View Full Version : Soap great Beverlee McKinsey passes on


Jude The Obscure
05-05-2008, 01:13 AM
Beverlee McKinsey
McKINSEY, Beverlee Died May 2nd, 2008 in Los Angeles from
complications due to a kidney transplant. She was 72 years old. Ms.
McKinsey was an actor best known for roles in daytime television. She
created the character Iris Carrington on NBC's Another World, and
played the part from 1970-1979. She also created the role of Alexandra
Spaulding on CBS's Guiding Light, and performed it from 1984-1992. In
1980, NBC developed the program Texas to capitalize on the popularity
of her character, Iris Carrington; and Ms. McKinsey was the first and
only performer in the history of daytime drama to receive star
billing. In 1998, the editors of Soap Opera Magazine voted her the
best actor in the history of daytime television. TV Guide's, Michael
Logan, wrote of her in 1992, "For my money, Beverlee McKinsey is the
greatest actress ever to grace daytime drama." Ms. McKinsey performed
the lead role of Corie on Broadway in the original production of Neil
Simon's, Barefoot in the Park, where she was directed by Mike Nichols,
and co-starred with Robert Redford. She also originated the role of
Honey in the London production of Edward Albee's, Who's Afraid of
Virginia Woolf? She guest starred on multiple prime time television
series, including The FBI, Hawaii Five-0, The Mod Squad, Mannix and
The Defenders. She appeared in films for Clint Eastwood (Bronco
Billy), Sidney Pollack (They Shoot Horses, Don't They?), and Mark
Rydell (The Reevers). Ms. McKinsey was nominated four times in the
lead actress category for a National Daytime Emmy Award. She is
survived by her son, Scott, (who directed her on Guiding Light), and
her grandson, Marley. No memorial service is planned.
Published in the Los Angeles Times on 5/4/2008.

Mr. Television
05-05-2008, 01:25 AM
Oh man. I always liked her. I remember watching her with my Mom on Another World in the 1970's and then again on Guiding Light in the 1980's and 90's. R.I.P. Beverlee. :(

catlover79
05-05-2008, 01:39 PM
:rip: God bless her - she was a soap icon in every sense of the word. She was on AW before I was born, but I saw some of her clips on youtube. WOW!! My mom says shes always remembered Iris and her "DADDY!" whine. My sympathies to her son and family.

Scoobiedoo30
05-05-2008, 03:54 PM
Rest in peace

JT
05-05-2008, 11:43 PM
Unfortunately, I'm one of the many younger soap fans who have never had the opportunity to have the authentic Beverlee McKinsey experience. But, almost immediately after I become obsessed with daytime drama and its history, I was taught to respect Beverlee McKinsey and to appreciate Beverlee McKinsey. Even if I went my entire life without seeing a single scene of hers, I still had to acknowledge her genius and her ability to make soap opera the highly dignified, completely respected genre it was in its heyday.

She was and will always be *the* soap opera actress. A legend, a class act, a true acting genius. RIP.

catlover79
05-06-2008, 12:45 AM
Here's the first (and so far, only) daytime actor to get star billing on a soap opera: Beverlee McKinsey of TEXAS.

Mr. Television
05-06-2008, 01:14 AM
Here's another picture of Beverlee.

Dr. Jazz
05-06-2008, 02:16 PM
I watched soaps religiously for over 30 years and still keep up with them (thought not religiously anymore), I consider myself a "soap historian" of sorts and I echo Michael Logan's proclamation from his 1999 column on "Another World" coming to an end, that Ms. McKinsey truly was daytime's greatest actress - and I've seen a lot of great actresses on soaps over the years. For years her bio said she was born in 1940 (which would make her 68) but 72 sounds more accurate. I'd like to thank that she's up there with Doug Watson and Connie Ford playing their parts like only they could. RIP

catlover79
05-06-2008, 03:54 PM
Ms. McKinsey played a bit part on AW in 1972 as one of Steve Frame's poor siblings, and so impressed head writer Harding Lemay and executive producer Paul Rauch that they wrote Iris Cory Carrington with her in mind. Mike Hammett, who played her son Dennis, called her a second mom.

http://www.igs.net/~awhp/iris.html
http://www.igs.net/~awhp/1dennis.html
www.youtube.com/watch?v=482b9if-bxE

80sTrivia
05-10-2008, 07:37 AM
Beverlee was an amazingly gifted actress with such an incredible presence. When she left Guiding Light (and soap acting altogether), she left a very large void that has never been filled. She was a true great and she will be missed by many.

bry
05-18-2008, 01:40 AM
DANG...loved her on TEXAS. never cared for Another World, but i do recall seeing her on there alot.

catlover79
04-05-2009, 02:39 PM
I just found this sweet tribute to Ms. McKinsey:

http://www.redroom.com/blog/jenniferkate/beverlee-mckinsey-the-grand-lady-daytime