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IMDbPro

Frances Sternhagen(1930-2023)

  • Actress
  • Additional Crew
  • Soundtrack
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Frances Sternhagen at an event for Julie & Julia (2009)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:54
Raising Cain (1992)
8 Videos
45 Photos
Raised in Washington, D.C., the great-granddaughter (on her father's side) of German immigrants, Frances Hussey Sternhagen taught acting, singing and dancing to young schoolchildren before first performing herself with the Arena Stage Group.

Since then, she was seen in numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway shows.

She was nominated seven times for a Tony Award (winning 2 times, once for her performance in "The Good Doctor" and once for "The Heiress"). Other shows in which she appeared include "Equus", "On Golden Pond", "Angel", and "You Can't Take it with You".

Among many other appearances Off-Broadway, including the original production of "On Golden Pond", Sternhagen delighted Off-Broadway audiences for over two years with her feisty portrayal of the title character in "Driving Miss Daisy".

Her film debut was in Up the Down Staircase (1967). Since then her credits have included Fedora (1978), Starting Over (1979), Outland (1981) and Communion (1989).

She appeared on the very popular long-running television series Cheers (1982) as Esther Clavin, mother of John Ratzenberger's character, the pedagogical know-it-all mailman Cliff Clavin.

She played wealthy philanthropist and society matron Millicent Carter, the grandmother of John Carter (Noah Wyle) on ER (1994). She also appeared in episodes of Sex and the City (1998) and Becker (1998).
BornJanuary 13, 1930
DiedNovember 27, 2023(93)
BornJanuary 13, 1930
DiedNovember 27, 2023(93)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys
    • 3 wins & 7 nominations total

Photos45

View Poster
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+ 40
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Known for

Sean Connery in Outland (1981)
Outland
6.6
  • Dr. Marian Lazarus
  • 1981
Misery (1990)
Misery
7.8
  • Virginia
  • 1990
Thomas Jane and Nathan Gamble in The Mist (2007)
The Mist
7.1
  • Irene Reppler
  • 2007
Lolita Davidovich and John Lithgow in Raising Cain (1992)
Raising Cain
6.1
  • Dr. Waldheim
  • 1992

Credits

Edit
IMDbPro

Actress



  • Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton in And So It Goes (2014)
    And So It Goes
    5.9
    • Claire
    • 2014
  • Kyra Sedgwick, G.W. Bailey, Tony Denison, Robert Gossett, J.K. Simmons, Jon Tenney, and Corey Reynolds in The Closer (2005)
    The Closer
    7.8
    TV Series
    • Willie Ray Johnson
    • 2006–2012
  • Pearl (2012)
    Pearl
    3.1
    Short
    • Pearl
    • 2012
  • Bonnie Bedelia, Craig T. Nelson, Monica Potter, Joy Bryant, Erika Christensen, Lauren Graham, Sam Jaeger, Peter Krause, Mae Whitman, Dax Shepard, Max Burkholder, Miles Heizer, Tyree Brown, Savannah Paige Rae, and Xolo Maridueña in Parenthood (2010)
    Parenthood
    8.3
    TV Series
    • Blanche Braverman
    • 2012
  • Dolphin Tale (2011)
    Dolphin Tale
    6.8
    • Gloria Forrest
    • 2011
  • Meryl Streep and Amy Adams in Julie & Julia (2009)
    Julie & Julia
    7.0
    • Irma Rombauer
    • 2009
  • Thomas Jane and Nathan Gamble in The Mist (2007)
    The Mist
    7.1
    • Irene Reppler
    • 2007
  • Terry Farrell, Ted Danson, Alex Désert, Shawnee Smith, and Hattie Winston in Becker (1998)
    Becker
    7.3
    TV Series
    • Naomi
    • 2004
  • Anthony Edwards, Julianna Margulies, Ming-Na Wen, Noah Wyle, Laura Innes, Alex Kingston, Eriq La Salle, Kellie Martin, Paul McCrane, Michael Michele, Erik Palladino, Maura Tierney, and Goran Visnjic in ER (1994)
    ER
    7.9
    TV Series
    • Millicent Carter
    • 1997–2003
  • Kim Cattrall, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon in Sex and the City (1998)
    Sex and the City
    7.4
    TV Series
    • Bunny MacDougal
    • 2000–2002
  • Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, and Yeardley Smith in The Simpsons (1989)
    The Simpsons
    8.6
    TV Series
    • Mrs. Bellamy (voice)
    • 2002
  • Jared Leto, Selma Blair, and Jake Gyllenhaal in Highway (2002)
    Highway
    6.1
    • Mrs. Murray
    • 2002
  • Janeane Garofalo, Jeremy Davies, Laura Linney, and Camryn Manheim in The Laramie Project (2002)
    The Laramie Project
    7.1
    TV Movie
    • Marge Murray
    • 2002
  • Landfall
    8.5
    • Emily Thornton
    • 2001
  • Billy Campbell in The Rising Place (2001)
    The Rising Place
    6.3
    • Ruth Wilder
    • 2001

Additional Crew



  • It Takes a Lunatic (2019)
    It Takes a Lunatic
    6.7
    • contributor
    • 2019

Soundtrack



  • Kyra Sedgwick, G.W. Bailey, Tony Denison, Robert Gossett, J.K. Simmons, Jon Tenney, and Corey Reynolds in The Closer (2005)
    The Closer
    7.8
    TV Series
    • performer: "O Come, All Ye Faithful" (uncredited)
    • 2007

Videos8

Trailer
Trailer 1:05
Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:09
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:09
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:15
Official Trailer
Raising Cain
Trailer 1:54
Raising Cain
Outland
Trailer 2:51
Outland
Raising Cain
Trailer 1:46
Raising Cain

Personal details

Edit
  • Alternative name
    • Francis Sternhagen
  • Height
    • 5′ 3″ (1.60 m)
  • Born
    • January 13, 1930
    • Washington, District of Columbia, USA
  • Died
    • November 27, 2023
    • New Rochelle, New York, USA(natural causes)
  • Spouse
    • Thomas A. CarlinFebruary 13, 1956 - May 6, 1991 (his death, 6 children)
  • Children
      Paul Carlin
  • Parents
      John M. Sternhagen
  • Other works
    Stage: Appeared (as "Ethel Thayer") in "On Golden Pond" on Broadway.
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Article

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Frances Sternhagen, the daughter of John M. Sternhagen, a U.S. tax court judge (and his wife, Gertrude Hussey Sternhagen), graduated from Vassar College. She wed actor Thomas A. Carlin in 1956; he died in 1991. The couple had six children (several of whom are also professional actors and musicians) : Paul Carlin, Amanda Carlin, Tony Carlin, Sarah Carlin, Peter Carlin and John Carlin.
  • Quotes
    If I didn't have my family I would be so lonely. The theater and acting are so artificial that I would go crazy if that was all I had.
  • Trademarks
      Often plays characters who have a cynical attitude.

FAQ14

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