Person Details

Birthday: 1947-07-03 08:26:11

Aliases: Betty Lynn Buckley

Gender: Female

Place of birth: Big Spring, Texas, USA

Homepage: http://www.bettybuckley.com/

Movie Involvements: 28

TV Involvements: 13


Most Famous Work

Biography

Betty Lynn Buckley is a Tony-winning American actress and singer who has worked extensively in film, television and theatre. She possesses a singing of voice of great power and beauty and has worked extensively in cabaret and concerts. Betty has also sustained a successful recording career with numerous cast albums and 18 solo albums to her credit, for which she has been nominated for two Grammys. Buckley is widely known for the 1977–81 TV series Eight Is Enough. She joined the show in its second season when the original star, Diana Hyland, died after the first four episodes of season one, and her character Joan Bradford died as well. Buckley was cast as the widower's new romantic interest, Sandra Sue "Abby" Abbott, who became stepmother of the eight children to which the series' title refers. Betty later received two Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Program/Special, for NBC Special Treat - Bobby and Sarah (1984) and ABC Afterschool Special - Taking a Stand (1989). From 2001 to 2003, Betty Buckley played a role in seasons 4–6 of the HBO series Oz. She also has guest-starred in a number of television series, including Without a Trace, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Monk. Betty also guest-starred in a Christmas special of the TV series Remember WENN, in which she sang "You Make It Christmas". On film, Buckley appeared in the original movie version of Carrie in 1976, playing Miss Collins, Carrie's gym teacher. She went on to appear as Margaret White in the notorious 1987 musical adaptation of the film on Broadway; an expensive and creatively disastrous flop. In 1977, she recorded an uncredited solo on the song "Walking in Space", in the movie Hair. Her screen roles during the 1980s include Bruce Beresford's film Tender Mercies, where she played a country music singer and sang the Academy Award-nominated song "Over You". She also appeared in the Woody Allen film Another Woman (1988), Roman Polanski's Frantic (1988) and Lawrence's Kasden's Wyatt Earp (1994). In 2008, Buckley played Mrs. Jones in M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening. In 2017, Buckley was one of the stars of M. Night Shyamalan's Split, a major success which was the number-one film at the box office for three weeks running. Buckley has worked regularly in the theatre throughout her career. In 1969, she made her Broadway debut at age 19 as Martha Washington in the original company of Tony winner 1776; a role she famously won on her first day in New York. That same year, she made her London debut in the original London cast of Promises, Promises. In 1982, Buckley starred as Grizabella in the original Broadway production of the musical Cats, which features the song "Memory". For this role, she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. In 1985 she played the titular character in another Tony winning musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood. This was the third time Buckley had originated a role in a show that went on to win the Tony for Best Musical. Buckley starred in both London (1994) and New York (1995) as Norma Desmond in the musical Sunset Boulevard. For her role in the London production, she received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.

Most Famous Work

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Average
8

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

(1999) Lorraine Maxwell
Supergirl
Average
7

Supergirl

(2015) Owl (voice)
Chicago Med
Average
8

Chicago Med

(2015) Olga Barlow
Pretty Little Liars
Average
8

Pretty Little Liars

(2010) Regina Marin
Split
Average
7

Split

(2017) Karen Fletcher
Without a Trace
Average
7

Without a Trace

(2002) Catherine Ryder
Preacher
Average
8

Preacher

(2016) Gran’ma
The Happening
Average
5

The Happening

(2008) Mrs. Jones

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
2024 Gloria
2017 Self
Karen Fletcher
2016 Self
Gran’ma
2015 Olga Barlow
Patricia Arias
Owl (voice)
2014 Jane
2012 Fran
2010 Regina Marin
N/A
2008 Mrs. Jones
2006 N/A
2005 Mary Margaret Grier
2004 N/A
Let
2003 Grizabella (segment "Cats")
2002 Catherine Ryder
Cheryl Fleming
Rose Kross
2001 Herself
Self
1999 Trial Division Chief Lorraine Maxwell
Lorraine Maxwell
Attorney Walsh
Aunt Stella
1996 Dr. Margret Ludlow
Self - Guest
1994 Virginia Earp
Jan Galanti
Maxine Black
1993 Self - Narrator (voice)
Beverly Goldring
1992 Mrs. Parker
Self
1989 Wanda
1988 Kathy
Sondra Walker
1987 Ella
Leah
1986 Elsa Chandler
1985 Mrs. Bradford
1984 Nancy Grier
1983 Dixie
1982 N/A
1981 Barbara Slaner
1977 Abby Bradford
1976 Miss Collins
1971 Self
Lillian Robinson
Year Character Movie/Tv

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