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Suzanne Shepherd
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Sadie Gertrude Stern (October 31, 1934 – November 17, 2023), known professionally as Suzanne Shepherd, was an American actress and theater director.[1][2]
Key Information
Background
[edit]Shepherd was born Sadie Gertrude Stern on October 31, 1934, to a Jewish family in Elizabeth, New Jersey, the daughter of Dora (Mendelson), a cook, and David Stern, a distributor of jukeboxes and vending machines.[3] She began using the name "Suzanne" when she was 13.[3] She attended Battin High School and Bennington College, and studied acting with Sanford Meisner.[3][4] She later went on to teach Meisner's program of acting study, the first woman to do so.[5]
Career
[edit]Shepherd was a founding member of the Compass Players in the early 1960s, along with Alan Alda and Alan Arkin.
Shepherd was known for her portrayal of Aunt Tweedy in the film Mystic Pizza, Karen's overbearing mother in the film Goodfellas, Carmela Soprano's mother Mary DeAngelis in the HBO television series The Sopranos, and the assistant school principal in Uncle Buck, receiving a memorable verbal assault from Buck.[4] She also played the role of Mrs. Scarlini in the 2000 film Requiem for a Dream, and Big Ethel in A Dirty Shame. In 2016, she played the role of Lucille Abetemarco the mother of Detective Anthony Abetemarco played by former Sopranos co-star Steve Schirripa in "Good Cop Bad Cop" the second episode of the seventh season of the CBS police procedural drama Blue Bloods. In 2018, she reprised the role of Lucille Abetemarco in "Trust" the sixth episode of the ninth season of Blue Bloods.[4]
Shepherd was also a theatre director, working in New York and in regional theatre.[4]
Personal life and death
[edit]From a marriage to David Shepherd, which lasted from 1957 until their divorce in 1966, she had a son, who died in 2011, and a daughter, artist Kate Shepherd.[3][6] Her second marriage, to Carroll Calkins, lasted from 1996 until his death in 2006.[3]
Shepherd died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney failure at her home in Manhattan on November 17, 2023, at the age of 89.[3][4][7]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Mystic Pizza | Aunt Tweedy | [4] |
| 1988 | Working Girl | Trask Receptionist | [4] |
| 1989 | Uncle Buck | Mrs. Hoargarth | |
| 1989 | Second Sight | Marilyn Bloom | |
| 1990 | Goodfellas | Karen's Mother | [4] |
| 1990 | Jacob's Ladder | Hospital Receptionist | |
| 1995 | The Jerky Boys: The Movie | Mrs. B | |
| 1995 | Palookaville | Mother | |
| 1996 | Bullet | Cookie Stein | |
| 1996 | Trees Lounge | Jackie | |
| 1997 | Lolita | Miss Pratt | [4] |
| 1998 | Illuminata | Marco's mother | |
| 1998 | Living Out Loud | Mary | [4] |
| 1998 | American Cuisine | Martha | |
| 1999 | On the Run | Lady in Travel Agency | |
| 2000 | Requiem for a Dream | Mrs. Scarlini | [4] |
| 2001 | Never Again | Mother | |
| 2004 | A Dirty Shame | Big Ethel | [4] |
| 2008 | Choke | Waitress | |
| 2008 | Harold | Maude Sellers | |
| 2009 | I Hate Valentine's Day | Edie | |
| 2012 | Delivering the Goods | Mrs. Weinbaum | |
| 2013 | Jerome's Bouquet | Elana Klein | Short film |
| 2017 | Where Is Kyra? | Ruth | [3] |
| 2018 | Furlough | Elizabeth Anderson | |
| 2018 | The Week Of | Aunt Iris | |
| 2023 | The Performance | Tess | [4] |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Law & Order | Arraignment Judge Victoria Sawyer | Episode: "The Reaper's Helper" |
| 1998 | Vig | Agnes | Television film |
| 2000 | Third Watch[4] | Sheats | Episode: "Young Men and Fire..." |
| 2000, 2004 | Ed[4] | Elaine / Edna | 2 episodes |
| 2000–2007 | The Sopranos[4] | Mary DeAngelis | 20 episodes |
| 2002 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Joan | Episode: "Homo Homini Lupus" |
| 2003 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Old Woman | Episode: "Desperate" |
| 2010 | Gravity | Scarf Woman | Episode: "Dogg Day Afternoon" |
| 2016–2018 | Blue Bloods[4] | Lucille Abetemarco | 2 episodes |
References
[edit]- ^ Brantley, Ben (February 23, 1994). "Theater in Review". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
- ^ Genzlinger, Neil (June 22, 2005). "From South Africa to New Jersey, Where Things Go No Better". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g Williams, Alex (November 23, 2023). "Suzanne Shepherd, Actress Known for Playing Mothers, Dies at 89". The New York Times. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Lewis, Hilary (November 19, 2023). "Suzanne Shepherd, 'Sopranos' and 'Goodfellas' Mother, Dies at 89". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ Suzanne Shepherd, interview with Sanford Meisner, Yale Theatre 8, nos. 2 and 3 (1977): 38–43.
- ^ BWW News Desk. "Photos: People Are Living There Opening Night". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
- ^ "Actor Suzanne Shepherd, who played mothers in 'The Sopranos' and 'Goodfellas,' dead at 89". NJ. November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
External links
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|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
Suzanne Shepherd
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early Life
Birth and Family Background
Suzanne Shepherd was born Sadie Gertrude Stern on October 31, 1934, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, to a Jewish family.[3] She adopted the name Suzanne at age 13 because she preferred the sound of it.[3] She was the youngest of three children in a close-knit family; her father, David Stern, worked as a distributor of jukeboxes and vending machines, while her mother, Dora Mendelson Stern, was a homemaker and skilled cook.[3] Shepherd grew up in Elizabeth during her early years, surrounded by this supportive family setting that emphasized hospitality and family gatherings.[3] Her older sister, Elaine Zheutlin, outlived her.[3] She later adopted the professional name Suzanne Shepherd for her career in acting and directing.[5]Education and Early Interests
Shepherd attended Battin High School in Elizabeth, New Jersey, graduating in the early 1950s.[3] After high school, she enrolled at Bennington College in Vermont, earning a bachelor's degree in English in 1956.[3] Upon completing her studies, Shepherd relocated to New York City to immerse herself in the performing arts, training under prominent acting coaches such as Sanford Meisner, Herbert Berghof, and Larry Arrick.[6][7] Her initial foray into performance came through improvisational theater, where she joined as a founding member of the Compass Players in the early 1960s—one of the earliest such ensembles in the United States—collaborating with emerging artists including Alan Alda, Alan Arkin, Mike Nichols, and Elaine May.[1][8][3]Career
Theater, Teaching, and Directing
Suzanne Shepherd began her professional theater career in the early 1960s as a member of the Compass Players, the first improvisational theater company in the United States, alongside Alan Alda, Alan Arkin, and her then-husband David Shepherd.[1] This group pioneered long-form improvisation, influencing her performance style through spontaneous scene work that emphasized character depth and ensemble dynamics.[3] Her involvement with Compass Players marked an early entry into Chicago's vibrant experimental theater scene, where she honed skills in unscripted storytelling before transitioning to more structured productions.[4] Shepherd's directing career spanned several decades, with notable credits in regional and Off-Broadway theaters prior to the 1980s, including productions at the Nederlander Theatre in New York, Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, and the Market Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa.[1][7] In 1980, she directed Athol Fugard's Blood Knot at the Roundabout Theatre, featuring Danny Glover in a revival that explored themes of racial identity and brotherhood in apartheid-era South Africa.[3] She also helmed Fugard's A Lesson from Aloes at the Yale Repertory Theatre during this period, fostering collaborations with the playwright that highlighted her affinity for socially charged narratives.[7] Earlier, Shepherd took on leading stage roles at venues like the Roundabout and Yale Repertory, performing in productions that showcased her versatility in dramatic and improvisational contexts.[6] For over 40 years, Shepherd established herself as a prominent acting teacher in New York City, training generations of performers at institutions including Trinity Square Conservatory, Hartman Conservatory, and Berghof Studios.[9] She also operated her own studio, where she offered scene study, audition technique, and advanced classes limited to 20 students per session, drawing on her training under Sanford Meisner to emphasize truthful emotional responses.[10][11] Among her notable students were Christopher Meloni, Joan Allen, and Bebe Neuwirth.[9] Her teaching philosophy, often shared via instructional videos, focused on stripping away superficiality to reveal authentic actions, contributing to a legacy of nurturing talent in the city's competitive scene.[12]Transition to Film and Television Acting
In the mid-1980s, after years of working as a theater director and acting teacher in New York City, Suzanne Shepherd pivoted to on-screen acting during her midlife, leveraging her extensive stage experience and industry connections to secure opportunities in film.[3] Her prior theater and teaching roles had honed her skills in character development and performance, enabling a smooth transition to the demands of camera work.[6] Shepherd made her film acting debut in 1988 at age 54, portraying Aunt Tweedy in the romantic comedy Mystic Pizza, a role that introduced her to audiences and marked her entry into cinema.[4] This initial foray was followed by her breakthrough performance two years later in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas (1990), where she played the overbearing mother of Karen Hill (Lorraine Bracco), a role that showcased her ability to infuse maternal figures with sharp wit and emotional intensity.[1] The role solidified her reputation as a character actress specializing in authoritative, no-nonsense mothers, often drawing from her own grounded persona to bring authenticity to these parts.[3] Throughout her screen career, Shepherd's roles frequently centered on recurring themes of protective yet comedic maternal figures—stern women who meddled in family affairs with a mix of humor and tenacity—allowing her to carve out a niche as a reliable supporting player.[6] Over the subsequent decades, she amassed approximately 40 film and television credits, demonstrating remarkable productivity well into the 2010s, with appearances in both indie projects and major network series that highlighted her enduring versatility in the medium.[7]Personal Life
Marriages and Family
Suzanne Shepherd married David Shepherd in 1957; the couple divorced in 1966.[3] From this marriage, she had two children: a son, Evan, who died in 2011, and a daughter, Kate Shepherd, an artist based in New York City.[3][13] She had two grandchildren from her daughter: a grandson, Ewen McManus, who died in 2021, and a granddaughter, Isabelle Shepherd.[3] Shepherd's second marriage was to Carroll Calkins in 1996; he predeceased her in 2006.[14] Kate Shepherd married Miles McManus, and the couple has a daughter, Isabelle Shepherd.[15] Following her divorces, Shepherd maintained close ties with her family in New York, where her daughter and granddaughter resided.[13] At the time of her death, she was survived by her sister, Elaine Zheutlin, her daughter Kate, son-in-law Miles McManus, and granddaughter Isabelle.[3]Death
Suzanne Shepherd died on November 17, 2023, at the age of 89, in her home in Manhattan, New York City.[3][16] Her daughter, Kate Shepherd, confirmed that the cause was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney failure.[3] She passed away peacefully in her sleep early that Friday morning.[15] The news of her death was first announced on Facebook by actor Tom Titone, a longtime friend and colleague, who described her as having "passed away peacefully."[17] Her representative confirmed the passing to media outlets, noting that Shepherd had been suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.[15] Tributes quickly followed from colleagues, including The Sopranos co-star Ray Abruzzo, who posted on Instagram calling her a "force of nature" and praising her warmth and talent.[15] Her granddaughter, Isabelle Shepherd, also shared a heartfelt message online, remembering her as an inspiring figure.[15] A memorial service was planned to be announced in early 2024.[15] Shepherd was cremated, with her ashes remaining in the possession of her family, which includes her daughter Kate Shepherd, son-in-law Miles McManus, and granddaughter Isabelle.[16]Filmography
Film Roles
Suzanne Shepherd's film career spanned over three decades, with appearances in more than 20 feature films, often in supporting roles as mothers, neighbors, or authority figures. She received no major awards or nominations specifically for her film performances, though her work in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas (1990) garnered attention for its authentic portrayal of working-class family dynamics.[18] The following table provides a chronological overview of her feature film roles, including the release year, title, character name, and director:| Year | Title | Role | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Mystic Pizza | Aunt Tweedy | Donald Petrie |
| 1989 | Uncle Buck | Mrs. Hogarth | John Hughes |
| 1989 | Second Sight | Marilyn Bloom | Joel Zwick |
| 1990 | Goodfellas | Karen's Mother | Martin Scorsese |
| 1990 | Jacob's Ladder | Hospital Receptionist | Adrian Lyne |
| 1996 | Trees Lounge | Connie | Steve Buscemi |
| 1997 | Lolita | Miss Pratt | Adrian Lyne |
| 1998 | Illuminata | Marco's mother | John Turturro |
| 1998 | Happiness | Mrs. Leffert | Todd Solondz |
| 2000 | Requiem for a Dream | Mrs. Scarlini | Darren Aronofsky |
| 2000 | The Yards | Mrs. Donato | James Gray |
| 2004 | A Dirty Shame | Big Ethel | John Waters |
| 2008 | Choke | Waitress | Clark Gregg |
| 2008 | Harold | Ma | Marc Reid Rubel |
| 2009 | I Hate Valentine's Day | Nurse | Nia Vardalos |
| 2017 | Where Is Kyra? | Elderly Woman | Andrew Dosunmu |
| 2018 | Furlough | Joan | Laurie Collyer |
| 2023 | The Performance | Tess | Shira Piven |