Obituaries

Three-Time Tony Nominee Rosemary Murphy Dies at 89

The stage and screen actress is best known for her portrayal of Maudie Atkinson in the 1962 classic film ”To Kill a Mockingbird”.

Rosemary Murphy performed in 16 Broadway productions throughout her extensive film, stage, and television career.
Rosemary Murphy performed in 16 Broadway productions throughout her extensive film, stage, and television career.

Emmy-winning and three-time Tony-nominated actress Rosemary Murphy died on Saturday, July 5, following a battle with cancer. She was 89 years old.

Murphy made her Broadway debut in 1950 at the age of 25 in Robinson Jeffers' The Tower Beyond Tragedy. She went on to perform in 15 additional Broadway productions, earning Tony nominations for her performances in Tennessee Williams' Period of Adjustment, Muriel Resnik's Any Wednesday, and the original production of Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance. (She later performed in the 1996 revival of A Delicate Balance, replacing Elizabeth Wilson in the role of Edna.) Her most recent Broadway appearance was in the 1999 production of Noël Coward's Waiting in the Wings.

Murphy also enjoyed an extensive television and film career, winning an Emmy Award in 1976 for her role as Sara Delano Roosevelt in the ABC television movie Eleanor and Franklin, which starred Edward Herrmann and Jane Alexander. She earned a second Emmy nomination in 1997 for her performance in the sequel film, Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years. Her additional television credits include the 1984 miniseries George Washington, the 1991 miniseries A Woman Named Jackie, the 1974 television film A Case of Rape, the NBC daytime drama Another World, and an episode of Columbo titled A Friend Indeed.

Murphy is also well known for her performance as Maudie Atkinson in the classic 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird and for her portrayal of prostitute Callie Hacker in the 1973 film Walking Tall.

Murphy never married. She is survived by her sister Mildred and nephew Greg. A memorial will be held in Manhattan in September.