Ronee Sue Blakley[1](August 24, 1945)[2]is an American actress, singer-songwriter, composer, producer and director.
Ronee Blakley | |
|---|---|
 Blakley in 1976 | |
| Born | Ronnie Sue Blakley August 24, 1945 Nampa, Idaho,U.S. |
| Alma mater | Stanford University(1967) California State University(2002) |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Website | roneeblakley |
She is perhaps best known for her role as the fictional country superstar Barbara Jean inRobert Altman's 1975 filmNashville,for which she won a National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress and was nominated for anAcademy Award.She also performed roles inWalter Hill'sThe Driver(1978) andWes Craven'sA Nightmare on Elm Street(1984).
Life and career
editBlakley was born inNampa, Idaho,one of four children born to Ronald Blakley, a civil engineer, and his wife Carol (née Brown), who became a gay rights activist in support of Blakley's brother, Stephen.[3][4]In addition to Stephen, Blakley had a brother John and a sister Marthetta.[5]
1970s
editBlakley released her self-titled debut album onElektra Recordsin 1972. The album featured Blakley's original songs, self-accompanied on piano. Blakley also made the musical arrangements. The song "Bluebird" featured a duet withLinda Ronstadt.Blakley's songs were published by her own company, Sawtooth Music.
Her second album,Welcome—produced byJerry Wexlerand recorded atMuscle Shoals Sound Studioin Alabama—was released on Warner Bros. in 1975.
That same year, Blakley appeared in what may be her most widely known performance inNashville.Her character, Barbara Jean, looked similar to country starLoretta Lynn,though Blakley stated that the character was based onLynn Anderson.[6]Blakley performed her own songs in character, including "Tapedeck In His Tractor," "Dues" and "My Idaho Home." In her review forThe New Yorker,film criticPauline Kaelwrote:
This is Ronee Blakley's first movie, and she puts most movie hysteria to shame. She achieves her gifts so simply, I wasn't surprised when somebody sitting beside me started to cry. Perhaps, for the first time on the screen, one gets the sense of an artist being destroyed by her gifts.[citation needed]
Blakley's performance inNashvillewas nominated for anAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actress,Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Pictureand forBest Acting Debut in a Motion Picture (Female),BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Roleand theGrammy Award for Album of Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special,and won theNational Board of Reviewaward for Best Supporting Actress.[citation needed]She was featured on the covers ofNewsweek,American CinematographerandInterviewmagazines.
She toured inBob Dylan's travelingRolling Thunder Revue,singing a set of solo original songs accompanying herself on piano. She also sang with Dylan and other headlining musicians on the tour, released onThe Bootleg Series Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue.She recorded backup vocals on"Hurricane"for Dylan's albumDesire.Blakley has also recorded withLeonard CohenandHoyt Axton.
Blakley starred in the 1977 filmShe Came to the Valley.She also appeared in several TV movies includingDesperate Women,Ladies in Waiting,Oklahoma City Dollsand theFord 75th Anniversary Specialpresentation ofThe Glass Menagerie.Her guest starring roles in television series includeVega$,The Love Boat,Highway to Heaven,Trapper John,Hotel,The Runaways,Beyond WestworldandTales from the Darkside.
1980s
editBlakley starred inThe Baltimore Bulletin 1980. She appeared on Broadway in 1982'sPump Boys and Dinettesand starred inRainfor theIndiana Repertory Theatre.Blakley played the role of Marge Thompson in the 1984 horror filmA Nightmare on Elm Street.
She wrote, produced, directed and starred in her own feature music docudrama,I Played It for You,in 1985. The movie debuted at theVenice Film Festivaland was screened at several other film festivals around the world. Sheila Benson of theLos Angeles Timescalled it "passionate and brave, an absorbing work." FX Feeney ofLA Weeklycalled it "a valuable document." The film was released on DVD in 2008, bundled with the soundtrack on CD and a new spoken word poetry album titledFreespeak.
Personal life and recent activity
edit
Throughout her career, Blakley has performed on behalf of several political and social causes, with an emphasis on civil rights and equal rights for women. During the 1976 presidential campaign, she toured performing before the speeches ofJerry Brownand later performed at the final Los Angeles rally ofWalter MondalewithKris Kristofferson.[citation needed]
Blakley was married to German filmmakerWim Wendersfrom 1979 to 1981. Having previously graduated from Stanford University in 1967, she completed a master's degree atCalifornia State Universityin 2002. She has one child, author Sarah Blakley-Cartwright. Blakley's career was put on hold while she raised her daughter and also recovered from a back injury.[citation needed]
Her 2009 album,River Nile,was inspired by a trip she made to Egypt. In October 2010, she appeared on stage at New York'sBitter Endfor the first time in 20 years.[7]She wrote, produced and directed the 2012 filmOf One Blood,her first foray into films in over 20 years. Her daughter appeared with her in the film.[8]
Works
editDiscography
edit- Ronee Blakley(1972) – Elektra (re-released byCollector's Choice2006)
- NashvilleSoundtrack – MCA
- Welcome(1975) – Warner Bros. (re-released by Collector's Choice 2006)
- I Played It for You(2007) – RBPI (CDBaby )
- Freespeak(2008 – RBPI (CDBaby )
- Lightning Over WaterSoundtrack (2008) – RBPI (CDBaby )
- Ronee Blakley Live at the Mint(2008) – RBPI
- River Nile(2009) - RBPI
- Grief Holes(2009) - RB[O
- Live at the Bitter End(2011) -RBPI
- Djerassi Collection(2012) - RBPI
- Atom Bomb Baby(2020) - RBPI
Film
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Wilbur and the Baby Factory | ||
| 1975 | Nashville | Barbara Jean | |
| 1977 | Three Dangerous Ladies | Simone Maglore | Segment "The Mannikin" |
| The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover | Carrie DeWitt | ||
| 1978 | Renaldo and Clara | Mrs. Dylan | |
| The Driver | The Connection | ||
| 1979 | She Came to the Valley | Willy Westall | |
| Good Luck, Miss Wyckoff | Betsy | ||
| 1980 | The Baltimore Bullet | Carolina Red | |
| Lightning Over Water | Herself | Documentary | |
| 1984 | A Nightmare on Elm Street | Marge Thompson | |
| 1985 | Cinématon | ||
| 1987 | A Return to Salem's Lot | Sally | |
| Student Confidential | Jenny Selden | ||
| Someone to Love | Attendee | ||
| 1990 | Murder by Numbers | Faith | |
| 2019 | Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese | The Ingénue |
Television
edit- Desperate Women(1978)
- Vega$(1 episode, 1978): Second Stanza (1978)
- Ladies in Waiting(1979)
- The Love Boat(1 episode, 1979): Doc's Ex' Change/Gift, The/Making the Grade (1979)
- Beyond Westworld(1 episode, 1980): Sound of Terror (1980)
- The Oklahoma City Dolls(1981)
- Highway to Heaven(1 episode, 1984): Song of the Wild West (1984)
- Trapper John, M.D.(1 episode, 1985): So Little, Gone (1985)
- Tales from the Darkside(1 episode, 1985): The False Prophet (1985)
- ABC Afterschool SpecialSherman (1 episode, 1987): Divorced Kids' Blues (1987)
- Hotel(1 episode, 1988): Double Take (1988) TV episode
Composer
edit- Welcome Home, Soldier Boys(1971)
- Nashville(1975)
- Lightning Over Water(1980)
- Docu Drama(1984)
Soundtracks
edit- Nashville(1975) (writer: "Bluebird", "Tapedeck in His Tractor", "Dues", "My Idaho Home" ) (music: "Down to the River" ) (lyrics: "Down to the River" ) (performer: "Tapedeck in His Tractor", "Dues", "My Idaho Home", "One, I Love You", "Down to the River" )
- Renaldo and Clara(1978) (writer: "Need a New Sun Rising" ) (performer: "Need a New Sun Rising" )
Director, writer & producer
edit- Docu Drama(1984)
- Of One Blood(2012)
References
edit- ^Ragan, David (1992).Who's Who in Hollywood: The Largest Cast of International Film Personalities Ever Assembled, Volume 1.New York: Facts on File. p. 247.ISBN0-8160-2009-4.
- ^"Birthdays".The Independent.August 24, 2021. p. 42.ProQuest2563566516.
Anne Archer, actor, 74;Ronee Blakley, actor, singer and songwriter, 76;Dame Antonia 'AS' Byatt, novelist, 85
See also:- "BIRTHDAYS".The Independent.August 24, 2016. p. 53.ProQuest1813395841.
Anne Archer, actress, 69; Kenny Baker, actor, 82; Paul Barker, writer and broadcaster, 81;Ronee Blakley, actress, singer and songwriter, 71;Dame Antonia Byatt, writer, 80
- "BIRTHDAYS".The Independent.August 24, 2016. p. 53.ProQuest1813395841.
- ^Bernstein, Robert A. (25 June 2003).Straight Parents, Gay Children: Keeping Families Together.Da Capo Press.ISBN9781560254522– via Google Books.
- ^"Carol Blakley's Obituary on Idaho Press Tribune".Idaho Press Tribune.2009-10-08.Retrieved2014-08-19.
- ^"Caldwell Foundation for Educational Opportunity".cfeo.org.Retrieved2014-08-19.
- ^Tyler Coates (December 3, 2013)."Flavorwire Interview: Ronee Blakley Looks Back at Robert Altman's Masterpiece, 'Nashville'".Flavorwire.RetrievedJune 21,2015.
- ^Jon Friedman,"Ronee Blakley on Singing with Dylan and Her New York Return",Speakeasy (WSJ Blog), October 12, 2010.
- ^Cain, Julie (2012-10-26)."Catching Up With Ronee Blakley".Ms. Magazine.Retrieved2024-06-14.