Cynthia Harris: Difference between revisions

Cynthia Harris
Cynthia Harris
	Harris in 1976
Born	Cynthia Lee Harris; August 9, 1934; New York City, U.S.
Died	October 3, 2021 (aged 87); New York City, U.S.
Education	Smith College
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1963–2019
Spouse	Eugene Wolsk (1961–1972; divorced)
Partner	Nathan Silverstein

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Cynthia Lee Harris (August 9, 1934 – October 3, 2021) was an American film, television, and stage actress. She is best known for her roles in the television series Edward & Mrs. Simpson and the sitcom Mad About You.

Life and career

Cynthia Lee Harris was born in New York City in 1934, the daughter of Saul Harris, a haberdasher, and his wife, Deborah. She had two brothers, one of whom predeceased her. Interested in the stage from a young age, she began studying theater at age 12 and graduated from Smith College in 1955 with a degree in theater and literature.^[1]^[2]

She joined the Adams Memorial Theatre in Williamstown (in the same state on the campus of another college) where she performed in five summer seasons from 1955 to 1959. She then studied acting with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio.^[3] Harris also studied with George Morrison.^[2]

Harris appeared in such television series and TV movies, such as Archie Bunker's Place and All My Children. In Edward and Mrs. Simpson, she was cast as the Duchess of Windsor,^[2] which earned her a BAFTA Award nomination in 1979. For five seasons, she played "comic yenta mom" Sylvia Buchman on the sitcom Mad About You, a role she reprised in the show's 2019 limited series revival.^[4]^[5] For almost two decades, she played "Mrs. B." in television advertisements for the now-defunct department store chain Bradlees.^[6]

She made her Broadway debut as an understudy for the drama Natural Affection in 1963.^[2] In 1971, she appeared on Broadway in the Stephen Sondheim-George Furth musical, Company. In 1978, she received a BAFTA nomination for her performance as Wallis Simpson in Edward & Mrs. Simpson (1978).^[2]

Harris was one of the co-artistic directors for the Off-Broadway company The Actors Company Theatre, which she co-founded in 1993. She appeared in numerous plays with the company, including Home, Bedroom Farce and Lost in Yonkers, portraying nearly four dozen characters over the course of her tenure with the group.^[2]^[4] In 2013, Harris appeared as Adriana in the Primary Stages production of The Tribute Artist.^[7]

Death

Harris died in New York City on October 3, 2021, at the age of 87. She was survived by her partner, Nathan Silverstein, as well as her brother, Dr. Matthew Harris, and extended family.^[2]^[8] She had suffered from Type 1 diabetes for much of her life.^[9]

Filmography

Isadora (1968)
Up the Sandbox (1972)
I Could Never Have Sex with Any Man Who Has So Little Regard for My Husband (1973)
The Bob Newhart Show (1975)
Sirota's Court (1976-1977)
Edward and Mrs. Simpson (1978)
Laverne & Shirley (1978)
Husbands, Wives & Lovers (1979)
Three's Company (1979)
Hart to Hart (1980)
Archie Bunker's Place (1981)
Tempest (1982)
Quincy, M.E. (1982)
Reuben, Reuben (1983)
L.A. Law (1986-1987) - recurring role
Izzy and Moe (1987)
Three Men and a Baby (1987)
Everything's Relative (1987; 1 episode)
Kate & Allie (1989)
Ask Me Again,^[10] (1989)
The Ann Jillian Show (1990)
Murder, She Wrote (1990; 1 episode)
Mannequin Two: On the Move (1991)
Law & Order (1991-1993; 1997)
The Distinguished Gentleman (1992)
Mad About You (1993-1999, 2019^[11]) - recurring role
Murder, She Wrote (1994; 1 episode)
All My Children (1994; Unknown episodes)
Now and Again (1999)
The Geena Davis Show (2000)
An American Daughter (2000)
Rescue Me (2004-2007)

References

^ Roberts, Sam (October 8, 2021). "Cynthia Harris, the mother on 'Mad About You', Dies at 87". The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Barnes, Mike (October 6, 2021). "Cynthia Harris, Paul Reiser's Mom on 'Mad About You,' Dies at 87". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2021-10-06. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
^ "Cynthia Harris, actress who won a Bafta nomination for her portrayal of Wallis Simpson – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. London. October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
^ ^a ^b Horwitz, Simi (March 21, 2012). "Cynthia Harris Finds Challenges in 'Lost in Yonkers'". Backstage. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
^ Sepinwall, Alan (November 18, 2019). "'Mad About You' Revival: Banter, Bickering, and Boredom". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2019-11-19. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
^ "Can 'Mrs. B' bring Bradlees back?". The Standard-Times. New Bedford, Mass. January 29, 1996. Archived from the original on 2015-11-23. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
^ Brantley, Ben (February 10, 2014). "We Have the Stars; We Want the House". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
^ Evans, Greg (October 6, 2021). "Cynthia Harris Dies: 'Mad About You' Actress Was 87". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
^ "Cynthia Harris is Mad About the Berrie Center and Dr. Robin Goland". The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center. Archived from the original on October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
^ "Ask Me Again Television show - Ask Me Again TV Show - Yahoo! TV". tv.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 2011-05-17.
^ Haring, Bruce (October 3, 2019). "'Mad About You': Cynthia Harris To Reprise Role, Cloris Leachman Also Joins Revival Limited Series For Spectrum Originals". Deadline Hollywood.

External links

Cynthia Harris at IMDb
Cynthia Harris @ broadwayworld.com
Cynthia Harris @IBDB.com
Cynthia Harris discography at Discogs

[1] Roberts, Sam (October 8, 2021). "Cynthia Harris, the mother on 'Mad About You', Dies at 87". The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2023.

[:1-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Barnes, Mike (October 6, 2021). "Cynthia Harris, Paul Reiser's Mom on 'Mad About You,' Dies at 87". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2021-10-06. Retrieved October 6, 2021.

[Teleobit-3] "Cynthia Harris, actress who won a Bafta nomination for her portrayal of Wallis Simpson – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. London. October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.

[:2-4] Horwitz, Simi (March 21, 2012). "Cynthia Harris Finds Challenges in 'Lost in Yonkers'". Backstage. Retrieved October 6, 2021.

[5] Sepinwall, Alan (November 18, 2019). "'Mad About You' Revival: Banter, Bickering, and Boredom". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2019-11-19. Retrieved October 6, 2021.

[6] "Can 'Mrs. B' bring Bradlees back?". The Standard-Times. New Bedford, Mass. January 29, 1996. Archived from the original on 2015-11-23. Retrieved October 6, 2021.

[7] Brantley, Ben (February 10, 2014). "We Have the Stars; We Want the House". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 6, 2021.

[8] Evans, Greg (October 6, 2021). "Cynthia Harris Dies: 'Mad About You' Actress Was 87". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 6, 2021.

[9] "Cynthia Harris is Mad About the Berrie Center and Dr. Robin Goland". The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center. Archived from the original on October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.

[10] "Ask Me Again Television show - Ask Me Again TV Show - Yahoo! TV". tv.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 2011-05-17.

[11] Haring, Bruce (October 3, 2019). "'Mad About You': Cynthia Harris To Reprise Role, Cloris Leachman Also Joins Revival Limited Series For Spectrum Originals". Deadline Hollywood.

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@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 | occupation         = Actress
 | years_active       = 1963–2019
-| spouse             =
+| spouse             = Eugene Wolsk (1961–1972; divorced)
-| partner            =
+| partner            = Nathan Silverstein
 }}
@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 ==Life and career==
-Cynthia Lee Harris was born in New York City in 1934, the daughter of Saul Harris, a businessman.<ref name=":1" /> Interested in the stage from a young age, she began studying theater at age 12 and graduated from [[Smith College]] in 1955 with a degree in theater and literature.<ref name=":1"/> Harris joined the Adams Memorial Theatre in Williamstown (in the same state on the campus of another college) where she performed in five summer seasons from 1955 to 1959. She then studied acting with [[Lee Strasberg]] at the [[Actors Studio]].<ref name="Teleobit">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2021/10/11/cynthia-harris-actress-won-bafta-nomination-portrayal-wallis/|title=Cynthia Harris, actress who won a Bafta nomination for her portrayal of Wallis Simpson – obituary|work=The Telegraph|location=London|date=October 11, 2021|access-date=October 12, 2021}}</ref> Harris also studied with  [[George Morrison (acting teacher)|George Morrison]].<ref name=":1"/>
+Cynthia Lee Harris was born in New York City in 1934, the daughter of Saul Harris, a haberdasher, and his wife, Deborah. She had two brothers, one of whom predeceased her. Interested in the stage from a young age, she began studying theater at age 12 and graduated from [[Smith College]] in 1955 with a degree in theater and literature.<ref>{{cite news| title=Cynthia Harris, the mother on 'Mad About You', Dies at 87| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/08/arts/television/cynthia-harris-dead.html| first=Sam| last=Roberts| date=October 8, 2021| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| access-date=January 28, 2023| url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name=":1"/>
+She joined the Adams Memorial Theatre in Williamstown (in the same state on the campus of another college) where she performed in five summer seasons from 1955 to 1959. She then studied acting with [[Lee Strasberg]] at the [[Actors Studio]].<ref name="Teleobit">{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2021/10/11/cynthia-harris-actress-won-bafta-nomination-portrayal-wallis/|title=Cynthia Harris, actress who won a Bafta nomination for her portrayal of Wallis Simpson – obituary| newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]| location=[[London]]| date=October 11, 2021| access-date=October 12, 2021}}</ref> Harris also studied with  [[George Morrison (acting teacher)|George Morrison]].<ref name=":1"/>
-Harris appeared in such television series and TV movies, such as ''[[Archie Bunker's Place]]'' and ''[[All My Children]]''. In ''[[Edward and Mrs. Simpson]]'', she was cast as the [[Duchess of Windsor]],<ref name=":1" /> which earned her a [[British Academy Television Award for Best Actress|BAFTA Award]] nomination in 1979. For five seasons, she played "comic yenta mom" Sylvia Buchman on the sitcom ''[[Mad About You]]'', a role she reprised in the show's 2019 limited series revival.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Horwitz|first=Simi|date=March 21, 2012|title=Cynthia Harris Finds Challenges in 'Lost in Yonkers'|work=Backstage|url=https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/cynthia-harris-finds-challenges-lost-yonkers-53410/|access-date=October 6, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sepinwall|first=Alan|date=November 18, 2019|title='Mad About You' Revival: Banter, Bickering, and Boredom|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-reviews/mad-about-you-revival-spectrum-review-913524/|url-status=live|access-date=October 6, 2021|work=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119040444/https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-reviews/mad-about-you-revival-spectrum-review-913524/ |archive-date=2019-11-19 }}</ref> For almost two decades, she played "Mrs. B." in television advertisements for the now-defunct department store chain [[Bradlees]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 29, 1996|title=Can 'Mrs. B' bring Bradlees back?|url=https://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/19960129/news/301299979|url-status=live|access-date=October 6, 2021|work=South Coast Today|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123203433/http://www.southcoasttoday.com:80/article/19960129/NEWS/301299979 |archive-date=2015-11-23 }}</ref>
+Harris appeared in such television series and TV movies, such as ''[[Archie Bunker's Place]]'' and ''[[All My Children]]''. In ''[[Edward and Mrs. Simpson]]'', she was cast as the [[Duchess of Windsor]],<ref name=":1" /> which earned her a [[British Academy Television Award for Best Actress|BAFTA Award]] nomination in 1979. For five seasons, she played "comic yenta mom" Sylvia Buchman on the sitcom ''[[Mad About You]]'', a role she reprised in the show's 2019 limited series revival.<ref name=":2">{{cite news| last=Horwitz| first=Simi| date=March 21, 2012| title=Cynthia Harris Finds Challenges in 'Lost in Yonkers'| magazine=[[Backstage (magazine)|Backstage]]| url=https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/cynthia-harris-finds-challenges-lost-yonkers-53410/| access-date=October 6, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine| last=Sepinwall| first=Alan| date=November 18, 2019| title='Mad About You' Revival: Banter, Bickering, and Boredom| url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-reviews/mad-about-you-revival-spectrum-review-913524/| url-status=live| access-date=October 6, 2021| magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]| language=en-US| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119040444/https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-reviews/mad-about-you-revival-spectrum-review-913524/| archive-date=2019-11-19 }}</ref> For almost two decades, she played "Mrs. B." in television advertisements for the now-defunct department store chain [[Bradlees]].<ref>{{cite news| date=January 29, 1996| title=Can 'Mrs. B' bring Bradlees back?| url=https://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/19960129/news/301299979|url-status=live| access-date=October 6, 2021| newspaper=[[The Standard-Times (New Bedford)|The Standard-Times]]| location=New Bedford, Mass| language=en| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123203433/http://www.southcoasttoday.com:80/article/19960129/NEWS/301299979| archive-date=2015-11-23}}</ref>
 She made her Broadway debut as an understudy for the drama ''Natural Affection'' in 1963.<ref name=":1" /> In 1971, she appeared on Broadway in the [[Stephen Sondheim]]-[[George Furth]] musical, ''[[Company (musical)|Company]]''. In 1978, she received a BAFTA nomination for her performance as Wallis Simpson in ''Edward & Mrs. Simpson'' (1978).<ref name=":1" />
-Harris was one of the co-artistic directors for the [[Off-Broadway]] company [[The Actors Company Theatre]], which she co-founded in 1993. She appeared in numerous plays with the company, including ''[[Home (play)|Home]]'', ''[[Bedroom Farce]]'' and ''[[Lost in Yonkers]]'', portraying nearly four dozen characters over the course of her tenure with the group.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> In 2013, Harris appeared as Adriana in the [[Primary Stages]] production of ''The Tribute Artist''.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Brantley|first=Ben|date=February 10, 2014|title=We Have the Stars; We Want the House|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/theater/charles-buschs-the-tribute-artist-is-at-59e59-theaters.html|access-date=October 6, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
+Harris was one of the co-artistic directors for the [[Off-Broadway]] company [[The Actors Company Theatre]], which she co-founded in 1993. She appeared in numerous plays with the company, including ''[[Home (Storey play)|Home]]'', ''[[Bedroom Farce (play)|Bedroom Farce]]'' and ''[[Lost in Yonkers]]'', portraying nearly four dozen characters over the course of her tenure with the group.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> In 2013, Harris appeared as Adriana in the [[Primary Stages]] production of ''The Tribute Artist''.<ref>{{cite news| last=Brantley| first=Ben| date=February 10, 2014|title=We Have the Stars; We Want the House| language=en-US| newspaper=The New York Times| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/theater/charles-buschs-the-tribute-artist-is-at-59e59-theaters.html| access-date=October 6, 2021| issn=0362-4331| url-access=subscription}}</ref>
 ==Death==
-Harris died in New York City on October 3, 2021, at the age of 87.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Barnes|first=Mike|date=October 6, 2021|title=Cynthia Harris, Paul Reiser’s Mom on 'Mad About You,' Dies at 87|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/cynthia-harris-dead-mad-about-you-1235026447/|url-status=live|access-date=October 6, 2021|work=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006144432/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/cynthia-harris-dead-mad-about-you-1235026447/ |archive-date=2021-10-06 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Evans|first=Greg|date=October 6, 2021|title=Cynthia Harris Dies: 'Mad About You' Actress Was 87|work=Deadline|url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/cynthia-harris-dead-obituary-mad-about-you-actress-was-87-1234850732/|access-date=October 6, 2021}}</ref> She had suffered from Type 1 [[diabetes]] for much of her life.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cynthia Harris is Mad About the Berrie Center and Dr. Robin Goland |url=https://www.nbdiabetes.org/news/cynthia-harris-mad-about-berrie-center-and-dr-robin-goland |website=The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center |publisher=Columbia University Medical Center |access-date=October 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211012003346/https://www.nbdiabetes.org/news/cynthia-harris-mad-about-berrie-center-and-dr-robin-goland |archive-date=October 12, 2021}}</ref>
+Harris died in New York City on October 3, 2021, at the age of 87. She was survived by her partner, Nathan Silverstein, as well as her brother, Dr. Matthew Harris, and extended family.<ref name=":1">{{cite news| last=Barnes| first=Mike| date=October 6, 2021| title=Cynthia Harris, Paul Reiser's Mom on 'Mad About You,' Dies at 87| url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/cynthia-harris-dead-mad-about-you-1235026447/| url-status=live| access-date=October 6, 2021| newspaper=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]| language=en-US| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006144432/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/cynthia-harris-dead-mad-about-you-1235026447/| archive-date=2021-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last=Evans| first=Greg| date=October 6, 2021| title=Cynthia Harris Dies: 'Mad About You' Actress Was 87| website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]| url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/cynthia-harris-dead-obituary-mad-about-you-actress-was-87-1234850732/| access-date=October 6, 2021}}</ref> She had suffered from Type 1 [[diabetes]] for much of her life.<ref>{{cite web| title=Cynthia Harris is Mad About the Berrie Center and Dr. Robin Goland| url=https://www.nbdiabetes.org/news/cynthia-harris-mad-about-berrie-center-and-dr-robin-goland| website=The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center| access-date=October 12, 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211012003346/https://www.nbdiabetes.org/news/cynthia-harris-mad-about-berrie-center-and-dr-robin-goland| archive-date=October 12, 2021}}</ref>
 ==Filmography==
@@ Line 52: / Line 54: @@
 * ''[[Everything's Relative (1987 TV series)|Everything's Relative]]'' (1987; 1 episode)
 * ''[[Kate & Allie]]'' (1989)
+* ''[[Ask Me Again]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tv.yahoo.com/ask-me-again/show/2808/castcrew |title=Ask Me Again Television show - Ask Me Again TV Show - Yahoo! TV |website=tv.yahoo.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517052028/http://tv.yahoo.com/ask-me-again/show/2808/castcrew |archive-date=2011-05-17}} </ref> (1989)
-* ''[[Ann Jillian|The Ann Jillian Show]]'' (1989-1990)
+* ''[[Ann Jillian|The Ann Jillian Show]]'' (1990)
 * ''[[Murder, She Wrote]]'' (1990; 1 episode)
 * ''[[Mannequin Two: On the Move]]'' (1991)
 * ''[[Law & Order]]'' (1991-1993; 1997)
 * ''[[The Distinguished Gentleman]]'' (1992)
-* ''[[Mad About You]]'' (1993-1999, 2019<ref>{{cite web |last1=Haring |first1=Bruce |title='Mad About You': Cynthia Harris To Reprise Role, Cloris Leachman Also Joins Revival Limited Series For Spectrum Originals |url=https://deadline.com/2019/10/mad-about-you-revival-cynthia-harris-cloris-leachman-added-by-spectrum-1202750921/ |website=Deadline |date=October 3, 2019}}</ref>) - recurring role
+* ''[[Mad About You]]'' (1993-1999, 2019<ref>{{cite web |last1=Haring |first1=Bruce |title='Mad About You': Cynthia Harris To Reprise Role, Cloris Leachman Also Joins Revival Limited Series For Spectrum Originals |url=https://deadline.com/2019/10/mad-about-you-revival-cynthia-harris-cloris-leachman-added-by-spectrum-1202750921/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=October 3, 2019}}</ref>) - recurring role
 * ''Murder, She Wrote'' (1994; 1 episode)
 * ''[[All My Children]]'' (1994; Unknown episodes)
@@ Line 83: / Line 86: @@
 [[Category:American television actresses]]
 [[Category:Actresses from New York City]]
-[[Category:Deaths from diabetes]]
+[[Category:Deaths from diabetes in New York (state)]]
 [[Category:Smith College alumni]]
 [[Category:21st-century American women]]

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