Actress Jane Connell 1925-2013 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

McGillicuddy · 09-24-2013, 04:50 PM

RIP Jane Connell, who played Queen Victoria on Bewitched, among other characters.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...es-mame-635489

Zoneboy · 09-24-2013, 04:56 PM

Link

Jane Connell, who played secretary Agnes Gooch in Jerry Herman’s original Broadway musical production of Mame, then reprised the famous role for the 1974 film starring Lucille Ball, has died. She was 87.

Connell, who also was nominated for a Tony Award for best featured actress in a musical for 1986’s Me and My Girl, died Monday, the website BroadwayWorld.com reported.

The 4-foot-11 Connell worked on Broadway with Angela Lansbury in Mame, in Herman’s Dear World (1969) and again in a revival of Mame that opened in 1983.

Her other stage credits include New Faces of 1956 with Maggie Smith; Drat! The Cat! (1965); Lysistrata (1972); Crazy for You (1982); Lend Me a Tenor (1989); Moon Over Buffalo (1995) opposite Carol Burnett; and the musical version of The Full Monty (2000), in which she replaced the late Kathleen Freeman midway through its run.

For a London production of Once Upon a Mattress in 1960, Connell starred as the wacky Princess Winifred, the role that brought Burnett stardom on Broadway.

Her big break came with Mame in 1966. “We knew the show would be a smash. Jerry’s songs, Gene Saks’ direction. It had strokes of genius,” she told the Houston Chronicle in 2004. She opened the musical with a hymn as she led the orphan Patrick to his Auntie Mame. (Also in the cast: Bea Arthur, then the wife of Saks.)

For the film version, also directed by Saks and featuring Arthur, Connell replaced Madeline Kahn, who was fired.

A native of Berkeley, Calif., Connell appeared on many TV series, including All in the Family (in the first part of the memorable “Edith’s 50th Birthday” two-part episode), The Patty Duke Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, That Girl, Green Acres, Bewitched, CPO Sharkey, M*A*S*H* and Law & Order. She was a regular on the short-lived NBC sitcom The Dumplings, starring James Coco and Geraldine Brooks.

She starred in director Frank Perry’s Cold War drama Ladybug Ladybug (1963) and also appeared in such films as Kotch (1971), Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood, House Calls (1978), the Joan Rivers-scripted and directed Rabbit Test (1978) and Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde (1995).

Connell was married to actor and musician Gordon Connell.

Zoneboy · 09-24-2013, 04:57 PM

Looks like you and I were posting about the same time but you didn't provide a link.

McGillicuddy · 09-25-2013, 09:34 AM

She played Queen Victoria, Mother Goose and Martha Washington on Bewitched. Queen Victoria was less concerned about being zapped into the 20th century, and more concerned with everyone bowing to her.

comedyfreak · 09-25-2013, 12:46 PM

I liked her as Mother Goose and All In The Family.

Marvo301 · 09-25-2013, 01:36 PM

Jane Connell

OH Nuts! · 09-26-2013, 01:52 AM

Great character actress - may she rest in peace.

charlenez · 01-10-2014, 12:29 AM

Jane Conell also played Miss Hannigan in one of the National tours of Annie.

09-24-2013, 04:50 PM	#1
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	RIP Jane Connell RIP Jane Connell, who played Queen Victoria on Bewitched, among other characters. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...es-mame-635489

09-24-2013, 04:56 PM	#2
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,339	Actress Jane Connell 1925-2013 Link Jane Connell, who played secretary Agnes Gooch in Jerry Herman’s original Broadway musical production of Mame, then reprised the famous role for the 1974 film starring Lucille Ball, has died. She was 87. Connell, who also was nominated for a Tony Award for best featured actress in a musical for 1986’s Me and My Girl, died Monday, the website BroadwayWorld.com reported. The 4-foot-11 Connell worked on Broadway with Angela Lansbury in Mame, in Herman’s Dear World (1969) and again in a revival of Mame that opened in 1983. Her other stage credits include New Faces of 1956 with Maggie Smith; Drat! The Cat! (1965); Lysistrata (1972); Crazy for You (1982); Lend Me a Tenor (1989); Moon Over Buffalo (1995) opposite Carol Burnett; and the musical version of The Full Monty (2000), in which she replaced the late Kathleen Freeman midway through its run. For a London production of Once Upon a Mattress in 1960, Connell starred as the wacky Princess Winifred, the role that brought Burnett stardom on Broadway. Her big break came with Mame in 1966. “We knew the show would be a smash. Jerry’s songs, Gene Saks’ direction. It had strokes of genius,” she told the Houston Chronicle in 2004. She opened the musical with a hymn as she led the orphan Patrick to his Auntie Mame. (Also in the cast: Bea Arthur, then the wife of Saks.) For the film version, also directed by Saks and featuring Arthur, Connell replaced Madeline Kahn, who was fired. A native of Berkeley, Calif., Connell appeared on many TV series, including All in the Family (in the first part of the memorable “Edith’s 50th Birthday” two-part episode), The Patty Duke Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, That Girl, Green Acres, Bewitched, CPO Sharkey, MASH and Law & Order. She was a regular on the short-lived NBC sitcom The Dumplings, starring James Coco and Geraldine Brooks. She starred in director Frank Perry’s Cold War drama Ladybug Ladybug (1963) and also appeared in such films as Kotch (1971), Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood, House Calls (1978), the Joan Rivers-scripted and directed Rabbit Test (1978) and Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde (1995). Connell was married to actor and musician Gordon Connell.
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09-25-2013, 12:46 PM	#5
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,058	I liked her as Mother Goose and All In The Family.
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09-25-2013, 01:36 PM	#6
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,452	Jane Connell
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09-24-2013, 04:57 PM	#3
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,339	Looks like you and I were posting about the same time but you didn't provide a link.

09-25-2013, 09:34 AM	#4
McGillicuddy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Posts: 5,179	She played Queen Victoria, Mother Goose and Martha Washington on Bewitched. Queen Victoria was less concerned about being zapped into the 20th century, and more concerned with everyone bowing to her.

09-26-2013, 01:52 AM	#7
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	Great character actress - may she rest in peace.

01-10-2014, 12:29 AM	#8
charlenez Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 09, 2014 Location: Toronto Posts: 19	Jane Conell also played Miss Hannigan in one of the National tours of Annie.