a non-musical adaptation of the 1956 film of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I, which was in turn based on the novel Anna and the King of Siam by...
. In 1977, she co-starred with Peter Falk
Peter Falk
Peter Michael Falk was an American actor, best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series Columbo...
and Theodore Bikel
Theodore Bikel
Theodore Meir Bikel is a character actor, folk singer and musician. He made his film debut in The African Queen and was nominated for an Academy award for his supporting role as Sheriff Max Muller in The Defiant Ones ....
in the Columbo episode The Bye-Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case. She appeared as Maggie Gioberti in "The Vintage Years", the pilot for the drama Falcon Crest
Falcon Crest
Falcon Crest is an American primetime television soap opera which aired on the CBS network for nine seasons, from December 4, 1981 to May 17, 1990. A total of 227 episodes were produced....
, but was replaced by Susan Sullivan
Susan Sullivan
Susan Michaela Sullivan is an American actress, known for several notable roles on various television programs. Sullivan played the role of Lenore Curtin Delaney on the daytime soap opera, Another World ; waitress Lois Adams during the first season of the comedy It's a Living, Maggie Gioberti...
when the series went into production.
In 1997, she provided the voice of Hera in Disney's animated film Hercules
Hercules (1997 film)
Hercules is a 1997 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirty-fifth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker...
. Eggar also had a role in a 1999 picture, The Astronaut's Wife
The Astronaut's Wife
The Astronaut's Wife is a 1999 science fiction/thriller film directed and written by Rand Ravich. It stars Johnny Depp and Charlize Theron.-Plot:...
, which starred Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
.
She has appeared as the wife of Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
's brother Robert in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, as Sister Vivian in Cold Case, and as Sarah Templeton, the wife of Speaker of the House
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
Nathan Templeton (Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland
Donald McNichol Sutherland, OC is a Canadian actor with a film career spanning nearly 50 years. Some of Sutherland's more notable movie roles included offbeat warriors in such war movies as The Dirty Dozen, , MASH , and Kelly's Heroes , as well as in such popular films as Klute, Invasion of the...
), on the short-lived television series Commander in Chief
Commander in Chief (TV series)
Commander in Chief is an American drama television series that focused on the fictional administration and family of Mackenzie Allen , the first female President of the United States, who ascends to the role from the Vice Presidency after the death of the sitting President from a sudden cerebral...
, which starred Geena Davis
Geena Davis
Virginia Elizabeth "Geena" Davis is an American actress, film producer, writer, former fashion model, and a women's Olympics archery team semi-finalist...
. In 2000, she had a brief run in the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
. In 2009, she played the mother of Jack and Becky Gallagher in Season 1, Episode 11 ("Lines in the Sand") of the FOX television series Mental
Mental (TV series)
Mental is a television series produced by Fox's subsidiary Fox Telecolombia, which aired in the summer and fall of 2009 on FOX international channels for Latin America, Europe and Asia, starring Chris Vance and Annabella Sciorra...
.
Personal life
In 1964, she married actor Tom Stern, with whom she has a son, Nicholas SternNicholas Stern (film producer)
Nicholas Stern is a film production manager. Member of an artist family, he is the son of actor/producer Tom Stern and Golden Globe-winning actress Samantha Eggar...
, and a daughter, Jenna Stern
Jenna Stern
Jenna Louise Stern is an American actress.Member of an artist family, Stern is the daughter of actor/producer Tom Stern and Academy award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actress Samantha Eggar. Her brother, Nicolas Stern, is a producer for film and television...
. Eggar and Stern divorced in 1971.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Dr. Crippen (film) | Ethel Le Neve | |
| The Wild and the Willing The Wild and the Willing The Wild and the Willing is a 1962 British romantic drama film directed by Ralph Thomas and starring Virginia Maskell, Paul Rogers, Ian McShane, Samantha Eggar and John Hurt. It marked the film debut of McShane, who later became famous for his television roles in Lovejoy and Deadwood... |
Josie | ||
| 1963 | Doctor in Distress Doctor in Distress (film) Doctor in Distress is a 1963 British comedy film directed by Ralph Thomas and starring Dirk Bogarde, James Robertson Justice, and Samantha Eggar. It was the fifth film in the Doctor Series... |
Delia Mallory | |
| 1964 | Psyche 59 | Robin | |
| 1965 | Return from the Ashes | Fabienne 'Fabi' Wolf | |
| The Collector | Miranda Grey | aka The Butterfly Collector Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Award Best Actress Award (Cannes Film Festival) The Best Actress Award is an award presented at the Cannes Film Festival. It is chosen by the jury from the 'official section' of films at the festival. It was first awarded in 1946.-Award Winners:-External links:* * .... Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama Sant Jordi Award for Best Performance in a Foreign Film Nominated — Academy Award for Best Actress Academy Award for Best Actress Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry... |
|
| 1966 | Walk Don't Run Walk Don't Run Walk, Don't Run is a 1966 comedy film set in Tokyo during the Olympic Games in 1964. The movie marked the last appearance by Cary Grant in a feature film, and is a remake of the 1943 film The More the Merrier.-Plot:... |
Christine Easton | aka Walk, Don't Run |
| 1967 | Doctor Dolittle Doctor Dolittle (film) Doctor Dolittle is a 1967 American musical film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Rex Harrison, Samantha Eggar, Anthony Newley and Richard Attenborough. It's adapted by Leslie Bricusse from the novel series by Hugh Lofting, primarily The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, The Story of Doctor... |
Emma Fairfax | |
| 1970 | The Molly Maguires The Molly Maguires (film) The Molly Maguires is a 1970 American film based on a novel by Arthur H. Lewis that was directed by Martin Ritt. It stars Richard Harris and Sean Connery.... |
Miss Mary Raines | |
| The Walking Stick The Walking Stick The Walking Stick is a 1970 film directed by Eric Till and starring David Hemmings and Samantha Eggar. It is based on the novel of the same name written by Winston Graham... |
Deborah Dainton | ||
| The Lady in the Car with Glasses and a Gun | Danielle Lang ("Dany") | ||
| 1971 | The Light at the Edge of the World The Light at the Edge of the World The Light at the Edge of the World is a 1971 adventure film, adapted from Jules Verne's classic 1905 adventure novel Le Phare du bout du monde... |
Arabella | |
| 1972 | The Dead Are Alive The Dead Are Alive - Plot :Between Spoleto and Cerveteri, someone kills young couples, inspiring himself to the frescos of a grave etrusca in which the demon Tuchulca appears...- Cast :... |
Myra Shelton | |
| 1973 | A Name for Evil | Joanna Blake | |
| 1976 | The Seven-Per-Cent Solution The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (film) The Seven-Per-Cent Solution is a 1976 Universal Studios Sherlock Holmes film, directed by Herbert Ross and written by Nicholas Meyer. It is based on Meyer's 1974 novel of the same name. The film stars Nicol Williamson, Robert Duvall, Alan Arkin, and Laurence Olivier.-Plot synopsis:When Dr... |
Mary Morstan Watson | |
| 1977 | The Uncanny | Edina Hamilton | |
| Welcome to Blood City | Katherine | aka Blood City | |
| Why Shoot the Teacher? Why Shoot the Teacher? Why Shoot the Teacher? is a 1977 Canadian comedy-drama film based on a book of the same name by Max Braithwaite.The plot concerns Max Brown who travels to Western Canada in the mid-1930s to accept a teaching position at a small rural schoolhouse in the fictional settlement of Willowgreen,... |
Alice Field | ||
| Columbo: The Bye-Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case | Vivian Brandt | ||
| 1978 | The Biggest Battle | Annelise Ackermann | |
| 1979 | The Brood The Brood The Brood is a 1979 Canadian horror film written and directed by David Cronenberg, starring Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar and Art Hindle.The film depicts a series of murders committed by what seems at first to be a group of children... |
Nola Carveth | Nominated — Genie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign Actress Genie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign Actress The Genie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign Actress was awarded by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television from 1980 to 1983, for the best performance by non-Canadian actress in a Canadian film.... |
| 1980 | The Exterminator The Exterminator The Exterminator is a 1980 action film written, produced and directed by James Glickenhaus and starring Robert Ginty as Vietnam veteran vigilante John Eastland, also known as "The Exterminator", who takes out the street punks and those involved in organized crime when the law fails to do justice.-... |
Dr. Megan Stewart | |
| 1981 | The Hot Touch | Samantha O'Brien | |
| Demonoid Messenger of Death | Jennifer Baines | ||
| 1983 | Curtains Curtains (film) Curtains is a 1983 Canadian horror film. Though a fairly obscure film, Curtains has gained some underground cult status among fans of the slasher film genre, many of whom cite the 'ice skating' murder scene as the film's memorable highlight... |
Samantha Sherwood | |
| 1991 | Ragin' Cajun | Dr. May | |
| 1992 | Dark Horse Dark Horse (1992 film) Dark Horse is a 1992 American drama film directed by David Hemmings. The screenplay by Janet Maclean was adapted from an original story by Tab Hunter.-Plot:... |
Mrs. Curtis | |
| Round Numbers | Anne | ||
| 1994 | Inevitable Grace | Britt | |
| 1996 | The Phantom | Lily Palmer | |
| 1997 | Hercules Hercules (1997 film) Hercules is a 1997 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirty-fifth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker... |
Hera, Hercules' Mother | (voice) |
| 1999 | The Astronaut's Wife The Astronaut's Wife The Astronaut's Wife is a 1999 science fiction/thriller film directed and written by Rand Ravich. It stars Johnny Depp and Charlize Theron.-Plot:... |
Dr. Patraba |