Cynthia Harris

Cynthia Harris (August 9, 1934 – October 3, 2021) was an American actress best known for her versatile performances in television, film, and theater, including her role as the assertive mother Sylvia Buchman in the Emmy-winning series Mad About You and her Bafta-nominated portrayal of Wallis Simpson in the British miniseries Edward & Mrs. Simpson.^[1][2] Born in New York City to Saul Harris, a haberdasher, and Deborah Harris, a housewife, she graduated from Smith College in 1955 with a degree in theater and literature before embarking on a career that spanned over five decades.^[1][2] Harris made her Broadway debut in 1963 as an understudy in William Inge's Natural Affection, later earning acclaim for her role in Stephen Sondheim's Company (1971) and co-founding The Actors Company Theatre (TACT) in 1992 to revive lesser-known classic plays.^[3][4] Her film career included supporting roles such as the dancer in Isadora (1968), the free-spirited mother in Up the Sandbox (1972), the title character's wife in Reuben, Reuben (1983), and the landlady in Three Men and a Baby (1987).^[2][5] On television, Harris gained international recognition for her nuanced depiction of the American divorcée Wallis Simpson in the 1978 ITV series Edward & Mrs. Simpson, earning a Bafta nomination for Best Television Actress.^[1][2] She portrayed the sharp-tongued Iris Hubbard on L.A. Law (1986–1987) and appeared as guest characters on shows including The Bob Newhart Show, Kojak, and Three's Company, but her most iconic role was as Paul Reiser's on-screen mother Sylvia in Mad About You (1992–1999, 71 episodes), which she reprised in the 2019 limited series revival; the original series won multiple Emmys during her tenure.^[6][7] Harris was married to writer Eugene V. Wolsk from 1961 until their 1972 divorce and was later partnered with Nathan Silverstein until her death from undisclosed causes in Manhattan at age 87.^[1][2]

Early life and education

Birth and family

Cynthia Harris was born Cynthia Lee Harris on August 9, 1934, in Manhattan, New York City, to Saul Harris, a haberdasher, and Deborah Harris, a homemaker.^[7] She grew up in a close-knit family with two brothers, one of whom predeceased her; her surviving brother was Dr. Matthew Harris.^[5] Her parents supported her early aspirations in the performing arts, with Harris recalling that they arranged for her to have acting lessons after she expressed her desire to become an actress.^[8] From a young age, Harris showed a strong interest in theater, beginning to take classes on Saturdays when she was 12 years old.^[8] This early exposure, encouraged by her family, laid the foundation for her lifelong passion for acting before she pursued formal education at Smith College.^[8]

Education

Harris attended Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater and literature in 1955.^[7] Her studies there provided a strong academic foundation in dramatic arts, emphasizing both performance and literary analysis central to theatrical training.^[9] Following graduation, Harris transitioned into professional theater by taking her first job as an assistant stage manager, building directly on her collegiate education.^[7] She soon made her New York City acting debut in 1961 with the improvisational troupe The Premise, an acclaimed group that extended her academic grounding in theater through experimental, collaborative performance techniques.^[7]

Acting career

Theater

Cynthia Harris made her Broadway debut in 1963 as an understudy and third assistant stage manager in William Inge's Natural Affection at the Booth Theatre.^[8] She continued appearing on Broadway in the 1960s and 1970s, taking on roles such as in The Best Laid Plans (1966) and later replacing Elaine Stritch as Sarah, the health-obsessed wife, in the original production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Company in 1971.^[10] Her Broadway work also included the dual roles of April Pitt and Ruth Benson in Terrence McNally's Bad Habits (1974).^[11] Harris's early stage career was rooted in improvisational theater, beginning with her Off-Broadway debut in 1961 at The Premise, an influential improvisational troupe that shaped her ensemble-based performance style. Throughout her career, she maintained a strong presence in Off-Broadway productions, including Mrs. Warren's Profession (1976, as replacement for Geraldine Brooks) and Electra (1980, as Bertha).^[12] In 1992, Harris co-founded The Actors Company Theatre (TACT), an Off-Broadway ensemble dedicated to classical and contemporary plays, and served as co-artistic director alongside Scott Alan Evans and Jenn Thompson for over two decades until the company's closure in 2018. Under her leadership, TACT produced more than 50 works, emphasizing actor-driven interpretations of underperformed scripts, such as revivals of Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers (2012), in which Harris starred as the stern matriarch Grandma Kurnitz.^[1][13] She also appeared in TACT's productions of The Tribute Artist (2014, as Adriana) and The Merry Wives of Windsor (2014, as Mistress Ford).^[14]

Television

Cynthia Harris began her television career in the mid-1960s with guest roles on anthology series and soap operas, gradually building a diverse portfolio that included miniseries, recurring parts in legal dramas and sitcoms, and one-off appearances in crime procedurals and comedies.^[15] Her breakthrough in television came with the lead role of Wallis Warfield Simpson in the 1978 British miniseries Edward & Mrs. Simpson, a seven-part production chronicling the abdication crisis, in which she appeared in all seven episodes.^[16] Earlier that decade, she guest-starred in episodes of shows like The Bob Newhart Show (1972, as Diane Nugent, 1 episode), Kojak (1973, as Helen Fielding, 1 episode), Three's Company (1979, as Mrs. Layton, 1 episode), Hart to Hart (1979, as Amanda, 1 episode), Benson (1979, as Peggy Rhodes, 1 episode), Archie Bunker's Place (1981, as Marcie Phillips, 2 episodes), and Knots Landing (1979, as Jana Kilman, 1 episode).^[15] She also appeared in the TV movie Coffee, Tea or Me? (1973, as Dee Dee). In the 1980s, Harris continued with guest spots on Nurse (1981, as Barbara Scholfield, 1 episode), The Powers of Matthew Star (1982, as Mrs. Eliot, 1 episode), Kate & Allie (1984, 1 episode), and The Equalizer (1985, as Judge Paula G. Walsh, 1 episode), alongside the TV movie The Princess and the Cabbie (1981, as Barbara Cunningham) and Izzy & Moe (1985, as Dallas Carter).^[15] Her recurring role as Iris Hubbard, a secretary-turned-law student, on L.A. Law from 1986 to 1987 spanned seven episodes in the first season.^[17] She also made two guest appearances on Murder, She Wrote: as Marge Hannigan in "Hannigan's Wake" (1990) and as Lauren Delagre in "Fatal Paradise" (1994).^[18][19] Harris achieved one of her most enduring television roles as Sylvia Buchman, the overbearing mother of Paul Reiser's character, on the sitcom Mad About You. She appeared in 73 episodes across the original run from 1992 to 1999 and the 2019 revival.^[5] Other late-career credits included guest roles on Law & Order (1990 and 1997, as Defense Attorney Adele Diamond in two episodes), Now and Again (1999, 1 episode), All My Children (1994, as Patricia Hale, multiple episodes in soap format), and Rescue Me (2004–2007, as Mike's Mom, 3 episodes).^[15]#Cast) Her final television appearance was in the Mad About You revival.^[8]

Film

• 1968: Isadora (dir. Karel Reisz) – Mary Desti^[8]
• 1971: Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me (dir. Jeffrey Young) – Beth^[20]
• 1972: Up the Sandbox (dir. Irvin Kershner) – Stella^[8]
• 1982: Tempest (dir. Paul Mazursky) – Cynthia^[21]
• 1983: Reuben, Reuben (dir. Robert Ellis Miller) – Bobby Springer^[5]
• 1987: Three Men and a Baby (dir. Leonard Nimoy) – Mrs. Hathaway^[8]
• 1987: The Women's Club (dir. Sandra Weintraub)^[22]
• 1991: Mannequin Two: On the Move (dir. Stewart Raffill) – Mom / Queen^[23]
• 1992: The Distinguished Gentleman (dir. Jonathan Lynn) – Vera Johnson^[24]
• 1997: The Secret of Anastasia (dir. Lee Lan) – (voice)^[25]
• 2007: I Do & I Don't (dir. Wendy Parker) – Emily Murphy^[26]

Personal life and death

Relationships and family

Harris was married to theater producer and company manager Eugene Wolsk from 1961 until their divorce in 1972.^[7][8] The couple had no children.^[7] Following her divorce, Harris entered a long-term partnership with attorney Nathan Silverstein in the 1980s, which lasted until her death in 2021.^[27][7] The pair shared a deep interest in art, culture, and travel, often attending events at venues like Yale Repertory Theatre, Lincoln Center, and the New Haven Symphony, where Silverstein was an ardent supporter.^[27] Harris had no children of her own but maintained close ties with her extended family, including her brother Dr. Matthew Harris and sister-in-law Maryjane Harris.^[7][8] Among her nieces and nephews was filmmaker Dan Harris, who confirmed her death in 2021.^[7]

Health and death

Harris was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes earlier in her adult life and was an active supporter of diabetes research and education, including leading theater workshops for children with the condition at the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center.^[28] She died on October 3, 2021, at her home in Manhattan, at the age of 87. The cause of death was not disclosed.^[7][8]

Filmography

Film

• 1968: Isadora (dir. Karel Reisz) – Mary Desti^[8]
• 1971: Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me (dir. Jeffrey Young) – Beth^[20]
• 1972: Up the Sandbox (dir. Irvin Kershner) – Stella^[8]
• 1973: I Could Never Have Sex with Any Man Who Has So Little Respect for My Husband, but I Might Have Sex with Someone Who Has No Husband at All (dir. W. Carter Merbreier) – Woman in Bar^[29]
• 1982: Tempest (dir. Paul Mazursky) – Cynthia^[21]
• 1983: Reuben, Reuben (dir. Robert Ellis Miller) – Bobby Springer^[5]
• 1987: Three Men and a Baby (dir. Leonard Nimoy) – Mrs. Hathaway^[8]
• 1987: The Women's Club (dir. Sandra Weintraub) – Women's Club Lady^[30]
• 1991: Mannequin Two: On the Move (dir. Stewart Raffill) – Mom / Queen^[23]
• 1992: The Distinguished Gentleman (dir. Jonathan Lynn) – Vera Johnson^[24]
• 1997: The Secret of Anastasia (dir. Lee Lan) – (voice)^[25]
• 1998: An American Daughter (dir. Mike Nichols) – Charlotte "Chubby" Hughes^[31]
• 2004: Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (dir. Sheldon Larry) – Ellen^[32]
• 2007: I Do & I Don't (dir. Wendy Parker) – Emily Murphy^[26]

Television

Cynthia Harris began her television career in the early 1970s with guest roles on anthology series and other shows, gradually building a diverse portfolio that included miniseries, recurring parts in legal dramas and sitcoms, and one-off appearances in crime procedurals and comedies.^[15] Her breakthrough in television came with the lead role of Wallis Warfield Simpson in the 1978 British miniseries Edward & Mrs. Simpson, a seven-part production chronicling the abdication crisis, in which she appeared in all seven episodes.^[16] Earlier that decade, she guest-starred in episodes of shows like The Bob Newhart Show (1972, as Diane Nugent, 1 episode), Kojak (1973, as Helen Fielding, 1 episode), Three's Company (1979, as Mrs. Layton, 1 episode), Hart to Hart (1979, as Amanda, 1 episode), Benson (1979, as Peggy Rhodes, 1 episode), Archie Bunker's Place (1979, as Marcie Phillips, 2 episodes), and Knots Landing (1979, as Jana Kilman, 1 episode).^[15] She also appeared in the TV movie Coffee, Tea or Me? (1973, as Dee Dee). In the 1980s, Harris continued with guest spots on Nurse (1981, as Barbara Scholfield, 1 episode), The Powers of Matthew Star (1982, as Mrs. Eliot, 1 episode), Kate & Allie (1984, 1 episode), and The Equalizer (1985, as Judge Paula G. Walsh, 1 episode), alongside the TV movie The Princess and the Cabbie (1981, as Barbara Cunningham) and Izzy & Moe (1985, as Dallas Carter).^[15] Her recurring role as Iris Hubbard, a secretary-turned-law student, on L.A. Law from 1986 to 1987 spanned seven episodes in the first season.^[17] She also made two guest appearances on Murder, She Wrote: as Marge Hannigan in "Hannigan's Wake" (1990) and as Lauren Delagre in "Fatal Paradise" (1994).^[18][19] Harris achieved one of her most enduring television roles as Sylvia Buchman, the overbearing mother of Paul Reiser's character, on the sitcom Mad About You. She appeared in 73 episodes across the original run from 1993 to 1999 and the 2019 revival.^[5] Other late-career credits included guest roles on Law & Order (1990 and 1997, as Defense Attorney Adele Diamond in two episodes), Frasier (1998, as Janet, 1 episode), Now and Again (1999, 1 episode), All My Children (1994, as Patricia Hale, multiple episodes in soap format), The Last of the Blonde Bombshells (2000, as Gertrude), and Rescue Me (2004, as Mike's Mom, 1 episode).^[15] Her final television appearance was in the Mad About You revival.^[8]