Rosetta LeNoire

Biography

Rosetta LeNoire was an American actress of stage, film, and television. Born in Harlem, she appeared in the Federal Theatre Project's Bassa Moona and played a witch in Orson Welles's 1936 Macbeth. In 1939 she was Peep-Bo in The Hot Mikado, and she later sang and danced in shows such as I Had a Ball and Destry Rides Again. In 1968 she founded the AMAS Repertory Theatre Company, an interracial New York theater dedicated to multi-ethnic productions, and became a Broadway producer; its Bubbling Brown Sugar earned a Tony Award nomination in 1976. Actors' Equity Association gave her its first award for diversifying theater casting, and in 1988 named the award for her. On television she had regular roles on Gimme a Break! and Amen and was especially known as Estelle Mother Winslow on Family Matters, which ran from 1989 to 1998. She voiced Big Bertha in Fritz the Cat (1972) and received the National Medal of Arts in 1999.

90years old at death

Born August 8, 1911New York City, New York, USA
Died March 17, 2002Lillian Booth Actors Home
Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22

Movie Career

Films: 4
Career span: 18 years1957 to 1975

Every film, newest first

1975The Sunshine BoysIMDb rating 7.1
1972Fritz the CatIMDb rating 6.2
1958Anna LucastaIMDb rating 6.8
1957The Defender (Studio One)IMDb rating 7.9

Genres

Did you know?!

First role
LeNoire's first love was stage theater. She appeared in the Federal Theatre Project production Bassa Moona, and Orson Welles cast her as a witch in his 1936 production of Macbeth.
Behind the award
The Actors' Equity Association named its award for helping diversify theater casting the Rosetta LeNoire Award in 1988, after she received the first such award.

Rosetta LeNoire movies on Netflix

The Sunshine Boys1975IMDb rating 7.1as Odessa, Willy's nurse
Fritz the Cat1972IMDb rating 6.2as Bertha / Additional Female Crows (voice)
Anna Lucasta1958IMDb rating 6.8as Stella(Rosetta Le Noire)
The Defender (Studio One)1957IMDb rating 7.9as Mary Ellen Bailey

Worked with

Rosetta LeNoire made one film with each of them. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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William Shatner

Walter Matthau

Ian Wolfe

Martin Balsam

F. Murray Abraham

Howard Hesseman

Ralph BakshiDirector, 1 film Herbert RossDirector, 1 film Arnold LavenDirector, 1 film

Films together

William Shatner1 film together, 1957
William Shatner's page
- The Defender (Studio One)1957IMDb rating 7.9LeNoire as Mary Ellen BaileyShatner as Kenneth Preston
Walter Matthau1 film together, 1975
Walter Matthau's page
- The Sunshine Boys1975IMDb rating 7.1LeNoire as Odessa, Willy's nurseMatthau as Willy Clark
Ian Wolfe1 film together, 1957
Ian Wolfe's page
- The Defender (Studio One)1957IMDb rating 7.9LeNoire as Mary Ellen BaileyWolfe as Judge Marsala
Martin Balsam1 film together, 1957
Martin Balsam's page
- The Defender (Studio One)1957IMDb rating 7.9LeNoire as Mary Ellen BaileyBalsam as Francis Toohey
F. Murray Abraham1 film together, 1975
F. Murray Abraham's page
- The Sunshine Boys1975IMDb rating 7.1LeNoire as Odessa, Willy's nurseAbraham as Mechanic
Howard Hesseman1 film together, 1975
Howard Hesseman's page
- The Sunshine Boys1975IMDb rating 7.1LeNoire as Odessa, Willy's nurseHesseman as Mr. Walsh, Commerical Director
Ralph BakshiDirector, 1 film, 1972
All films by Ralph Bakshi
- Fritz the Cat1972IMDb rating 6.2LeNoire as Bertha / Additional Female Crowsvoice
Herbert RossDirector, 1 film, 1975
All films by Herbert Ross
- The Sunshine Boys1975IMDb rating 7.1LeNoire as Odessa, Willy's nurse
Arnold LavenDirector, 1 film, 1958
All films by Arnold Laven
- Anna Lucasta1958IMDb rating 6.8LeNoire as Stella(Rosetta Le Noire)

Awards

Three awards and honors from 1993 to 2000.

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Rosetta LeNoire's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Result
Other honors
2000	Paul Robeson Award	Won
1993	Theatre World Special Award	Won
	National Medal of Arts	Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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