Connell Family History & Genealogy

Jane Connell, Agnes Gooch of ‘Mame,’ Is Dead at 87 By JOHN SCHWARTZSEPT. 25, 2013 Jane Connell, a character actress best known for her portrayal of Agnes Gooch, the mousy secretary to the title character in the musical “Mame,” died on Sunday in Englewood, N.J. She was 87. Her daughter Maggie Connell confirmed the death, at the Lillian Booth Actors Home of the Actors Fund. Ms. Connell’s comedic flair tickled audiences for nearly six decades as she made her way from California nightclubs to the Broadway stage and beyond. In 1971, writing in The New York Times, Mel Gussow applauded her portrayal of Mrs. Hardcastle in a production of “She Stoops to Conquer.” “She strides through this production with grace and confidence, never playing for laughs, but getting most of them,” he wrote, adding, “One would like to see her in Molière, Sheridan and Shaw.” She performed in a dozen Broadway shows, including the revue “New Faces of 1956” and two productions of Jerry Herman’s “Mame,” with Angela Lansbury, in 1966 and 1983. She also played Agnes Gooch in the 1974 movie version, starring Lucille Ball as Mame. There were nearly as many Off Broadway shows, including the acclaimed 1954 production of “The Threepenny Opera,” starring Lotte Lenya, as well as national tours, regional productions and a great deal of television. She appeared on sitcoms like “All in the Family,” “M*A*S*H” and “Bewitched” (she played Queen Victoria, among other roles) and, perhaps inevitably, “Law & Order.” Jane Connell, left, sings "Gooch's Song" to Angela Lansbury in the 1967 Broadway production of "Mame." Credit Leo Friedman “Being a child of the Depression, she said, ‘I never, ever want to be out of work,’ ” the actor Peter Ratray, a close friend of the Connell family, recounted. Jane Sperry Bennett was born on Oct. 27, 1925, in Oakland, Calif. In 1948 she married Gordon Connell, a fellow actor and musician, who survives her, along with her daughters, Maggie and Melissa Connell. The Connells worked in some of the most famous nightclubs of the day, performing musical revues at clubs including the Purple Onion and the hungry i in San Francisco and Le Ruban Bleu and Upstairs at the Downstairs in New York. A Times review by Arthur Gelb of a 1962 Off Broadway revue, “No Shoestrings,” called Ms. Connell “one of our most gifted comediennes.” “She has a comical way of puffing up her face like a pouter pigeon and of hitting a high note with a kind of hysterical relief that she got there,” Mr. Gelb wrote. In later years Ms. Connell had a wealth of Broadway roles. “Everybody was rediscovering this funny older actress,” her agent, Steven Unger, said.She appeared on Broadway in three shows written by Ken Ludwig: “Lend Me a Tenor” in 1989, the Gershwin musical “Crazy for You” in 1992 and “Moon Over Buffalo,” starring Carol Burnett, in 1995. She was also in Mr. Ludwig’s “Leading Ladies,” which did not reach Broadway, in 2004. Her last Broadway role, in 2001, was in “The Full Monty,” a musical adaptation of the hit 1997 film; she took over as Jeanette, the jaded pianist, after the death of Kathleen Freeman, who created the role on Broadway. Maggie Connell said that her mother loved the life of a character actor,

Louise Marie (Hagen) Connell of Portland, Cumberland County, ME was born on April 14, 1898 to Christopher John Hagan. She married George Callan Connell on April 29, 1929 in Portland, Cumberland County United States, and they were married until George's death on June 17, 1960. She had children Anne Louise (Connell) Coughland and Jane Christine (Connell) Pinette. Louise Connell died at age 88 years old on May 27, 1986 in Portland, Cumberland County, and was buried at Calvary Cemetery 1461 Broadway, in South Portland.

Jane Christine (Connell) Pinette was born in 1937 to Louise Marie (Hagen) Connell and George Callan Connell, and had a sister Anne Louise (Connell) Coughland. She married James L Splude on January 10, 1955 in Maine United States, and they were married until James' death on June 23, 1993. They had children Dennis J. Splude, Richard Anthony Splude Sr., Jeffrey Michael Splude, Michelle M. (Splude), Jane C Splude, James L Splude, Cynthia L. Splude, and Kathleen M. (Splude) Simpson. She married Earnest Pinkham, and they were married until Earnest's death. She married Dennis Wayne Pinette Sr., and they were married until Dennis' death. Jane Pinette died at age 83 years old on January 16, 2021 at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine 04102, United States, and was buried at Brooklawn Memorial Park 2002 Congress St, in Portland, Cumberland County, Maine 04102, United States. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jane Christine (Connell) Pinette.

Van Connell was born to Aubrey Milton Connel and Olivia (Gist) Connell, and has siblings Nollie Norman Connel, Violet Connell Peables, and Coquese Connell. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Van Connell.

James Connell Rev was born to John Connell and Mary Connell, and has a brother William Cochrane Connell. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember James Connell.

Maggie Connell was born to Jane Connell and William Gordon Connell, and has a sister Melissa Connell. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Maggie Connell.

James Connell was born to Rebecca (Bidgood) Connell and William Connell, and has siblings Alice (Connell) Douglas, Ellen (Connell) Moulynox, Rose Green, Ada Harris, Isobel Kerr ( Connell, and Evelyn Connell. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember James Connell.

Jessie Jessie (Mcleod) Connell of Ballarat Australia, got married to James Duncan Connell, and has a child Flora Christina Connell. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Jessie Mcleod Connell.

Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Melissa Connell.

William Gordon Connell was born on March 19, 1923, and died at age 93 years old on June 12, 2016. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember William Gordon Connell.

Jane Elizabeth (Pratt) Connell of Fitzroy, City of Yarra County, VIC Australia was born in 1874 in Wollert, City of Whittlesea County, and died at age 65 years old on September 6, 1940 in Fitzroy, City of Yarra County.

Irene May Estelle (Harris) Connell of Ferntree Gully, City of Knox County, VIC Australia was born circa 1888 in TAS, and died at age 88 years old on July 7, 1977 in Ferntree Gully, VIC.

Peggy Joyce (Connell) Combest was born on April 21, 1933 at Alabama. Peggy Connell was married to Orean J Combest on December 11, 1952 in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama United States, and they were together until Peggy's death on June 27, 1959. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Peggy Joyce (Connell) Combest.

Thomas Patrick Connell III was born on March 6, 1958 in Glasgow, Glasgow City County, Scotland United Kingdom, and died at age 64 years old on January 16, 2023 in Peterborough, Peterborough County, ON Canada. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Thomas Patrick Connell III.

Frances Teresa (Connell) Bazerghi was born circa 1960 in Glasgow, Glasgow City County, Scotland United Kingdom. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Frances Teresa Bazerghi.

Mary Bernadette Connell was born circa 1965 in Hamilton, Hamilton County, ON Canada to Frances Theresa Connell and Thomas Patrick Connell Jr., and has siblings Margaret Mary Elmhirst, Thomas Patrick Connell III, Frances Teresa Bazerghi, Gerard Joseph Connell, Joseph Edward Connell, Christina Elizabeth Smith, and Nicholas Andrew Connell. Mary Connell was in a relationship with Julian Victor Kanarek beginning 1988 in Hamilton, Hamilton County, Ontario, and has children Peter Alexander Kanarek and James Francis Kanarek. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Mary Bernadette Connell.

Nicholas Andrew Connell was born on April 1, 1967 in Hamilton, Hamilton County, ON Canada to Frances Theresa Connell and Thomas Patrick Connell Jr., and had siblings Margaret Mary Elmhirst, Thomas Patrick Connell III, Frances Teresa Bazerghi, Gerard Joseph Connell, Joseph Edward Connell, Mary Bernadette Connell, and Christina Elizabeth Smith. He married Diane Elizabeth Connell in 1993 in Hamilton, Hamilton County, Ontario and they later divorced in 2005 in Hamilton. He had children Nicholas James Connell and Sarah Elizabeth Connell. Nicholas Connell died at age 43 years old on November 23, 2010 at Hamilton General Hospital 237 Barton St E, in Hamilton, ON. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Nicholas Andrew Connell.

Joseph Edward Connell was born circa 1964 in Glasgow, Glasgow City County, Scotland United Kingdom. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Joseph Edward Connell.

Christina Elizabeth (Connell) Smith was born circa 1966 in Hamilton, Hamilton County, ON Canada. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Christina Elizabeth Smith.

Gerard Joseph Connell was born circa 1962 in Glasgow, Glasgow City County, Scotland United Kingdom. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Gerard Joseph Connell.