Betty Miller (March 27, 1925 – May 3, 2004) was an American stage, film and television actress. She won a 1957 Obie Award for Distinguished Performance for her role in Exiles and appeared in numerous Broadway productions between 1954 and 1997. Her film credits included A League of Their Own, Léon: The Professional, Angie and Bringing Out the Dead.
Early life and education Miller was born on March 27, 1925, in Boston, Massachusetts. She later studied acting at HB Studio in New York City.
Career
Stage Miller made her Broadway debut in 1954 as Lisa in Alfred Hayes's The Girl on the Via Flaminia, produced by Circle in the Square Theatre. In 1957, she appeared as Beatrice in James Joyce's Exiles Off-Broadway and received an Obie Award for Distinguished Performance; Exiles was also named Best All-Around Production. Her later Broadway roles included Varya in The Cherry Orchard in 1968, Gertrude in Hamlet in 1969, Deborah in A Touch of the Poet in 1977, Katie Bradford in Eminent Domain in 1982, Elizabetta in The Queen and the Rebels in 1982, and Mrs. Kirby in You Can't Take It with You in 1983. Reviewing The Cherry Orchard for The New Yorker, Brendan Gill included Miller among the members of the cast he singled out for mention.
Miller also toured nationally, playing Dora Strang in Equus from 1975 to 1977 and Myra Bruhl in Deathtrap from 1978 to 1980. Reviewing Deathtrap during its Washington engagement, James Lardner of The Washington Post credited Miller with lending credibility to the play's improbable premise. Her final recorded Broadway appearance was as Anfisa in a 1997 revival of The Three Sisters.
Film and television Miller's television work included a 1959 televised production of Medea and a 1974 production of Antigone, in which she played Eurydice. She later appeared in the soap operas Love Is a Many Splendored Thing and Another World, as well as Law & Order. In 1987, she played Agnes, the terminally ill sister of the title character, in the American Playhouse drama "Dottie". Reviewing the production for the Los Angeles Times, Patrick Goldstein described the reconciliation between the sisters as the drama's emotional center and praised Miller's portrayal as wary and tough.
Miller's film work included Nora in The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984). A contemporary review in The Voice singled out a subway farewell scene involving Miller's character as especially affecting. She subsequently appeared in The Wizard of Loneliness (1988), High Stakes (1989), A League of Their Own (1992), Angie (1994), Léon: The Professional (1994) and OK Garage (1998). Her final film appearance was in Martin Scorsese's Bringing Out the Dead (1999).
Death Miller died in New York City on May 3, 2004, at the age of 79. Her final stage role was in the 2002 Off-Broadway production of Denis Johnson's Shoppers Carried by Escalators Into the Flames.
Selected credits
Theatre YearProductionRoleVenue / productionRef1954The Girl on the Via FlaminiaLisa48th Street Theatre, Broadway1957ExilesBeatriceRenata Theatre, Off-Broadway1968The Cherry OrchardVaryaLyceum Theatre, Broadway1969HamletGertrude1975–1977EquusDora StrangNational tour1977–1978A Touch of the PoetDeborahHelen Hayes Theatre, Broadway1978–1980DeathtrapMyra BruhlNational tour1982Eminent DomainKatie BradfordCircle in the Square Theatre, Broadway1982The Queen and the RebelsElizabettaPlymouth Theatre, Broadway1983You Can't Take It with YouMrs. Kirby (replacement)1997The Three SistersAnfisaCriterion Center Stage Right, Broadway
Film YearTitleRoleRef.1984The Pope of Greenwich VillageNora1988The Wizard of LonelinessIrma Kahler1989High StakesMother1992A League of Their OwnOlder Betty1994AngieJoanne1994Léon: The ProfessionalOrphanage Headmistress1998OK GarageGloria1999Bringing Out the DeadWeeping Woman
Television YearTitleRoleNotesRef.1959The Play of the WeekWomanEpisode: “Medea”1973Love Is a Many Splendored ThingMrs. TaylorSoap opera1974Theater in AmericaEurydiceTelevision production of Antigone1983Another WorldJeanne EwingSoap opera1987American PlayhouseAgnesEpisode: “Dottie”1991Law & OrderBridget McDiarmidEpisode: “The Troubles”1995Original SinsDoris CampisiTelevision film
References