Zoe Caldwell obit

Zoe Caldwell, Winner of Four Tony Awards, Is Dead at 86

She was not on the list.

The Australian-born actress won Tony Awards for 'Slapstick Tragedy,' 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,' 'Medea' and 'Master Class.'

Zoe Caldwell, an esteemed stage, film and television actress who won four Tony Awards, including for her role as opera diva Maria Callas in Master Class, has died. She was 86.

Caldwell died Sunday from Parkinson's disease complications at her home in Pound Ridge, New York, her son Charlie Whitehead confirmed through a representative.

The Australian-born actress first appeared on stage at age 9 as one of the Lost Boys in Peter Pan. She moved to London in 1959 to join the Royal Shakespeare Company, and began her American stage career as an original company member at the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis.

Caldwell made her Broadway debut with 1965's The Devils. This was soon followed by her first Tony Award-winning performance in Slapstick Tragedy (1966), with subsequent wins for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1968), Medea (1982) and Master Class (1996). She recreated her performance in Medea for television in 1983.

She also directed a number of productions for the New York stage, including Eileen Atkins' play Vita & Virginia, which starred Atkins and Vanessa Redgrave; and Israel Horovitz's Park Your Car in Harvard Yard, with Judith Ivey and Jason Robards.

Caldwell's film credits include Woody Allen's The Purple Rose of Cairo, Jonathan Glazer's Birth and Disney's Lilo & Stitch. Her telefilm appearances include adaptations of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Her most recent screen role was as the grandmother of Oskar (Thomas Horn) in 2011's Extremely Loud and Dangerously Close.

Caldwell was married to theater producer and director Robert Whitehead from 1968 until his death in 2002. She is survived by two sons, Sam and Charlie Whitehead, and two young grandchildren, Ross and Ward Whitehead.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes

1985 The Purple Rose of Cairo The Countess

2002 Lilo & Stitch Grand Councilwoman (voice)

2003 Stitch! The Movie Grand Councilwoman (voice) Direct-to-video

2004 Birth Mrs. Hill

2004 Stitch's Great Escape! Grand Councilwoman (voice) Short film

2006 Leroy & Stitch Grand Councilwoman (voice) Direct-to-video

2011 Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close Oskar's Grandmother



Television

Year Title Role Notes

1959 A Midsummer Night's Dream Fairy Television film

1960 BBC Sunday Night Play Ruth Honeywill Episode: "Twentieth Century Theatre: Justice"

1960 ITV Playhouse Louise Episode: "The Song of Louise in the Morning"

1960 Suspense Kathy Harrison Episode: "Flight 404"

1960 Theatre 70 Episode: "The Neighbour"

1961 Macbeth Lady Macbeth Television film

1963 Festival Episode: "The Doctor's Dilemma"

1964 Playdate Streetwalker Episode: "A Night Out"

1964 Dear Liar Mrs. Patrick Campbell Television film

1968 The Secret of Michelangelo Narrator Television film

1971 Great Performances Sarah Bernhardt Episode: "Sarah ... Sarah Bernhardt"

1978 Play of the Month Mme. Arkadina Episode: "The Seagull"

1983 Medea Medea Television film

1986 American Masters Carlotta Monterey O'Neill Episode: "Eugene O'Neill: A Glory of Ghosts"

1989 Lantern Hill Mrs. Kennedy Television film

1990 Road to Avonlea Old Lady Lloyd Episode: "Old Lady Lloyd"

2003 Lilo & Stitch: The Series Grand Councilwoman (voice) Episode: "Finder: Experiment #428"



Theatre credits

Year Title Role Notes

1965 The Devils Sister Jean of the Angels - replacement Broadway Theatre

1966 Slapstick Tragedy Polly Longacre Theater - Tony Award

1968 The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Jean Brodie Helen Hayes Theater - Tony Award

1972 The Creation of the World and Other Business Eve Shubert Theater

1974 Dance of Death Alice Vivian Beaumont Theater

1977 An Almost Perfect Person Director Belasco Theater

1982 Medea Medea Cort Theater - Tony Award

1986 Lillian Lillian Ethel Barrymore Theater

1988 Macbeth Director Mark Hellinger Theatre

1991 Park Your Car In Harvard Yard Director Music Box Theater

1995–1997 Master Class Maria Callas John Golden Theater - Tony Award

2003 The Play What I Wrote Mystery Guest Star - replacement Lyceum Theater

2003 The Visit Claire Zachanassian Melbourne Theatre Company



Video games

Year Title Role Notes

2002 Disney's Stitch: Experiment 626 Grand Councilwoman credit only

2010 Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Grand Councilwoman