Conchata Ferrell
{{Short description|American actress (1943–2020)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| image = Conchata Ferrell 2016.png
| caption = Ferrell in 2016
| birth_name = Conchata Galen Ferrell
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1943|3|28}}
| birth_place = Loudendale, West Virginia, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|10|12|1943|3|28}}
| death_place = Sherman Oaks, California, U.S.
| burial_place = Forest Cemetery, Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio, U.S.
| education = Marshall University (BA)
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 1964–2020
| spouse = {{marriage|Arnie Anderson|1986}}
| children = 1
}}
Conchata Galen Ferrell (March 28, 1943 – October 12, 2020) was an American actress. She played Berta the housekeeper on the sitcom Two and a Half Men from 2003 to 2015, and she received two nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for the role (in 2005 and 2007). Ferrell had previously been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in L.A. Law (in 1992).
Early life
Conchata Galen Ferrell was born March 28, 1943, in Loudendale, West Virginia, to Mescal Loraine (née George) and Luther Martin Ferrell.{{cite news| url= http://www.huntingtonquarterly.com/articles/issue70/farrell.php| work= Huntington Quarterly| title= Conchata Ferrell| date=Summer 2010| number= 70| publisher= HQ Publishing Co.| first= Carter| last= Seaton| location= Huntington, West Virginia| access-date= March 30, 2017| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160313084307/http://www.huntingtonquarterly.com/articles/issue70/farrell.php| archive-date= March 13, 2016| url-status= dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/91/Conchata-Ferrell.html |title=Conchata Ferrell Biography (1943-) |website= FilmReference.com |date=March 28, 1943 |access-date=January 7, 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800075309/bio |title=Conchata Ferrell Biography |publisher= Yahoo! Movies |access-date=January 7, 2014}} She was raised in Charleston, West Virginia. Her family later moved to Circleville, Ohio.{{Cite web|date=September 26, 2018|title=Conchata Ferrell|url=https://huntingtonquarterly.com/amp/2018/09/26/issue-70-conchata-ferrell/|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=Huntington Quarterly}}{{Cite news|last=Gates|first=Anita|date=October 13, 2020|title=Conchata Ferrell, Memorable Maid on 'Two and a Half Men,' Dies at 77|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/arts/conchata-ferrell-dead.html|access-date=October 14, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}
She attended West Virginia University for two years, dropped out, and after working several jobs, enrolled and graduated from Marshall University with a degree in history education. She made her first onstage performance at Marshall in 1969, in the second Barfenon Review, a skit comedy and musical production.
Career
Ferrell began her career on the stage as a member of the Circle Repertory Company. She appeared in the original off-Broadway cast of Lanford Wilson's The Hot l Baltimore{{cite news |title=Kerr on 'The Hot L Baltimore' / The Crazies Are Good to Listen to|newspaper=The New York Times|last=Kerr|first=Walter|author-link=Walter Kerr|date=March 4, 1973|access-date=August 9, 2020| url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1973/03/04/99408360.html?pageNumber=121}} and won the Drama Desk, Obie, and Theatre World Best Actress awards for her performance in the off-Broadway play The Sea Horse.{{cite news |title=Stage: 2 Poignant Characters in Irwin's 'Sea Horse' / Fine Acting by Moore and Miss Ferrell|newspaper=The New York Times|author=Gussow, Mel|author-link=Mel Gussow|date=March 5, 1974|access-date=August 9, 2020| url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1974/03/05/79383452.html?pageNumber=28}}{{cite news |title=Stage: 'The Sea Horse' / Circle Repertory Gives Tender, Wistful Play|newspaper=The New York Times|last=Gussow|first=Mel|author-link=Mel Gussow|date=April 16, 1974|access-date=August 9, 2020| url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1974/04/16/148805882.html?pageNumber=45}}{{cite news |title=Kerr on 'The Sea Horse' / The Human Heart, Imprisoned|newspaper=The New York Times|last=Kerr|first=Walter|author-link=Walter Kerr|date=April 21, 1974|access-date=August 9, 2020| url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1974/04/21/119458023.html?pageNumber=129}}{{cite news |title='The Sea Horse' Star (and Its Author) Sheds Alias|newspaper=The New York Times|last=Gussow|first=Mel|author-link=Mel Gussow|date=April 22, 1974|access-date=August 9, 2020| url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1974/04/22/91437792.html?pageNumber=46}}
Acting on stage, television, and film for decades, she starred as the frontier wife in the 1979 feature film Heartland directed by Richard Pearce, and as the tough-talking owner of Mystic Pizza, co-starring alongside Lili Taylor, Annabeth Gish, and Julia Roberts, who portrayed pizza waitresses. She also played a tough, comical nurse on the short-lived 1980s TV sitcom E/R.
In 1992, she received her first Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her recurring role as Attorney Susan Bloom on the sixth season of L.A. Law, but lost to Valerie Mahaffey for Northern Exposure. She had previously appeared in an episode of the show in 1988 as Lorna Landsberg, an entirely different character.
File:Conchata Ferrell 1981.jpg
Ferrell's supporting roles in films include performances in Deadly Hero, Network, Edward Scissorhands, Erin Brockovich, Crime and Punishment in Suburbia, Mr. Deeds, and K-PAX, as well as a small part in True Romance. Her other television credits include Maude, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hot l Baltimore, Teen Angel, Matlock, B. J. and the Bear, Good Times, Hearts Afire, Townies, Night Court, The Love Boat, and Push, Nevada. She played Mrs. Werner in the episode of Quincy, M.E. titled "Into the Murdering Mind" (1982). She also made memorable appearances portraying blunt, authoritative judges (the "Jagged Sledge" episode of Sledge Hammer! in 1987, and on "The One with Joey's Porsche" episode of Friends in 1999).
She accepted a role in the off-Broadway play Love, Loss, and What I Wore for an April 27 through May 29, 2011, run with Minka Kelly, AnnaLynne McCord, Anne Meara, and B. Smith.{{cite web |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/149900-Minka-Kelly-Susan-Sullivan-Set-for-Love-Loss-Off-Broadway |title=Minka Kelly, Susan Sullivan Set for Love, Loss... Off-Broadway |access-date=April 21, 2011 |date=April 14, 2011 |work=Playbill |author=Gans, Andrew |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110420223347/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/149900-Minka-Kelly-Susan-Sullivan-Set-for-Love-Loss-Off-Broadway |archive-date=April 20, 2011 }}
Ferrell portrayed Berta the housekeeper in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, appearing in a total of 212 episodes from 2003 to 2015. She had received two nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2005 and 2007, but lost to Doris Roberts for Everybody Loves Raymond and Jaime Pressly for My Name Is Earl.{{Cite web|title=Nominees / Winners 2005|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2005|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=Television Academy}}{{Cite web|title=Nominees / Winners 2007|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2007|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=Television Academy}}
In 2012, she voiced the role of Bob's Mom in Frankenweenie, which was directed by Tim Burton.{{Cite web|title=Bob's Mother|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/movies/Frankenweenie/Bobs-Mother/|access-date=October 14, 2020|website=Behind The Voice Actors}} She was slated to appear in the upcoming feature film Deported (2020), and had earlier acted in A Very Nutty Christmas (2018), a holiday-themed television film.{{Cite web|last=DeNinno|first=Nadine|date=October 13, 2020|title=Conchata Ferrell, 'Two and a Half Men' and 'Mystic Pizza' star, dead at 77|url=https://nypost.com/2020/10/13/two-and-a-half-men-star-conchata-ferrell-dead-at-77/|access-date=October 14, 2020|newspaper=New York Post}}
Personal life
Ferrell married Arnie Anderson around 1986.{{cite news| url= https://www.chicagotribune.com/1991/11/07/heavyweight-attorney/ | first= Susan| last= Stewart| agency= Knight-Ridder Tribune News |title= Heavyweight Attorney: For Conchata Ferrell Of 'L.A. Law', Fat Works Fine| newspaper= Chicago Tribune| date= November 7, 1991| access-date= March 30, 2017}} She had a daughter, Samantha (born in 1982), and two stepdaughters (born in 1976 and 1979).{{cite web| url= http://www.nndb.com/people/250/000062064/ | title= Conchata Ferrell| website= NNDB.com| access-date= March 30, 2017}}
Ferrell was a self-described Democrat and a practicing Methodist.An Interview with Conchata Ferrell, Scott Hettrick, November 12, 1981 She was a member of both the Circleville Church of Christ in Circleville, Ohio and the Sherman Oaks United Methodist Church in Sherman Oaks, California.Zoe Hewitt, An Interview with Conchata Ferrell, 2007
Death
Ferrell died on October 12, 2020, from complications following cardiac arrest at the Sherman Oaks Hospital in Sherman Oaks, California. She was 77 years old.
Filmography
Source(s){{Cite magazine|title=Conchata Ferrell|url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/conchata-ferrell/credits/145346|access-date=October 14, 2020|magazine=TV Guide}}{{Cite web|title=Conchata Ferrell Filmography and Movies|url=https://www.fandango.com/people/conchata-ferrell-211400/film-credits|accessdate=October 14, 2020|website=Fandango}}
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! Director ! Notes ! Source |
| 1974
| Maude | Rita Valdez | Hal Cooper | Episode: "Florida's Goodbye" |
| 1975
| April Green | Bob LaHendro | 13 episodes |
| rowspan=2|1976
| Slugger Ann | |
| Network
| Barbara Schlesinger | |
| rowspan=6|1977
| Ella Mae White | Episode: "Crack Back" |
| Mixed Nuts
| Nurse Cassidy | Short |
| Blansky's Beauties
| Nurse Gibbons | Episode: "Nancy Breaks a Leg" |
| The Girl Called Hatter Fox
| Nurse Rinehart | TV movie |
| Good Times
| Miss Johnson | Episode: "Willona, the Fuzz" |
| One Day at a Time
| Phyllis McDermott | Episode: "The Singles Bar" |
| rowspan=2|1978
| Rita Parsons | rowspan=2|TV movie |
| Who'll Save Our Children?
| Dodie Hart | George Schaefer (2) |
| rowspan=4|1979
| Bitsy Sheldon | Roger Duchowny | 2 episodes |
| Heartland
| Elinore Randall Stewart | |
| Before and After
| Marge | TV movie |
| The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo
| The Fox | 2 episodes |
| 1979–1980
|Wilhemina 'The Fox' Johnson |Several directors |5 episodes | |
| rowspan=4|1980
| The Seduction of Miss Leona | Hazel Dawson | rowspan=3|TV movie |
| Reunion
| Toni Owens |
| Rape and Marriage: The Rideout Case
| Helen |
| Knots Landing
| Mrs. Messinger | Edward Parone | 2 episodes |
| rowspan=3|1981
| Mamie Trotter | Episode: "The Great Gilly Hopkins" |
| McClain's Law
| Vangie Cruise | TV movie (pilot for TV series McClain's Law) |
| Lou Grant
| Myra Wexler | Peter Levin (2) | Episode: "Drifters" |
| rowspan=3|1982
| Mrs. Werner | Georg Fenady | Episode: "Into the Murdering Mind" |
| Life of the Party: The Story of Beatrice
| Captain Burnsite | TV movie |
| Cagney & Lacey
| Charlene | Reza Badiyi (2) | Episode: "High Steel" |
| rowspan=3|1983
| Gina Barnett | Episode: "Hearts" |
| American Playhouse
| Faye Doyle | Episode: "Miss Lonelyhearts" |
| Emergency Room
| Nurse Sylvia Kaye | rowspan=2|TV movie |
| rowspan=3|1984
| Nadia | Mili Simonescu | Alan Cooke |
| Faerie Tale Theatre
| Thumbelina's Mother | Episode: "Thumbelina" |
| The Three Wishes of Billy Grier
| Dr. Gardner | Corey Blechman | TV movie |
| 1984–1985
| E/R | Nurse Joan Thor | 22 episodes |
| rowspan=2|1985
| | Episode: "The Stranger" | |
| North Beach and Rawhide
| Doc Norman | Harry Falk | rowspan=2|TV movie |
| rowspan=4|1986
| Samaritan: The Mitch Snyder Story | Ida Sinclair |
| Where the River Runs Black
| Mother Marta | |
| Picnic
| Helen Potts | TC movie |
| Matlock
| Mrs. Reese | Alan Cooke (2) | Episode: "The Sisters" |
| rowspan=4|1987
| Nurse | Episode: "Here's to You, Mrs. Robinson" |
| Sledge Hammer!
| Judge Ida Gruff | Reza Badiyi (3) | Episode: "Jagged Sledge" |
| Frank's Place
| Jan Rudy | Episode: "The Bridge" |
| Eye on the Sparrow
| Mary | TV movie |
| rowspan=9|1988
| Eva Parker | Episode: "The Snitch" |
| For Keeps
| Mrs. Bobrucz | |
| Who's the Boss?
| Frances | James Eric Hornbeck | Episode: "Housekeepers Unite" |
| Sonny Spoon
| Tough Habit | Episode: "Tough Habit" |
| CBS Summer Playhouse
| Kate | Episode: "Old Money" |
| Mystic Pizza
| Leona | |
| ABC Weekend Special
| Aunt Jill | Episode: "Runaway Ralph" |
| Goodbye, Miss 4th of July
| Minnie Bixby | TV movie |
| Portrait of a White Marriage
| Mrs. Sturgeon | |
| 1988 & 1991–1992
| L.A. Law | Susan Bloom / Lorna Landsberg | Several directors | 20 episodes |
| rowspan=4|1989
| Kate Galindo | Mark Waxman | 10 episodes |
| Murder, She Wrote
| Harriet Lundgren | John Llewellyn Moxey | Episode: "Something Borrowed, Someone Blue" |
| Your Mother Wears Combat Boots
| Specialist Mononaghee | TV movie |
| Hard Time on Planet Earth
| Annie | Episode: "The Hot Dog Man" |
| rowspan=3|1990
| Hollywood Dog | | rowspan=2|TV movie |
| Opposites Attract
| Flo | Noel Nosseck |
| Edward Scissorhands
| Helen | |
| rowspan=3|1991
| Joan | rowspan=3|TV movie |
| Chains of Gold
| Martha Burke |
| Backfield in Motion
| Ann Bedowski | Richard Michaels |
| 1992–1995
| Dr. Madeline Stoessinger / Dr. Ruth Colquist | Several directors | 33 episodes |
| rowspan=7|1993
| The Legend of Prince Valiant | Girl | | Voice, episode: "The Sage" |
| Dinosaurs
| Shelly | Bruce Bilson (2) | Voice, episode: "Dirty Dancin'" |
| Family Prayers
| Mrs. Romeyo | Scott M. Rosenfelt | |
| Sirens
| Mrs. Chattle | TBA | Episode: "Keeping the Peace" |
| True Romance
| Mary Louise Ravencroft | |
| Cobra
| Bobby Gutner | Jorge Montesi | Episode: "Honeymoon Hideaway" |
| Heaven & Earth
| Bernice | |
| rowspan=3|1994
| Bobbi Bob Pickette | Michael Keusch | |
| A Worn Path
| Nurse | |
| Duckman
| Roxanne | Jeff McGrath | Voice, 2 episodes |
| rowspan=3|1995
| Mrs. Elmsworth | Miniseries; episode: "Invasion" |
| The Mask: Animated Series
| Willamina Bubask | | Voice, episode: "How Much Is That Dog in the Tin Can?" |
| The Client
| Rue | Episode: "The Way Things Never Were" |
| rowspan=6|1996
| Freeway | Mrs. Sheets | |
| Minor Adjustments
| Mrs. Daisy Gotschel | | Episode: "The Ungrateful Dead" |
| Walker, Texas Ranger
| Lureen Smith | Michael Preece | Episode: "Miracle at Middle Creek" |
| Sweet Dreams
| Dr. Kate Lowe | TV movie |
| Townies
| Marge | 2 episodes |
| My Fellow Americans
| Woman Truck Driver | |
| rowspan=3|1997
| Touch | Virginia Worrel | |
| ABC TGIF
| Pam | | Episode: "Frightful Halloween Bash" |
| Aaahh!!! Real Monsters
| Simpah | Denise Downer | Voice, episode: "Clockwise/Gromble Soup" |
| 1997–1998
| Pam | Several directors | 17 episodes |
| rowspan=3|1998
| Wanda | TV movie |
| The Naked Truth
| Maxine Mansfield | Episode: "Muddy for Nothing" |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer
| Nurse Greenliegh | Episode: "Go Fish" |
| rowspan=5|1999
| Irene | Noel Nosseck | Episode: "The Medium and the Message" |
| Two Guys and a Girl
| Shawn's Mother | Episode: "Two Guys, a Girl and Valentine's Day" |
| JAG
| Deanne | Episode: "Second Sight" |
| Friends
| The Judge | Episode: "The One with Joey's Porsche" |
| Chicken Soup for the Soul
| Mrs. Patterson | | Episode: "Crying's Okay" |
| rowspan=5|2000
| Crime and Punishment in Suburbia | Bella | |
| Erin Brockovich
| Brenda | |
| Get Real
| Rosa Hernandez | Episode: "Support" |
| Pensacola
| Helen Wilson | Episode: "Answered Prayers" |
| Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
| Ma Munchapper | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2000 & 2003
|Harriet, Grizzly Bear |Carol Millican, Dean Crisswell |Voice, 2 episodes | |
| rowspan=7|2001
| Mama Cass | TV movie |
| Popular
| Calamity Jones | Episode: "The News of My Death Has Been Greatly Exaggerated" |
| The Zeta Project
| Dr. Greer | Rob Davies | Voice, episode: "The Next Gen" |
| Amy & Isabelle
| Bev | Lloyd Kramer | TV movie |
| Going to California
| Nurse Lucy | TBA | Episode: "I Know Why the Caged Rhino Sings" |
| ER
| Mrs. Jenkins | Episode: "Four Corners" |
| K-PAX
| Betty McAllister | |
| rowspan=4|2002
| Bus Driver | Episode: "Guilty!" |
| Mr. Deeds
| Jan | |
| Lloyd in Space
| Miss Effluvium | Voice, episode: "Incident at Luna Vista" |
| Push, Nevada
| Martha | Episode: "The Letter of the Law" |
| rowspan=2|2003
| Becker | Zora | Chris Brougham | Episode: "Ms. Fortune" |
| Judging Amy
| Maxine's Co-Worker | Episode: "Kilt Trip" |
| 2003–2015
| Berta | Several directors | Recurring role (season 1); Main role (seasons 2–12) |
| 2004
| Rosemary Flotchky | |
| 2007
| Kabluey | Kathleen | Scott Prendergast | |
| 2012
| Bob's Mom | Voice |
| 2013
| Not That, But Something Like That | | Benjamin Hasko | Short |{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} |
| rowspan=3|2014
| Postal Jerks | Carmelita | James Skinner | TV movie |
| The Axe Murders of Villisca
| Mrs. Flanks | Tony E. Valenzuela | |
| Wishin' and Hopin'
| Sister Agrippina | TV movie |
| 2015
| Krampus | Aunt Dorothy | |
| rowspan=2|2016
| Grandma Jean | Episode: "The Negotiation" |
| The Axe Murders of Villisca
| Mrs. Flanks | Tony E. Valenzuela | |
| 2017
| Shirley | Don Reo | 5 episodes |
| 2018
| A Very Nutty Christmas | Clara |TV movie |
| 2020
| Deported | Betsy | Tyler Spindel |Posthumous release |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Award ! Category ! Title of work ! Result ! Source |
|---|
| rowspan=3|1974
| Outstanding Performance | rowspan=3|The Sea Horse |rowspan=4 {{won}} |
| Theatre World Award
| |
| Obie Award
| Best Actress |
| 1981
| Heartland (shared with cast) |
| 1992
| rowspan=3|Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | L.A. Law | rowspan=3 {{nom}} |
| 2005
| rowspan=2|Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series |rowspan=2|Two and a Half Men |
| 2007 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0004916}}
- {{IBDB name}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080418040510/http://www.cbs.com/primetime/two_and_a_half_men/bio/conchata_ferrell/bio.php Biography at CBS.com]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferrell, Conchata}}
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:21st-century American actresses
Category:Actresses from Charleston, West Virginia
Category:American film actresses
Category:American stage actresses
Category:American television actresses
Category:Drama Desk Award winners
Category:Marshall University alumni