Bethel Leslie
Bethel Leslie | |
|---|---|
 Leslie inA Rage to Live(1965) | |
| Born | Jane Bethel Leslie August 3, 1929 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | November 28, 1999(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.[citation needed]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
[edit]Jane Bethel Leslie was born inNew York,New York.Her parents were a lawyer, Warren Leslie,[1]and Jane Leslie,[1]a newspaperwoman.[2]Bethel was a student atBrearley Schoolin New York City.[3]She had a brother, writerWarren Leslie.[4]
While a 13-year-old student at Brearley School, Leslie was discovered byGeorge Abbott,[2]who cast her in the playSnafu[5]in 1944. In a 1965 newspaper article, Leslie described herself as "a 'quick study' — able to learn my lines rather fast."[6]
Stage
[edit]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).[7]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.[citation needed]
Television
[edit]Leslie began working in television in the 1940s[5]and 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).[8]
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,[9]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(where she played a Chinese woman), andWagon Train.[citation needed]
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.[citation needed]
Writing
[edit]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."[10]
Film
[edit]Leslie's debut in feature films came in 1964 inCaptain Newman, M.D.[11]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
[edit]| 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
[edit]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."[1]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."[2]
A poll of media critics and editors named her Most Promising New Talent inRadio Television Daily's1963 All-American Favorites—Television.[12]
Leslie's 1986 Broadway portrayal of a drug-addicted mother inLong Day's Journey into Nightbrought her aTony Awardnomination for Best Featured Actress.[13]
Family
[edit]Leslie was married to director Andrew McCullough.[3]They had one child, daughter Leslie McCullough.[14][11]
Death
[edit]Bethel Leslie died ofcancerat 70 in herManhattanapartment.[4]
Radio appearances
[edit]| Year | Program | Episode/source |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Theatre Guild on the Air | The Wisteria Tree[15] |
| 1952 | Grand Central Station | It Makes a Difference[16] |
References
[edit]- ^abcHeimer, Mel (January 20, 1969)."Bethel's a Jacqueline of All Trades".The Daily Notes.The Daily Notes. p. 9.RetrievedMay 28,2015– viaNewspapers.
- ^abcCrosby, John (June 26, 1964)."Bethel Gets Chance To Show She's Sexy".The Manhattan Mercury.The Manhattan Mercury. p. 5.RetrievedMay 28,2015– viaNewspapers.
- ^abMisurell, Ed (January 8, 1966)."'Soaps' Had a Solution for This Star ".The Kane Republican.The Kane Republican. p. 8.RetrievedMay 28,2015– viaNewspapers.
- ^abMcKinley, Jesse (November 30, 1999)."Bethel Leslie, 70, an Actress In Theater, Television and Films".The New York Times.New York Times.RetrievedMay 31,2015.
- ^abKramer, Carol (March 25, 1969)."Variety's Spice of Her Acting Life".Chicago Tribune. p. Section 2 - Page 15.RetrievedMay 30,2015.
- ^Lowry, Cynthia (December 26, 1965)."Quiet Changes Take Place In Daytime Soap Operas".Corpus Christi Caller-Times.The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. p. 82.RetrievedMay 28,2015– viaNewspapers.
- ^Christon, Lawrence (December 11, 1986)."L.A. Theaters are Singing the Holiday Blues; 'Long Day's Journey Into Night' Journeys to TV".Los Angeles Times.p. 121.RetrievedJune 21,2024– viaNewspapers.
- ^Terrace, Vincent (2011).Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010(2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 893.ISBN978-0-7864-6477-7.
- ^"The Texan".Classic Television Archive. Archived fromthe originalon April 8, 2012.RetrievedJanuary 31,2013.
- ^Browning, Norma Lee (January 18, 1970)."Joan Shines As 'Old' Pro On Virginian".Chicago Tribune. p. 2 - Section 10.RetrievedMay 31,2015.
- ^abMcKinley, Jesse (December 2, 1999)."Stage, screen actress Bethel Leslie dies at 70".Wilmington Morning Star. p. 4B.RetrievedMay 31,2015.
- ^Alicoate, Chas. A., Ed. (1964).Yearbook of Radio & Television.Radio Television Daily. P. 31.
- ^"Tony-Nominated Actress Bethel Leslie, 70, is Dead".Playbill. November 30, 1999.RetrievedMay 31,2015.
- ^Blinn, Johna (February 23, 1969)."Try Bethel Leslie's Boeuf Bourguignon".The San Bernardino County Sun.The San Bernardino County Sun. p. 41.RetrievedMay 28,2015– viaNewspapers.
- ^"Leslie, Bethel".radioGOLDINdex.Archived fromthe originalon March 4, 2016.RetrievedMay 31,2015.
- ^Kirby, Walter (March 2, 1952)."Better Radio Programs for the Week".The Decatur Daily Review.The Decatur Daily Review. p. 42.RetrievedMay 28,2015– viaNewspapers.
External links
[edit]
- Bethel Leslieat theInternet Broadway Database
- Bethel LeslieatIMDb
- Bethel Leslieat theInternet Off-Broadway Database
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
- American stage actresses
- American television actresses
- American film actresses
- Screenwriters from New York (state)
- Actresses from New York City
- Actresses from Los Angeles
- 1929 births
- 1999 deaths
- Deaths from cancer in New York (state)
- American women screenwriters
- American soap opera writers
- 20th-century American actresses
- American women soap opera writers
- 20th-century American women writers
- Western (genre) television actors
- Brearley School alumni
- Screenwriters from California
- 20th-century American screenwriters