Frances Sternhagen

Frances Sternhagen
Sternhagen in 1962
Born	(1930-01-13)January 13, 1930 Washington, D.C., U.S.
Died	November 27, 2023(2023-11-27) (aged 93) New Rochelle, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	Vassar College Catholic University of America Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre
Occupations	Actress former teacher
Years active	1951–2014
Known for	The Good Doctor The Heiress Outland Equus Cheers
Spouse	Thomas A. Carlin ​ ​ (m. 1956; died 1991)​
Children	6
Relatives	John M. Sternhagen (father)

Frances Hussey Sternhagen (January 13, 1930 – November 27, 2023) was an American actress. Sternhagen was known as a character actress who appeared on- and off-Broadway, in movies, and on television for over six decades.^[1] She received numerous accolades including two Tony Awards, a Drama Desk Award and a Saturn Award, as well as nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards.

Sternhagen gained acclaim for her extensive career on the Broadway stage. She made her debut in The Skin of Our Teeth (1955). She went on to receive two Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performances as various characters in Neil Simon's comedic play The Good Doctor (1973) and as Lavinia Penniman in Ruth and Augustus Goetz's dramatic play The Heiress (1995). Her other Tony-nominated roles were for The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window (1972), Equus (1975), Angel (1978), On Golden Pond (1979), and Morning's at Seven (2002).

She gained prominence and Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her recurring roles as Esther Clavin in the NBC sitcom Cheers (1986–1993) and Bunny MacDougal in the HBO series Sex and the City (2000–2002). She also had recurring roles in the NBC medical drama ER (1994–2009), and the TNT series The Closer (2006–2012). Sternhagen acted in numerous films including The Hospital (1971), Starting Over (1979), Misery (1990), and Julie & Julia (2009).