Melinda Dillon

Biography

Melinda Dillon was an American actress who began as an improvisational comedian and stage performer before moving into film and television. Born in Hope, Arkansas, and raised in Cullman, Alabama, she trained at the Goodman School of Drama. Her Broadway debut came in the original 1962 production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, earning a Tony Award nomination. She made her feature debut in The April Fools (1969) and later drew Academy Award nominations for Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and Absence of Malice (1981), both as Best Supporting Actress. Other films included Bound for Glory (1976), Slap Shot (1977), Harry and the Hendersons (1987), The Prince of Tides (1991), To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995), and Reign Over Me (2007). She was known for playing Mrs. Parker in A Christmas Story (1983), and appeared in Magnolia (1999), which brought a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.

83years old at death

Born October 13, 1939Hope
Died January 9, 2023Los Angeles
Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
Also credited as Melinda Rose Dillon and Melinda Ruth Dillon

Movie Career

Films: 16
Career span: 38 years1969 to 2007

Genres

Drama75%, 12 films
Comedy31%, 5 films
Romance25%, 4 films
Sci-Fi19%, 3 films
Thriller19%, 3 films

First and latest

Photos

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Early training
In 1961, while a senior acting student at Goodman, Dillon also spent time with a Second City troupe whose members included Barbara Harris and Alan Arkin.

Melinda Dillon movies on Netflix

Reign Over Me2007IMDb rating 7.4as Ginger Timpleman
Cowboy Up2002IMDb rating 5.6as Rose Braxton
Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story1996IMDb rating 6.3as Sister Aloysius
To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar1995IMDb rating 6.9as Merna
The Prince of Tides1991IMDb rating 6.8as Savannah Wingo
Captain America1990IMDb rating 3.3as Mrs. Rogers
Spontaneous Combustion1989IMDb rating 4.9as Nina
Harry and the Hendersons1987IMDb rating 6.1as Nancy Henderson
Shattered Spirits1986IMDb rating 6.1as Joyce Mollencamp
A Christmas Story1983IMDb rating 7.9as Mother Parker
Absence of Malice1981IMDb rating 6.9as Teresa
F.I.S.T.1978IMDb rating 6.4as Anna Zarinkas
Close Encounters of the Third Kind1977IMDb rating 7.6as Jillian Guiler
Slap Shot1977IMDb rating 7.2as Suzanne
Bound for Glory1976IMDb rating 7.2as Mary - Woody's Wife / Memphis Sue
The April Fools1969IMDb rating 6.1as Leslie Hopkins

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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A Christmas Story1983 Comedy, Familyas Mother Parker
IMDb rating 7.9180K votes
Close Encounters of the Third Kind1977 Drama, Sci-Fias Jillian Guiler
IMDb rating 7.6239K votes
Harry and the Hendersons1987as Nancy Henderson
IMDb rating 6.140K votes
Reign Over Me2007as Ginger Timpleman
IMDb rating 7.4106K votes
Absence of Malice1981as Teresa
IMDb rating 6.917K votes
The Prince of Tides1991as Savannah Wingo
IMDb rating 6.822K votes
To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar1995as Merna
IMDb rating 6.943K votes
F.I.S.T.1978as Anna Zarinkas
IMDb rating 6.49.5K votes

Most often with

Nine 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.

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M. Emmet Walsh

Martin Sheen

Paul Newman

Bob Balaban

Blythe Danner

Ronny Cox

Films together

M. Emmet Walsh2 films together, 1977 to 1987
M. Emmet Walsh's page
- Harry and the Hendersons1987IMDb rating 6.1Dillon as Nancy HendersonWalsh as George Henderson Sr.
- Slap Shot1977IMDb rating 7.2Dillon as SuzanneWalsh as Dickie Dunn
Martin Sheen2 films together, 1986 to 1996
Martin Sheen's page
- Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story1996IMDb rating 6.3Dillon as Sister AloysiusSheen as Peter Maurin
- Shattered Spirits1986IMDb rating 6.1Dillon as Joyce MollencampSheen as Lyle Mollencamp
Paul Newman2 films together, 1977 to 1981
Paul Newman's page
- Absence of Malice1981IMDb rating 6.9Dillon as TeresaNewman as Gallagher
- Slap Shot1977IMDb rating 7.2Dillon as SuzanneNewman as Reggie
Bob Balaban2 films together, 1977 to 1981
Bob Balaban's page
- Absence of Malice1981IMDb rating 6.9Dillon as TeresaBalaban as Rosen
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind1977IMDb rating 7.6Dillon as Jillian GuilerBalaban as David Laughlin
Blythe Danner2 films together, 1991 to 1995
Blythe Danner's page
- To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar1995IMDb rating 6.9Dillon as MernaDanner as Beatrice
- The Prince of Tides1991IMDb rating 6.8Dillon as Savannah WingoDanner as Sally Wingo
Ronny Cox2 films together, 1976 to 1990
Ronny Cox's page
- Captain America1990IMDb rating 3.3Dillon as Mrs. RogersCox as Tom Kimball
- Bound for Glory1976IMDb rating 7.2Dillon as Mary - Woody's Wife / Memphis SueCox as Ozark Bule
Also two films together3 more actors
- Darren McGavinCaptain America (1990) and A Christmas Story (1983)
- Brad SullivanThe Prince of Tides (1991) and Slap Shot (1977)
- John LehneF.I.S.T. (1978) and Bound for Glory (1976)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Melinda Dillon's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$672 million

10 of the 16 films have a worldwide figure.

10Worldwide figure
2US gross only
1Never in cinemas
3Figure not found

Top grosser

Close Encounters of the Third Kind1977Jillian Guiler$307 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 97% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Close Encounters of the Third Kind1977as Jillian Guiler
$307M45.6% of the total
2
The Prince of Tides1991as Savannah Wingo
$135M20.1% of the total
3
Harry and the Hendersons1987as Nancy Henderson
$50M7.4% of the total
4
To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar1995as Merna
$48M7.1% of the total
5
Absence of Malice1981as Teresa
$41M6.1% of the total
6
Slap Shot1977as Suzanne
$28M4.2% of the total
7
Reign Over Me2007as Ginger Timpleman
$22M3.3% of the total
8
A Christmas Story1983as Mother Parker
$21M3.1% of the total