- Born
- Died
- Birth nameFrances Hussey Sternhagen
- Height1.60 m
- Raised in Washington, D.C., the great-granddaughter (on her father's side) of German immigrants, Frances Hussey Sternhagen taught acting, singing and dancing to young schoolchildren before first performing herself with the Arena Stage Group.
Since then, she was seen in numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway shows.
She was nominated seven times for a Tony Award (winning 2 times, once for her performance in "The Good Doctor" and once for "The Heiress"). Other shows in which she appeared include "Equus", "On Golden Pond", "Angel", and "You Can't Take it with You".
Among many other appearances Off-Broadway, including the original production of "On Golden Pond", Sternhagen delighted Off-Broadway audiences for over two years with her feisty portrayal of the title character in "Driving Miss Daisy".
Her film debut was in Escalier interdit (1967). Since then her credits have included Fedora (1978), Merci d'avoir été ma femme... (1979), Outland... Loin de la Terre (1981) and Communion (1989).
She appeared on the very popular long-running television series Cheers (1982) as Esther Clavin, mother of John Ratzenberger's character, the pedagogical know-it-all mailman Cliff Clavin.
She played wealthy philanthropist and society matron Millicent Carter, the grandmother of John Carter (Noah Wyle) on Urgences (1994). She also appeared in episodes of Sex and the City (1998) and Becker (1998).- IMDb mini biography by: COLONEL77
- SpouseThomas A. Carlin(February 13, 1956 - May 6, 1991) (his death, 6 children)
- ChildrenSarah CarlinJohn Carlin
- ParentsJohn M. SternhagenGertrude Hussey
- Often plays characters who have a cynical attitude.
- Often plays characters that have a droll sense of humor.
- Frances Sternhagen, the daughter of John M. Sternhagen, a U.S. tax court judge (and his wife, Gertrude Hussey Sternhagen), graduated from Vassar College. She wed actor Thomas A. Carlin in 1956; he died in 1991. The couple had six children (several of whom are also professional actors and musicians) : Paul Carlin, Amanda Carlin, Tony Carlin, Sarah Carlin, Peter Carlin and John Carlin.
- She 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 was 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.".
- 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.
- Starred in Steel Magnolias on Broadway as Clairee Belcher (the role played by Olympia Dukakis in the film version of the play).
- Studied with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse during the 1960s.
- 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.
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