Versatile, award-winning character actress Eileen Heckart, with the lean, horsey face and assured, fervent gait, was born Anna Eileen Stark on March 29, 1919, in Columbus, Ohio. An only child, she lived with her mother after her parents separated at age 2. Her childhood was an acutely unhappy one. Her mother, an alcoholic, was married five times, and her stern grandmother, whom Eileen was often shuttled off to stay with, was physically abusive. To survive, Eileen escaped into the joy and imaginary world of movies as an adolescent. Somehow she managed to survive it all and attend as an Alzheimer's patient in "The Waverly Gallery" in 2000. In retrospect, it was none too soon for Ms. Heckart, who worked nearly until the end, was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away on the last day of 2001. She was 82.
Born at 6:02 AM (EST).
Stepsisters: Marilyn Pickering (Michigan City, IN) & Anne Fraggiotti (Centerville, OH).
Graduated from Ohio State University with a drama degree.
Her trademark, hoarse voice was caused by an early bout of whooping cough.
Marlene Dietrich said of her, "If she were acting in Europe, shed be queen of the boards. The barbarism of Hollywood typecasting deprives the world of her true talents".
The one time in her life she managed to stop smoking, she had dinner with Bette Davis and started again.
One week after winning the Oscar, she went in to pick up her unemployment check and the entire office burst into applause.
She was the only performer (besides Edward Asner , of course) to have reprised a role (Flo Meredith) on "Lou Grant" that originated on "Mary Tyler Moore" .
Won a Special Tony Award in 2000 for "Excellence in Theater". Previously, she had received three Tony nominations as Best Supporting or Featured Actress : in 1958 for William Inge s "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs," in 1961 for "Invitation to a March," and in 1970 for "Butterflies Are Free," the last recreated in her Oscar-winning performance in the film version with the same title, Butterflies Are Free .
Twice played First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in "Backstairs at the White House" and F.D.R.: The Last Year .
She studied drama at HB Studio in Greenwich Village in New York City.
In order to get Heckart to agree to do "Bus Stop," director Joshua Logan read the entire script over the phone to her. It took two and a half hours while her whole family was waiting for dinner. She was in Arizona at the time because her son had recently contracted meningitis.
Heckarts real parents Esther and Leo Herbert, divorced when she was two, and she was adopted by her mothers step-father, John Heckart.
Heckart played her Oscar-winning role in "Butterflies" in both New York and London prior to doing the film.
Heckart has always considered herself primarily as a stage actress. On the night she won her Oscar, she said to a reporter that the award was "nice, but its not my life.".
Was the 72nd actress to receive an Academy Award; she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Butterflies Are Free at The 45th Annual Academy Awards on March 27, 1973.
Gave birth to her 1st child at age 33, a son Mark Yankee on June 16, 1952. Childs father was her husband, John Yankee.
Gave birth to her 2nd child at age 35, a son Philip Yankee on August 14, 1954. Childs father was her husband, John Yankee.
Gave birth to her 3rd child at age 40, a son Luke Yankee on February 7, 1960. Childs father was her husband, John Yankee.
Her son Philip Yankee died on June 8, 2004 aged 49.
Returned to work 8 months after giving birth to her son Luke Yankee to begin performing in the Broadway play "Invitation to a March".
Was 5 months pregnant with her son Philip when she completed her run of the Broadway play "Picnic".
Returned to work 4 months after giving birth to her son Philip to begin performing in the Broadway play "The Bad Seed".
Returned to work 4 months after giving birth to her son Mark to begin performing in the Broadway play "In Any Language".
Delivered her sons Michael, Mark and Philip naturally and her son Luke via Caesarean section.
Delivered a stillborn son, Michael, in 1950.
Is one of 3 actresses who have won both the Best Supporting Actress Oscar (hers being for Butterflies Are Free ) and the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy (hers being for "Love & War" ). The other actresses are Cloris Leachman and Melissa Leo.
[upon entering the auditorium as a nominee on Oscar night] I just hope,they pan the camera on me once. I paid a lot of money for this dress,and I want my mother in Columbus, Ohio to be able to see it. .
