Sandy Dennis

Sandy Dennis Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: April 27, 1937

Death Date: March 2, 1992

Birth Place: Hastings, Nebraska

Partners: Eric Roberts

Method-trained critics' darling of the 1960s who first made her name on Broadway with Tony Award-winning performances in "A Thousand Clowns" (1962) and "Any Wednesday" (1964). Dennis' high-pitched, neurotic style lent itself to quirky, eccentric roles in films such as "Splendor in the Grass" (1961, her debut). Her memorable performance as the irritating yet vulnerable young faculty wife in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" (1967) earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, and her portrayal of an idealistic teacher in an inner-city school in "Up the Down Staircase" (1967) won her a Best Actress accolade from the Moscow Film Festival.

Dennis turned in some fine performances in later films, notably "Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean" (1982) and, in a hilarious cameo, Bob Balaban's overlooked "Parents" (1989). She made her final onscreen cameo as the wife of Charles Bronson in Sean Penn's directorial debut, "The Indian Runner" (1991), before her death the following year from ovarian cancer at age 54.

Credits

Forever Knight

Actor
Show
1992

The Indian Runner

Actor
Mrs. Roberts
Movie
1991

Parents

Actor
Millie Dew
Movie
1989

976-EVIL

Actor
Aunt Lucy
Movie
1989

Another WomanStream

Actor
Claire
Movie
1988
59%

The Equalizer

Guest Star
Kay Wesley
Series
1985

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Actor
Show
1985

The Execution

Actor
Elsa Spahn
Movie
1985

Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy DeanStream

Actor
Mona
Movie
1982
86%

The Four Seasons

Actor
Anne Callan
Movie
1981
76%

Te Llevamos en el Corazón Jimmy Dean

Actor
Movie
1981

Wilson's Reward

Actor
Martha James
Show
1980

Perfect Gentlemen

Actor
Sophie Rosenman
Movie
1978

Day of Terror, Night of Fear

Actor
Sharon Bristol
Movie
1978

De parfaits gentlemen

Actor
Movie
1978

God Told Me To

Actor
Martha Nicholas
Movie
1976

Nasty Habits

Actor
Sister Winifred
Movie
1976

Mr. Sycamore

Actor
Jane Gwilt
Movie
1975

Les Forces du mal

Actor
Movie
1974

Police Story

Actor
Sharon Bristol
Series
1973

Something Evil

Actor
Marjorie Worden
Movie
1971

The Out-of-TownersStream

Actor
Gwen Kellerman
Movie
1970
63%

The Only Way Out Is Dead

Actor
Dr. Enid Bingham
Movie
1970

The Man Who Wanted to Live Forever

Actor
Dr. Enid Bingham
Movie
1970

That Cold Day in the Park

Actor
Frances Austen
Movie
1969

Thank You All Very Much

Actor
Rosamund Stacey
Movie
1969

L'Amant de novembre

Actor
Movie
1969

Dulce Noviembre

Actor
Movie
1968

La Piel del Zorro

Actor
Movie
1968

Sweet NovemberStream

Actor
Sara Deever
Movie
1968

The Fox

Actor
Jill Banford
Movie
1968

Luz de Esperanza

Actor
Movie
1967

Up the Down StaircaseStream

Actor
Sylvia Barrett
Movie
1967
78%

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?Stream

Actor
Honey
Movie
1966
96%

The Three Sisters

Actor
Irina
Movie
1965

The FugitiveStream

Guest Star
Cassie Bolin
Series
1963

Splendor in the GrassStream

Actor
Kay
Movie
1961
73%

What's My Line?Stream

Guest
Game Show
1950