Norma Connolly
{{short description|American actress}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Norma Connolly
| image = Norma Connolly.png
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1927|8|27}}
| birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1998|11|18|1927|8|27}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| other_names =
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 1951–98
| spouse = {{marriage|Howard Rodman|1954|1985|reason=died}}
| known for = {{Plainlist |
- Lena Karr Gilroy (The Young Marrieds)
- Ruby Anderson (General Hospital)
}}
| children = 3
| alma_mater = Brandeis University
}}
Norma Connolly (August 27, 1927 – November 18, 1998) was an American actress having a career spanning five decades and known for her roles on The Young Marrieds as Lena Karr Gilroy and General Hospital as Ruby Anderson.
Early life
Connolly was born on August 27, 1927, in Boston, Massachusetts{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-nov-20-mn-45682-story.html|access-date=April 10, 2016|date=November 20, 1998|work=The New York Times|title=Norma Connolly; 'General Hospital' Actress|first=Myrna|last=Oliver}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1998/11/21/longtime-soap-opera-actress-norma-connolly-dies/38afed20-0de6-446f-a692-6f46457757fc/|title=LONGTIME SOAP OPERA ACTRESS NORMA CONNOLLY DIES|date=November 21, 1998|accessdate=April 14, 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|publisher=Nash Holdings LLC|author=The Washington Post Staff}} to Beulah and Archie Connolly, where her father owned a lumber business.{{cite web|url=http://soapcentral.com/gh/theactors/connolly_norma.php|work=Soapcentral|accessdate=April 10, 2016|title=Norma Connolly|location=United States}} She graduated from Brandeis University in 1958. Connolly studied acting with Morris Carnovsky at the Leland Powers School of Drama, with both Harold Clurman and Stella Adler at Actors Studio, and at the Cushing Academy.
Career
=Film and television=
Connolly started her career as a guest star on Pulitzer Prize Playhouse in 1951. She next was in Celanese Theatre as Marcia in 1952. Connollly would guest star in a number of television programs such as Danger, Naked City, The Twilight Zone, Dr. Kildare, Mr. Novak, The F.B.I., I Dream of Jeannie, The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, Columbo, Little House on the Prairie, and Charlie's Angels. She starred in the made-for-TV-movies Mr. and Mrs. Cop{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AKlgjBCPPnsC&q=Norma+Connolly+married+Howard+Rodman&pg=PA283|title=Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials, Volume 2|page=283|publisher=McFarland & Company|year=2013|isbn=978-0786474455|first=Vincent|last=Terrace}} and F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood. Connolly starred in the miniseries QB VII as Corinne. She is best known for her roles as Lena Karr Gilroy in The Young Marrieds from 1964 to 1966 and Ruby Anderson on General Hospital from 1979 to 1998.{{cite journal|url=http://gearyfan.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/som120898p4.jpg|title=Goodbye to GH's Ruby|journal=Soap Opera Digest|publisher=American Media, Inc.|page=4|date=December 8, 1998|location=United States|accessdate=April 11, 2016}} She was in Alfred Hitchcock's The Wrong Man (1956), Robert Lewin's Third of a Man (1962), Robert Mulligan's The Other (1972), and James Goldstone's They Only Kill Their Masters (1972). She was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for her performance as Ruby Anderson in 1985 at the 12th Daytime Emmy Awards.
=Theatre=
On stage, Connolly was in A Streetcar Named Desire on Broadway. She was in Night of the Iguana and The Crucible at Los Angeles' Ahmanson Theatre.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vfie60kGGuAC&q=Norma+Connolly+stage+productions&pg=PA170|title=American Literature on Stage and Screen: 525 Works and Their Adaptations|publisher=McFarland & Company|year=2012|first=Thomas S.|last=Hischak|page=170|isbn=978-0786468423}} Connolly also appeared on Broadway in such plays as The Love of Four Colonels and Make a Million.{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/stage-screen-actress-norma-connolly-dead-at-71-com-78621|accessdate=April 10, 2016|first=Willard|last=Manus|work=Playbill|date=November 23, 1998|title=Stage & Screen Actress Norma Connolly Dead At 71}}
Personal life and death
Connolly married Howard Rodman in 1954; the marriage ended when he died on December 5, 1985.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OV80AgAAQBAJ&q=Norma+Connolly+married+Howard+Rodman&pg=PT146|first=Harlan|last=Ellison|title=Dangerous Visions|isbn=0-425-06176-0|year=1967|publisher=Doubleday}} Together, they had three children: two sons and one daughter. She was active in the battle against AIDS, serving on the board of Hollywood Helps. Connolly addressed the concerns of actresses in their limited roles in television and film productions. She died on Wednesday, November 18, 1998, from complications of a stroke.(via Google news){{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=19981121&id=raosAAAAIBAJ&pg=3972,2102907&hl=en|accessdate=April 10, 2016|date=November 21, 1998|publisher=New Media Investment Group|work=Star-News|title='General Hospital' actress Norma Connolly dies|location=Los Angeles}}{{cite journal|url=http://gearyfan.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/sow120898p5.jpg|title=Norma Connolly Dead at 71|journal=Soap Opera Weekly|publisher=Source Interlink Media|page=5|date=December 8, 1998|location=United States|accessdate=April 11, 2016}}
Filmography
=Film=
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 1951
| {{cGuest}} | Episode: "Ned McCobb's Daughter" (S 1:Ep 15) |
| 1952
| Marcia | Episode: "On Borrowed Time" (S 1:Ep 20) |
| 1953
| Danger | {{cGuest}} | Episode: "Missing Night" (S 3:Ep 41) |
| 1956
| Star Stage | {{cGuest}} | Episode: "Scandal on Deepside" (S 1:Ep 30) |
| 1959
| {{cGuest}} | Episode: "How's Business?" (S 2:Ep 15) |
| 1960
| Ruth Peters | Episode: "Killer with a Kiss" (S 2:Ep 6) |
| 1961
| Night Nurse | Episode: "Twenty Two" (S 2:Ep 17) |
| rowspan="4" | 1962
| Carol Dorset | Epispde: "The Washing Machine" (S 5:Ep 13) |
| Dr. Kildare
| Therapist | Episode: "Breakdown" (S 2:Ep 7) |
| Eleventh Hour
| Ruth | Episode: "Ruth" (S 1:Ep 7) |
| The Real McCoys
| Ethel | Episode: "Luke the Reporter" (S 6:Ep 13) |
| rowspan="2" | 1963
| Winnie | Episode: "The Ramp" (S 1:Ep 31) |
| Naked City
| Pearl Wystemski | Episode: "Golden Lads and Girls" (S 4:Ep 33) |
| rowspan="3" | 1964
| Laughing Woman | Episode: "Walter Meets the Machine" (S 1:Ep 2) |
| The Young Marrieds
| Lena Karr Gilroy | Contract role from October 5, 1964 – March 25, 1966 |
| Mr. Novak
| Mrs. Parker | Episode: "'A' Is for Anxiety" (S 2:Ep 10) |
| rowspan="2" | 1965
| Mrs. Mangiopani | Episode: "Eulogy in Four Flats" (S 4:Ep 24) |
| The F.B.I.
| Woman | Episode: "The Giant Killer" (S 1:Ep 10) |
| rowspan="2" | 1966
| Gidget | Miss Beckley | Episode: "Ask Helpful Hannah" (S 1:Ep 29) |
| The F.B.I.
| Aline Spencer | Episode: "The Animal" (S 1:Ep 29) |
| rowspan="2" | 1967
| Waitress | Episode: "The Spores" (S 2:Ep 7) |
| Dundee and the Culhane
| {{cGuest}} | Episode: "The Widow's Weeds Brief" (S 1:Ep 11) |
| rowspan="3" | 1970
| Mrs. Ross | Episode: "Jeannie, the Recording Secretary" (S 5:Ep 20) |
| Adam-12
| Eva Foster | Episode: "Log 75: Have a Nice Weekend" (S 3:Ep 7) |
| The Bold Ones: The New Doctors
| Mrs. Dorsey | Episode: "First: No Harm to the Patient" (S 2:Ep 4) |
| rowspan="2" | 1971
| The F.B.I. | Ruth Oliver | Episode: "Unknown Victim" (S 6:Ep 15) |
| Columbo
| Celia | Episode: "Ransom for a Dead Man" (Second pilot) |
| 1972
| {{cGuest}} | Episode: "Diagnosis: Corruption" (S 1:Ep 15) |
| 1973
| The Streets of San Francisco | Mrs. Carter | Episode: "A Wrongful Death" (S 2:Ep 1) |
| rowspan="5" |1974
| QB VII | Corinne | Miniseries directed by Tom Gries{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/474735/mr-and-mrs-cop|title=QB VII|access-date=April 10, 2016|work=Turner Classic Movies}} |
| Mr. and Mrs. Cop
| Mother | | Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Harvey Hart.{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/474735/mr-and-mrs-cop|title=Mr. and Mrs. Cop|access-date=April 10, 2016|work=Turner Classic Movies}} |
| Ironside
| Lydia Todd | Episodes: {{Plain list |
}} |
| Police Woman
| Stage Mother | Episode: "The Beautiful Die Young" (S 1:Ep 2) |
| Little House on the Prairie
| Mrs. Kirkwood | Episode: "Ma's Holiday" (S 1:Ep 8) |
| rowspan="2" | 1975
| Harry O | Mrs. Hodges | Episode:"Lester" (S 1:Ep 20) |
| F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood
| Zelda's Nurse | Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Anthony Page.{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/460226/f-scott-fitzgerald-in-hollywood|title=F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood|access-date=April 10, 2016|work=Turner Classic Movies}} |
| rowspan="3" | 1976
| Police Woman | Landlady | Episode: "Mother Love" (S 2:Ep 22) |
| The Bionic Woman
| Mrs. Noah | Episode: "Jaime's Mother" (S 1:Ep 8) |
| Charlie's Angels
| Mrs. Lemson | Episode: "Hellride" (S 1:Ep 1) |
| rowspan="2" | 1977
| Prisoner | Episode: "Episode #2.90" (S 2:Ep 153) |
| The Edge of Night
| Mrs. Yost | Unknown number of episodes |
| 1979-1997
| Contract role |
| 1999
| Herself | {{Plainlist |
}} |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+List of acting awards and nominations |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Award ! scope="col" | Category ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| 1985
! scope="row" | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | {{nom}} |
See also
{{Portal bar|Biography|United States|Theatre|Film|Television}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0175337}}
- {{TV Guide person|217546}}
- [http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=3491 Norma Connolly] at [http://www.aveleyman.com/ Aveleyman]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Connolly, Norma}}
Category:Actresses from Boston
Category:American film actresses
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:American television actresses