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Betty Buckley

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
65

Gender
Female

Birthday
July 3, 1947 (79 years old)

Place of Birth
Big Spring, Texas, USA

Betty Buckley

Biography

Betty Lynn Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is an American actress and singer who has worked in film, television and theatre. She possesses a singing of voice of great power and beauty and has achieved great success in cabaret and concerts. Betty has also sustained a successful recording career with numerous cast albums and 18 solo albums to her credit, for which she has been nominated for two Grammys.

Buckley is widely known for the 1977–81 TV series Eight Is Enough. She joined the show in its second season when the original star, Diana Hyland, died after the first four episodes of season one, and her character Joan Bradford died as well. Buckley was cast as the central character's new romantic interest, Sandra Sue "Abby" Abbott, who became stepmother of the eight children to which the series' title refers. Betty later received two Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Program/Special, for NBC Special Treat - Bobby and Sarah (1984) and ABC Afterschool Special - Taking a Stand (1989).

From 2001 to 2003, Betty Buckley played a role in seasons 4–6 of the HBO series Oz. She also has guest-starred in a number of television series, including Without a Trace, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Monk. Betty also guest-starred in a Christmas special of the TV series Remember WENN, in which she sang "You Make It Christmas".

On film, Buckley appeared in the original movie version of Carrie in 1976, playing Miss Collins, Carrie's gym teacher. She went on to appear as Margaret White in the notorious 1987 musical adaptation of the film on Broadway; an expensive and creatively disastrous flop in which she nevertheless scored a personal triumph. In 1977, she recorded an uncredited solo on the song "Walking in Space", in the movie Hair.

Her screen roles during the 1980s include Bruce Beresford's film Tender Mercies, where she played a country music singer and sang the Academy Award-nominated song "Over You". She also appeared in the Woody Allen film Another Woman (1988), Roman Polanski's Frantic (1988) and Lawrence's Kasden's Wyatt Earp (1994). In 2008, Buckley played Mrs. Jones in M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening. In 2017, Buckley was one of the stars of M. Night Shyamalan's Split, a major success which was the number-one film at the box office for three weeks running.

Buckley has worked regularly in the theatre throughout her career. In 1969, she made her Broadway debut as Martha Washington in the original company of Tony winner 1776; a role she famously won on her first day in New York. That same year, she made her West End debut in the original London cast of Promises, Promises.

In 1982, Buckley starred as Grizabella in the original Broadway production of the musical Cats, which features the song "Memory". For this role, she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. In 1985 she played the titular character in another Tony winning musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood. This was the third time Buckley had originated a role in a show that went on to win the Tony for Best Musical. Buckley starred in both London (1994) and New York (1995) as Norma Desmond in the musical Sunset Boulevard. For her role in the London production, she received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.

Known For

Acting

2026By Designas Cynthia
2025Eternityas Older Joan
2024The Mayflyas
2024Imaginaryas Gloria
2020Stars in the Houseas Self
2017The Making of 'Split'as Self
2017Splitas Dr. Karen Fletcher
2016Harry Benson: Shoot Firstas Self
2016More Acting 'Carrie'as Self
2016Preacheras Gran’ma
2015Chicago Medas Olga Barlow
2015Supergirlas Owl (voice)
2015Supergirlas Patricia Arias
2014The Leftoversas Jane
2013Getting Onas Dottie Levy
2012The Real Loveas
2012Five Time Championas Fran
2010Pretty Little Liarsas Regina Marin
2010The Pacificas Marion Leckie
2009Melrose Placeas Bernadette Reese
2008The Happeningas Mrs. Jones
2005Vinegar Hillas Mary Margaret Grier
2004The Juryas
2004The Mummy an' the Armadilloas Let
2003Broadway's Lost Treasuresas Grizabella (segment "Cats")
2002Without a Traceas Catherine Ryder
2002Monkas Cheryl Fleming
2002New World Orderas Rose Kross
2001Stars and the Moon: Betty Buckley Live at the Donmaras Herself
2001Acting 'Carrie'as Self
1999Law & Order: Special Victims Unitas Attorney Walsh
1999Law & Order: Special Victims Unitas Lorraine Maxwell
1999Law & Order: Special Victims Unitas Trial Division Chief Lorraine Maxwell
1999Yours for a Song: The Women of Tin Pan Alleyas
1999Simply Irresistibleas Aunt Stella
1997Ozas Suzanne Fitzgerald
1996Critical Choicesas Dr. Margret Ludlow
1996The Rosie O'Donnell Showas Self - Guest
1996Remember WENNas Gloria Redmond
1994Wyatt Earpas Virginia Earp
1994Betrayal of Trustas Jan Galanti
1994Last Time Outas Maxine Black
1993Intimate Portraitas Self - Narrator (voice)
1993Rain Without Thunderas Beverly Goldring
1992Gypsy: Live from the Southern Arizona Light Opera Companyas Rose Hovick
1992Bonnie & Clyde: The True Storyas Mrs. Parker
1992Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hallas Self
1989Babycakesas Wanda
1989Taking A Standas Lillian Robinson
1988Another Womanas Kathy
1988Franticas Sondra Walker
1987Roses Are for the Richas Ella
1987Roses Are for the Richas Ella
1987Wild Thingas Leah
1986L.A. Lawas Elsa Chandler
1985Evergreenas Mrs. Bradford
1984The Three Wishes of Billy Grieras Nancy Grier
1983Tender Merciesas Dixie
1982Cagney & Laceyas
1981The Ordeal of Bill Carneyas Barbara Slaner
1977Eight Is Enoughas Abby Bradford
1976Carrieas Miss Collins
1971Great Performancesas Self
1961The Mike Douglas Showas Self
Broadway: The Next Generationas Self

Production

2024The Mayfly...Executive Producer
2023Magda...Producer