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Mercedes McCambridge (1916–2004)


A highly talented radio performer, who then appeared on the big screen, winning a best supporting Oscar for her screen debut. Although despite a career full of supporting roles, in recent years she has become something of a cult figure. Her memorable voice-over for the demon child in The Exorcist - has secured her place in movie history... See full bio »

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Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 1 nomination See more awards »

Known For


Filmography

Hide HideActress (65 titles)
1988 Cagney & Lacey (TV series)
Sister Elizabeth
Land of the Free (1988) … Sister Elizabeth
 
1987 Amazing Stories (TV series)
Miss Lestrange
Family Dog (1987) … Miss Lestrange (voice)
 
1983 Lyman H. Howe's High Class Moving Pictures (TV short)
Narrator (voice)
 
1983 Echoes
Lillian Gerben
 
1981 Magnum, P.I. (TV series)
Agatha Kimball
Don't Say Goodbye (1981) … Agatha Kimball
 
1980 Hagen (TV series)
Rosemary
More Deadly Poison (1980) … Rosemary
 
1979 The Sacketts (TV movie)
Ma Sackett
 
1978 Flying High (TV series)
Claire
In the Still of the Night (1978) … Claire
 
1978 Charlie's Angels (TV series)
Norma Powers
Angels in Springtime (1978) … Norma Powers
 
1977 Thieves
Street Lady
 
1975 Who Is the Black Dahlia? (TV movie)
Grandmother
 
1973 Sixteen
Ma Irtley
 
1973 The President's Plane Is Missing (TV movie)
Hester Madigan
 
1973 The Exorcist
Demon (voice)
 
1973 The Girls of Huntington House (TV movie)
Doris McKenzie
 
1972 Two for the Money (TV movie)
Mrs. Castle
 
1972 Killer by Night (TV movie)
Sister Sarah
 
1971 Gunsmoke (TV series)
Rubilee Mather
The Lost (1971) … Rubilee Mather
 
1971 The Name of the Game (TV series)
Victoria Stuart
A Capitol Affair (1971) … Victoria Stuart
 
1970 Medical Center (TV series)
Marge
A Matter of Tomorrow (1970) … Marge
 
1962-1970 Bonanza (TV series)
Deborah Banning / Matilda Curtis
The Law and Billy Burgess (1970) … Matilda Curtis
The Lady from Baltimore (1962) … Deborah Banning
 
1969 Deadly Sanctuary
Madame Dusbois
 
1969 99 Women
Thelma Diaz
 
1968 Bewitched (TV series)
Carlotta
Darrin Gone! and Forgotten? (1968) … Carlotta
 
1968 The Counterfeit Killer
Frances
 
1966 ABC Stage 67 (TV series)
The People Trap (1966)
 
1966 Lost in Space (TV series)
Sybilla
The Space Croppers (1966) … Sybilla
 
1965 Run Home Slow
Nell Hagen
 
1959-1965 Rawhide (TV series)
Ada Randolph / Ma Gufler / Mrs. Martha Mushgrove / …
Hostage for Hanging (1965) … Ma Gufler
The Greedy Town (1962) … Ada Randolph
Incident of the Captive (1960) … Mrs. Martha Mushgrove
Incident of the Curious Street (1959) … Mrs. Miller
 
1965 Vacation Playhouse (TV series)
Margaret Malloy
Young at Heart (1965) … Margaret Malloy
 
1964 Dr. Kildare (TV series)
Sister Teresa
Rome Will Never Leave You: Part 3 (1964) … Sister Teresa
Rome Will Never Leave You: Part 2 (1964) … Sister Teresa
Rome Will Never Leave You: Part 1 (1964) … Sister Teresa
 
1964 The Defenders (TV series)
Mildred Cochraine
The Man Who (1964) … Mildred Cochraine
 
1964 The Doctors and the Nurses (TV series)
Mrs. Chase
Credo (1964) … Mrs. Chase
 
1963 The Dakotas (TV series)
Jay French
Trouble at French Creek (1963) … Jay French
 
1961 Angel Baby
Sarah Strand
 
1960 Cimarron
Mrs. Sarah Wyatt
 
1960 Overland Trail (TV series)
Sour Annie Tatum
Sour Annie (1960) … Sour Annie Tatum
 
1959 Suddenly, Last Summer
Mrs. Grace Holly
 
1959 Riverboat (TV series)
Jessie Quinn
Jessie Quinn (1959) … Jessie Quinn
 
1957-1959 The Red Skelton Hour (TV series)
Clara Appleby / Nancy Lump Lump
Willie on the Wagon (1957) … Nancy Lump Lump
 
1959 Schlitz Playhouse (TV series)
On the Brink (1959)
 
1958 Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre (TV series)
Aunt Hannah
On the Brink (1958) … Aunt Hannah
 
1958 Touch of Evil
Gang Leader (uncredited)
 
1958 Panic! (TV series)
Helen Colby
Hear No Evil (1958) … Helen Colby
 
1957 Wagon Train (TV series)
Emily Rossiter
The Emily Rossiter Story (1957) … Emily Rossiter
 
1956-1957 Wire Service (TV series)
Kate Wells / Katherine Wells
The Washington Stars (1957) … Kate Wells
The Last Laugh (1957) … Kate Wells
Run, Sheep, Run (1957) … Kate Wells
The Indictment (1957) … Kate Wells
No Peace in Lo Dao (1957) … Kate Wells
 
1955-1956 Front Row Center (TV series)
Nicole Warren / Vivian Donfield
Pretend You Belong to Me (1956) … Vivian Donfield
 
1956 The Loretta Young Show (TV series)
Cissy Brackett
Father Hoppe (1956) … Cissy Brackett
 
1953-1956 Studio One in Hollywood (TV series)
Connie MartIn
A Public Figure (1956) … Connie MartIn
Fly with the Hawk (1953)
Shadow of the Devil (1953)
 
1955 Climax! (TV series)
Charmain
Sailor on Horseback (1955) … Charmain
 
1955 Four Star Playhouse (TV series)
The House Always Wins (1955) (uncredited)
 
1953 Tales of Tomorrow (TV series)
Patricia Kimworth
Read to Me, Herr Doktor (1953) … Patricia Kimworth
 
1952 The Ford Television Theatre (TV series)
Lona Smith
Crossed and Double Crossed (1952) … Lona Smith
 
1950-1952 Lux Video Theatre (TV series)
Chris / Marie
The Hill (1952) … Chris
The Lovely Menace (1950) … Marie
 
1951 Lightning Strikes Twice
Liza McStringer
 
1951 The Scarf
Connie Carter
 
1951 Inside Straight
Ada Stritch
 
1950 The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre (TV series)
 
1949 One Man's Family (TV series)
Beth Holly #1 (1949-1950)
 
Show ShowSoundtrack (1 title)
1951 The Scarf (performer: "Summer Rains")
 
Show ShowSelf (14 titles)
2011 The Story of Film: An Odyssey (TV series documentary)
Herself - Interviewee
Episode #1.11 (2011) … Herself - Interviewee
 
1998 The 70th Annual Academy Awards (TV special)
Herself - Past Winner (uncredited)
 
1975 The Bob Braun Show (TV series)
Herself
Episode dated 7 October 1975 (1975) … Herself
 
1972 The David Frost Show (TV series)
Herself
Episode #4.153 (1972) … Herself
Episode #4.103 (1972) … Herself
 
1967-1969 The Joey Bishop Show (TV series)
Herself
Episode #3.138 (1969) … Herself
Episode #2.6 (1967) … Herself
 
1964 The 18th Annual Tony Awards (TV movie)
Herself - Presenter
 
1960 About Faces (TV series)
Herself
Episode dated 29 August 1960 (1960) … Herself
 
1957 The 29th Annual Academy Awards (TV special documentary)
Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role & Co-Presenter: Documentary Awards
 
1955 Warner Pathé News Issue # 87 (documentary short)
Herself
 
1955 'Giant' Stars Are Off to Texas (documentary short)
Herself (uncredited)
 
1954 The 26th Annual Academy Awards (TV special)
Herself - Presenter: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
 
1953 The Ed Sullivan Show (TV series)
Herself / Himself
Episode #6.34 (1953) … Herself
Episode #6.20 (1953) … Himself
 
1951 Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Awards (documentary short)
Herself
 
1951 What's My Line? (TV series)
Herself - Guest Panelist
Episode dated 22 April 1951 (1951) … Herself - Guest Panelist
 
Show ShowArchive Footage (7 titles)
2010 A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss (TV series documentary)
 
2005 The 77th Annual Academy Awards (TV special)
Memorial Tribute
 
2005 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (TV special)
Herself - Memorial Tribute
 
2003 Return to 'Giant' (video documentary)
Herself (uncredited)
 
2000 Call Him Jess (documentary)
Herself
 
1990 Frank Sinatra: The Voice of Our Time (TV documentary)
Herself
 

Related Videos

Cagney & Lacey: Season 7: Episode 15 -- Cagney and Lacey become emeshed in political intrigue when they  investigate an apparant gang-related murder. All the King's Men -- The rise and fall of a corrupt politician, who makes his friends richer and retains power by dint of a populist appeal.  Magnum, P.I.: Season 1: Episode 15 -- A wealthy woman's life is threatened.
Edit

Personal Details

Other Works:

(1991). Stage Play: Lost in Yonkers. Comedy. Written by Neil Simon. Directed by Gene Saks. Richard Rodgers Theatre: 21 Feb 1991- 3 Jan 1993 (780 performances + 11 previews that began on 12 Feb 1991). Cast: Mercedes Ruehl (as "Bella"), Kevin Spacey (as "Louie"), Irene Worth... See more »

Publicity Listings:

2 Print Biographies  | 10 Articles  | See more »

Height:

5' 3" (1.60 m)
Edit

Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

One of the most destructive things in my life was the kind of parts I played in pictures. I studied Shakespeare and the classics, and I end up shooting Joan Crawford and killing a horse that Elizabeth Taylor was in love with. I'm serious. I played the worst harridans, the most hard-bitten women, the absolute heavies, and it just about did me in. See more »

Trivia:

Suffered from bronchitis for the most part of her life. She later revealed she was able to use this to her advantage for the chilling, unearthly breathing of the demon in The Exorcist. See more »

Trademark:

Raspy but strong and often scary voice See more »

Nickname:

Mercy See more »

Star Sign:

Pisces