Sylvia Miles (née Scheinwald;Multiple sources: September 9, 1924 – June 12, 2019) was an American actress. She was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performances in Midnight Cowboy (1969) and Farewell, My Lovely (1975).

Miles was a fixture in New York City society, having lived there her entire life. She performed in many Off-Broadway shows, including starring in a one-woman musical based on her life, titled It's Me, Sylvia! in 1981. A documentary about her life titled I Was Always Sylvia aired on New York City public television channel WNET as part of The 51st State series.Sylvia Miles playbill bio accessed 10/28/2019biography, The 51st State, accessed 10/28/2019

Early life Miles was born and raised in Greenwich Village, New York City. She was the second daughter of Jewish parents, Belle (née Feldman) and Reuben Scheinwald, a furniture maker. She was educated at Washington Irving High School and the Actors Studio.

Career Miles began her career on stage in 1947, and on television and film in 1954.

In the early 1960s, she played the role of Sally Rogers in the pilot episode of what would become The Dick Van Dyke Show, which was later taken by Rose Marie for the series. Her early television work included appearances in three episodes of Naked City (TV series) and two episodes of Route 66 (TV series) (cf. as Red in "The Thin White Line," Route 66, S2E11). She appeared Off-Broadway in “Ruthless!” The Musical (1992) at the Players Theatre, NYC, playing Sylvia St. Croix (originally played by Joel Vig in drag); she was one of the few females to play the role. She appeared on Broadway in two productions, most notably the 1976 revival of The Night of the Iguana.

Miles was cast in the film Midnight Cowboy (1969) as a middle-aged Park Avenue kept-woman, who invites Joe Buck (Jon Voight) up to her penthouse apartment for sex—another role in which Miles showed off her voluptuous figure. The role earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, although she appeared on-screen for about six minutes.Miles' profile, filmsite.org; accessed November 20, 2014. She received a second Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her slightly larger role (eight minutes) in Farewell, My Lovely (1975).

Miles starred in Andy Warhol's underground feature film Heat (1972), appearing in a lingering nude scene with Joe Dallesandro. She had a role in the Indian suspense film Shalimar (1978). She appeared in Evil Under the Sun (1982), the film version of Agatha Christie's novel of the same name, portraying a Broadway producer. She played real-estate agent Dolores in the Oliver Stone film Wall Street (1987), a role she reprised in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010).

Miles was also featured in the mainstream films 92 in the Shade, Critical Condition, The Great Scout & Cathouse Thursday, Crossing Delancey, and the 1989 comedy She-Devil, in which she played the mother of Meryl Streep's character. In her final years, Miles appeared in a few roles on television such as Sex and the City and One Life to Live, and in the films Go Go Tales and Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.

In 1975, Miles complained about being typecast as a prostitute in almost all of her then 14 movies and 26 off-Broadway plays to date. "Do I look like a prostitute? What does a hooker look like, anyway? Me?"

In a New York restaurant in 1973, Miles publicly dumped a plate of food onto critic John Simon's head for his negative comments about her in a review of a play she starred in.NPR website referencing John Simon-Sylvia Miles altercation, NPR; retrieved October 8, 2014.

Wayland Flowers and his puppet Madame first uttered the widely quoted line, "Sylvia Miles and Andy Warhol would attend the opening of an envelope". In 1976, People magazine repeated the joke in the article "What Would a Manhattan Party Be Without the Ubiquitous Sylvia Miles?" without citing a source.Judy Kessler. "What Would a Manhattan Party Be Without the Ubiquitous Sylvia Miles?", People Magazine, October 18, 1976, Vol. 6 No. 16

Personal life In 1948, Miles married William Myers, but the couple divorced two years later. From 1952 to 1958, she was married to Gerald Price. From 1963 to 1970, she was married to radio disc jockey Ted Brown. Brown cited Miles' lack of desire to have children as the main cause for their divorce.

Miles dated Rudolf Martinus, a model, in the 1970s.

In the 1960s and the 1970s she often played chess at a competitive level and was a member of the Manhattan Chess Club.

Death Miles died on June 12, 2019, while en route to Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan at the age of 94. She had been in declining health in recent years and was in nursing home care in her final months. During Miles' final years she was suffering from anemia and respiratory issues.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1960Murder, Inc.Sadie1961ParrishEileen1963Violent MidnightSilvia1964Pie in the SkyRose1969Midnight CowboyCassNominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress1971The Last MovieScript Clerk1971Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name?Christine1972HeatSally Todd1975Farewell, My LovelyJessie Halstead FlorianNominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress197592 in the ShadeBella1976The Great Scout & Cathouse ThursdayMadam 'Mike'1977The SentinelGerde1978Zero to SixtyFlo Ames1978ShalimarCountess Rasmussen1981The FunhouseMadame Zena1982Evil Under the SunMyra Gardener1987Critical ConditionMaggie1987Sleeping BeautyRed Fairy1987Wall StreetDolores the Realtor1988Crossing DelanceyHannah Mandelbaum1988Spike of BensonhurstCongresswoman1989She-DevilFrancine Fisher1995Denise Calls UpGail's Aunt Sharon2000The Boys Behind the Desk2002High Times' PotluckMa2003Rose'sMs. P2007Go Go TalesLilian Murray2010Wall Street: Money Never SleepsDolores the Realtor2019Japanese BorschtMary Tess(final film role)

Television Year Title Role Notes 1970 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Herself 3 episodes 1971-1974 The Mike Douglas Show Herself 5 episodes 1985 Miami Vice Muriel Goldman 1 episode 1986 The Equalizer Mother Episode: "Out of the Past"2002One Life to LiveStella Sex and the City Joan 1 episode

Sources:

Stage + Year Title Role Notes 1954 A Stone for Danny Fisher Arlene Downtown National Theatre, Off-Broadway 1957 The Iceman Cometh Margie the Prostitute Circle in the Square Theatre Downtown, Off-Broadway 1961 The Balcony Marlyse, The Brothel Thief Circle in the Square Theatre Downtown, Off-Broadway 1962 A Chekhov Sketchbook Raisa/The Witch Gramercy Arts Theatre, Off-Broadway 1963 The Riot Act Rose Cort Theatre, Broadway 1966 The Kitchen Monique 81st Street Theatre, Off-Broadway 1972 Rosebloom Sylvie Eastside Playhouse, Off-Broadway 1976 The Night of the Iguana Maxine Faulk Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway 1978 Vieux Carré Mrs. Wire Piccadilly Theatre 1981 It's Me, Sylvia! Self Playhouse Theatre, Off-Broadway 1984 Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad Madame Rosepettle River Arts Repertory 1992 Ruthless! Sylvia St. Croix (Replacement) The Players Theatre, Off-Broadway

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result Academy Awards Best Supporting Actress Midnight Cowboy Farewell, My Lovely New York International Independent Film & Video Festival Best Supporting Actress High Times' Potluck

References

External links

Sylvia Miles at the University of Wisconsin's Actors Studio audio collection