Phyllis Love(1925-2011)
- Actress
Phyllis Anne Love was born in Des Moines, Iowa on December 21, 1925.
She attended Roosevelt High School in Des Moines along with her close
friend, Cloris Leachman. After performing in various local and regional drama
productions, Love enrolled in the Actors Studio in New York in 1948.
Her movie debut was a bit as a juvenile delinquent in the 1950 movie
So Young, So Bad (1950), which starred Paul Henreid and Rita Moreno. Love's best-known film role
was as "Mattie Birdwell" in William Wyler's Friendly Persuasion (1956). Love guested in numerous
TV programs in the 50s, 60s, and 70s but enjoyed her greatest success
on the Broadway stage. She appeared in eight shows and, in 1951, won
the New York Charles Derwent Award for Best Featured Actress for her
portrayal of "Rosa Delle Rosa" in the original production of "The Rose
Tattoo". After retiring from acting in the early 70s, she changed her
first name to "Osanna".
