AncientFaces Your browser does not support JavaScript!
Please enable JavaScript to view the entire contents of this page.

Eileen Heckart 1919 - 2001

Eileen Heckart of Norwalk, Fairfield County, CT was born on March 29, 1919 in Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio United States. She was married to John Harrison Yankee Jr., and died at age 82 years old on December 31, 2001 in CT. Eileen Heckart was buried in December 2001 at Cremated. Ashes given to family..

Eileen Heckart

Eileen Heckart was married to John Yankee but nobody knew her as Eileen H. Yankee.

Norwalk, Fairfield County, CT 06851

March 29, 1919

Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio, United States

December 31, 2001

Connecticut, United States

Female

Looking for someone else

Eileen Heckart Eileen Heckart (1919 - 2001)

ADVERTISEMENT BY ANCESTRY.COM

This page exists for YOU
and everyone who remembers Eileen.

Share what you know,
even ask what you wish you knew.

Invite others to do the same,
but don't worry if you can't...

Someone, somewhere will find this page,
and we'll notify you when they do.

Eileen Heckart's History: 1919 - 2001

Uncover new discoveries and connections today by sharing about people & moments from yesterday.

- Discover how AncientFaces works.

Introduction

Versatile, award-winning character actress Eileen Heckart, with the lean, horsey face and assured, fervent gait, was born Anna Eileen Stark on March 29, 1919, in Columbus, Ohio. An only child, she lived with her mother after her parents separated at age 2. Her childhood was an acutely unhappy one. Her mother, an alcoholic, was married five times, and her stern grandmother, whom Eileen was often shuttled off to stay with, was physically abusive. To survive, Eileen escaped into the joy and imaginary world of movies as an adolescent. Somehow she managed to survive it all and attend (and graduate from) Ohio State University in 1942 with a degree in English. That same year she married John Harrison Yankee Jr., an insurance broker. They had three sons in a union that lasted 53 years, unusual for a feisty, independent lady of show business. While her husband was off to the war (he joined the Navy), Eileen moved to New York and toiled in a number of day jobs while trying to jumpstart a career in acting. Beginning in summer stock, Eileen took classes at the American Theatre Wing and apprenticed in a number of obscure plays/revues such as "Tinker's Dam" (1943) and "Musical Moment" (1943). Following extensive work on the NY stage, which included her Broadway debut as an understudy and eventual replacement in "The Voice of the Turtle" (1945), she established herself as a major force on the Great White Way. Her first big break under the Broadway lights was her portrayal of the arch, lonely schoolteacher in William Inge's "Picnic," which earned her both the Outer Critic's Circle and Theatre World awards in 1953. She began quick in demand as flinty, overwrought, down-to-earth types or wise-to-the-bone old gals who, more than not, lived a life of drudgery. Later award-worthy Broadway hits would include "The Bad Seed" (which earned her the Donaldson award), "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs" (Tony-nom), "Invitation to a March" (Tony-nom), and "Butterflies Are Free" (Tony-nom). Intermixed were live performances on TV for such prestigious programs as "Goodyear Television Playhouse", "Kraft Television Theatre", "Studio One", "Suspense", "The Alcoa Hour" and "Playhouse 90". Heckart was a dominant yet only intermittent force in films, making her debut in the so-so Miracle in the Rain (1956) featured as Jane Wyman's confidante. Although greatly disappointed at losing the bid to recreate her Broadway role in the film version of Picnic (1955) (Rosalind Russell won the honors), she did receive the satisfaction of transferring her scene-chewing stage role as the despairing, drunken mom whose son falls victim to young Patty McCormack's malevolent mischief in The Bad Seed (1956). For this Eileen copped both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. During this period she fell into a number of dowdy matrons, dour moms and matter-of-fact gal friends with flashy roles in Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956), Bus Stop (1956), Hot Spell (1958) and Heller in Pink Tights (1960). Earning another Tony nomination and the New York Drama Critics award for her brittle role in the 1957 production of Inge's "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs," she was pregnant with her third child when the film version of The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960) started rolling and Angela Lansbury stepped in to replace her. For most of the 60s, Eileen traded off TV guest parts ("Ben Casey," "Dr. Kildare", "The F.B.I.", "The Defenders") with theater roles ("Pal Joey", "Barefoot in the Park", "You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running"). She was finally rewarded on film as blind Edward Albert's busybody mom in the welterweight comedy Butterflies Are Free (1972), netting the Academy Award for "Best Supporting Actress". It was a role she had played on Broadway, receiving her fourth Tony nomination. The Oscar did not bring her pick-of-the-litter roles afforded to other fortunates, but the veteran continued on in all three mediums quite enviably. While not fond of sitcom work, she gave Emmy-style for her guest work on such shows as "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", "Love & War", "Ellen", "Cybill" and was part of a short-lived ensemble series as one of The 5 Mrs. Buchanans (1994). She also put together a one-woman stage tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt and gave assertive theater performances in "The Ladies of the Alamo," "The Cemetery Club" and "Northeast Local". Strangely enough, the Tony Award eluded the three-time nominee during her long, eventful career. The Tony committee finally made up for this oversight in 2000 by awarding her a "special" Tony for "excellence in theater, triggered by her final, multiple award-winning success (Obie, Drama Desk) as an Alzheimer's patient in "The Waverly Gallery" in 2000. In retrospect, it was none too soon for Ms. Heckart, who worked nearly until the end, was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away on the last day of 2001. She was 82. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / [contact link] Spouse (1) John Harrison Yankee Jr. (26 June 1942 - 23 February 1997) (his death) (4 children) Trivia (27) Born at 6:02 AM (EST). Stepsisters: Marilyn Pickering (Michigan City, IN) & Anne Fraggiotti (Centerville, OH). Graduated from Ohio State University with a drama degree. Her trademark, hoarse voice was caused by an early bout of whooping cough. Marlene Dietrich said of her, "If she were acting in Europe, she'd be queen of the boards. The barbarism of Hollywood typecasting deprives the world of her true talents". The one time in her life she managed to stop smoking, she had dinner with Bette Davis and started again. One week after winning the Oscar, she went in to pick up her unemployment check and the entire office burst into applause. She was the only performer (besides Edward Asner, of course) to have reprised a role (Flo Meredith) on Lou Grant (1977) that originated on Mary Tyler Moore (1970). Won a Special Tony Award in 2000 for "Excellence in Theater". Previously, she had received three Tony nominations as Best Supporting or Featured Actress (Dramatic): in 1958 for William Inge's "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs," in 1961 for "Invitation to a March," and in 1970 for "Butterflies Are Free," the last recreated in her Oscar-winning performance in the film version with the same title, Butterflies Are Free (1972). Twice played First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in Backstairs at the White House (1979) and F.D.R.: The Last Year (1980). She studied drama at HB Studio in Greenwich Village in New York City. In order to get Heckart to agree to do "Bus Stop," director Joshua Logan read the entire script over the phone to her. It took two and a half hours while her whole family was waiting for dinner. She was in Arizona at the time because her son had recently contracted meningitis. Heckart's real parents Esther and Leo Herbert, divorced when she was two, and she was adopted by her mother's step-father, John Heckart. Heckart played her Oscar-winning role in "Butterflies" in both New York and London prior to doing the film. Heckart has always considered herself primarily as a stage actress. On the night she won her Oscar, she said to a reporter that the award was "nice, but it's not my life.". Was the 72nd actress to receive an Academy Award; she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Butterflies Are Free (1972) at The 45th Annual Academy Awards (1973) on March 27, 1973. Gave birth to her 1st child at age 33, a son Mark Yankee on June 16, 1952. Child's father was her husband, John Yankee. Gave birth to her 2nd child at age 35, a son Philip Yankee on August 14, 1954. Child's father was her husband, John Yankee. Gave birth to her 3rd child at age 40, a son Luke Yankee on February 7, 1960. Child's father was her husband, John Yankee. Her son Philip Yankee died on June 8, 2004 aged 49. Returned to work 8 months after giving birth to her son Luke Yankee to begin performing in the Broadway play "Invitation to a March". Was 5 months pregnant with her son Philip when she completed her run of the Broadway play "Picnic". Returned to work 4 months after giving birth to her son Philip to begin performing in the Broadway play "The Bad Seed". Returned to work 4 months after giving birth to her son Mark to begin performing in the Broadway play "In Any Language". Delivered her sons Michael, Mark and Philip naturally and her son Luke via Caesarean section. Delivered a stillborn son, Michael, in 1950. Is one of 3 actresses who have won both the Best Supporting Actress Oscar (hers being for Butterflies Are Free (1972)) and the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy (hers being for Love & War (1992)). The other actresses are Cloris Leachman and Melissa Leo. Personal Quotes (3) "I don't like sitcoms, it's instant acting; it has nothing to do with talent. They shoot everything close-up. ... It's very boring. You do television to make money so you can afford to act in the theater." (on her opinion about working on sitcoms) Now who can afford (theater)? And people don't want to think... You never used to hear them talk during a performance. Now they talk. [upon entering the auditorium as a nominee on Oscar night] I just hope they pan the camera on me once. I paid a lot of money for this dress, and I want my mother in Columbus, Ohio to be able to see it.
03/29

1919

Birthday

March 29, 1919

Birthdate

Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio United States

Birthplace

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Religious Beliefs

Catholic
Professional Career

Academy Award winning actress. Broadway Star. Television Star. Actress. She is best remembered for her portrayal of the over bearing, and over protective, Florence Baker in "Butterflies Are Free" (1972). Born Anna Herbert, she was raised in a family of wealth and position; after attaining her B.A. in Dramatics from Ohio State University, she settled in New York City, New York, and furthered her education at The HB Studio. In 1943, she made her stage debut in "The Voice of the Turtle" and went on to headline on the Broadway stage appearing in lead roles within such productions as "Picnic," "The Bad Seed," "A View from the Bridge," "A Memory of Two Mondays," "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs," "A Family Affair," "And Things That Go Bump in the Night," "Barefoot in the Park," "You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running," "The Cemetery Club" and "The Waverly Gallery". After meeting director Robert Wise while attending a dinner party at the prestigious Sardis restaurant, he was so taken by professionalism, wit, and sensibility, that he arranged for her to begin a career in the film industry beginning with her being under his direction in "Somebody Up There Likes Me" (1956). For the next 40 years, she went on to flourish as a character actress, appearing in over 100 features, often typecast as either a wife, mother, old maid, nurse, nun, doctor, businesswoman, secretary, snob, villainous, secretary, educator, clergywoman, retail clerk, governess, best friend, kindly neighbor, and, in her later years, matriarch. In motion pictures, she appeared in leading roles in "Miracle in the Rain" (1956), "Bus Stop" (1956), "Hot Spell" (1958), "Heller in Pink Tights" (1960), "My Six Loves" (1963), "Up the Down Staircase" (1967), "No Way to Treat a Lady" (1968), "The Tree" (1969), "Zandy's Bride" (1974), "The Hiding Place" (1975), "Burnt Offerings" (1976), "Seize the Day" (1986), "Heartbreak Ridge" (1986), and "The First Wives Club" (1996). With the advent of television, she became a familiar face appearing in various guest spots on such syndicated sitcoms as "Studio One in Hollywood," "Kraft Theatre," "Playhouse 90," "Play of the Week," "Dr. Kildare," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "The New Breed," "Naked City," "The Eleventh Hour," "Ben Casey," "The Fugitive," "CBS Playhouse," "Gunsmoke," "Corwin," "The Streets of San Francisco," "Banyon," "Barnaby Jones," "Rhoda," "Hawaii Five-O," "Alice," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Switch," "Flying High," "Little House on the Prairie," "Out of the Blue," "Backstairs at the White House," "Lou Grant," "Trauma Center," "Partners in Crime," "Trapper John, M.D.," "Highway to Heaven," "One Life to Live," "The Cosby Show," "Tales from the Darkside," "Annie McGuire," "Love & War," "The 5 Mrs. Buchanans," "Murder One," "Ellen," "Home Improvement," and "Cybill". During her career, she presided on the Theatre Guild, was a regular parishioner of the Catholic church, was active with the New York State Democratic Committee, was a chairwoman for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and The American Red Cross, and she was married to prosperous insurance broker John Yankee, Jr. from 1942 until his death in 1997 (their union produced three sons). In addition, she received more accolades than any actress in theatrical history having won the Theatre World Award, Drama Desk Award, Tony Award, Academy Award, and Lucille Lortel Award. In 2000, she retired from acting due to her advanced age and settled into her country home in Fairfield County, Connecticut. A lifelong smoker, she died from complications of lung cancer.
12/31

2001

Death

December 31, 2001

Death date

Unknown
Cause of death

Connecticut United States
Death location

ADVERTISEMENT BY
12/dd

2001

Gravesite & Burial

December 2001

Funeral date
Cremated. Ashes given to family.
Burial location
Obituary

Eileen Heckart, Oscar-Winning Actress, Is Dead at 82 By ROBIN POGREBINJAN. 2, 2002 Eileen Heckart, the actress with a smoky voice and toothsome smile who won an Oscar for ''Butterflies Are Free,'' three Emmys and a special lifetime achievement Tony, died on Monday at her home in Norwalk, Conn. She was 82. One of those ubiquitous actresses who always seemed to be working, Ms. Heckart was perhaps most widely known for her television appearances as Mary Richards's Aunt Flo on the Mary Tyler Moore show, for example, or more recently for her recurring role of the mother of the lawyer James Wyler in the ABC drama ''Murder One.'' Her best-remembered film roles include the mother of Rocky Graziano in ''Somebody Up There Likes Me'' (1956) Marilyn Monroe's waitress friend in ''Bus Stop'' (also 1956) and the overbearing mother of the blind boy in ''Butterflies Are Free,'' for which she won the Academy Award as best supporting actress in 1972. But the actress often said in interviews that her heart belonged to the stage and that was where she performed the bulk of her work. She played her share of drinkers -- like the spinster teacher in ''Picnic'' in 1953 and the alcoholic mother whose son drowns in ''The Bad Seed'' in 1955, both on Broadway. Most recently, in 2000, she played Gladys Green, the lead in ''The Waverly Gallery,'' Kenneth Lonergan's empathetic study of an elderly woman with Alzheimer's disease. Writing in The New York Times, Ben Brantley called her performance ''uncanny'' and praised her ''beautifully coherent and intelligent portrayal of a woman sliding into incoherence.'' The actress was born Anna Eileen Heckart in Columbus, Ohio, on March 29, 1919. Her parents separated when she was 2. Her father, Leo Herbert Heckart, took her younger brother to live with him, she said, but she remained with her mother, Esther, who was married five times. Ms. Heckart graduated in 1942 from Ohio State University in Columbus, where she caught whooping cough, which resulted in the deepening of her voice. After graduation, she married her college sweetheart, John Harrison Yankee Jr., who became an insurance broker. The couple had three sons, Mark, of Norwalk; Philip, of Stratford, Conn.; and Luke, of Los Angeles, all of whom survive her, along with two half-sisters and Mark's two daughters. Ms. Heckart began her career in summer stock, came to New York and cut her teeth in live television -- -- ''The Alcoa Hour,'' ''The Philco Television Playhouse,'' ''Goodyear Television Playhouse'' and ''Playhouse 90.'' Her first break onstage came in William Inge's ''Picnic,'' when she was 33. She played a schoolteacher with, as Brooks Atkinson put it in The New York Times, ''a hunger for life and a knack for getting it.'' She made her Broadway debut in 1943 as understudy and assistant stage manager for ''The Voice of the Turtle.'' After ''Picnic'' came ''The Bad Seed.'' Then ''Butterflies are Free'' on Broadway with Keir Dullea and Blythe Danner, in which she played Mr. Dullea's mother. In 1965, she took over the role (after Mildred Natwick) of the disapproving mother in the Broadway production of ''Barefoot in the Park,'' while also appearing in episodes of television series like ''Gunsmoke'' and ''The FBI.'' The PBS productions ''Save Me a Place at Forest Lawn'' and ''The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds,'' both in 1966, won Ms. Heckart a host of television awards. Among her other plays were ''The Dark at the Top of the Stairs,'' ''Our Town,'' ''They Knew What They Wanted,'' ''A View From the Bridge,'' ''Mother Courage'' and ''Time of the Cuckoo.'' During a decade of absence from the New York stage, she toured in national companies of Broadway hits, acted in movies and won roles in four separate television series that were picked up and then dropped. The last of these was ''Annie McGuire,'' in 1988, in which Ms. Heckart played Mary Tyler Moore's mother. When she returned to the theater in the 1989 production of Lee Blessing's play, ''Eleemosynary,'' the Times theater critic Frank Rich welcomed her back. ''There are some absent friends you don't realize how much you've been missing until they suddenly pop up again,'' he wrote. ''Ms. Heckart is what one might describe as a long actress,'' Mr. Rich continued, ''long of face, of torso, of tongue. There is mischief in her big glistening eyes. And when she speaks, it is in the low, crystalline, merry rasp of a wise aunt who has seen and understood everything (perhaps with cigarette in hand), relished most of it and can't wait for the next adventure.'' Ms. Heckart smoked up until her death and blamed her friend Bette Davis for her addiction. ''I went to a hypnotist and managed to stop smoking for six months,'' Ms. Heckart recalled in a 1989 interview with The Times. ''Then I appeared in 'Burnt Offerings' with Bette. Well, she smoked all day, and then she asked me to dinner. Pretty soon, I asked her for just one cigarette. Then I had another. And then I was a smoker again.'' In 1997, Ms. Heckart's husband died suddenly on his morning walk. ''I looked out the window and he was gone,'' she told The Times in April 2000. ''It was the worst year of my life.'' The two had been married for 53 years. She was awarded a special Tony in 2000 for her lifetime of theater work. In another Times interview Ms. Heckart said her current role in ''The Waverly Gallery'' was her best, except perhaps for her part in ''Mother Courage.'' She also said it would be her last. ''This is my swan song, my last performance in a play,'' she said. ''It just takes too much energy.'' Speaking of her role, she added, ''You get such a good one, you may as well go out on a wave.''

ADVERTISEMENT BY
Looking for more information?
share

Memories

below