Julie Harris Memorial Celebration to Be Held Today at Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre

There will be a memorial celebration of the actress, Julie Harris, today, Dec. 3rd, starting at 12 noon at the earnard B. Jacobs Theatre on 242 West 45th Street. Among her friends gathering to celebrate Miss Harris will be Zoe Caldwell, RoseMary Harris, Cherry Jones, HAl Holbrook and Christopher Plummer. The public is welcome.

Miss Harris, often called the first lady of the American theatre, set a record of ten Tony nominations and five Tony Award wins for Best Leading Actress in a play with a sixth Tony for Lifetime Achievement. In 1950, she amazed theatre audiences and critics alike when, at the age of 24, she played the 12 year-old Frankie Adams in Carson McCullers "The Member of the Wedding". Her name went above the title with her next play, John Van Druten's "I Am A Camera", and remained there through the next several decades. Her film work included "East of Eden" opposite James Dean, "Requiem for a Heavyweight" with Anthony Quinn, Mickey Rooney, and Jackie Gleason, "The Haunting", with Clare Bloom and "Reflections in a Golden Eye" with Brain Keith, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando.

While she loved her film and television work, her heart was always in the theatre and few actors have been so admired both on and off the stage.

In 2001, she suffered a stroke, which compromised her ability to speak but she continued to do small roles in films and last appeared on stage in 2008. She died in her home on August 24th of this year from congestive heart failure but not before being honored in 2005 by the Kennedy center for her lifetime contribution to the arts in America.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos