Suzanne Shepherd obit

Actor Suzanne Shepherd, who played mothers in ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘Goodfellas,’ dead at 89

 

She was not on the list.

Suzanne Shepherd, an actress known for playing mothers to key characters in Goodfellas and The Sopranos, has died. She was 89.

Shepherd died peacefully in her home in New York City early Friday morning, her agent told The Hollywood Reporter.

Shepherd appeared in 20 episodes of The Sopranos as Mary DeAngelis, the mother of Edie Falco's Carmela Soprano, and played the mother of Lorraine Bracco's Karen Hill in Goodfellas.

Sopranos actor Ray Abruzzo remembered Shepherd on Instagram, calling her "a force of nature."

Her other credits include roles in movies like Mystic Pizza, Uncle Buck, Lolita, Requiem for a Dream, Living Out Loud and Working Girl and guest appearances in TV shows like Ed, Blue Bloods, Law & Order and Third Watch.

Shepherd's last onscreen role was in 2023's The Performance as Tess.

Born Oct. 31, 1934, Shepherd graduated from Bennington College and studied with Larry Arrick, Herbert Berghoff and Sanford Meisner and was also a teacher and acting coach who served on the faculty of Trinity Square Conservatory, Hartman Conservatory, the Berghof Studio and her own studio in New York City, according to a bio on her website.

Shepherd directed at the Nederlander Theatre and Steppenwolf and played leading roles in productions at The Roundabout, Yale Repertory and Berkeley Repertory and major regional theaters.

Shepherd is survived by her daughter, artist Kate Shepherd, son-in-law Miles McManus and granddaughter Isabelle Shepherd. A memorial service is expected to be announced in 2024.

 

Filmography

Film

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1988    Mystic Pizza    Aunt Tweedy           

1988            Working Girl    Trask Receptionist     

1989    Uncle Buck    Mrs. Hoargarth        

1989    Second Sight     Marilyn Bloom 

1990            Goodfellas       Karen's Mother

1990    Jacob's Ladder            Hospital Receptionist   

1995    The Jerky Boys: The Movie            Mrs. B

1995            Palookaville     Mother

1996    Bullet            Cookie Stein    

1996    Trees Lounge Jackie  

1997    Lolita            Miss Pratt    

1998            Illuminata            Marco's mother          

1998    Living Out Loud            Mary   

1998            American Cuisine            Martha

1999    On the Run      Lady in Travel Agency 

2000            Requiem for a Dream            Mrs. Scarlini

2001    Never Again   Mother

2004    A Dirty Shame  Big Ethel    

2008    Choke            Waitress          

2008    Harold            Maude Sellers 

2009    I Hate Valentine's Day            Edie    

2012            Delivering the Goods            Mrs. Weinbaum       

2013            Jerome's Bouquet            Elana Klein    Short film

2017    Where Is Kyra?            Ruth    

2018            Furlough            Elizabeth Anderson      

2018    The Week Of            Aunt Iris      

 

Television

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1990    Law & Order            Arraignment Judge Victoria Sawyer            Episode: "The Reaper's Helper"

1998    Vig            Agnes            Television film

2000    Third Watch  Sheats            Episode: "Young Men and Fire..."

2000, 2004            Ed            Elaine / Edna    2 episodes

2000–2007            The Sopranos            Mary DeAngelis            20 episodes

2002    Law & Order: Criminal Intent    Joan            Episode: "Homo Homini Lupus"

2003    Law & Order: Special Victims Unit            Old Woman            Episode: "Desperate"

2010    Gravity            Scarf Woman            Episode: "Dogg Day Afternoon"

2016–2018            Blue Bloods Lucille Abetemarco            2 episodes