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Nina Foch

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Nina Foch
Foch inEscape in the Fog(1945)
Born
Nina Consuelo Maud Fock

(1924-04-20)April 20, 1924
Leiden,South Holland,Netherlands
DiedDecember 5, 2008(2008-12-05)(aged 84)
Los Angeles,California,U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, drama teacher
Years active1943–2007
Spouses
​
​
(m.1954;div.1959)​
Dennis de Brito
​
​
(m.1959;div.1964)​
Michael Dewell
​
​
(m.1967;div.1993)​
Children1
MotherConsuelo Flowerton

Nina Foch(/fɒʃ/FOSH;bornNina Consuelo Maud Fock;April 20, 1924 – December 5, 2008) was an Americanactresswho later became an instructor. Her career spanned 6 decades, consisting of over 50 feature films and over 100 television credits. She was the recipient of numerous accolades, including anAcademy Awardnomination forBest Supporting Actress,and aNational Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress.Foch established herself as a dramatic actress in the late 1940s, often playing cool, aloof sophisticates.[1]

Born inLeiden,Netherlands in 1924, Foch immigrated to the United States with her mother while still a toddler, and was raised in New York City. After signing a contract withColumbia Picturesat age 19, Foch became a regular in the studio'shorror picturesandfilm noirs,starring in such films asThe Return of the Vampire(1943),Escape in the Fog,andMy Name Is Julia Ross(1945). She concurrently embarked on a stage career, making herBroadwaydebut as the titular Mary in 1947'sJohn Loves Mary.She subsequently starred in several Broadway productions ofWilliam Shakespeareplays, includingTwelfth Night(1949),King Lear(1950), andMeasure for Measure(1955).

Foch gained widespread notice for her role as Milo Roberts in the musical filmAn American in Paris(1951);Robert Wise's dramaExecutive Suite(1954), which earned her theAcademy Award nominationfor Best Supporting Actress;Cecil B. DeMille'sThe Ten Commandments(1956); andStanley Kubrick'sSpartacus(1960). In 1967, she made her theatrical directorial debut with a Broadway production ofWays and Means,a comedy byNoël Coward.Foch also worked extensively intelevisionbeginning in the 1950s, with notable roles including the victim in the first of Peter Falk'sColumbofilms in 1968, as well as guest-starring parts inCheckmate(1961),Naked City(1962),The Wild Wild West(1969),The F.B.I.(1970), andHawaii Five-O(1973). In 1980, she was nominated for aPrimetime Emmy AwardforOutstanding Supporting Actressfor her guest role on an episode ofLou Grant.

Beginning in the 1960s, Foch began a concurrent career as an educator, teaching courses in drama and film directing at theAmerican Film Instituteand at theUniversity of Southern California'sSchool of Cinematic Arts,where she was a faculty member for over 40 years. Among her students were directorsRandal KleiserandEdward Zwickand performerJulie Andrews.Foch continued to teach until the end of her life, up until her death in December 2008 ofmyelodysplastic syndrome.[2]

Biography

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1924–1942: Early life

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Nina Foch was born Nina Consuelo Maud Fock in 1924[3]inLeiden,South Holland,Netherlands, to American actress and singerConsuelo Flowertonand Dutch classical music conductor Dirk Fock.[4]Her parents divorcedwhen she was a toddler, and she and her mother moved to the United States, settling in New York City.[5]

Throughout Foch's childhood, her mother encouraged her artistic talents; she learnedpianoand enjoyed art but was more interested inacting.[6]After graduating from theLincoln School,Foch attended theAmerican Academy of Dramatic Arts,studyingmethod actingunderLee StrasbergandStella Adler.[7]

1943–1950: Early films and theater

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Foch as Harriet Hosbon inJohnny O'Clock(1947)

After signing a contract withColumbia Picturesat age 19, Foch made her feature film debut in the studio'shorror pictureThe Return of the Vampire(1943) withBela Lugosi,[8]subsequently appearing in Columbia'sCry of the Werewolfthe next year.[9]This was followed with a role in thebiopicA Song to Remember(1945), the dramaI Love a Mystery(1945); and a string of film noirs, includingEscape in the Fog(1945), in which she starred as a woman who has a premonition of her kidnapping.[10]The same year, she had the titular role inMy Name is Julia Ross,a mystery about a woman who, after taking a new job working as a secretary for a family in London, awakens one morning to find herself with a different identity in a remote seaside house in ruralCornwall.[11]

Next, Foch appeared inJohnny O'Clock(1947),The Dark Past(1948),The Undercover Man(1948), andJohnny Allegro(1949). During this time, she was also a regular inJohn Houseman'sCBSPlayhouse 90television series.

Foch made herBroadwaydebut in the 1947 production ofJohn Loves Mary,playing the titular Mary.[12]She subsequently starred in Stratford and Broadway productions ofShakespeare'sTwelfth Night(1949) andKing Lear(1950).[12]

1951–1980: Critical recognition

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Foch withGene KellyinAn American in Paris(1951)

In 1951, Foch appeared withGene Kellyin the musicalAn American in Paris,which was awarded theBest Picture Oscarthat year. Foch also appeared inScaramouche(1952) asMarie Antoinette.She returned to theater in 1955, appearing in a Off-Broadway production ofMeasure for Measure,followed byThe Taming of the Shrew.[12]Next, Foch starred inCecil B. DeMille'sThe Ten Commandments(1956) asBithiah,thepharaoh's daughter, who finds the infantMosesin the bulrushes, adopts him as her son, and joins him and the Hebrews in theirexodusfrom Egypt. In 1957, Foch was honored by the Maryland State Council of theAmerican Jewish Congresswith a special award for her performance inThe Ten Commandments.[13]

Foch asBithiahinThe Ten Commandments(1956)

Foch received a nomination for theAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actressfor her role as asecretaryin the boardroom dramaExecutive Suite(1954), starring William Holden,Fredric March,andBarbara Stanwyck.[14]The same yearExecutive Suitewas released, Foch married her first husband, actorJames Lipton;their marriage spanned five years before ending in divorce in 1959.[15]The same year, she married television writer Dennis de Brito, with whom she gave birth to one son, Dirk.[7]

InSpartacus(1960), starringKirk DouglasandLaurence Olivier,she played a woman who choosesgladiatorsto fight to the death in the ring simply for her entertainment. In 1961, she guest-starred in theNBCseries about the family divisions fromAmerican Civil WarentitledThe Americans.In 1963, she appeared on the NBC game showYour First Impression.In 1964, she played the title role in the episode "Maggie, Queen of the Jungle" ofCraig Stevens's short-livedCBSdrama series,Mr. Broadway.Also in 1964, Foch divorced her second husband, De Brito.[7]Foch was next cast as Eva Frazier in theOuter Limitsepisode "The Borderland".She appeared in an episode ofGunsmokeas the widowed matriarch of a lawless town, and played in an episode onCombat!titled episode "The Casket". In 1967, Foch married her third husband, Michael Dewell, in 1967.[7]

Also beginning in the 1960s, Foch began working as an instructor, teaching "Directing the Actor" classes at theSchool of Cinematic Artsat theUniversity of Southern California(USC), as well as at theAmerican Film Institute.[7][16]

She was subsequently cast as the first murder victim of theColumbomystery series starringPeter Falk,appearing in the pilot movie,Prescription: Murder(1968), withGene Barryas her husband, a homicidal psychiatrist. In the early 1970s, she guest-starred on ABC'sThat Girlin the fifth-season episode,That Script,and NBC'sThe Brian Keith Show.In 1975, she appeared in the filmMahogany,starringDiana Ross,and subsequently supporting roles in the horror filmJenniferand theWalt Disneysupernatural television filmChild of Glass(both released in 1978). In 1980, Foch was nominated for aPrimetime Emmy AwardforOutstanding Supporting Actressfor her guest role as Mrs. Pope on theLou Grantepisode "Hollywood".[17]

1981–2008: Later work and teaching

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Later in her career, Foch appeared inWar and Remembrance(1988) as the Comtesse de Chambrun, an American collaborationist inWWII Pariswho employsJane Seymour's character, Natalie Henry, as alibrarianand suggests that the best place for her and her uncle would be the inaptly named "Paradise Ghetto". She also appeared as Frannie Halcyon in the TV miniseriesTales of the City(1993). The same year, Foch divorced her third husband, Michael Dewell.[7]Another notable television role was as the Overseer Commander (or "Kleezantzun" ) in the first of theAlien NationTV movies,Alien Nation: Dark Horizon(1994).

In her final years, Foch appeared on the television seriesJust Shoot Me,Bull,Dharma & Greg,andNCIS,the latter portrayingDr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard's elderly mother. She also had minor roles in the independent drama filmPumpkin(2002), and the romantic comedy filmHow to Deal(2003).

Foch also continued to work as an instructor at USC during this period, and also worked as an independent script-breakdown consultant for many Hollywood directors.[7]

Death

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Foch died on December 5, 2008, aged 84, at theRonald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.Her only son, Dirk de Brito, told theLos Angeles Timesthat she died of complications from the blood disordermyelodysplasia.She had become ill the day before, while teaching her course at USC.[18]Foch wascrematedby theNeptune SocietyofSherman Oaks, California,and her ashes were placed in the custody of her son.[19]

Legacy

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Foch has stars on theHollywood Walk of Fame,located at 6300 Hollywood Boulevard, and 7000 Hollywood Boulevard.[20]Those who studied with her includeRod Stewart,Julie Andrews,[21]John Ritter(with whom she co-starred inSkin Deep),Amy Heckerling,Randal Kleiser,Edward Zwick,Ron Underwood,[22]andMarshall Herskovitz.[16]Andrews recalled of Foch: "She was a tough teacher, but in the best sense. She was always brutally frank, she demanded one go the extra mile, and she wouldn't allow one to get away with a thing."[21]Kleiser, who studied with Foch in 1965, reflected: "She was able to take the things she learned working with directors likeVincente Minnelliand Stanley Kubrick and combine them with her own style. "[16]

Foch was reportedly the inspiration for the character Nina, a washed-up actress teaching acting classes from a seedy motel, in Rufus Butler Seder's filmScreamplay.Seder had studied under Foch years earlier.[23]

Filmography

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Main article:List of Nina Foch performances

Accolades

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Institution Category Year Nominated work Result Ref.
Academy Awards Best Supporting Actress 1954 Executive Suite Nominated [14]
National Board of Review Best Supporting Actress 1954 Won
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series 1980 Lou Grant
Episode: "Hollywood" 		Nominated [17]
Venice Film Festival Grand Jury Prize 1954 Executive Suite Won [14]

References

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  1. ^Gates, Anita (December 8, 2008)."Nina Foch, Actress in Sophisticated Roles, Dies at 84".The New York Times.RetrievedApril 20,2014.
  2. ^Bergan, Ronald (December 5, 2008)."Obituary: Nina Foch".The Guardian.RetrievedMarch 4,2020.
  3. ^Bernstein, Adam (December 12, 2008)."Nina Foch; 'Executive Suite' Role Earned Actress Oscar Nomination".The Washington Post.
  4. ^Aaker 2013,p. 138.
  5. ^"Nina Foch".The Telegraph.December 8, 2008.Archivedfrom the original on May 5, 2013.RetrievedApril 2,2018.
  6. ^LoBianco, Lorraine."Starring Nina Foch: 10-22".Turner Classic Movies.RetrievedApril 18,2015.
  7. ^abcdefgWoo, Elaine (December 6, 2008)."Nina Foch, actress and influential coach and teacher, dies at 84".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedMarch 4,2020.
  8. ^Pitts 2014,pp. 197–198.
  9. ^Pitts 2014,p. 50.
  10. ^Blottner 2015,p. 72.
  11. ^Blottner 2015,pp. 158–159.
  12. ^abc"Nina Foch".Playbill.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2020.
  13. ^"DeMille Honored For Bible Movie".Spokane Daily Chronicle.Spokane, Washington.Associated Press.March 19, 1957.RetrievedSeptember 12,2015.
  14. ^abcKeenan 2007,p. 185.
  15. ^"At Home with Nina Foch".New York Daily News.New York City, New York. December 6, 1959. p. 916 – via Newspapers.
  16. ^abcWire Reports (December 8, 2008)."Actress Nina Foch dies at 84".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2020.
  17. ^ab"Nina Foch".Primetime Emmy Awards.Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2020.
  18. ^Woo, Elaine."Nina Foch, actress and influential acting teacher, dies at 84".Los Angeles Times.ISSN0458-3035.RetrievedJuly 27,2015.
  19. ^Wilson 2016,p. 248.
  20. ^Woo, Elaine."Nina Foch".Los Angeles Times.Hollywood Star Walk.RetrievedMarch 4,2020.
  21. ^ab"Acting for Singers – Julie Andrews and Barry Manilow talking about Nina Foch".The Nina Foch Course.August 1, 2011.Archivedfrom the original on December 21, 2021.RetrievedMarch 4,2020– viaYouTube.
  22. ^"How Did This Get Made: A Conversation With Ron Underwood, Director of 'Tremors,' 'City Slickers,' and 'The Adventures of Pluto Nash'"./Film.July 24, 2020.RetrievedJuly 27,2020.
  23. ^Director's Commentary, Screamplay DVD

Sources

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  • Aaker, Everett (2013).George Raft: The Films.Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland.ISBN978-0-7864-6646-7.
  • Blottner, Gene (2015).Columbia Noir: A Complete Filmography, 1940–1962.Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland.ISBN978-0-7864-7014-3.
  • Keenan, Richard C. (2007).The Films of Robert Wise.Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press.ISBN978-0-8108-6663-8.
  • Pitts, Michael R. (2014).Columbia Pictures Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films, 1928–1982.Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland.ISBN978-0-7864-5766-3.
  • Wilson, Scott (2016).Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons(3rd ed.). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland.ISBN978-1-4766-2599-7.
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