Suzanne Shepherd

Biography

Suzanne Shepherd, an American actress and theater director, trained with Sanford Meisner and became the first woman to teach his acting program. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in 1934, she helped found the Compass Players in the early 1960s alongside Alan Alda and Alan Arkin. She became known for playing mothers and authority figures, including Aunt Tweedy in Mystic Pizza (1988), Karen's overbearing mother in Goodfellas (1990), the assistant principal in Uncle Buck (1989), and Carmela Soprano's mother Mary DeAngelis on The Sopranos. Her film work also included Requiem for a Dream (2000), where she played Mrs. Scarlini, and A Dirty Shame (2004) as Big Ethel. On television, she appeared in Blue Bloods as Lucille Abetemarco in 2016 and again in 2018. Shepherd also directed theater in New York and regional productions. She died in 2023.

89years old at death

Born October 31, 1934Elizabeth
Died November 17, 2023New York City
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
Also credited as Sadie Gertrude Stern

Movie Career

Films: 18
Career span: 35 years1988 to 2023

Genres

Comedy61%, 11 films
Drama56%, 10 films
Crime22%, 4 films
Romance22%, 4 films
Action6%, 1 film

First and latest

Did you know?!

A change of course
In the early 1960s, Shepherd helped found the Compass Players, an improvisational group, working alongside Alan Alda and Alan Arkin.
A first
Shepherd studied acting with Sanford Meisner and later taught his program of acting study, becoming the first woman to do so.

Suzanne Shepherd movies on Netflix

The Performance2023IMDb rating 6.5as Tess
Furlough2018IMDb rating 5.5as Elizabeth Anderson
The Week Of2018IMDb rating 5.3as Aunt Iris
Where Is Kyra?2018IMDb rating 5.5as Ruth
I Hate Valentine's Day2009IMDb rating 4.7as Edie
A Dirty Shame2004IMDb rating 5.1as Big Ethel
Requiem for a Dream2000IMDb rating 8.3as Mrs. Scarlini
Living Out Loud1998IMDb rating 6.5as Mary
Lolita1997IMDb rating 6.8as Miss Pratt
Bullet1996IMDb rating 6.4as Cookie Stein
Palookaville1996IMDb rating 6.5as Mother
Trees Lounge1996IMDb rating 7.1as Jackie
The Jerky Boys1995IMDb rating 4.8as Mrs. B
Goodfellas1990IMDb rating 8.7as Karen's Mother
Jacob's Ladder1990IMDb rating 7.4as Hospital Receptionist
Second Sight1989IMDb rating 4.4as Marilyn Bloom
Uncle Buck1989IMDb rating 7.1as Mrs. Hogarth
Mystic Pizza1988IMDb rating 6.4as Aunt Tweedy

Best known for

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

Top

Requiem for a Dream2000 Dramaas Mrs. Scarlini
IMDb rating 8.3985K votes
Lolita1997 Drama, Romanceas Miss Pratt
IMDb rating 6.876K votes
Goodfellas1990as Karen's Mother
IMDb rating 8.71.4M votes
Uncle Buck1989as Mrs. Hogarth
IMDb rating 7.1123K votes
A Dirty Shame2004as Big Ethel
IMDb rating 5.114K votes
Jacob's Ladder1990as Hospital Receptionist
IMDb rating 7.4131K votes
Bullet1996as Cookie Stein
IMDb rating 6.49.6K votes
The Week Of2018as Aunt Iris
IMDb rating 5.327K votes

Most often with

Adrian Lyne directed two of these films. Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Mike Starr

Brian Tarantina

Steve Buscemi

Debi Mazar

Rachel Dratch

Leonard JacksonAdrian LyneDirector, 2 films

Films together

Mike Starr3 films together, 1989 to 2009
Mike Starr's page
- I Hate Valentine's Day2009IMDb rating 4.7Shepherd as EdieStarr as John
- Goodfellas1990IMDb rating 8.7Shepherd as Karen's MotherStarr as Frenchy
- Uncle Buck1989IMDb rating 7.1Shepherd as Mrs. HogarthStarr as Pooter-the-Clown
Brian Tarantina3 films together, 1989 to 1995
Brian Tarantina's page
- The Jerky Boys1995IMDb rating 4.8Shepherd as Mrs. BTarantina as Geno
- Jacob's Ladder1990IMDb rating 7.4Shepherd as Hospital ReceptionistTarantina as Doug
- Uncle Buck1989IMDb rating 7.1Shepherd as Mrs. HogarthTarantina as E. Roger Coswell
Steve Buscemi2 films together, 1996 to 2018
Steve Buscemi's page
- The Week Of2018IMDb rating 5.3Shepherd as Aunt IrisBuscemi as Charles
- Trees Lounge1996IMDb rating 7.1Shepherd as JackieBuscemi as Tommy
Debi Mazar2 films together, 1990 to 1996
Debi Mazar's page
- Trees Lounge1996IMDb rating 7.1Shepherd as JackieMazar as Crystal
- Goodfellas1990IMDb rating 8.7Shepherd as Karen's MotherMazar as Sandy
Rachel Dratch2 films together, 2009 to 2018
Rachel Dratch's page
- The Week Of2018IMDb rating 5.3Shepherd as Aunt IrisDratch as Debbie
- I Hate Valentine's Day2009IMDb rating 4.7Shepherd as EdieDratch as Kathy Jeemy
Leonard Jackson2 films together, 1989 to 1996
Leonard Jackson's page
- Palookaville1996IMDb rating 6.5Shepherd as MotherJackson as Bus Driver
- Second Sight1989IMDb rating 4.4Shepherd as Marilyn BloomJackson as Doorman
Adrian LyneDirector, 2 films, 1990 to 1997
All films by Adrian Lyne
- Lolita1997IMDb rating 6.8Shepherd as Miss Pratt
- Jacob's Ladder1990IMDb rating 7.4Shepherd as Hospital Receptionist
Also two films together2 more actors
- Sam CoppolaPalookaville (1996) and Jacob's Ladder (1990)
- Frank SengerBullet (1996) and The Jerky Boys (1995)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.