Bethel Leslie

Bethel Leslie
Leslie inA Rage to Live(1965)
Born	Jane Bethel Leslie (1929-08-03)August 3, 1929 New York City, U.S.
Died	November 28, 1999(1999-11-28)(aged 70) New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Actress,screenwriter
Years active	1949–1999
Spouse	Andrew McCullough ​ ​ (m.1953;div.1964)​
Children	1 daughter

Jane Bethel Leslie(August 3, 1929 – November 28, 1999) was an American actress and screenwriter.In a career spanning half a century, she was nominated for aPrimetime Emmy Awardand aLaurel Awardin 1964, aTony Awardin 1986, and aCableACE Awardin 1988.

Early years

Jane Bethel Leslie was born inNew York,New York.Her parents were a lawyer, Warren Leslie,and Jane Leslie,a newspaperwoman.Bethel was a student atBrearley Schoolin New York City.She had a brother, writerWarren Leslie.

While a 13-year-old student at Brearley School, Leslie was discovered byGeorge Abbott,who cast her in the playSnafuin 1944. In a 1965 newspaper article, Leslie described herself as "a 'quick study' — able to learn my lines rather fast."

Stage

Over the next four decades, she appeared in a number ofBroadwayproductions, includingGoodbye, My Fancy(1948),The Time of the Cuckoo(1952),Inherit the Wind(1955),Catch Me If You Can(1965), andLong Day's Journey Into Night(1986).In 1950, Leslie was cast asCornelia Otis SkinnerinThe Girls,a television series based on the author'sOur Hearts Were Young and Gay.She departed the show after two months to appear withHelen Hayesin the playThe Wisteria Trees,adapted fromAnton Chekhov'sThe Cherry Orchard,byJoshua Logan.

Television

Leslie began working in television in the 1940sand frequently was a guest on the manyanthology seriespopular in the early to mid-1950s, such asStudio OneandPlayhouse 90.She appeared withRonald W. ReaganandStafford Reppin the 1960 episode "The Way Home" ofCBS'sThe DuPont Show with June Allyson.Later, she was one of the repertory of actors starring inThe Richard Boone Show(1963–1964).

Leslie made three guest appearances onPerry Mason,and was featured as Perry's client in all three episodes. In 1958, she played Janet Morris in "The Case of the Fugitive Nurse" and Evelyn Girard in "The Case of the Purple Woman". In 1960, she played Sylvia Sutton in "The Case of the Wayward Wife". In 1962, she portrayed the part of Martha Hastings in the episode "The Long Count" on CBS'sRawhide.She guest-starred in manywesterntelevision series,includingThe Texan,Mackenzie's Raiders(as Lucinda Cabot in "The Lucinda Cabot Affair" ),The Man from Blackhawk,Riverboat,Wanted: Dead or Alive(episode "Secret Ballot" ),Trackdown,Bat Masterson,The Rifleman,The High Chaparral,Gunsmoke,Maverick,Pony Express,Stagecoach West,Bonanza,The Wild Wild West,Have Gun - Will Travel,andWagon Train.

Her other credits were on drama series, such asAlfred Hitchcock Presents;Richard Diamond, Private DetectiveandThe Fugitive,both starringDavid Janssen;The Eleventh Hour;The Lloyd Bridges Show;Mannix;Route 66(episodes "The Layout at Glen Canyon" and "City of Wheels" );Straightaway;Bus Stop;Target: The Corruptors!;The Investigators;The Man and the Challenge;Adventures in Paradise;Ben Casey;One Step Beyond;ThrillerandEmpire.She became a regular on the NBC soapThe Doctors,when she took over the role of "Maggie Powers" afterAnn Williamsleft the part. Leslie was also featured in the 1964 episode "The Fluellen Family" in the NBC westernDaniel Boone.She had recurring roles onAnother WorldandAll My Childrenand was featured in the television adaptations ofIn Cold BloodandSaint Maybe.

Writing

Leslie was the head writer forThe Secret Stormin 1970. She also scripted episodes forGunsmoke,Bracken's World,Barnaby Jones,McCloud,The New Land,Matt Helm,andFalcon Crest.In 1970, producer Howard Christie referred to Leslie as "a good actress who has turned into a fine scriptwriter."

Film

Leslie's debut in feature films came in 1964 inCaptain Newman, M.D.Herfeature filmcredits includeA Rage to Live(1965);The Molly Maguires(1970), withSean Connery;Dr. Cook's Garden(1971);Old Boyfriends(1979);Ironweed(1987);Message in a Bottle(1999); andUninvited(1999).

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1959	The Rabbit Trap	Abby Colt
1963	Captain Newman, M.D.	Mrs. Helene Winston
1965	A Rage to Live	Amy Hollister
1970	The Molly Maguires	Mrs. Kehoe
1971	Dr. Cook's Garden	Essie Bullitt	TV movie
1979	Old Boyfriends	Mrs. Van Til
1979	Beyond Death's Door
1987	Ironweed	Librarian
1999	Message in a Bottle	Marta
1999	Uninvited	Mrs. Wentworth	(final film role)

Partial Television Appearances

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1958	Perry Mason	Janet Morris	Season 1 Episode 22: "The Case of the Fugitive Nurse"
1958	Perry Mason	Evelyn Girard	Season 2 Episode 9: "The Case of the Purple Woman"
1958	Maverick	Janet Kilmer	Season 2 Episode 9: "The Thirty Ninth Star"
1959	Wanted Dead or Alive	Carol Easter	Season 1 Episode 24: "Secret Ballot"
1959	Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond	Mrs. Barrett	Season 1 Episode 22: "The Riddle" (broadcast 16/6/'59)
1960	Alfred Hitchcock Presents	Mabel Graves	Season 6 Episode 11: "The Man with Two Faces"
1960	Perry Mason	Sylvia Sutton	Season 3 Episode 13: "The Case of the Wayward Wife"
1960	Wagon Train	Greta Halstadt	Season 3 Episode 25: "The Joshua Gilliam Story"
1961	The Rifleman	Tess Miller	Season 3 Episode 31: "Stopover"
1961	Wagon Train	Helen Martin	Season 4 Episode 35: "The Janet Hale Story"
1962	Bonanza	Ann Grant	Season 3 Episode 22: "The Jackknife"
1962	Rawhide	Martha Hastings	Season 4 Episode 13: "The Long Count"
1962	Gunsmoke	Rose Ellen	Season 7 Episode 29: "The Summons"
1963	Have Gun - Will Travel	Kim Sing and Jin Ho	Season 6 Episode 29: "The Lady of the Fifth Moon"
1963	Daniel Boone	Zerelda Fluellen	Season 1 Episode 4: "The Family Fluellen"
1963-1964	The Richard Boone Show	Multiple Characters	25 Episodes
1964	Gunsmoke	Elsa Poe	Season 10 Episode 12: "Innocence"
1965	Wagon Train	Mary Lee McIntosh	Season 8 Episode 20: "The Miss Mary Lee McIntosh Story"
1965-1968	The Doctors	Dr. Maggie Van Alen	116 Episodes
1970	Gunsmoke	Writer	Season 16 Episode 4: "Sam McTavish M.D."
1970	The Virginian	Writer	Season 8 Episode 16: "Nightmare"
1970-1971	The Secret Storm	Head Writer / Writer	3 Episodes
1974	McCloud	Writer	Season 5 Episode 2: "The Gang That Stole Manhattan"
1977	Barnaby Jones	Writer	Season 5 Episode 11: "Sister of Death"
1982	Falcon Crest	Writer	Season 1 Episode 10: "Victims"
1991-1992	All My Children	Claudia Conner	13 Episodes
1994	One Life to Live	Ethel Crawford
1996	As the World Turns	Joan	Episode dated 10 June 1996

Awards and recognition

Leslie was a regular onNBC'sThe Richard Boone Show,which garnered her anEmmy Awardnomination for Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her work in the episode "Statement of Fact."Media criticJohn Crosbywrote about Leslie's work in that anthology series, "During the season Bethel played everything from a seductive ax murderess to a dumb gangster's moll, to an Irish scrub woman, through a whole series of witchy mothers."

A poll of media critics and editors named her Most Promising New Talent inRadio Television Daily's1963 All-American Favorites—Television.

Leslie's 1986 Broadway portrayal of a drug-addicted mother inLong Day's Journey into Nightbrought her aTony Awardnomination for Best Featured Actress.

Family

Leslie was married to director Andrew McCullough.They had one child, daughter Leslie McCullough.

Death

Bethel Leslie died ofcancerat 70 in herManhattanapartment.

Radio appearances

Year	Program	Episode/source
1952	Theatre Guild on the Air	The Wisteria Tree
1952	Grand Central Station	It Makes a Difference

External links

• Bethel Leslieat theInternet Broadway Database
• Bethel LeslieatIMDb
• Bethel Leslieat theInternet Off-Broadway Database