Daphne Katherine Reid (4 November 1930 – 27 March 1993) was a Canadian actress, whose career spanned over 50 years on both stage and screen. She was described by the book Inspiring Women: A Celebration of Herstory as "the finest actress ever developed in Canada".
Born in England and raised in Ontario, Reid performed with the Stratford Festival before making her Broadway debut as Martha in the matinee cast of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; she went on to be nominated for two Tony Awards, Best Featured Actress in a Play for Dylan and Best Actress in a Play for Slapstick Tragedy. She played Linda Loman in the acclaimed 1984 revival of Death of a Salesman.
On screen, Reid won the Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Louis Malle's Atlantic City (1980). She was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for A Delicate Balance (1973) and Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film for the 1985 television film of Death of a Salesman. She also won a Dora Mavor Moore Award, and the Earle Grey Award.
Early life and education Reid was born on 4 November 1930 in London, England, the daughter of Canadian parents Walter Clarke Reid, a retired colonel of the Bengal Lancers in the Indian Army, and his wife Helen Isabel (née Moore). While Reid was still a toddler, she and her family moved back to Canada and settled in Oakville, Ontario.
She attended Havergal College in Toronto, the University of Toronto, and then studied acting at the Royal Conservatory of Music. She made her earliest stage appearances at the Hart House Theatre, before her professional debut with the Straw Hat Players in Muskoka.
Career Theatre Reid performed with the Crest Theatre in Toronto and starred in The Stepmother on London's West End before joining the Stratford Festival in 1959. She maintained a close association with the festival until her death, over the years playing such roles as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Katharina in The Taming of the Shrew, Celia in As You Like It, Emilia in Othello, the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, and Mistress Overdone in Measure for Measure. In the early 1960s, Reid moved to New York City to study with Uta Hagen. She was cast as Martha in the alternate matinee cast of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
At the Shaw Festival, Reid played the title role in Mrs. Warren's Profession and in The Apple Cart. In 1984, Reid starred in the critically acclaimed Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman, opposite Dustin Hoffman, John Malkovich, and Stephen Lang.
Film Reid made her film debut in the NFB short Farewell Oak Street, then starred in Sidney J. Furie's A Dangerous Age, notable for being an English-language Canadian feature. Following her stage success, she was cast as the scheming and domineering mother of Natalie Wood's character in Sydney Pollack's 1966 film This Property is Condemned, although she was only seven years Wood's senior.
Her other film appearances included starring roles as acerbic scientist Dr. Ruth Leavitt in The Andromeda Strain (1971), the alcoholic sister of Katharine Hepburn's character in A Delicate Balance (1973), which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, Margaret Dysart in the 1977 film version of Equus, and aging beauty Grace in Atlantic City (1980). The last role won her the Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 2nd Genie Awards.
Television Reid was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for playing Queen Victoria in the television drama Invincible Mr. Disraeli (1963).
In 1971, Reid co-starred with Eddie Albert and Suzanne Pleshette in the Columbo episode "Dead Weight". She also co-starred as Lil Trotter on Dallas, between seasons six and nine.
In 1985, she reprised her role as Linda in the CBS television version of Death of a Salesman, alongside the other stars of the '84 Broadway revival. The film won three Emmys, and Reid received her second Golden Globe nomination, for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film
Honours In 1974, Reid was acclaimed an Officer of the Order of Canada.
She received honorary degrees from York University (1970) and the University of Toronto (1989).
She had lifetime achievement ACTRA and Dora Awards. In 1988, she received the Earle Grey Award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.
Personal life Both of Reid's marriages, to Michael Sadlier and Austin Willis, ended in divorce. She had two children with Willis, Reid and Robin.
Death Reid died of brain cancer in Stratford, Ontario, aged 62, in 1993. Her memorial service was held at St Clement's Episcopal Church in New York City. Among those in attendance were Edward Albee, John Guare, Elizabeth Wilson, Marian Seldes, Rosemary Murphy, and Carrie Nye.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1953 Farewell Oak Street Welfare woman Short 1957 A Dangerous Age Nancy's Mother 1961 One Plus One Julia Bradley Segment: 'Homecoming' 1961William Lyon Mackenzie: A Friend to His CountryIsabel MackenzieShort1966Each Day That Comes This Property is Condemned Hazel Starr 1967 The Paper People Rosamund Davis 1968 The Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kaladar Glad 1970 The Sidelong Glances of a Pigeon Kicker Jonathan's Mother 1971 The Andromeda Strain Dr. Ruth Leavitt 1973 The Rainbow Boys Gladys A Delicate Balance Claire 1976 Shoot Mrs. Graham 1977 Equus Margaret Dysart 1979 Plague Dr. Jessica Morgan 1980 Death Ship Sylvia Double Negative Mrs. Swanscutt Atlantic City Grace 1981 Circle of Two Doctor Emily Reed 1982 Monkey Grip Peggy Highpoint Mrs. Hatcher 1985 Heaven Help Us Grandma 1986 Fire with Fire Sister Victoria 1987 Control Camille Dupont 1988 Sweet Hearts Dance Pearne Manners 1989 Signs of Life Mrs. Wrangway 1989 Bye Bye Blues Mary Wright 1991 Deceived Rosalie
Television Year Title Role Notes1952–61General Motors PresentsVarious roles 25 episodes1954–57On CameraEthel Morrison / Ethel Muller / Lucille7 episodes1955PlaybillReporter2 episodesScopeOpheliaEpisode: "Hamlet"CBC Summer TheatreEpisode: "The Mark"PerspectiveJanice BarkerUncredited Episode: "Raw Material"1955–59FolioVarious roles6 episodes1958ITV Play of the WeekAnne SwiftEpisode: "The Myth Makers"1959Armchair TheatreGertrude Glass (The Actress)2 episodes1960StartimeAndromache / Hagga / Candida3 episodesFirst PersonEpisode: "A Matter of Some Importance"1960–67FestivalVarious roles7 episodes1961Episode: "The Mona Lisa Mystery"1961–64PlaydateVarious roles4 episodes1964CBC Show of the WeekEpisode: "The Trial of Dr. Fancy"1966WojeckRose HunterEpisode: "All Aboard for Candyland"NET PlayhouseCatherine StockmannEpisode: "An Enemy of the People"1970LassieWomanEpisode: "Any Heart in a Storm"1971ColumboMrs. WaltersEpisode: "Dead Weight" 1973 Hawkins Julia Dayton Episode: "Death and the Maiden"1974Witness to YesterdayQueen VictoriaEpisode: "Queen Victoria"Great PerformancesKleopatraEpisode: "Enemies"1975Medical CenterMaryEpisode: "The Silent Witness"1976SidestreetEpisode: "The Right to Defend"1977For the RecordMotherEpisode: "Ada"1978What Really Happened to the Class of '65?JaneEpisode: "Class Crusader"1982CBS LibraryOld LadyEpisode: "Robbers, Rooftops and Witches"1982–83GavilanMarion JaworskiMain cast1982–86DallasAunt Lil TrotterRecurring role1983Scarecrow and Mrs. KingMrs. WelchEpisode: "The First Time"1984Seeing ThingsHannahEpisode: "Someone Is Watching"1985MillieEpisode: "My House Is Your House"1985Hangin' InMrs. BrownEpisode: "A Mother's Work Is Never Done"1986Morningstar/EveningstarMartha CameronSeries regularPhilip Marlowe, Private EyeAnna JeeterEpisode: "Trouble Is My Business"1987Alfred Hitchcock PresentsJohanna EnrightEpisode: "Conversation Over a Corpse"1989CBS Summer PlayhouseGrettaEpisode: "Curse of the Corn People"Street LegalGeorgina RawlsEpisode: "The Cradle Will Rock"Friday the 13th: The SeriesLili LitaEpisode: "Femme Fatale"1990E.N.G.IreneEpisode: "Scratches on a Plaster Wall"Saying GoodbyeEpisode: "The First Snowfall"
TV films and miniseries Year Title Role1960Mary Magdalene1963Invincible Mr. DisraeliQueen Victoria1964Abe Lincoln in IllinoisMary Todd1965Aunt Mai1970Neither Are We EnemiesDeborah1972Old Adeline1973She Cried MurderMaggie Knowlton1975Death Among FriendsLt. Shirley Ridgeway1977Nurse Edyth L. Fellowes1978Loose ChangeHildaNellie McClung1979CrossbarClare Kornylo1981Explorations in ShawShaw's Mother1982Morning's at SevenIda Bolton1984The Blood of OthersMadame Blomart1985Death of a SalesmanLinda LomanMrs. Graham1986Christmas EveMolly Gottchalk1990Sister Mary RoseChristmas in AmericaHattie Booth1992Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser StoryFaye1993Murder in the HeartlandPansy Street
Awards and nominations Award Year Category Work Result Ref. CableACE Awards 1987 Best Actress in a Dramatic Series Philip Marlowe, Private Eye Dora Awards 1981 Outstanding Supporting Actress Stevie Genie Awards 1980 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Atlantic City Golden Globes 1973 Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture A Delicate Balance 1985 Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Death of a Salesman Grammy Awards 1964 Best Documentary, Spoken Word or Drama Recording (Other Than Comedy) Dylan Primetime Emmy Awards 1963 Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actress Hallmark Hall of Fame Tony Awards 1964 Best Supporting or Featured Actress in a Play Dylan 1966 Best Leading Actress in a Play Slapstick Tragedy
References
External links