Biography for
Frances Sternhagen More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

Mini Biography

Raised in Washington, D.C., Frances Sternhagen taught acting, singing and dancing to school children before first performing herself with the Arena Stage Group. Since that time, she has been seen in numerous Broadway show, has been nominated five times for a Tony Award and received one for "The Good Doctor". Other shows that she has appeared in include "Equus", "On Golden Pond", "Angel" and "You Can't Take it With You".

Ms. Sternhagen's film debut was in Up the Down Staircase (1967). Since then her credits have included Fedora (1978), Starting Over (1979), Outland (1981) and Communion (1989). She delighted Off-Broadway audiences for over two years with her feisty portrayal of the title character in "Driving Miss Daisy".

Spouse

Trivia

Widowed mother of 6 children.

Graduated Vassar College.

Nominated for Tony award, along with two other female cast members, as Best Featured Actress in a Play, for role in "Morning's At Seven", May 2002.

Has won two Tony Awards: in 1974 as Best Supporting or Featured Actress (Dramatic) for "The Good Doctor," and in 1995 as Best Actress (Featured Role - Play) for a revival of "The Heiress." She has been nominated five other times: as Best Supporting or Featured Actress (Dramatic) in 1972 for a revival "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window" and in 1975 for "Equus;" as Best Actress (Musical) in 1978 for "Angel;" as Best Actress (Play) in 1979 for "On Golden Pond;" and as Best Actress (Featured Role - Play) in 2002 for a revival of "Morning's at Seven."

Best known to television audiences as playing Cliff's mother on "Cheers."

She's the daughter of a U.S. tax court judge.

Awarded the The Helen Hayes Tribute by the Helen Hayes Award Organization on April 16, 2007.

Mother of actors Paul Carlin, Tony Carlin, and Amanda Carlin.

Personal Quotes

"If I didn't have my family I would be so lonely. The theater and acting are so artificial that I would go crazy if that was all I had."

Where Are They Now

(2002) On Broadway in "Mornings at Seven"

(March 2005) Starring in Steel Magnolias on Broadway (as Clairee the Olympia Dukakis role in the movie)

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