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Lesley Ann Warren
| Biography |
Born in New York City; educated at the Actors Studio, New York. A great underutilized talent in features, this stage-trained actress has shone in numerous TV movies, miniseries, and music-oriented specials. America first discovered Warren as a fresh-faced ingenue; she was a radiant "Cinderella" (CBS, 1967) in the now classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical TV special. That same year, Warren made her feature debut in THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE, a Disney musical starring Fred MacMurray. She followed up with another Disney songfest, THE ONE AND ONLY, GENUINE, ORIGINAL FAMILY BAND (1968) before devoting most of her time to TV, appearing in TV movies, busted pilots, miniseries and guest spots. Though feature assignments were few and far between -- only three between 1968 and 1982 -- TV realized Warren's potential as a lead. Warren could ennoble some dubious material. She brought conviction, toughness, and sympathy to her portrayals of B-girls, struggling moms, and plucky careerists. Warren's many miniseries credits include HAROLD ROBBINS' 79 PARK AVENUE (NBC, 1977), BEULAH LAND (NBC, 1980) and EVERGREEN (NBC, 1985). Her TV movies include such provocative titles as PORTRAIT OF A STRIPPER (CBS, 1979), PORTRAIT OF A SHOWGIRL (CBS,1982) and WILLING TO KILL: THE TEXAS CHEERLEADER STORY (ABC, 1992). Warren's feature career was revived after an Oscar-nominated supporting performance in Blake Edwards's VICTOR/VICTORIA (1982). She won critical raves as Norma, the blonde mollof James Garner, evoking memories of Jean Harlow and Jean Hagen (in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN). Warren's subsequent film credits include two Alan Rudolph films, CHOOSE ME and SONGWRITER (both 1984) and the female lead in Mel Brooks's LIFE STINKS (1991). More recently she played the manager of country & western singer George Strait in PURE COUNTRY (1992). Nominated for Supporting Actress 1982: VICTOR/VICTORIA 1 nomination |
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