- Born
- Died
- Birth nameMelinda Ruth Dillon
- Height1.73 m
- Melinda Dillon came to prominence with the role of Jillian Guiler, a mother whose child is abducted by aliens in Steven Spielberg's Rencontres du troisième type (1977). Dillon's performance in the film earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. A few years later, Dillon received another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as a devout Catholic woman in Absence de malice (1981). The performance won the actress a KCFCC Award.- IMDb mini biography by: Anthony Ronald Vario
- SpouseRichard Libertini(September 30, 1963 - January 18, 1978) (divorced, 1 child)
- ChildrenRichard Libertini Jr.
- ParentsE. Norine BarnettW. S. Dillon
- Was nominated for Broadway's 1963 Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actress (Dramatic) for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
- Performed on stage with Chicago's legendary Second City improvisational comedy troupe.
- Appeared in three films that were selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Rencontres du troisième type (1977), Les Muppets : Ça c'est du cinéma ! (1979) and Christmas Story (1983).
- She played two Hoosiers (Indiana residents): in Rencontres du troisième type (1977) (which takes place in Muncie, Indiana); and in Christmas Story (1983) (which takes place in Hohman, Indiana). Hohman is actually the name of the main avenue that passes through the historic district of the city Hammond, Indiana.
- Although she won a Theatre World Award as the very first actress to play the role of "Honey" in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" (her Broadway debut) she was passed over for the film casting when the role was given to Sandy Dennis who went on to win an Oscar.
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