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Priscilla Pointer

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Priscilla Pointer
Pointer and Michael Dunn (c. 1968)
Born
Priscilla Marie Pointer

(1924-05-18) May 18, 1924 (age 100)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1948–2014
Spouses
(m. 1947; died 1979)
(m. 1980; died 2007)
Children3, including David Irving and Amy Irving
RelativesAustin Irving (granddaughter)

Priscilla Marie Pointer[1] (born May 18, 1924) is an American retired actress. She began her career in the theater in the late 1940s, including productions on Broadway. Later, Pointer moved to Hollywood and made appearances on television beginning in the early 1950s.

Pointer is the mother of actress and singer Amy Irving, (whom she often appeared alongside as her mother or mother-in-law) therefore making her the former mother-in-law of filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Bruno Barreto and the mother-in-law of documentary filmmaker Kenneth Bowser, Jr..

Personal life

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Pointer was born on May 18, 1924, in New York City.[2] Her mother, Augusta Leonora (née Davis), was an artist and an illustrator, and her father, Kenneth Keith Pointer, was an artist.[1] One of her maternal great-grandfathers, Jacob Barrett Cohen, was from a Jewish family that had lived in the United States since the 1700s.[1][3][4] Pointer turned 100 in May 2024.[5][6]

Marriages and family

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Pointer was married to film and stage director Jules Irving, former artistic director of Lincoln Center, from 1947 until his death in 1979; they are the parents of Katie Irving, director David Irving, and actress Amy Irving.[7] She is the widow of Robert Symonds, whom she married in 1980.

Career

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Early career

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Pointer has been a performer since the late 1940s, starting her career in theatre and appearing on Broadway,[citation needed] and she featured in the TV series China Smith (also known as The New Adventures of China Smith) in 1954. After a long hiatus, Pointer returned to acting in the early 1970s.

Pointer's first major starring role was on the TV soap opera Where the Heart Is as Adrienne Harris Rainey from 1972 and 1973.

Pointer was a guest star on Dallas (1978 TV show) as Rebecca Barnes Wentworth seasons 4-6.

Films

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Pointer has appeared in many films, including Carrie (1976), in which she played the onscreen mother of Amy Irving's character; The Onion Field (1979); Mommie Dearest (1981); Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983); A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987); David Lynch's Blue Velvet; and Coyote Moon (1999). In addition to Carrie, she has played the onscreen mother to Amy Irving in Honeysuckle Rose (1980) and Carried Away (1996). They were both in the films The Competition in 1980 and Micki & Maude in 1984.

Pointer appeared in three films directed by her son: Rumpelstiltskin (a 1987 musical version, which starred her daughter), Good-bye, Cruel World, and C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D.

Television

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Pointer has made many guest appearances on television, including Adam-12, L.A. Law, The A-Team, Judging Amy, The Rockford Files, and Cold Case.

From 1981 to 1983, Pointer had a recurring role on the soap opera Dallas as Rebecca Barnes Wentworth, the mother of Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval), Pamela Barnes Ewing (Victoria Principal), and Katherine Wentworth (Morgan Brittany).

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role(s) Notes
1976 Carrie Eleanor Snell Carla Tilson - Iris Clarke
Nickelodeon Mabel
The Great Texas Dynamite Chase Miss Harris
1977 The 3,000 Mile Chase Emma Dvorak
Looking for Mr. Goodbar Mrs. Dunn
1979 The Onion Field Chrissie Campbell
1980 Honeysuckle Rose Rosella Ramsey
The Competition Mrs. Donellan
1981 Mommie Dearest Mrs. Chadwick
1983 Good-bye, Cruel World Myra
Twilight Zone: The Movie Miss Cox Segment: "Kick the Can"
1984 Micki & Maude Diana Hutchison
1985 The Falcon and the Snowman Mrs. Lee
1986 Blue Velvet Mrs. Beaumont
1987 Newhart Clara Whitscomber
Rumpelstiltskin Queen Grizelda
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors Dr. Elizabeth Simms
From the Hip Mrs. Martha Williams
1989 C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D. Doctor Berlin
1990 A Show of Force Alice Ryan
Disturbed Nurse Francine
1992 Unbecoming Age Grandma
1993 Painted Desert Barbara
1996 Carried Away Lily Henson
1999 Inferno Mrs. Henry Howard

Partial Television Credits

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Year Title Role Notes
1954 China Smith (Also known as The New Adventures of China Smith) Carla Tilson - Iris Clarke
1969 N.Y.P.D. Woman with child in park Episode: "The Night Watch"
1970 The High Chaparral Mrs. Colton Episode: "A Matter of Vengeance"
1971 The Failing of Raymond History Teacher TV movie
1973 Adam-12 Jacqueline Carey Episode: "Van Nuys Division: Pete's Mustache "
1977 Mary Jane Harper Cried Last Night Laura Atherton TV movie
1978 Quincy, M.E. Victim's mother Episode: "Dead and Alive"
1981-1983 Dallas Rebecca Barnes Wentworth 44 episodes
1984 The New Mike Hammer Edna Grundy Episode: "Seven Dead Eyes"
Too Close for Comfort Betty Farnsworth Episode: "The Sound of Mother"
St. Elsewhere Marie Halloran Episode: "In Sickness and in Health"
1986-1988 L.A. Law Judge Dorothy M. Pehlman 4 episodes
1987 Newhart Clara Whitscomber Episode: "Me and My Gayle"
Rags to Riches Ruby Episode: "Vegas Rock"
1990-1991 The Flash Nora Allen 3 episodes
1994 ER Mrs. Abernathy Episode: "The Gift"
1997 Alone Susan Hight TV movie
2001 Judging Amy Margaret Palmer Episode: "The Unforgiven"
2006 Cold Case Lillian Vine Episode: "Debut"
2008 Sweet Nothing in My Ear voice of Sally TV movie

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 3, 2010. Retrieved January 11, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ O'Donnell, Monica M. (1986). Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television: A Biographical Guide Featuring Performers, Directors, Writers, Producers, Designers, Managers, Choreographers, Technicians, Composers, Executives, Dancers, and Critics in the United States and Great Britain. Gale. p. 245. ISBN 9780810320659. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  3. ^ Archives, American Jewish. "First American Jewish Families - American Jewish Archives". americanjewisharchives.org.
  4. ^ Elzas, Barnett A. (Barnett Abraham) (April 25, 2019). "Jewish marriage notices from the newspaper press of Charleston, S.C., 1775-1906". New York: Bloch Pub. Co. – via Internet Archive.
  5. ^ "Victoria Principal Celebrates 'Dallas' Costar Priscilla Pointer's 100th Birthday by Sharing a Note the Actress Gave Her". Peoplemag. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  6. ^ Maloney, Michael (May 18, 2024). "Dallas and Mommie Dearest Actress Priscilla Pointer Turns 100". Soap Hub. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  7. ^ Fisher, James (2011). Historical Dictionary of Contemporary American Theater: 1930-2010. Scarecrow Press. p. 393. ISBN 9780810879508. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
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