Anne Bancroft 1931-2005

[Guest ChgoBoy]

I'm sure many people are sad this evening to hear the news that Anne Bancroft has died. Here is a brief overview of her career.

 

Born as Anna Maria Italiano in the Bronx in 1931, Anne first appeared on screen in Don't Bother to Knock (1952), with Marilyn Monroe and Richard Widmark. After a few years during which she wasn't getting the kinds of roles she wanted, she returned to New York and the stage, finding success (and a Tony award) opposite Henry Fonda in Two For the Seesaw (1958). The following year she appeared in the stage version of The Miracle Worker, and eventually returned to Hollywood in 1962, starring with Patty Duke in the film adaptation of the play, and winning a Best Actress Oscar with her first nomination.

 

She was on a roll throughout the sixties, including a second Best Actress Oscar nomination for The Pumpkin Eater (1964), a role in John Ford's last film, 7 Women (1966), and finally her famous role as Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate (1967), resulting in another Oscar nomination and a lifetime association with the part. In retrospect, some reviewers now look back on her role as the high point of what is now a somewhat dated film, a relic of its times.

 

Since then Bancroft (married to the great comedy director Mel Brooks since 1964) has been successful in both comedy and drama, bringing humor and strength to a variety of mature roles (though often cast as the mother). She has worked with Mel on several occasions.

 

She tried her hand at directing in 1979, but Fatso, starring Dom DeLuise, was not a success. She received her fourth and fifth Oscar nominations for The Turning Point (1977), with Shirley MacLaine, and Agnes of God (1985), with Jane Fonda. She appeared in a number of TV-movies, most notably Deep in My Heart (1999), for which she received a Best Supporting Actress Emmy. Recently she has lent her talents to several pleasant but otherwise forgettable films such as Great Expectations (1998), Keeping the Faith (2000), and Heartbreakers (2001).

[Karl-G]

Thank you for the timely and detailed tribute to Anne Bancroft. I'm sure I first became aware of her as Mrs. Robinson, and that will be the way I probably will remember her. But she obviously has had a very full and rich creative life. Her death is a loss for all of us. May she rest in peace.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Extremely sad news.

 

Watching her performance alongside Fierstein in 'Torch Song Trilogy' was (and still is) riveting. It's the exchanges between those two that always made the movie for me. Also, for those out there who haven't seen her bit part in 'Heartbreakers,' it's pretty funny.

 

She didn't need to be the main character to have a big impact on a film: That was the kind of talent she had...

 

This makes me want to re-watch 'Miracle Worker.' Now that was Bancroft at her best IMO.

 

 

 

~BN

[Guest ChgoBoy]

>Extremely sad news.

>

>Watching her performance alongside Fierstein in 'Torch Song

>Trilogy' was (and still is) riveting. It's the exchanges

>between those two that always made the movie for me.

 

BN, this may be the only time that you and I will ever be in harmony over anything. Bancroft's role in Torch, was for me a homecoming of pain that gave me the strength to stand up for who I was, when I needed it most and proclaim to anyone who wanted to fuck with me, that you would be denied. Everytime I view Torch (and its been awhile now), I thank Paul Bogart for having the courage AND the talent to put down on film what so many of us were feeling and going through at that time. Harvey Fierstein and Matthew Broderick wherever you are tonight, thank you. And for you Anne; may the peace and love you brought to this world through your craft and humanity be with you tonight, as we look up to you and say; Goodnight.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

While i doubt that this will be the ONLY thing we ever agree on, i do think that getting along with eachother isn't that tough if we don't intentionally try to take cheap shots.

 

Yeah, bad stuff happens, but going for the throat everytime just for sport is counterproductive and after awhile, boring.

 

I won't stoop to quoting Rodney King, so let's just smile at the thought of the amazing Anne Bancroft and leave it at that

 

 

~BN

[Guest ChgoBoy]

>While i doubt that this will be the ONLY thing we ever agree

>on, i do think that getting along with eachother isn't that

>tough if we don't intentionally try to take cheap shots.

>

>Yeah, bad stuff happens, but going for the throat everytime

>just for sport is counterproductive and after awhile, boring.

>

>I won't stoop to quoting Rodney King, so let's just smile at

>the thought of the amazing Anne Bancroft and leave it at that

>

>

>

>~BN

 

Thanks for hijacking my thread and making it about you.

[Rick Munroe]

Another true talent gone, and we're left with the likes of J-Lo and Jessica Simpson.

[KY_TOP]

>Another true talent gone, and we're left with the likes of

>J-Lo and Jessica Simpson.

 

Sadly the truth.

 

I was at the gym when CNN announced her death. Everyone paused.

 

I, like a few here have already mentioned, can not forgot her role in Torch Song Trilogy. Actually one of the first Video tapes I ever bought. I must pull it out and watch it again in her honor. I had forgotten about the Miracle Worker, another great performance.

[twobitsfourbits]

Oh Mary. Quit being so dramatic. Jeez

[+ friendofsheila]

Any movie she was in I would have been willing to see, so consistently good an actress she was.

 

I loved her in GARBO TALKS, a comedy, and 'NIGHT MOTHER, a drama, and especially MRS. CAGE (1993), an odd TV drama (1993) on PBS, riveting mostly because of her. She was good at anything.

[ValleyDwellerNorth]

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004XMSM.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

 

I know "Home For The Holidays" isn't a movie masterpiece. However, I watch this movie every Thanksgiving. It is very close to depicting my own family. Anne Bancroft, I thought, was WONDERFUL in this movie. It was sad to hear of her passing.

 

PEACE

VDN

[JT Brooklyn]

This was the passing of a "True" Legend...Who will live on thru her great Work! Condolesences also to her Comic Genius Husband of over 40 yrs Mel Brooks. They were a great compliment to each other! ...:+

[ValleyDwellerNorth]

>thru her great Work! Condolesences also to her Comic Genius

>Husband of over 40 yrs Mel Brooks. They were a great

>compliment to each other!

 

It wasn't until her passing was announced that I learned who her husband was. Knowing that now, and knowing those two are truly funny people, I am sure their life together was filled with a lot of laughter. Mel Brooks in History of the World was hysterical.

 

PEACE

VDN

[Guest ChgoBoy]

>This was the passing of a "True" Legend...Who will live on

>thru her great Work! Condolesences also to her Comic Genius

>Husband of over 40 yrs Mel Brooks. They were a great

>compliment to each other! ...:+

 

Hey JT, thanks for sharing your condolences, I still am very sad over this, but ya know, if history follows suit, there will be 2 more deaths of high profile in the next couple days.(that sounded shallow, but true) BUT, I have to share an observation; I think this is your very first post ever without an LOL attached somewhere...and appropriately so, I guess.

[ValleyDwellerNorth]

>Hey JT, thanks for sharing your condolences, I still am very

>sad over this, but ya know, if history follows suit, there

>will be 2 more deaths of high profile in the next couple

>days.(that sounded shallow, but true)

 

I thought it and you said it. As a child, I ALWAYS heard my mom and grandmother say that. I never paid attention to it. However, it is sad but true. I believe we shall see two more high profile/celebrity deaths soon. I sound like Miss Cleo.

[JT Brooklyn]

Chgo..Unfortunately Life doesn't have enuff LOL'S..But we try..It definitely avoids Wrinkles, at least in my own experience. Laugh Out Loud...! :+