Cynthia Harris
Harris in 1976
Born
Cynthia Lee Harris

(1934-08-09)August 9, 1934
New York City, U.S.
DiedOctober 3, 2021(2021-10-03) (aged 87)
New York City, U.S.
EducationSmith College
OccupationActress
Years active1963–2019
SpouseEugene Wolsk (1961–1972; divorced)
PartnerNathan Silverstein

Cynthia Lee Harris (August 9, 1934 – October 3, 2021) was an American film, television, and stage actress. She is best known for her roles in the television series Edward & Mrs. Simpson and the sitcom Mad About You.

Life and career

Cynthia Lee Harris was born in New York City in 1934, the daughter of Saul Harris, a haberdasher, and his wife, Deborah. She had two brothers, one of whom predeceased her. Interested in the stage from a young age, she began studying theater at age 12 and graduated from Smith College in 1955 with a degree in theater and literature.[1][2]

She joined the Adams Memorial Theatre in Williamstown (in the same state on the campus of another college) where she performed in five summer seasons from 1955 to 1959. She then studied acting with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio.[3] Harris also studied with George Morrison.[2]

Harris appeared in such television series and TV movies, such as Archie Bunker's Place and All My Children. In Edward and Mrs. Simpson, she was cast as the Duchess of Windsor,[2] which earned her a BAFTA Award nomination in 1979. For five seasons, she played "comic yenta mom" Sylvia Buchman on the sitcom Mad About You, a role she reprised in the show's 2019 limited series revival.[4][5] For almost two decades, she played "Mrs. B." in television advertisements for the now-defunct department store chain Bradlees.[6]

She made her Broadway debut as an understudy for the drama Natural Affection in 1963.[2] In 1971, she appeared on Broadway in the Stephen Sondheim-George Furth musical, Company. In 1978, she received a BAFTA nomination for her performance as Wallis Simpson in Edward & Mrs. Simpson (1978).[2]

Harris was one of the co-artistic directors for the Off-Broadway company The Actors Company Theatre, which she co-founded in 1993. She appeared in numerous plays with the company, including Hoe, Bedroom Farce and Lost in Yonkers, portraying nearly four dozen characters over the course of her tenure with the group.[2][4] In 2013, Harris appeared as Adriana in the Primary Stages production of The Tribute Artist.[7]

Death

Harris died in New York City on October 3, 2021, at the age of 87. She was survived by her partner, Nathan Silverstein, as well as her brother, Dr. Matthew Harris, and extended family.[2][8] She had suffered from Type 1 diabetes for much of her life.[9]

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ Roberts, Sam (October 8, 2021). "Cynthia Harris, the mother on 'Mad About You', Dies at 87". The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Barnes, Mike (October 6, 2021). "Cynthia Harris, Paul Reiser's Mom on 'Mad About You,' Dies at 87". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 2021-10-06. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Cynthia Harris, actress who won a Bafta nomination for her portrayal of Wallis Simpson – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. London. October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  4. 1 2 Horwitz, Simi (March 21, 2012). "Cynthia Harris Finds Challenges in 'Lost in Yonkers'". Backstage. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  5. ↑ Sepinwall, Alan (November 18, 2019). "'Mad About You' Revival: Banter, Bickering, and Boredom". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2019-11-19. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Can 'Mrs. B' bring Bradlees back?". The Standard-Times. New Bedford, Mass. January 29, 1996. Archived from the original on 2015-11-23. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  7. ↑ Brantley, Ben (February 10, 2014). "We Have the Stars; We Want the House". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  8. ↑ Evans, Greg (October 6, 2021). "Cynthia Harris Dies: 'Mad About You' Actress Was 87". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Cynthia Harris is Mad About the Berrie Center and Dr. Robin Goland". The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center. Archived from the original on October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  10. ↑ Haring, Bruce (October 3, 2019). "'Mad About You': Cynthia Harris To Reprise Role, Cloris Leachman Also Joins Revival Limited Series For Spectrum Originals". Deadline Hollywood.
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