Judith-Marie Bergan obit

OSF actor Judith-Marie Bergan dies

 

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Ashland, Ore.—Judith-Marie Bergan, a 16-year member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival acting company and an accomplished television actress, passed away early this morning at her home in Ashland after a battle with cancer.

"Judith-Marie was one of our most accomplished and beloved long-term company members,” said OSF artistic director Bill Rauch. “Her dazzling performances were deliciously varied but consistently full of wit, ferocity and heart. The OSF acting company has an aspirational set of values for the ideal rep actor, and as a collaborator and colleague Judith embodied those values every single day she came to work. She was also one of the kindest and most generous people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. We will miss her with the kind of passionate abandon that she brought to our company and audiences for two decades.”

Bergan’s first season at OSF was in 1997, when she played Elena Guarneri in the world premiere of The Magic Fire, which went on to play at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. She returned to the company in 2000 to play Lorraine Sheldon in The Man Who Came to Dinner and the Chorus in The Trojan Women. In the ensuing 16 years, some of her favorite roles included Claire in Fuddy Meers (2001), Tamora in Titus Andronicus (2002), Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra (2003), Julie Cavendish in The Royal Family (2004), Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest (2006), Ranevskaya in The Cherry Orchard (2007), Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice (2010), Violet Weston in August: Osage County (2011), Mother Superior in The Tenth Muse (2013), Mary Tyrone in Long Day’s Journey into Night (2015) and Miss Havisham in Great Expectations (2016).

“Judith-Marie came to work at OSF in 1997 playing a delightful role in Lillian Groag’s The Magic Fire,” said OSF artistic director emerita Libby Appel.  “It was so clear from the moment she stepped on the Bowmer stage that she was a high-quality actor, with a sharp wit, a sparkling intelligence and a beautiful, elegant demeanor.  What a rare find!  Her comic genius delighted audiences in The Man Who Came to Dinner, The Royal Family, Pride and Prejudice and countless other wonderfully received comedies.  But it was her brilliance in plays like Long Day’s Journey into Night, August: Osage County, The Cherry Orchard and Great Expectations that made it apparent that Judith ranked among the great American actors.”

“Along with her extraordinary talent and skills in the theater came a loving, poised, sophisticated and wonderful human being” added Appel.  “She was a generous friend, truly caring about the people in her life.  Indeed, I never heard her say an unkind word about anyone. She invested in people with love and true friendship.”

In her extensive theatre career, Bergan also worked at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, PlayMakers Repertory Company, Yale Repertory Theatre, Los Angeles Shakespeare Festival, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre and The Old Globe Theatre.

Her impressive TV credits included being a series regular on All is Forgiven, Domestic Life, Hard Knocks and Maggie; guest star roles in Matlock, NYPD Blue, Murphy Brown, Empty Nest, Civil Wars and Major Dad;  and co-star in movies-of-the-week and mini-series Two Small Voices, The Betty Broderick Story, In the Blink of an Eye and Bluegrass.

Judith-Marie Bergan was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1948, and spent her youth in Indianapolis as well as Louisville, KY and Highland Park, IL. She received her BFA from the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. She is survived by her husband, cinematographer Joao Fernandes, and two sisters, Brooke and Joan.

The role of Miss Havisham in OSF’s production of Great Expectations will be played by Caroline Shaffer through the end of the season.

Founded by Angus Bowmer in 1935 and winner of a 1983 Tony Award for outstanding achievement in regional theatre, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents an eight-month season of 11 plays that include works by Shakespeare as well as a mix of classics, musicals, and new works. The Festival also draws attendance of more than 400,000 to almost 800 performances every year and employs approximately 575 theatre professionals. In 2008, OSF launched American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle, a 10-year cycle of commissioning new plays that has already resulted in several OSF commissions finding success nationwide.

In 1977, she appeared in Charlie's Angels, playing the part of Raven in the Angels on the Air episode that also starred Nicolas Coster and John Forsythe, In 1987 she appeared in Days of Our Lives as Elizabeth Harley. Between 1977 and 1978 she appeared in various episodes of Soap as Marilyn McCallam. In a December 1984 Highway to Heaven episode "Hotel of Dreams" she played Allison Rutledge, a difficult guest who unsuccessfully tried to cause trouble for the main characters. She also had a starring role in the short-lived Martin Mull sitcom, Domestic Life. It was a mid-season replacement on CBS in 1984 and lasted 10 episodes. She played Janet in the Tales from the Darkside episode "Effect and Cause" (1985). In the 1987 TV series Hard Knocks, she played Maggie a sarcastic lady who happened to be a restaurateur and who was also an ex-con and informant.

She played the lead role of Patricia Prescott in the Joseph Zito directed / Kent E. Carroll produced film Abduction, based on the Harrison James novel Black Abductor. The film came out in October 1975. She played the part of the daughter of a rich property developer who is kidnapped by a group of radicals and ends up becoming converted to their cause. In 1978 she had a role in the Delbert Mann directed Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery, a made for television drama about the wife of a disabled man who has an extramarital affair.[9] The following year she co-starred as Beverly Stevens in the horror film Bloodrage which was also directed by Joseph Zito.

Her final film was Finding Kelly in 2000.

Actress (59 credits)

 2000 Finding Kelly

Sandra Harrington

 1997 Two Small Voices (TV Movie)

Patient #1

 1996 In the Blink of an Eye (TV Movie)

Holly Strafer

 1995 Rage

Gladys

 1989-1995 Empty Nest (TV Series)

Libby Weston / Paula / Janet

- Life Goes On: Part 2 (1995) ... Libby Weston

- Harry Knows Best (1990) ... Paula (as Judith Marie Bergan)

- Here's a Howdy-Do (1989) ... Janet

 1994 Murphy Brown (TV Series)

Bonnie Fielder

- Brown vs. the Board of Education (1994) ... Bonnie Fielder

 1994 Ray Alexander: A Taste for Justice (TV Movie)

 1994 NYPD Blue (TV Series)

Carolyn Case

- Black Men Can Jump (1994) ... Carolyn Case

 1993 Home Free (TV Series)

Teri

- Party Down (1993) ... Teri

 1993 Herman's Head (TV Series)

Mary

- An Actor Prepares (1993) ... Mary

 1992 Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, the Last Chapter (TV Movie)

 1992 Sibs (TV Series)

Janice

- The In Crowd (1992) ... Janice

 1992 Major Dad (TV Series)

Charlotte Huddleston

- Charlotte's Web (1992) ... Charlotte Huddleston

 1992 Civil Wars (TV Series)

Rosemary Sturdevant

- Whippet 'Til It Breaks (1992) ... Rosemary Sturdevant

 1991 Life Goes On (TV Series)

Anita Katchadorian

- Armageddon (1991) ... Anita Katchadorian

 1991 Blossom (TV Series)

Dominique

- School Daze (1991) ... Dominique

 1991 Over My Dead Body (TV Series)

Valerie

- Naked Brunch (1991) ... Valerie

 1990 Doctor Doctor (TV Series)

Paisley Brookstone

- When Bad Books Happen to Good People (1990) ... Paisley Brookstone

 1990 Uncle Buck (TV Series)

- Teacher's Pet (1990)

 1989-1990 Christine Cromwell (TV Series)

Glynnis Dandridge

- Only the Good Die Young (1990) ... Glynnis Dandridge

- Easy Come, Easy Go (1989)

 1989 ALF (TV Series)

Marilyn Geiser

- Lies (1989) ... Marilyn Geiser

 1989 Open House (TV Series)

Dr. Weber

- Scenes from an Office Marriage (1989) ... Dr. Weber

 1989 That's Adequate

Patient

 1988 The Secret Life of Kathy McCormick (TV Movie)

Janice

 1988 Bluegrass (TV Movie)

Irene Shipleigh

 1988 Marblehead Manor (TV Series)

Gretel

- Tea for Tuba (1988) ... Gretel

 1987 Brothers (TV Series)

Annie

- Man's Choice (1987) ... Annie

 1987 Days of Our Lives (TV Series)

Elizabeth Marley

- Episode #1.5523 (1987) ... Elizabeth Marley

- Episode #1.5490 (1987) ... Elizabeth Marley

 1987 Hard Knocks (TV Series)

Maggie

- The Hits (1987) ... Maggie

- Fallen Idol (1987) ... Maggie

- The End of the World (1987) ... Maggie

 1986 Matlock (TV Series)

Allison Hardiman

- The Stripper (1986) ... Allison Hardiman (as Judith Marie Bergan)

 1986 All Is Forgiven (TV Series)

Cecile Porter-Lindsey

- Matt at the Barricades (1986) ... Cecile Porter-Lindsey

- Paula Russell II (1986) ... Cecile Porter-Lindsey

- I Can't Say No (1986) ... Cecile Porter-Lindsey

- And Justice for Oliver (1986) ... Cecile Porter-Lindsey

- Mother's Day (1986) ... Cecile Porter-Lindsey

1985 Tales from the Darkside (TV Series)

Janet

- Effect and Cause (1985) ... Janet

 1984 Highway to Heaven (TV Series)

Allison Rutledge

- Hotel of Dreams (1984) ... Allison Rutledge

 1984 Domestic Life (TV Series)

Candy Crane

- Harold at the Bat (1984) ... Candy Crane

- Showdown at Walla Walla (1984) ... Candy Crane

- The Candidates (1984) ... Candy Crane

- Rip Rides Again (1984) ... Candy Crane

- Cooking with Candy (1984) ... Candy Crane

Show all 10 episodes

 1984 Hart to Hart (TV Series)

Michelle 'Mike' Saunders

- The Shooting (1984) ... Michelle 'Mike' Saunders

 1983 Three's Company (TV Series)

Gail Kenderson

- The Odd Couples (1983) ... Gail Kenderson

 1983 Oh Madeline (TV Series)

Esmerelda

- Mummy Dearest (1983) ... Esmerelda

 1983 At Ease (TV Series)

Dixie

- Maxwell's People (1983) ... Dixie

 1983 Taxi (TV Series)

Shawn

- Alex's Old Buddy (1983) ... Shawn

 1983 Insight (TV Series)

Luella

- Clearing House (1983) ... Luella

 1982 CBS Afternoon Playhouse (TV Series)

Neighbor

- Secret Agent Boy (1982) ... Neighbor

 1982 Gloria (TV Series)

Holly Van Patten

- Malpractice (1982) ... Holly Van Patten

 1981-1982 Maggie (TV Series)

Buffy Croft

- Maggie the Poet (1982) ... Buffy Croft

- Mark's Shrink (1982) ... Buffy Croft

- Alienation of Affection (1982) ... Buffy Croft

- Marriage Encounter (1982) ... Buffy Croft

- Bruce's Birthday Party (1981) ... Buffy Croft

Show all 8 episodes

 1982 Hill Street Blues (TV Series)

Nancy

- Personal Foul (1982) ... Nancy

 1982 The Two of Us (TV Series)

Trish

- Butler of the Year (1982) ... Trish

 1981 Sizzle (TV Movie)

Louise

 1981 Flamingo Road (TV Series)

- Jealous Wife (1981)

 1981 Bosom Buddies (TV Series)

Sally

- Beauty and the Beasts (1981) ... Sally

 1980 This Is the Life (TV Series)

Newscaster

- No Laughing Matter (1980) ... Newscaster

 1980 WKRP in Cincinnati (TV Series)

Dottie Dahlquist

- Jennifer Moves (1980) ... Dottie Dahlquist

 1980 Bloodrage

Beverly

 1979 Where's Poppa? (TV Movie)

Louise Hamelin

 1979 The Ordeal of Patty Hearst (TV Movie)

Young Stenographer

 1979 Murder by Natural Causes (TV Movie)

Production Assistant

 1978 Greatest Heroes of the Bible (TV Series)

- The Story of Noah, Part II (1978) ... (as Judith Marie Bergan)

- Joshua & Jericho (1978)

- The Story of Noah (1978) ... (as Judith Marie Bergan)

 1978 Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery (TV Movie)

 1977-1978 Soap (TV Series)

Marilyn McCallam

- Episode #1.23 (1978) ... Marilyn McCallam

- Episode #1.19 (1978) ... Marilyn McCallam

- Episode #1.14 (1977) ... Marilyn McCallam

 1977 Charlie's Angels (TV Series)

Raven

- Angels on the Air (1977) ... Raven

 1975 Abduction

Patricia Prescott