Claire Malis obit

Actress Claire Malis Callaway Dies at 69

She starred in “The Facts of Life” and “One Life to Live.”

 

She was not on the list.

Actress Claire Malis Callaway, a star on the ABC daytime serial One Life to Live and a mom on NBC’s popular 1980s sitcom The Facts of Life, has died. She was 69.

Callaway died Aug. 24 of congestive heart failure and pneumonia at City of Hope Helford Clinical Research Hospital in Duarte, Calif. She had undergone a stem cell transplant in 2010 in a battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

As Claire Malis, she played Rose Polniaczek, the divorced mother of Nancy McKeon’s character, on The Facts of Life. Earlier, she was Dorian, the matriarch of the Cramer family, on One Life to Live from February 1977 to April 1979. (Malis was succeeded in the role by Robin Strasser, who would star on the daytime drama for three decades.)

Malis was born on Feb. 17, 1943, and raised in Gary, Indiana. While at Indiana University, she auditioned for and received one of only 16 national full scholarships to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. She was named best actress of her graduating class.

After performing in off-Broadway productions and national tours of two Broadway shows, Malis was cast in a small role in John Cassavetes’ film Husbands (1970). She followed that with a season at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, performing in Taming of the Shrew, then returned to New York for her stint on One Life to Live. She moved to Los Angeles in 1980.

Her other TV appearances included roles on Lou Grant, Taxi, St. Elsewhere, Falcon Crest, Murphy Brown, Picket Fences, Suddenly Susan and The Division.

Between 1983 and 1988 Malis portrayed Rose Polniaczek, mother of series regular Jo (played by Nancy McKeon), in six episodes of the NBC sitcom The Facts of Life.

On stage, Malis appeared in the Ahmanson Theatre production of Detective Story starring Charlton Heston in 1984 and produced and acted in plays at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in Los Angeles. She co-created In the Trenches Productions, a production company aiming for roles for women over age 40.

Survivors include her husband Thomas Callaway, an architectural and interior designer who has worked on the homes of such Hollywood luminaries as producer Alan Ladd Jr. and Rhino Records founder Richard Foos; their son Catlin; and her brother Lee.

Actress (43 credits)

 2007 The Anna Nicole Smith Story

Etiquette Instructor (as Claire Malis Callaway)

 2005 Mystery Woman (TV Series)

Mrs. Lowell

- Mystery Woman: Vision of a Murder (2005) ... Mrs. Lowell (as Claire Malis Callaway)

 2004 The Division (TV Series)

- Lost and Found (2004) ... (as Claire Malis Callaway)

- Rush to the Door (2004) ... (as Claire Malis Callaway)

 2004 Line of Fire (TV Series)

Amy Frost

- The Best-Laid Plans (2004) ... Amy Frost (as Claire Malis Callaway)

 2003 CSI: Miami (TV Series)

Adele Alonzo

- Bunk (2003) ... Adele Alonzo (as Claire Malis Callaway)

 2001 Will & Grace (TV Series)

Jo Black

- Sons and Lovers (2001) ... Jo Black (as Claire Malis Callaway)

- Sons and Lovers (2001) ... Jo Black (as Claire Malis Callaway)

 1998 Suddenly Susan (TV Series)

Mrs. Shafer

- A Tale of Two Pants: Part 2 (1998) ... Mrs. Shafer (as Claire Malis Callaway)

 1997 A Nightmare Come True (TV Movie)

Ellen (as Claire Malis Calloway)

 1996 The Client (TV Series)

Sally

- Private Lives (1996) ... Sally (as Claire Malis Callaway)

 1995 A Mother's Prayer (TV Movie)

Mrs. Ford (as Claire Malis Callaway)

 1994 Murder, She Wrote (TV Series)

Emily Bryce

- Murder by Twos (1994) ... Emily Bryce (as Claire Malis Callaway)

 1993 Picket Fences (TV Series)

Mrs. Fenn

- Blue Christmas (1993) ... Mrs. Fenn (as Claire Malis Callaway)

- Sugar and Spice (1993) ... Mrs. Fenn (as Claire Malis-Callaway)

 1993 L.A. Law (TV Series)

Mrs. Hartshorn

- Testing, Testing, 1... 2... 3... 4 (1993) ... Mrs. Hartshorn (as Claire Malis Callaway)

 1993 The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (TV Movie)

June Sofar (as Claire Mallis-Callaway)

 1992 Civil Wars (TV Series)

Corinne Jaeckel

- Devil's Advocate (1992) ... Corinne Jaeckel (as Claire Malis-Callaway)

 1992 Those Secrets (TV Movie)

Nora (as Claire Malis Callaway)

 1992 Murphy Brown (TV Series)

Mrs. Abernathy

- Murphy Buys the Farm (1992) ... Mrs. Abernathy (as Claire Malis-Callaway)

 1991 Silent Motive (TV Movie)

Hilary Davenport (as Claire Malis-Callaway)

 1990 Diving In

Mrs. Hopkins

 1989 Falcon Crest (TV Series)

Arlene 'Scotty' Scott

- Soul Sacrifice (1989) ... Arlene 'Scotty' Scott

 1988 Two Idiots in Hollywood

Indian Juror

 1988 Maybe Baby (TV Movie)

Lois

 1988 Moving

Helen Fredericks

 1983-1988 The Facts of Life (TV Series)

Rose Polniaczek

- Till Marriage Do Us Part (1988) ... Rose Polniaczek

- Rites of Passage: Part 1 (1987) ... Rose Polniaczek

- The Second Time Around (1983) ... Rose Polniaczek

- Graduation: Part 2 (1983) ... Rose Polniaczek

- Graduation: Part 1 (1983) ... Rose Polniaczek

1986 Our House (TV Series)

Alma

- Heart of a Dancer (1986) ... Alma

- That Lonesome Old Caboose (1986) ... Alma

 1986 'night, Mother

Operator (voice)

 1986 Convicted (TV Movie)

 1985 Washingtoon (TV Series)

Livia Vixen

- The God Lobby (1985) ... Livia Vixen

 1984 Heartbreakers

Marilyn

 1983 Simon & Simon (TV Series)

Diane Horton

- The Skeleton Who Came Out of the Closet (1983) ... Diane Horton

 1983 St. Elsewhere (TV Series)

Mrs. Stewart

- Family History (1983) ... Mrs. Stewart

 1983 Quincy M.E. (TV Series)

Evelyn Hillman

- The Law Is a Fool (1983) ... Evelyn Hillman

 1982 Cry for the Strangers (TV Movie)

Rebecca Palmer

 1982 CHiPs (TV Series)

Mrs. Russell

- Meet the New Guy (1982) ... Mrs. Russell

 1982 Shannon (TV Series)

- John's Awakening (1982)

 1981 Born to Be Sold (TV Movie)

Claire

 1981 Taxi (TV Series)

Cynthia

- On the Job: Part 2 (1981) ... Cynthia

 1981 Lou Grant (TV Series)

Helen

- Venice (1981) ... Helen

 1980 CBS Children's Mystery Theatre (TV Series)

Mrs. Monday

- The Treasure of Alpheus T. Winterborn (1980) ... Mrs. Monday (as Claire Mallis)

 1980 From Here to Eternity (TV Series)

Dr. Anne Brewster

 1979 The Incredible Hulk (TV Series)

Elizabeth Banner

- Homecoming (1979) ... Elizabeth Banner

 1977-1979 One Life to Live (TV Series)

Dr. Dorian Cramer Lord #2 / Dorian Lord

- Episode #1.2718 (1979) ... Dr. Dorian Cramer Lord #2

- Episode dated 24 May 1978 (1978) ... Dr. Dorian Cramer Lord #2

- Episode dated 1 February 1978 (1978) ... Dr. Dorian Cramer Lord #2

- Episode dated 23 January 1978 (1978) ... Dorian Lord

- Episode #1.2362 (1977) ... Dr. Dorian Cramer Lord #2

 1970 Husbands

Stuart's Wife

Self (1 credit)

 1978 The Mike Douglas Show (TV Series)

Self - Co-Host

- Episode #17.181 (1978) ... Self - Co-Host