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Kate Reid

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Kate Reid
OC
Reid in 1966
Born
Daphne Katherine Reid

(1930-11-04)4 November 1930
London, England
Died27 March 1993(1993-03-27) (aged 62)
Stratford, Ontario, Canada
Alma materUniversity of Toronto
The Royal Conservatory of Music
OccupationActress
Years active1953–1993
Spouses
  • ​
    (m. 1953⁠–⁠1962)​
  • Michael Sadlier (divorced)
Children2
AwardsSee below

Daphne Katherine Reid OC (4 November 1930 – 27 March 1993) was a Canadian actress, whose career spanned over fifty years and hundreds of roles across both stage and screen.[1] She was described by the book Inspiring Women: A Celebration of Herstory as "the finest actress ever developed in Canada".[1]

Born in England and raised in Ontario, Reid performed with the Stratford Festival, before making her Broadway debut as Martha in the matinee cast of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and went on to be nominated for two Tony Awards, Best Featured Actress in a Play for Dylan and Best Actress in a Play for Slapstick Tragedy. She played Linda Loman in the acclaimed 1984 revival of Death of a Salesman.

On screen, Reid won the Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Louis Malle's Atlantic City (1980). She was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for A Delicate Balance (1973), and Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film for the 1985 television film of Death of a Salesman. She also won a Dora Mavor Moore Award, and the Earle Grey Award.[2]

Early life and education

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Reid was born on 4 November 1930 in London, England, the daughter of Canadian parents Walter Clarke Reid, a retired colonel of the Bengal Lancers in the Indian Army, and Helen Isabel, née Moore.[3] While Reid was still a toddler, she and her family moved back to Canada and settled in Oakville, Ontario.[1]

She attended Havergal College in Toronto, the University of Toronto,[4] and then studied acting at the Royal Conservatory of Music.[2] She made her earliest stage appearances at the Hart House Theatre, before her professional debut with the Straw Hat Players in Muskoka.[2]

Career

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Theatre

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Reid performed with the Crest Theatre in Toronto and starred in The Stepmother on London's West End, before joining the Stratford Festival in 1959. She maintained a close association with the Festival until her death, over the years playing such roles as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Katharina in The Taming of the Shrew, Celia in As You Like It, Emilia in Othello, the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, and Mistress Overdone in Measure for Measure.[2] In the early 1960s, Reid moved to New York City to study with Uta Hagen. She was cast as Martha in the alternate matinee cast of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.

At the Shaw Festival, Reid played the title role in Mrs. Warren's Profession and in The Apple Cart.[4] In 1984, Reid starred in the critically-acclaimed Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman, opposite Dustin Hoffman, John Malkovich, and Stephen Lang.

Film

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Reid made her film debut in the NFB short Farewell Oak Street, then starred in Sidney J. Furie's A Dangerous Age, notable for being English-language Canadian feature. Following her stage success, she was cast as the scheming and domineering mother of Natalie Wood's character in Sydney Pollack's 1966 film This Property is Condemned, although she was only seven years Wood's senior.

Her other film appearances included starring roles as acerbic scientist Dr. Ruth Leavitt in The Andromeda Strain (1971), the alcoholic sister of Katharine Hepburn's character in A Delicate Balance (1973) - which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, Margaret Dysart in the 1977 film version of Equus, and aging beauty Grace in Atlantic City (1980). The latter role won her the Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 2nd Genie Awards.

Television

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Reid was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for playing Queen Victoria in the television drama Invincible Mr. Disraeli (1963).

In 1971, Reid co-starred with Eddie Albert and Suzanne Pleshette in the Columbo episode "Dead Weight".[5] She also co-starred as Lil Trotter on Dallas, between seasons 6 and 9.[6]

In 1985, she reprised her role as Linda in the CBS television version of Death of a Salesman, alongside the other stars of the '84 Broadway revival. The film won three Emmys, and Reid received her second Golden Globe nomination, for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film

Honours

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In 1974, Reid was acclaimed an Officer of the Order of Canada.[7]

She received honourary degrees from York University (1970) and the University of Toronto (1989).

She had lifetime achievement ACTRA and Dora Awards. In 1988, she received the Earle Grey Award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.

Personal life

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Both of Reid's marriages, to Michael Sadlier and Austin Willis, ended in divorce. She had two children with Willis, Reid and Robin.

Death

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Reid died of brain cancer in Stratford, Ontario, aged 62, in 1993.[6] Her memorial service was held at St Clement's Episcopal Church in New York. Among those in attendance were Edward Albee, John Guare, Elizabeth Wilson, Marian Seldes, Rosemary Murphy, and Carrie Nye.

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1953 Farewell Oak Street
1957 A Dangerous Age Nancy's Mother
1961 One Plus One Julia Bradley 'Homecoming' segment
1966 This Property is Condemned Hazel Starr
1967 The Paper People Rosamund Davis
1968 The Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kaladar Glad
1971 The Sidelong Glances of a Pigeon Kicker Jonathan's Mother
1971 Columbo Mrs. Walters Episode: "Dead Weight"[5]
1971 The Andromeda Strain Dr. Ruth Leavitt
1973 Hawkins: Death and the Maiden Julia Dayton TV movie; pilot for the series Hawkins
1973 The Rainbow Boys Gladys
1973 A Delicate Balance Claire
1976 Shoot Mrs. Graham
1977 Equus Margaret Dysart
1979 Plague Dr. Jessica Morgan, Director McNaughton Labs
1979 Crossbar Clare Kornylo TV movie
1980 Death Ship Sylvia
1980 Double Negative Mrs. Swanscutt
1980 Atlantic City Grace
1981 Circle of Two Doctor Emily Reid
1982 Monkey Grip Peggy
1982 Highpoint Mrs. Hatcher
1984 The Blood of Others Madame Blomart
1985 Heaven Help Us Grandma
1985 Death of a Salesman Linda Loman TV movie
1986 Fire with Fire Sister Victoria
1987 Control Camille Dupont
1988 Sweet Hearts Dance Pearne Manners
1989 Signs of Life Mrs. Wrangway
1989 Bye Bye Blues Mary Wright
1990 Saying Goodbye Episode: "The First Snowfall"
1991 Deceived Rosalie

Awards and nominations

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Award Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
CableACE Awards 1987 Best Actress in a Dramatic Series Philip Marlowe, Private Eye (for "Trouble Is My Business") Nominated
Dora Mavor Moore Awards 1981 Outstanding Supporting Actress Stevie Won
Genie Awards 1980 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Atlantic City Won
Golden Globe Awards 1973 Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture A Delicate Balance Nominated [8]
1985 Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Death of a Salesman Nominated
Grammy Awards 1964 Best Documentary, Spoken Word or Drama Recording (Other Than Comedy) Dylan Nominated [9]
Primetime Emmy Awards 1963 Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actress Hallmark Hall of Fame (for "The Invincible Mr. Disraeli) Nominated [10]
Tony Awards 1964 Best Featured Actress in a Play Dylan Nominated [11]
1966 Best Leading Actress in a Play Slapstick Tragedy Nominated [12]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Holmlund, Mona; Youngberg, Gail (2003). Inspiring Women: A Celebration of Herstory. Regina, Sask: Couteau Books. p. 225. ISBN 978-1550502046.
  2. ^ a b c d Gardner, David (4 March 2015). "Kate Reid". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  3. ^ Sperdakos, Paula (1 January 1998). "Acting in Canada in 1965: Frances Hyland, Kate Reid, Martha Henry and John Hirsch's The Cherry Orchard at Stratford". Theatre Research in Canada. 19 (1): 35–62. doi:10.3138/tric.19.1.35. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia - Reid, Kate". www.canadiantheatre.com. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Columbo: Dead Weight (TV)". MysteriesAhoy.com. Mysteries Ahoy!. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  6. ^ a b Lambert, Bruce (29 March 1993). "Kate Reid, Actress, Dead at 62; A Veteran of Hundreds of Roles". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  7. ^ "Mrs. Kate Reid". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Kate Reid". Golden Globe Awards. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  9. ^ "Kate Reid". Grammy Awards. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Kate Reid". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  11. ^ "The 1964 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  12. ^ "The 1966 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
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