Laura Esterman is an American actress, known for portraying Ruby the Galactic Gumshoe in contemporary radio dramas, and for her Drama Desk Award and Obie Award winning performance in the 1992 original stage production of Scott McPherson's Marvin's Room.
Early life Esterman is the daughter of Dr. Benjamin Esterman and Sophie Milgram Esterman. Esterman studied acting at HB Studio.
Career Esterman made her Broadway debut in the 1969 revival of The Time of Your Life. Her other Broadway credits include The Waltz of the Toreadors, God's Favorite, Teibele and Her Demon, The Suicide, Metamorphosis and The Show-Off.
In 1972, Esterman played the Madonna Vampyra in the ZBS Foundation radio play The Fourth Tower of Inverness, the first in the long-running Jack Flanders series. Esterman returned to ZBS in 1982 to star as the title character in the first Ruby the Galactic Gumshoe serial, and has reprised the role many times in the decades to come, most recently Ruby 15: Creatures of the Light in 2025. Many of her Ruby appearances are credited to a stage name, "Blanche Blackwell". Esterman also returned as the Madonna Vampyra in the 2000 sequel, Return to Inverness.
Esterman has also worked in television and film. Her television credits include Remington Steele, St. Elsewhere, The Facts of Life, L.A. Law, Family Ties, Law & Order, Third Watch and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit among others. Her movie credits include Alone in the Dark, Ironweed, Awakenings, The Doors, Addams Family Values, The Confession and Arranged among others.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1982Alone in the DarkWoman Voyager1987IronweedNora1988Me and HimBag Lady1990AwakeningsLolly1991The DoorsNew York Journalist1993Addams Family ValuesCousin Ophelia1999The ConfessionSarah's Cousin2000Chinese CoffeeActor in play / Messenger2001Suspended AnimationVanessa Boulette2004From Other WorldsPsychiatrist2007ArrangedJudit2011The GreenMrs. Heller2017Can Hitler Happen Here?Miriam Kohen2018Human AffairsJournalist
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1970NET PlayhouseMary MagdaleneEpisode: "Generation of Leaves: Jesus - A Passion Play for Americans"1980Another WorldFelice CarpenterEpisode #1.41241984Remington SteeleMiss ConoverEpisode: "A Pocketful of Steele"1985St. ElsewherePsychiatristEpisode: "Cheers"1985The Facts of LifeMs. ResnickEpisode: "Into the Frying Pan"1985Children of the NightArleneTelevision film1987L.A. LawGloria RheinholdEpisode: "Fifty Ways to Floss Your Lover"1987Family TiesWaitressEpisode: "Matchmaker"1995, 1999Law & OrderEvelyn Walcoff / Florence Cooley2 episodes2000Third WatchMargeEpisode: "Alone in a Crowd"2000Law & Order: SVUMrs. SandomirEpisode: "Noncompliance"2009Life on MarsSue MoyerEpisode: "Home Is Where You Hang Your Holster"2009Law & Order: Criminal IntentElderly LandladyEpisode: "Identity Crisis"2011Mildred PierceMrs. Kramer3 episodes2020I Know This Much Is TrueRuth Rood2021The BlacklistAda RosenbergEpisode: "The Avenging Angel (No. 49)"
References
External links
Internet Theatre Database Filmography by Starpulse Drama Desk Award and Obie Award for her performance in Marvin's Room, by Scott McPherson Television appearances Production notes for Suspended Animation