Anna Maria Louisa Italiano (September 17, 1931 – June 6, 2005), known professionally as Anne Bancroft, was an
American actress, director, screenwriter and singer associated with the method acting school, having studied under Lee Strasberg. Respected for her acting prowess and versatility, Bancroft was acknowledged for her work in film, theatre and television. She won one Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globes, two Tony Awards and two Emmy Awards, and several other awards and nominations. After her film debut in Don’t Bother to Knock (1952) and a string of supporting film roles during the 1950s, she won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her lead role in The Miracle Worker (1962) as the teacher of teenage Helen Keller, reprising her role in the Broadway stage play. She won both an Oscar for her work in the film, and a Tony for the same role in the play. On Broadway in 1965, she played a medieval nun obsessed with a priest (Jason Robards) in John Whiting‘s play The Devils, based on the Aldous Huxley novel The Devils of Loudun. She was perhaps best known as the seductress, Mrs. Robinson, in The Graduate (1967), a role that she later said had come to overshadow her other work. Bancroft received several other Oscar nominations and continued in lead roles until the late 1980s. She played a ballet dancer in The Turning Point (1977), and in Agnes of God (1985), she played the mother superior of a convent who clashes with a psychiatrist played by Jane Fonda over dealings with a troubled young novice nun played by Meg Tilly. In 1987, she starred with Anthony Hopkins in 84 Charing Cross Road. She appeared in several movies directed or produced by her second husband, comedian Mel Brooks, including the award-winning drama The Elephant Man as well as comedies To Be or Not to Be and Dracula: Dead and Loving It. In the 1990s she returned to supporting roles in films, but continued to play lead roles in television films. She received Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, for The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (2003), as well as an Emmy nomination for 2001’s Haven.
Bancroft was born Anna Maria Louisa Italiano in the Bronx, New York, the middle of three daughters of Mildred (ne DiNapoli; 1908-2010), a telephone operator, and Michael G. Italiano (1905-2001), a dress pattern maker. Bancroft’s parents were both children of Italian immigrants. In an interview, she stated her family was originally from Muro Lucano, in the province of Potenza. She was brought up Roman Catholic. She was raised in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx, later moving to 1580 Zerega Ave. and graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in 1948. She later attended HB Studio, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Actors Studio and the American Film Institute‘s Directing Workshop for Women at the University of California, Los Angeles. After appearing in a number of live television dramas under the name Anne Marno, she was told to change her surname, as it was “too ethnic for movies”; she chose Bancroft “because it sounded dignified.”
In 1958, Bancroft made her Broadway debut as lovelorn, Bronx-accented Gittel Mosca opposite Henry Fonda (as the married man Gittel loves) in William Gibson‘s two-character play Two for the Seesaw, directed by Arthur Penn. For Gittel, she won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play. Arthur Penn She won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play in 1960, again with playwright Gibson and director Penn, when she played Annie Sullivan, the young woman who teaches the child Helen Keller to communicate in The Miracle Worker. She appeared in the 1962 film version of the play and won the 1962 Academy Award for Best Actress, with Patty Duke repeating her own success as Keller alongside Bancroft. She had returned to Broadway to star in Mother Courage and Her Children, so Joan Crawford accepted Bancroft’s Oscar on her behalf, and later presented the award to her in New York. Bancroft is one of nine actors to have won both an Academy Award and a Tony Award for the same role. Bancroft co-starred as a medieval nun obsessed with a priest (Jason Robards) in the 1965 Broadway production of John Whiting‘s play The Devils. Produced by Alexander H. Cohen and directed by Michael Cacoyannis, it ran for 63 performances. Bancroft with Patty Duke in the stage production of The Miracle Worker, 1960 Bancroft received a second Academy Award nomination in 1965 for her performance in the 1964 film The Pumpkin Eater. Bancroft was widely known during this period for her role as Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate (1967), for which she received a third Academy Award nomination. In the film, she played an unhappily married woman who seduces the son of her husband’s business partner, the much younger recent college graduate played by Dustin Hoffman. In the movie, Hoffman’s character later dates and falls in love with her daughter. Bancroft was ambivalent about her appearance in The Graduate; she said in several interviews that the role overshadowed her other work. Despite her character becoming an archetype of the “older woman” role, Bancroft was only six years older than Hoffman. A CBS television special, Annie: the Women in the Life of a Man (1970), won Bancroft an Emmy Award for her singing and acting. Bancroft is one of very few entertainers to win an Oscar, an Emmy and a Tony award. She followed that success with a second television special, Annie and The Hoods (1974), which was telecast on ABC and featured her husband Mel Brooks as a guest star. She made an uncredited cameo in the film Blazing Saddles (1974), directed by Brooks. She received a fourth Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 1977 for her performance in The Turning Point (1977) opposite Shirley MacLaine, and a fifth nomination for Best Actress in 1985 for her performance in Agnes of God (1985) opposite Jane Fonda. Bancroft made her debut as a screenwriter and director in Fatso (1980), in which she starred with Dom DeLuise. Bancroft was the original choice to play Joan Crawford in the film Mommie Dearest (1981), but backed out, and was replaced by Faye Dunaway. She was also a front-runner for the role of Aurora Greenway in Terms of Endearment (1983), but declined so she could act in the remake of To Be or Not to Be (1983), with her husband Mel Brooks.In 1988 she played Harvey Feirstein’s mother in the film version of his play Torch Song Trilogy. In the 1990s and the first half of the 2000s, Bancroft took supporting roles in a number of films in which she co-starred with major film stars including Honeymoon in Vegas (1992) with Nicolas Cage, Love Potion No. 9 (1992) with Sandra Bullock, Malice (1993) with Nicole Kidman, Point of No Return (1993) with Bridget Fonda, Home for the Holidays (1995) with Robert Downey Jr. and directed by Jodie Foster, How to Make an American Quilt (1995) with Winona Ryder, G.I. Jane (1997) with Demi Moore, Great Expectations (1998) with Gwyneth Paltrow, Keeping the Faith (2000) with Ben Stiller, and Heartbreakers (2001) with Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sigourney Weaver and Gene Hackman. She also lent her voice to the animated film Antz (1998), which also featured performances from Jennifer Lopez, Sharon Stone, and Woody Allen. Bancroft also starred in several television movies and miniseries, receiving six Emmy Award nominations (winning once for herself and shared for Annie, The Women in the Life of a Man), eight Golden Globe nominations (winning twice), and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Her final appearance was as herself in a 2004 episode of HBO‘s Curb Your Enthusiasm. Her last project was the animated feature film Delgo, released posthumously in 2008. The film was dedicated to her. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6368 Hollywood Boulevard, for her work in television. At the time of her star’s installation (1960), she had recently appeared in several TV series. Bancroft is also a member of the American Theater Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 1992.
Bancroft’s first husband was lawyer Martin May; they married in 1953, separated in 1955, and divorced in 1957. In 1961, Bancroft met Mel Brooks at a rehearsal for the Perry Como variety show (Kraft Music Hall). Bancroft and Brooks married on August 5, 1964, at the Manhattan Marriage Bureau near New York City Hall, and remained married until her death. Their son, Maximillian “Max” Brooks, was born on May 22, 1972. Bancroft and Mel Brooks worked together three times on the screen: once dancing a tango in Brooks’s Silent Movie (1976); in his remake of To Be or Not to Be (1983); and in the episode entitled “Opening Night” (2004) of the HBO show, Curb Your Enthusiasm. They were also in Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995), but never appeared together. Brooks produced the film The Elephant Man (1980), in which Bancroft acted. He also was executive-producer for the film 84 Charing Cross Road (1987) in which she starred. Both Brooks and Bancroft appeared in season six of The Simpsons. According to the DVD commentary, when Bancroft came to record her lines for the episode “Fear of Flying“, the Simpsons writers asked if Brooks had come with her (which he had); she joked, “I can’t get rid of him!” In a 2010 interview, Brooks credited Bancroft as being the guiding force behind his involvement in developing The Producers and Young Frankenstein for the musical theatre. In the same interview, he said of their first meeting in 1961, “From that day, until her death on June 5, 2005, we were glued together.”
Anne Bancroft died of uterine cancer at age 73 on June 6, 2005, at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. Her death surprised many, including some of her friends, as the intensely private Bancroft had not released details of her illness. She was survived by her mother, sisters, husband Mel Brooks, and son Max Brooks. She is interred at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York, near her parents, Mildred (who died in April 2010, five years after Anne) and Michael Italiano. A white marble monument with a weeping angel adorns her grave. Her last film, Delgo, was dedicated to her memory.
Source:Overview
Early Life
Career
director of The Miracle Worker
Marriage and Family
Death
Work
Theatre
Year Title Role/Notes 1958 Two for the Seesaw Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play 1959 Miracle Worker, TheThe Miracle Worker Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play 1963 Mother Courage and Her Children 1965 Devils, TheThe Devils 1967 Little Foxes, TheThe Little Foxes 1968 Cry of Players, AA Cry of Players 1977 Golda Nominated Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play 1981 Duet for One 2002 Occupant Off-Broadway Film
Television
Year Title Role Notes 1951 Suspense TV series, one episode: “Night Break”, as Anne Marno. 1951 The Ford Theatre Hour TV series, three episodes, as Anna Marno. 1950-51 Studio One in Hollywood Maria Cassini TV series, three episodes, as Anne Marno. 1951 The Adventures of Ellery Queen TV series, one episode: “The Chinese Mummer Mystery”, as Anne Marno. 1951 Danger TV series, two episodes: “The Killer Scarf” and “Murderer’s Face”, as Anne Marno. 1951 The Web TV series, one episode: “The Customs of the Country” as Ann Marno. 1951 Lights Out Helen TV series, one episode: “The Deal”, as Anne Marno. 1953 Omnibus TV series, one episode: “The Capital of the World” 1953 Kraft Theatre TV series, one episode: “To Live in Peace” 1954-1957 Lux Video Theatre Lolita/Sally/Kendal Browning/Ann Sommers/Herself TV series, five episodes 1956-57 Climax! Audrey/Elena TV series, two episodes: “Fear Is the Hunter” (Audrey) and “The Mad Bomber” (Elena) 1957 Playhouse 90 Isobel Waring/Julie Bickford TV series, two episodes: “So Soon to Die” (Isobel Waring) and “Invitation to a Gunfighter” (Julie Bickford) 1957 Dick Powell’s Zane Grey Theatre Isabelle Rutledge TV series, one episode: “Episode in Darkness” (Isabelle Rutledge) w/Dewey Martin & John Anderson 1957 The Alcoa Hour Alegre/Giselle TV series, two episodes: “Key Largo” (Alegre) and “Hostages to Fortune” (Giselle) 1958 The Frank Sinatra Show Carol Welles TV series, one episode: “A Time to Cry” 1960 Person to Person Herself TV series documentary, Episode 7.35 1960 Gala Adlai on Broadway Herself: Performer TV Movie 1962 Password All-Stars Herself TV series, one episode: “Anne Bancroft vs. Robert Goulet” 1962-1964 What’s My Line? Herself: Mystery Guest TV series, three episodes 1964 Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre Faye Benet Garret TV series, one episode: “Out on the Outskirts of Town” 1967 ABC Stage 67 Virginia TV series, one episode: “I’m Getting Married” 1969 The Kraft Music Hall Herself TV series, Episode 2.23 1970 Arthur Penn, 1922-: Themes and Variants TV documentary 1970 This Is Tom Jones Herself TV series documentary, Episode 3.1 1970 Annie: The Women in the Life of a Man Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety or Musical Program – Variety and Popular Music 1974 Annie and the Hoods Herself: Hostess TV Movie 1977 Jesus of Nazareth Mary Magdalene Miniseries; Parts 1 and 2 1978 The Stars Salute Israel at 30 Herself TV Movie 1978 Lrdagshjrnet Herself TV series, one episode: “Mel Brooks”, also archive footage 1978 Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color Herself TV series, one episode: “Mickey’s 50” 1978 Mickey’s 50 Herself documentary 1979 The Muppets Go Hollywood Herself TV Movie, uncredited 1980 Shogun Narrator of US home video version (voice) TV movie 1982 Marco Polo Marco’s mother Miniseries 1982 Women I Love: Beautiful But Funny Herself TV Movie 1983 An Audience with Mel Brooks Herself TV special 1990 Freddie and Max Maxine (Max) Chandler TV series, six episodes 1992 Broadway Bound Kate Jerome TV movie
Nominated Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie1992 Mrs. Cage Lillian Cage Nominated Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie 1994 Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All Lucy Marsden (age 99-100) TV movie
Nominated Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie1994 Great Performances Mrs. Fanning TV series, one episode: “Paddy Chayefsky’s ‘The Mother'” 1994 Simpsons, TheThe Simpsons Dr. Zweig Voice role, one episode: “Fear of Flying“ 1996 Homecoming Abigail Tillerman TV Movie
Nominated Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie1998 The Secret World of ‘Antz‘ Herself TV documentary 1998 Living with Cancer: A Message of Hope Narrator TV documentary 1999 Deep in My Heart Geraldine ‘Gerry’ Eileen Cummins TV movie
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie1999 AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Dustin Hoffman Herself TV special documentary 2000 The Rosie O’Donnell Show Herself 2000 The Living Edens Narrator TV series documentary, one episode: “Anamalai: India’s Elephant Mountain” 2001 Exhale with Candice Bergen Herself TV series, one episode 2001 Haven Mama Gruber Nominated Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie 2003 Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone, TheThe Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone Contessa TV movie
Nominated Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie
Nominated Satellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie2004 Curb Your Enthusiasm Herself TV series, one episode: “Opening Night”
