Estelle Parsons

Estelle Parsons
Parsons in a Love, American Style episode in 1973.
Born	Estelle Margaret Parsons (1927-11-20) November 20, 1927 (age 89) Lynn, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1956–present
Spouse(s)	Richard Gehman (1953–1958; divorced); 2 children Peter Zimroth (1983–present); 1 child

Estelle Margaret Parsons (born November 20, 1927) is an American stage, film and television actress, television personality, singer and stage director.

After studying law, Parsons became a singer before deciding to pursue a career in acting. She worked for the television program Today and made her stage debut in 1961. During the 1960s, Parsons established her career on Broadway before progressing to film. She received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Blanche Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), and was also nominated for her work in Rachel, Rachel (1968).

She worked extensively in film and theatre during the 1970s and later directed several Broadway productions. More recently her television work included playing Beverly Harris on the sitcom Roseanne. She has been nominated five times for the Tony Award (four times for Lead Actress of a Play and once for Featured Actress). In 2004, Parsons was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.

Parsons was born in Lynn Hospital, Lynn, Massachusetts. Her mother, Elinor Ingeborg (née Mattsson), was a native of Sweden, and her father, Eben Parsons, was of English descent.

She attended Oak Grove School for Girls in Maine. After graduating from Connecticut College in 1949, Parsons initially studied law at Boston University, and then worked as a singer with a band before settling on an acting career in the early 1950s.