Anne Bancroft
Anne Bancroft (
September 17,
1931 –
June 6 2005) was an iconic
Academy Award-winning
American actress.
Bancroft was born
Anna Maria Louisa Italiano in
The Bronx, New York to Michael and Mildred Italiano, both children of
Italian immigrants.
Bancroft attended the
American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the
Actors Studio, and the
American Film Institute's Directing Workshop for Women at UCLA.
After appearing in a number of live television dramas under the name "Anne Marno", she was told to change her surname for her film debut in
Don't Bother to Knock in 1952, and she chose the surname "Bancroft" because she felt it was "elegant".
Bancroft was a contract player in the early days of her career just as the studio contract system was ending. She left Hollywood and returned to New York due to the quality of roles she was being offered.
In 1958 she appeared opposite
Henry Fonda in the
Broadway production of
Two for the Seesaw, for which she won a
Tony Award, and another in 1960 for
The Miracle Worker. She took the latter role back to
Hollywood, and won the
Academy Award for Best Actress in 1962.
A highly acclaimed television special, "Annie: the Women in the Life of a Man" won her an
Emmy award for her clowning,singing and acting. Bancroft is one of a very select few entertainers to win an Oscar, an Emmy and a Tony award.
Other major film roles were in
The Pumpkin Eater,
7 Women, and, in what may be her most well-known role, as
Mrs. Robinson opposite
Dustin Hoffman in the film
The Graduate. Although Bancroft is now iconically identified as Mrs. Robinson, she was not the first choice for the role;
Patricia Neal (who had concerns owing to her then recent stroke),
Doris Day and
Jeanne Moreau turned it down. Bancroft was ambivalent about her appearance in
The Graduate; she stated in several interviews that the role overshadowed all of her other work. The May-December screen romance between Hoffman and Bancroft depicted the believability of both actors, as the age difference between them was a mere six years.
In 1980, she made her debut as a screenwriter and director in
Fatso, in which she starred along with
Dom DeLuise. Bancroft was also the original choice to play Joan Crawford in the 1981 movie
Mommie Dearest, but backed out at the 11th hour, and was replaced by
Faye Dunaway.
From
July 1,
1953 to
February 13,
1957 she was married to Martin May, but the marriage produced no children.
In 1961, Bancroft met
Mel Brooks in a rehearsal for the
Perry Como variety show. Brooks bribed a studio employee to find out where she was having dinner so he could meet her again.
They married on
August 5 1964 in
New York City Hall and remained married until her death. They had one son,
Maximillian, in 1972. They were seen twice on the screen together: once dancing a tango in Brooks's 1976
Silent Movie, and again in Brooks's 1983 remake of
To Be or Not to Be.
Brooks also produced the 1980 film
The Elephant Man, in which Bancroft acted. It has been reported she was the one who encouraged Brooks to turn
The Producers into a Broadway musical. She also had a cameo playing herself along with Mel Brooks on an episode of
Larry David's
HBO series
Curb Your Enthusiasm where the couple celebrated the (presumed) demise of
The Producers so that they could leave it behind them.
Bancroft died on
June 6,
2005 of
uterine cancer aged 73 at
Mount Sinai Hospital in
New York City. Her death came as a surprise to even some of Bancroft's friends; she was intensely private and had not released details of her illness.
Mel Brooks held a memorial service for her some weeks later and advised the guests that if anyone felt like grieving, to "keep it to yourself". Among the attendees was Bancroft's costar in
The Miracle Worker, actress
Patty Duke. When a reporter asked Duke's opinion of Bancroft, Duke replied that she could not think of enough superlatives.
Bancroft was survived by Brooks, their son, her mother and two sisters. She is interred at the
Kensico Cemetery in Vallhalla, New York, near her father, Michael Italiano.
*1986 - Oscar - Nominated -
Best Actress in a Leading Role -
Agnes of God*1978 - Oscar - Nominated - Best Actress in a Leading Role -
The Turning Point*1968 - Oscar - Nominated - Best Actress in a Leading Role -
The Graduate*1965 - Oscar - Nominated - Best Actress in a Leading Role -
The Pumpkin Eater*1963 - Oscar - Won - Best Actress in a Leading Role -
The Miracle Worker*1960 - Tony - Won -
The Miracle Worker*1958 - Tony - Won -
Two for the Seesaw*1970 - Emmy - Won -
Annie, the Women in the Life of a Man (Outstanding Variety or Musical Program)
*1999 - Emmy - Won -
Deep in My Heart (Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie)
*1989 -
Razzie - Nominated -
Bert Rigby, You're A Fool (Worst Supporting Actress)
*She won 2 Golden Globes.
*She has received six Emmy nominations since 1992.
*She has a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6368
Hollywood Boulevard.
Two for the Seesaw (1958)
The Miracle Worker (1959)
Mother Courage and Her Children (1963)
The Devils (1965)
The Little Foxes (1967)
A Cry of Players (1968)
Golda (1977)
Duet for One (1981)
Occupant (2002)
Don't Bother to Knock (1952)
Tonight We Sing (1953)
Treasure of the Golden Condor (1953)
The Kid from Left Field (1953)
Gorilla at Large (1954)
Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954)
The Raid (movie) (1954)
New York Confidential (1955)
The Naked Street (1955)
The Last Frontier (1955)
Walk the Proud Land (1956)
Nightfall (1957)
The Restless Breed (1957)
The Girl in Black Stockings (1957)
The Miracle Worker (1962)
The Pumpkin Eater (1964)
The Slender Thread (1965)
7 Women (1966)
The Graduate (1967)
Young Winston (1972)
Blazing Saddles (1974) (Cameo)
The Prisoner of Second Avenue (1975)
The Hindenburg (1975)
Lipstick (1976)
Silent Movie (1976)
The Turning Point (1977)
Fatso (1980) (also director and writer)
The Elephant Man (1980)
To Be or Not to Be (1983)
Garbo Talks (1984)
Agnes of God (1985)
'Night, Mother (1986)
84 Charing Cross Road (1987)
Torch Song Trilogy (1988)
Bert Rigby, You're a Fool (1989)
Honeymoon in Vegas (1992)
Love Potion No. 9 (1992)
Point of No Return (1993)
Malice (1993)
Mr. Jones (1993)
How to Make an American Quilt (1995)
Home for the Holidays (1995)
Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) (Cameo)
The Sunchaser (1996)
G.I. Jane (1997)
Critical Care (1997)
Great Expectations (1998)
Mark Twain's America in 3D (1998) (documentary) (narrator)
Antz (1998) (voice)
Keeping the Faith (2000)
Up at the Villa (2000)
Heartbreakers (2001)
In Search of Peace (2001) (documentary) (narrator)
Delgo (2006) (voice) (currently in post-production)
I'm Getting Married (1967)
Jesus of Nazareth (1977) (miniseries)
Marco Polo (1982) (miniseries)
Freddie and Max (1990) (canceled after 2 months)
Broadway Bound (1992)
Mrs. Cage (1992)
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (1994)
The Mother (1994)
The Simpsons episode "Fear of Flying" (voice) (1995)
Homecoming (1996)
Deep in My Heart (1999)
Haven (2001)
The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (2003)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (2004)
*
Classic Movies (1939 - 1969): Anne Bancroft*
BBC obituary*
FAnnetastic! A Tribute to the Miraculous Anne Bancroft*
Anne Bancroft - A timeline of her life
*
Anne Bancroft's biographic sketch at
Find A Grave
