Jessica Walter obit

Jessica Walter Dies: Emmy-Winning ‘Arrested Development’, ‘Archer’ Actress Was 80

 

She was not on the list.

Jessica Walter, the award-winning actress whose career spanned six decades, passed away in her sleep at home in New York City on Wednesday, March 24. She was 80.

Walter’s career included everything from a standout turn in Clint Eastwood’s directorial debut, Play Misty for Me, to The Flamingo Kid and her Emmy-nominated turns on Trapper John M..D. and Streets of San Francisco. For her performance as Lucille Bluth in Arrested Development, Walter earned yet another Emmy nomination and two SAG nominations.

Walter won an Emmy starring in Amy Prentiss, an Ironside spinoff in the mid-1970s about a young San Francisco police detective. She also voiced Malory Archer on FXX’s animated series Archer.

Walter served as 2nd National Vice President of the Screen Actors Guild, and was an elected member of the SAG Board of Directors for over a decade.

As news of her passing spread, Walter’s Arrested co-stars and many others began to weigh in, with co-star David Cross calling her “an absolutely brilliant actress and amazing talent.” See those tributes here.

Walter began her career in her hometown of New York City where she appeared in numerous Broadway productions including Advise and Consent, Neil Simon’s Rumors, A Severed Head, Nightlife and Photo Finish, for which she earned the Clarence Derwent Award for Most Promising Newcomer.

Also on stage, Walter worked at New York’s Playwright’s Horizons and the Los Angeles Theater Center, where she starred in Tartuffe opposite the late Ron Leibman, her Emmy- and Tony-winning husband. She also starred in the Broadway revival of Anything Goes, which picked up several Tony Awards.

Walter is survived by daughter Brooke Bowman, who is SVP Drama Programming at Fox Entertainment, and grandson Micah Heymann.

Bowman said in a statement: “It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of my beloved mom Jessica. A working actor for over six decades, her greatest pleasure was bringing joy to others through her storytelling both on screen and off. While her legacy will live on through her body of work, she will also be remembered by many for her wit, class and overall joie de vivre.”

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

Filmography

Film

Year       Title       Roles     Notes    Rf.

1964      Lilith      Laura    

1966      Grand Prix           Pat Stoddard      Nominated — Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress    

The Group           Libby                    

1968      Bye Bye Braverman         Inez Braverman                                

1969      Number One      Julie Catlan                        

1971      Play Misty for Me             Evelyn Draper    Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama  

1979      Goldengirl           Melody                                

1981      Going Ape!          Fiona                    

1983      Spring Fever       Celia Berryman                 

1984      Terror in the Aisles          Evelyn Draper    Archival footage              

The Flamingo Kid              Phyllis Brody                     

1988      Tapeheads          Kay Mart                             

1993      Ghost in the Machine     Elaine Spencer                  

1994      PCU        President Garcia-Thompson                       

1995      Temptress           Dr. Phyllis Evergreen                      

1998      Slums of Beverly Hills      Doris Zimmerman                           

2003      Dummy                Fern                      

2006      Unaccompanied Minors                Cindi                     

2012      Bending the Rules            Lena Gold                           

2017      Undercover Grandpa      Maddy Harcourt                              

Keep the Change              Carrie                   

2020      The Mimic           Estelle                  

Television

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1960      Diagnosis: Unknown                       Episode: "The Curse of the Gypsy"

1962–65               Love of Life         Julie Murano      Unknown episodes

1962–63               Naked City          Girl / Louise        2 episodes

1963      Route 66              Liz Marshall        Episode: "A Long Way from St. Louie"

1964      East Side/West Side        Phyllis Dowling Episode: "Take Sides with the Sun"

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour            Lorna Richmond               Episode: "The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow"

Ben Casey            Flora Farr             Episode: "August Is the Month Before Christmas"

Flipper Elena     Episode: "300 Feet Below"

The Doctors and the Nurses         Edith Robertson                2 episodes

The Reporter     Jennifer                Episode: "How Much for a Prince?"

The Rogues         Linda Tennant    Episode: "House of Cards"

1964–65               The Defenders Sharon Ruskin / Myra Maxwell   2 episodes

1965      For the People   Phyllis Koster     13 episodes

The Trials of O'Brien        Carole Ann Muffit            Episode: "Picture Me a Murder"

1966      The Fugitive        Pat Haynes          Episode: "The White Knight"

Preview Tonight                Vivian Scott        Episode: "Pursue and Destroy"

1966–73               The F.B.I.             Various                 6 episodes

1968      Kiss Me, Kate     Lois Lane / Bianca            Television movie

1968–71               The Name of the Game Linda Ramsey / Rita Mason / Allie Chambers        2 episodes

1969      It Takes a Thief Lori Brooks          Episode: "The Baranoff Timetable"

The Immortal     Janet Braddock Pilot for TV series

Then Came Bronson        Morgana Mendoza          Episode: "Where Will the Trumpets Be?"

Three's a Crowd                Jessica Carson    Television movie

1969–73               Love, American Style      Various                 5 episodes

1970      Mission: Impossible        Valerie Episode: "Orpheus"

The Most Deadly Game Leslie     Episode: "Breakdown"

1970–73               Mannix                 Various                 3 episodes

1971      Men at Law         Kate Callendar   Episode: "Let the Dier Beware"

Alias Smith and Jones     Louise Carson    Episode: "Everything Else You Can Steal"

They Call It Murder          Jane Antrim        Television movie

1971–73               Marcus Welby, M.D.       Marian Lawrence / Jenny Alquist               2 episodes

1971–74               Medical Center Various                 4 episodes

1972      The Sixth Sense                 Jordana Theland               Episode: "The Heart That Wouldn't Stay Buried"

Women in Chains             Dee Dee               Television movie

Banyon                 Emily     Episode: "The Old College Try"

Cannon                 Jane Butler          Episode: "That Was No Lady"

Home for the Holidays   Frederica "Freddie" Morgan        Television movie

1973      Banacek               Erica Osburn       Episode: "The Two Million Clams of Cap'n Jack"

Jigsaw                   Episode: "Kiss the Dream Goodbye"

Tenafly Joyce Harrison   Episode: "The Cash and Carry Caper"

1973–76               The Streets of San Francisco        Glen Williams / Glen Conway / Maggie Jarris        2 episodes

1974      Barnaby Jones   Brooke Leighton / Bernice Kellner             2 episodes

Columbo              Dr. Margaret Nicholson Episode: "Mind Over Mayhem"

The Magician     Marian Tripp      Episode: "The Illusion Of The Evil Spikes"

Ironside                Amy Prentiss      Episode: "Amy Prentiss AKA The Chief"

Pilot for Amy Prentiss

Hurricane            Louise Damon    Television movie

Hawaii Five-O    Carla Crystal       Episode: "The Two Faced Corpse"

1974–75               Amy Prentiss      Amy Prentiss      3 episodes

1975      McCloud              Mrs. Jessica Wright          Episode: "Park Avenue Pirates"

1976      Having Babies    Sally McNamara                Television movie

McMillan             Donna Drake      Episode: "All Bets Off"

Victory at Entebbe           Nomi Haroun     Television movie

1977      Visions Anna II Episode: "The Prison Game"

All That Glitters                 Joan Hamlyn       Unknown episodes

The New Adventures of Wonder Woman               Gloria    Episode: "The Return of Wonder Woman"

Black Market Baby           Louise Carmino Television movie

What Really Happened to the Class of '65?            Fran       Episode: "The Girl Nobody Knew"

Gibbsville                             Episode: "The Grand Gesture"

1978      Wild and Wooly                Megan Television movie

Wheels Ursula   Episode #1.1

Dr. Strange          Morgan le Fay    Television movie

Secrets of Three Hungry Wives   Christina Wood Television movie

Quincy, M.E.       Jessica Ross        Episode: "Images"

1978–85               The Love Boat    Various                 8 episodes

1979      Vampire               Nicole DeCamp Television movie

She's Dressed to Kill        Irene Barton       Television movie

1979–85               Trapper John, M.D.          Melanie Townsend McIntyre      10 episodes

1981      Miracle on Ice    Pat Brooks           Television movie

Aloha Paradise                  Episode: "The Best of Friends/Success/9 Carats"

Scruples               Maggie Television movie

1982      Knots Landing    Victoria Hill         Episode: "Reunion"

Joanie Loves Chachi         Vanessa Sterling               Episode: "Everybody Loves Aunt Vanessa"

Matt Houston    Glynnis Durand Episode: "Joey's Here"

1983      Thursday's Child               Roz Richardson Television movie

Bare Essence      Ava Marshall      11 episodes

1984      The Return of Marcus Welby, M.D.           Astrid Carlisle     Television movie

1984–85               Three's a Crowd                Claudia Bradford              8 episodes

1985      The Execution    Gertrude Simon                Television movie

1985–94               Murder, She Wrote         Various                 4 episodes

1986      Hotel     Irene Fitzgerald                 Episode: "Child's Play"

Magnum, P.I.     Joan Fulton         Episode: "Novel Connection"

Wildfire                Lady Diabolyn (voice)     Main role

1987      ABC Afterschool Specials               Dr. Stein               Episode: "Just a Regular Kid: An AIDS Story"

1988      J.J. Starbuck        Brin Coltan          Episode: "Murder by Design"

Aaron's Way       Connie Lo Verde               14 episodes

1991      The Pirates of Dark Water             Additional voices              2 episodes

1991–94               Dinosaurs            Fran Sinclair (voice)         65 episodes

1992      Jack's Place         Claire     Episode: "Romance Takes a Curtain Call"

The Round Table              Anne McPherson             Episode: "Yesterday We Were Playing Football"

1994      Babylon 5            Senator Elise Voudreau Episode: "A Spider in the Web"

Coach    Susan Miller       5 episodes

1995      Law & Order       Anna Kopell        Episode: "House Counsel"

1996      Wing Commander Academy        Admiral Rhea Bergstrom (voice)                Episode: "Chain of Command"

The Magic School Bus     Ashley Walker-Club-Dupree (voice)          Episode: "Rocks and Rolls"

1996–97               One Life to Live Eleanor Armitage             6 episodes

1997      Doomsday Rock                Secretary             Television movie

You Wish             Estelle   Episode: "The Big Ride"

1998      Poltergeist: The Legacy Suzanne Barnard              Episode: "The Light"

Just Shoot Me! Eve Gallo             Episode: "Eve of Destruction"

1998–2000          Oh Baby               Celia Calloway   20 episodes

2000–01               Jack & Jill             Mrs. Louise Zane              3 episodes

2003      Touched by an Angel      Naomi   Episode: "The Show Must Not Go On"

2003–06,

2013,

2018–19               Arrested Development Lucille Bluth        82 episodes

2004      I Do (But I Don't)               Gennifer              Television movie

2006–07               The Life and Times of Juniper Lee              Demoness (voice)            2 episodes

2007      The Land Before Time    Old One (voice) Episode: "The Brave Longneck Scheme"

Rules of Engagement      Constance           Episode: "Kids"

The Wedding Bells           Candace Sinclair                Episode: "Partly Cloudy, with a Chance of Disaster"

2007–10               Saving Grace      Betty Hanadarko              5 episodes

2008      Law & Order: Criminal Intent      Eleanor Reynolds             Episode: "Please Note We Are No Longer Accepting Letters of Recommendation from Henry Kissinger"

Happy Hour        Nanette               Episode: "Thanksgiving"

2008–09               90210   Tabitha Wilson 13 episodes

2009      Law & Order: Special Victims Unit             Attorney Petra Gilmartin               Episode: "Solitary"

2009–21               Archer   Malory Archer (voice)     110 episodes

2010      Gravity Henrietta             5 episodes

Make It or Break It           Grandma Tanner              Episode: "Battle of the Flexes"

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated         Mrs. Wyatt (voice)           Episode: "Howl Of The Fright Hound"

2011      The Big Bang Theory       Mrs. Latham       Episode: "The Benefactor Factor"

2011–12               Retired at 35      Elaine Robbins   Main cast, 20 episodes

2013      Turbo: F.A.S.T.   Tabitha (voice) Episode: "Worst in Show/Belle of the Gumball"

2014      Jennifer Falls      Maggie Main cast, 10 episodes

2015–18               Star vs. the Forces of Evil               Miss Heinous / Meteora Butterfly (voice)              9 episodes

2015, 2017          NCIS       Judith McKnight                Episodes: "16 Years"; "Nonstop"

2016      The Odd Couple                Meredith             Episode: "Felix Navidad"

2017      Justice League Action     Athena (voice)   Episode: "The Trouble with Truth"

Difficult People Mrs. Chuck          Episode: "Criminal Minds"

2019      At Home with Amy Sedaris           Alice Brittlecrunch           2 episodes

2019–20               Good Girls           Judith    2 episodes

2020      Harley Quinn      Wendy Brown, Granny Goodness (voices)             Episode: "Inner (Para) Demons"

2021      American Housewife      Margaret             Episode: "Getting Frank with the Ottos"