Saying Goodbye to Acting Legend Anne Bancroft
At a time when films are flooded with inexperienced actors giving less than memorable performances, we should pause to pay tribute to a career as enriching as Anne Bancroft’s.
She was born Anna Maria Louisa Italiano on September 17, 1931 in the Bronx, NY. From a very early age, she knew her destiny was to become an actress. She studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. She had been quoted as saying true acting came from within and was not a craft that could be learned in a classroom.
She clearly possessed that innate quality allowing her to transform into diverse characters. Her stage presence and timing were flawless; the characters she portrayed remain noteworthy to this day.
She is probably best known for her portrayal of “Mrs. Robinson” in the 1967 film, The Graduate; however, she appeared in over 65 films. Her career began in 1952 when she starred with Marilyn Monroe in Don’t Bother to Knock.
She received her first Tony Award in 1958 for her first starring role on Broadway in Two For The Seasaw. She starred with Henry Fonda and delivered this brilliant performance only eight years into her career. She received Oscar nominations for The Pumpkin Eater (1964), The Turning Point (1977) and Agnes of God (1985). She played the widow of a Civil War veteran in Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (1994). She won an Emmy for the TV film Deep in My Heart (1999). Another inspiring performance came in 1980 with The Elephant Man.
She gave her most poignant performance as Annie Sullivan, teacher to Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker. In 1960, she won her second Tony Award for Best Supporting Actress in the Broadway version. In 1962, The Miracle Worker was adapted into film and she won an Oscar for her dramatic portrayal as the gentle teacher able to calm Helen and give her a way of communicating with the world. The film was an inspiration to its massive audience.
Throughout her career, Ms. Bancroft was nominated for 6 Emmys, 8 Golden Globes, 2 SAG awards, 7 BAFTA Awards and in 1996, she was given the Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy. She appeared on Broadway 8 times and that earned her two Tony Awards.
What brought her such success in films and on stage is something that separates her from most actresses. She had the ability to transform herself so deeply into a character, that while you watched her, you completely forgot she was Anne Bancroft. She could play so many roles with equal genius.
When she appeared with other actors on stage or film, your eyes were drawn to her; she made it seem effortless although she devoted such preparation to her characters. She commanded an audience and that is something that is missing in many of today’s actors.
In 1964, she married comedian Mel Brooks and has a grown son, Maximilian. In her limited interviews, she would comment on her deep love and devotion for her husband. She spoke of him with such honor and I am sure that is a comfort to him during this time as her death has come too soon. She will be missed, but the legacy she left in both her films and her personal life will enlighten generations to come.
To learn more about her career, log onto http://www.thegoldenyears.org/bancroft
