Memories of Maureen Stapleton

I loved her. Very much. She was, I think, the greatest actress of her generation and the one before it.

She titled her autobiography 'A Hell of A Life,' and wow, did she have one! Maureen Stapleton was brilliant, warm, loving, funny, earthy, hard working, hard drinking, kind, friendly and modest.

She said she always gravitated towards 'peasant type' roles because she could not see herself playing a 'grand dame.' That woman could play anything. I love the simple fact that in the film version of BYE BYE BIRDIE, Ms. Stapleton played Dick Van Dyke's mother, even though he was a few years older than she.

There are lots of stories out there now detailing aspects of Maureen's career. I shall not repeat too many of those details here. She was indeed in that 'special club' of actors who won the trifecta of acting; the Oscar, Emmy and two Tonys. She also won lots of other awards. I recall her winning the British equivalent of the Oscar for her work in the film version of PLAZA SUITE. On stage Maureen starred with George C. Scott. They played the lead couple in all three acts (three mini plays all taking place in the same suite of the Plaza hotel.) In the film, Walter Matthau was the star, playing all three male leads. Maureen only recreated her act one performance as Karen for the screen (the other two women who played opposite Matthau were Barbara Harris and Lee Grant.) Ms. Stapleton did not need to "steal" the film version of PLAZA SUITE with her performance. Her gift was such that, it seems that she merely had to show up.

Her Oscar nominated performance as Inez in AIRPORT was absolutely heartbreaking. EVERY performance this woman gave had a shattering quality to it.

Maureen practically was the ground floor of the Actors' Studio. She had friendships, no, she was sought out for friendships by seemingly every gifted young theater wannabe, decades before the word wannabe had any meaning. Heck, she fed everyone from Marilyn Monroe and Marlon Brando to Shelley Winters and Colleen Dewhurst and Eli Wallach. EVERYONE adored this brilliantly gifted earth mother. Her star quality generated caring, hugs, and vulnerability. This was a delightful match for her fabulous humor and salty choice of words.

When I was 15 years old, Maureen Stapleton granted me an interview! Needless to say, I will never forget the experience and still get goose bumps when I think of it. At the time she was starring on Broadway in THE COUNTRY GIRL along with Jason Robards, Jr. and George Grizzard. Frankly, I recall hating and being terribly bored by the play, but being mesmerized by every sound and move that Ms. Stapleton made.

I also saw her on Broadway in THE SECRET AFFAIRS OF MILDRED WILDE (a very short lived play that featured Doris Roberts) and her impossibly ingenious Tony winning performance in Neil Simon's THE GINGERBREAD LADY. Her career was full of legendary performances, too many of them before my time.

She loved Tennessee Williams and he loved her even more. He often wrote with her in mind for the star role, but it didn't always work out that way. Anna Magnani won an Oscar for playing the part Maureen created on Broadway in THE ROSE TATOO. In the 1950s and 1960s one often heard Ms. Stapleton referred to as the American Magnani. Maureen had to wait a few decades before finally taking home her own Oscar (after several nominations) for Warren Beatty's REDS. I recall in her acceptance speech that she "wanted to thank everyone she ever met in her whole life."

It was a gift to us when she starred in the made for television musical, QUEEN OF THE STARDUST BALLROOM. She was also part of Tennessee William's adaptation of his CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF for television, playing Big Mama to Sir Laurence Oliver's Big Daddy. Maureen's Big Mama stole the show. She always did. No actor on film or stage ever had a chance when she appeared. In the 1980s Maureen costarred with Elizabeth Taylor in THE LITTLE FOXES. Ms. Stapleton "stole" THE LITTLE FOXES right out from under Ms. Taylor's violet eyes. At the time, Ms. Taylor publicly said to producer Zev Buffman, "I wanted a good supporting cast, but do they have to be that good?" She even outshone the entire cast of Saturday Night Live when guest hosted in its early years.

At the height of ALL IN THE FAMILY'S fame, Jean Stapleton (Edith Bunker) was meeting the Queen of England. Jean Stapleton reported that upon meeting the Queen, the only question the queen asked her was, "Are You any relationship to Maureen?"

She had a relationship for decades with theater legend George Abbott who was decades older than Maureen when the relationship started. By the late 1970s their relationship had ended. Ms. Stapleton was preparing lunch in her New York apartment for Hal Linden and his wife, Frances. Maureen showed Hal and Frances a letter she had just gotten from Mr. Abbott (as he was apparently always called, perhaps since childhood?) In the letter, George Abbott had cut out an article from a newspaper about Jean Stapleton in ALL IN THE FAMILY. He sent it to Maureen with a note stating how happy he was for her great success on television. She showed this to the Lindens and asked, "Do you think George is getting on in years?"

There was a memorial service for a theatrical luminary, I do not recall which one. Ms. Stapleton was asked to speak as was Zoe Caldwell. It was Maureen's idea to do something different that she thought would have truly amused the deceased being honored. Instead of dignified speeches, Maureen and Ms. Caldwell did a glorious fifteen minute tap dance routine! Needless to say, they brought down the house.

In Troy, New York, at the Hudson Valley College, is the Maureen Stapleton Theatre. This is not terribly far from the lovely home she had for decades in the Berkshires. I hope she is always remembered at that theater. Not just for her acting brilliance, but for the great human being who graced our planet.

Lee Strasberg of acting guru fame, once said that all young actors should be required to watch Maureen Stapleton throw out her garbage for one week. I understand what Mr. Strasberg meant, but surely Maureen Stapleton never had garbage in her hands. Like everything else she touched, it must have instantly turned to gold.

I will always love her and miss her. May she NEVER be forgotten.