Frances Sternhagen
Biography
Frances Sternhagen was an American character actress whose stage, film, and television career lasted more than six decades. Born in Washington, D.C., she began performing in summer theater before making her Broadway debut in The Skin of Our Teeth in 1955. She won two Tony Awards for featured actress in a play, for Neil Simon's The Good Doctor in 1973 and The Heiress in 1995. On screen, her film debut came with Up the Down Staircase (1967), and she later appeared in The Hospital (1971), Starting Over (1979), and Misery (1990). Her role in Outland (1981) earned her a Saturn Award, while her recurring parts on Cheers and Sex and the City brought Emmy nominations. She also appeared in ER and The Closer. Later films included The Mist (2007), Dolphin Tale (2011), and And So It Goes (2014).
93years old at death
- Born Washington, D.C.
- Died New Rochelle
- Star sign: CapricornThe sign runs December 22 to January 19
- Also credited as Frances Hussey Sternhagen
Movie Career
- Films
- 18
- Career span
- 47 years1967 to 2014
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A role that slipped away
Sternhagen played the title character in the 1988 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Driving Miss Daisy. Dana Ivey originated the role at Playwrights Horizons in New York City, and Sternhagen took it over once the production transferred to the John Houseman Theatre, playing it for more than two years.
A first
Sternhagen won her first Obie Award for Distinguished Performance (Actress) for The Admirable Bashville in 1955-56, the year after her Broadway debut in The Skin of Our Teeth.
Behind the award
In Outland (1981), Sternhagen played Dr. Marian Lazarus, described as acerbic and tough-as-nails, opposite Sean Connery. Her performance earned her a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Frances Sternhagen movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Rob Reiner directed two of these films, Arthur Hiller two and Alan J. Pakula two. Eight actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Henry Fonda's page
Tom Bower's page
Michael J. Fox's page
Rob Reiner's page
Tom Aldredge's page
Barnard Hughes's page
All films by Arthur Hiller
Alan J. PakulaDirector, 2 films, 1979 to 1989
All films by Alan J. Pakula
Also two films together2 more actors
- Roberts BlossomDoc Hollywood (1991) and The Hospital (1971)
- Nathan GambleDolphin Tale (2011) and The Mist (2007)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Frances Sternhagen's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$432 million
13 of the 18 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 18 films: 13 worldwide figure; 1 us gross only; 2 never in cinemas; 2 figure not found.
- 13Worldwide figure
- 1US gross only
- 2Never in cinemas
- 2Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 89% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$95M22.1% of the total
- 2$61M14.2% of the total
- 3$57M13.3% of the total
- 4$55M12.7% of the total
- 5$37M8.6% of the total
- 6$36M8.3% of the total
- 7$25M5.9% of the total
- 8$18M4.1% of the total
$47.1 millionfrom the other 5 films with a worldwide figure, 11% of the total
Awards
Two awards and honors from 1974 to 1995, two of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tony Awards | |||
| 1995 | Best Featured Actress in a Play | Won | |
| 1974 | Best Featured Actress in a Play | Won | |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.