Glynnis O'Connor (born November 19, 1955) is an American actress. She made her big-screen debut starring in the 1973 romantic drama film, Jeremy. She later starred in the short-lived CBS drama series Sons and Daughters (1974) and the television version of Our Town (1977). She starred in films Ode to Billy Joe, Baby Blue Marine (both 1976), California Dreaming (1979), Those Lips, Those Eyes (1980), The White Lions (1981), Night Crossing, Melanie (both 1982) and Johnny Dangerously (1984).

Personal life O'Connor was born in New Rochelle, New York, and is the daughter of actress Lenka Peterson and film producer Daniel Patrick O'Connor. She is married to Douglas Stern, a New York City native, and they have two daughters together, Lindsay (b. 1990) and Hana.

Career In 1973, O'Connor made her screen debut and also sang the title song for the romantic drama film Jeremy in which she co-starred with Robby Benson. Soon after her big-screen debut, O'Connor was cast as a female lead opposite Gary Frank in the CBS drama series, Sons and Daughters. On January 8, 1974, she starred in the CBS Radio Mystery Theatre production of "Ring of Roses" and then co-starred with John Travolta in the 1976 TV movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble. The same year, she portrayed Bobbie Lee Hartley, co-starring again with Robby Benson, in the drama film Ode to Billy Joe, a tragic romance produced and directed by Max Baer Jr., and the drama film Baby Blue Marine opposite Jan-Michael Vincent The following year she starred in the Western film Kid Vengeance and the made-for-television version of Our Town. In 1978, she starred in the made-for-television biographical film, Little Mo playing Maureen Connolly, the 1950s American tennis player who was the first woman to win all four Grand Slam tournaments during the same calendar year, before an accident ended her tennis career at age 19. In 1979, she returned to big screen starring in the comedy-drama film, California Dreaming.

In 1980, O'Connor starred opposite Tom Hulce in the romantic comedy film, Those Lips, Those Eyes, receiving positive note from critic Roger Ebert. The following year she starred opposite Michael York in the drama film, The White Lions. In 1982 she had a supporting role in the thriller film Night Crossing and the leading role in the drama film, Melanie. Ned Powers of the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix wrote that "a compelling performance by O'Connor and a surprisingly fluid effort by Cummings lift the picture beyond the fair-to-middling category", adding that "the music, most written and performed by Cummings, is a strong selling point". Bruce Bailey of The Montreal Gazette echoed Powers' praise of Glynnis O'Connor, but otherwise found the film to be a calculating melodrama. Calling it "a successful manipulator of emotions", he noted that the crowd erupted into cheers when Melanie finally hit back at her cruel husband, noting that "the morality of encouraging such applause for violence on anybody's part, however, is a little dicey." At the 4th Genie Awards, she won the Genie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign Actress for her performance in Melanie. In 1984, she was featured in the crime comedy film, Johnny Dangerously making her final big screen appearance in 1980s.

Since the mid-1980s, O'Connor has been in a string of made-for-television movies. In 1984, she starred as Leola Mae Harmon in the biographical film Why Me?, about United States Air Force nurse Harmon's trauma and series of facial reconstruction surgeries after a horrifying car accident. In 1986, O'Connor performed in the miniseries The Deliberate Stranger. Her other notable film credits include Love Leads the Way: A True Story (1984), To Heal a Nation (1988), Police Story: Cop Killer (1988) and Kojak: Flowers for Matty (1990). She starred in a 1986 episode of The Twilight Zone and from 1992 to 1993 had a recurring role in the NBC police drama Reasonable Doubts as Mark Harmon's character ex-wife. From 1993 to 1994, she replaced Ellen Dolan in the role of Margo Hughes on the CBS daytime soap opera, As the World Turns. In 1995, she made her return to primetime TV starring opposite Richard Thomas in the true crime television film, Death in Small Doses. She later starred in Summer of Fear (1996), Ellen Foster (1997), and Saint Maybe (1998).

O’Connor played defense attorney Anne Paulsen in five episodes, from 1998 through 2004, on the NBC drama series, Law & Order. She also guest-starred on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In 2002, she made her first big-screen appearance since 1980s, in the mystery thriller film, New Best Friend. In 2007, she appeared in the independent feature film P.J., directed by Russ Emanuel. She later appeared in films Angelica (2015), Diane, and A Bread Factory (2018). In 2020, she had a recurring role in the Epix thriller series, Condor and later was cast as Shirley Beaumont in the Starz crime drama series, Power Book III: Raising Kanan.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes1973JeremySusan Rollins1976Baby Blue MarineRose1976Ode to Billy JoeBobbie Lee Hartley1977Kid VengeanceLisa Thurston1978Getting It Over WithRuthieshort1979California DreamingCorky1980Those Lips, Those EyesRamona1981Jeannie McBride1982Night CrossingPetra Wetzel1982MelanieMelanieGenie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign Actress1984Johnny DangerouslySally2002New Best FriendConnie Campbell2007GraduationMary2008P.J.Evelyn2012Avie Bluejones2012AlbumAdult Trishshort2014Dean Jan Messer2015AngelicaOlder Constance2018DianeDottie2018A Bread FactoryJan

Television Year Title Role Notes1973As the World TurnsDawn "Dee" StewartTV series1974Love Is Not ForeverAnitaTV film1974InsightLaura"Resuscitation"1974Sons and DaughtersAnita Cramermain role1975All Together NowCarol LindsayABC Movie of the Week1975Someone I TouchedCarrieABC Movie of the Week1975Ellen"Cliffy"1976Harry OGayle"Mister Five and Dime"1976Gina BiggsTV film1977InsightLaura"She's Waiting for Us"1977Our TownEmily WebbTV film1977Rosetti and RyanAngel"Bedeviled Angel"1978Black BeautyPhyllis CarpenterTV miniseries1978Little MoMaureen ConnollyTV film1979Elizabeth ChisholmTV miniseries1980My Kidnapper, My LoveGeegeeTV film1983Rindy BanksTV film1984Why Me?Leola Mae HarmonTV film1984Love Leads the Way: A True StoryLoisTV film1985Sins of the FatherKevan HarrisTV film1986Cas RichterTV film1986Dorothy Livingston"The Storyteller"1987Marcia WoldarskiTV film1988To Heal a NationBecky ScruggsTV film1988Too Good to Be TrueRuth BerentTV film1988Police Story: Cop KillerLynn LewisTV film1990Kojak: Flowers for MattyMolly FitzimonsTV film1992Nightmare in DaylightSloan EvansTV film1992–1993Reasonable DoubtsJorecurring role1993–1994As the World TurnsMargo HughesTV series1995Death in Small DosesNancy LyonTV film1995Past the BleachersHarper ParishTV film1996Summer of Fear'Cat' MarshallTV film1997Ellen FosterCharlotte Nelson HammondTV film1998Saint MaybeClaudia BedloeTV film1998–2004Law & OrderAnne Paulsenrecurring role2000Young AmericansDonna Banks"Will Bella Scout Her Mom?"2003Law & Order: Special Victims UnitRaquel Kurtz"Damaged"2006Law & Order: Criminal IntentRev. Poole"On Fire"2012Behind the 8 BallGuest"Matty"2021Sand Dollar CoveNanaHallmark movie2023–2024Power Book III: Raising KananShirley BeaumontTV Series

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