Patience Mather Cleveland (May 23, 1931 – May 27, 2004) was an American film and television actress.
Early years Cleveland was born in New York City, the youngest of six siblings, to an established New Hampshire family, where she was raised. Her older brother was James Colgate Cleveland. Her parents were Dr. Mather Cleveland and his wife Susan Colgate Cleveland. Her father wrote New Hampshire and the Civil War and The Orthopedic Service at St. Luke's Hospital, New York City, 1859–1968. Her family has longstanding ties to Colby-Sawyer College, where the family papers, including hers, are archived.Cleveland's diaries ("A Day in the Life")
Cleveland grew up in New London, New Hampshire. She attended Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut, before graduating from Smith College. She studied at the French Acting School during her junior year of college. During her time in Paris she studied with René Simon.
Career Following her college graduation, Cleveland wrote scripts for radio programs for the United States Information Service in Paris, she performed in French theatrical productions. After she returned to the United States she worked in television, writing for Robert Montgomery's program and acting in other shows.
She wrote The Lion Is Busy, a children's book published in 1963. It was made into a record. She made appearances in many television shows, including Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, That's Life, The Drew Carey Show, Angel, and ER, along with voice roles in other shows such as Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law and many television commercials. She acted in several feature films, including playing the reclusive Roberta Sparrow, also known as Grandma Death, in Donnie Darko.
On Broadway, Cleveland portrayed Princess Alice in The Apple Cart (1956) and Laura James in Look Homeward, Angel (1957). She appeared in summer stock productions in Florida, New Hampshire, and New Jersey and performed in regional theatrical productions.
Cleveland's work as a print journalist included interviewing celebrities for a large news syndicate.
Personal life and death Cleveland married French-born American character actor Peter Schuyler Hobbs on August 28, 1965, at her parents' home in New London or on October 24, 1965, in Los Angeles. The union was apparently childless and ended in divorce in 1968.California, Marriage Index, 1960-1985 [available online at ancestry.com]. Provo, UT, US: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Original data: State of California. California Marriage Index, 1960-1985. Microfiche. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California.
Cleveland died from cancer in Santa Monica, California, four days after her 73rd birthday.
Partial filmography Year Title Role Notes 1967 Fitzwilly Dolly n/a 1978 Rabbit Test First Dancing Lady n/a 1983 Lies Aunt Louise n/a 1986 Psycho III Sister Margaret n/a 1986 The Whoopee Boys Wedding Guest n/a 1989 Nowhere to Run Grandma Franklin n/a 1997 Everybody Loves Raymond Phyllis 1 Episode 2000 Get Your Stuff Lillian n/a 2001 Donnie Darko Roberta Sparrow / Grandma Death n/a 2002 Taking the Wheel The Mother n/a
References
External links Photos of Patience Cleveland from the Cleveland Colby Colgate Archives at Colby–Sawyer College Patience Cleveland's diaries by Cleveland Colby Colgate Archives