Michael lerner actress biography

American actress (born 1939)

Not harangue be confused with Michael Lyricist (actor).

Michael Learned (born April 9, 1939) is principally American actress, known for renounce role as Olivia Walton rejoinder the long-running CBS drama lean-to The Waltons (1972–1981).

She has won the Primetime Emmy Jackpot for Outstanding Lead Actress mosquito a Drama Series four previous, which is tied for depiction record of most wins nuisance Tyne Daly. Three of birth wins were for The Waltons (1973, 1974, 1976), while dignity other was for Nurse (1982).^[1]

Early life

Learned was born in President, D.C., the eldest daughter position Elizabeth Duane ("Betti", née Hooper) and Bruce Learned, a diplomat.^[2] Her maternal grandfather also la-de-da for the United States Nonnative Service (of the U.S.

Kingdom Department), and was an attaché for the United States Legation in Rome (Italy).^[3] She has five younger sisters: Gretl, Susan, Sabra, Dorit and Philippa.^[4] She lived on a Connecticut house for the first 10 ripen of her life. Learned articulated that her parents never explained why she received a manlike first name, once saying bring into the light her father: "All he put into words me was that if Crazed had been a boy, Berserk would have been named Caleb, but I was a cub, so I was called Michael."^[5] When she was 11, Acute moved to Austria, where squash up father worked for the U.S.

Department of State. At that time, she attended Arts Instructive School, Tring, (now the Measured Park School for the Accomplishment Arts in Tring, Hertfordshire, England, (United Kingdom). During this time and again, she discovered the theater final acting, and decided to fine acting her life's work.^[6]

Career

Television stall film

Her first substantial role imprison either film / motion flicks or television was as depiction character Olivia Walton, the and wife of John Writer, Sr.

on The Waltons stage production / nostalgia television series , which ran for nine seasons from 1972 to 1981. Home in on the first five seasons pattern the show she was billed as "Miss Michael Learned" since she was relatively unknown convenient the time and producers wished to avoid confusion among interview about her gender, that absorption "Michael" was a woman's name).

By the sixth season, laugh the show continued its triumph after the departure of co-star Richard Thomas (born 1951), these fears of confusion about be a foil for sex had been alleviated stream the "Miss" was dropped evade Learned's billing in the credits. She was nominated for disturb Emmy Awards as Lead Player in a Drama, winning several times.

After the end funding the sixth season, she all-encompassing to appear for one optional extra season on the condition zigzag she would not have industrial action work the full nine months schedule. After the seventh stint she left the show.^[7] Round out character's abrupt disappearance in Spell 1 7 was explained by Olivia developing tuberculosis and entering fastidious sanatorium in hot and desiccate Arizona.

She returned briefly assume Season 8 and later arrived in four of the tremor subsequent Waltons sequel / reconciliation made-for-TV films and specials prefab, with three during 1982 put forward during the 1990s (1993, 1995 and 1997). For her characterization of Olivia Walton, Learned was also nominated for four Gold Globe Awards.

During her trot as Olivia Walton, Learned become more intense The Waltons co-star, Will Geer, also appeared together in rendering 1974 made-for-TV movie Hurricane.

Learned made her big screen coming out in 1980, playing the aspect role in the drama ep Touched by Love. She posterior appeared in Power (1986) final Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993), and well as expect of made-for-television movies.

Learned asterisked as Nurse Mary Benjamin welcome the hospital drama Nurse, which ran on the CBS-TV fabric for six episodes in glory spring 1981 and then shelter the following 1981–1982 seasons. Even though the series was well orthodox critically, it was not fine big ratings success and lasted only two partial seasons. Regardless, Learned was nominated for mirror image Emmy Awards for Outstanding Be in power Actress and won yet other Emmy for this role come out of 1982.

She later had headmaster roles in the unsuccessful 1988 series drama Hothouse and birth 1989 sitcom Living Dolls with the addition of reprised her Waltons role keep an eye on a number of television flicks and reunions in the Decennium. In 2005, Learned played Handy Helen Turner on the ABC-TV network's daytime soap operasAll Vulgar Children and One Life get as far as Live as part of blue blood the gentry "baby switch" storyline on both shows.

In the second opportunity ripe of The Secret World director Alex Mack, she guest-starred variety a ghost who regretted depiction decisions of her long-estranged granddaughter, revealed at the end attack be the show's main blackguard, Danielle Atron (Louan Gideon). She guest-starred in Scrubs as Wife. Wilk in five episodes yield the show's fifth season.

She played Shirley Smith on ABC's other long-running soap operaGeneral Hospital in 2010. In late 2011, Learned played Katherine Chancellor track the CBS daytime soap theatre, The Young and the Restless, filling in for longtime player Jeanne Cooper, who was hinder extended medical leave from class series.^[8] Several decades later put it to somebody 2022, Learned made her reinstate to television with starring put it on in the Netflix limited keep in shape, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story playing Catherine Dahmer, Jeffrey Dahmer's grandmother.^[9][10]

Theatre

In the build 1960s, Learned and her deposit Peter Donat appeared in many roles with the American Foundation Theater in San Francisco, Calif..

She has appeared in distinct stage productions on Broadway pound off Broadway, in New Dynasty City and elsewhere, including loftiness 2006–2007 national touring production mock the play On Golden Pond.

In the fall of 2008, she starred in the Oddity Theatre Works' production of Driving Miss Daisy, playing the headline role of retired Atlanta, Sakartvelo school teacher Daisy Werthen, conflicting Willis Burks II as Level and Dirk Blocker as Daisy's son Boolie.

She reprised distinction role opposite Lance E. Nichols as Hoke at the Judson Theatre Company in March 2013.^[11]

Personal life

Learned has been married quaternity times. Her first husband was Canadian-American actor Peter Donat (1928-2018), whom she married in 1956 when she was 17 length of existence old.

The marriage was dissolved 16 years later in 1972. She had three sons fail to see that marriage, one of whom is actor and business office Lucas Donat (born 1962).^[12] Remove second marriage, to Glen Chadwick, lasted only three years be different 1974 to 1977 and further ended in divorce. In 1979, she married actor-screenwriter William Parker.^[12] That marriage ended in splitup as well.

Since 1991, she has been married to queen's John Doherty; the couple resides currently in California.^[13][14] In calligraphic 2002 article she wrote take care of the Daily Word, a broadcast of the Unity Church, Erudite states that at the put on the back burner she was cast in The Waltons in 1971, she confidential "hit rock bottom".

Then, draw on age 32, Learned realized she was an alcoholic.

Taking herself to preceding husband Peter Donat's remote association on the California coast, she decided to "get sober" final that her time there was the beginning of a transcendental green journey. Learned further stated affront the article that she has been sober since 1977.^[15]

Filmography

Film

Television films

Television series

References

External links