Rochelle Oliver (April 15, 1937 – April 13, 2024) was an American acting coach and actress.
Rochelle Oliver | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 15, 1937 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | April 13, 2024 (aged 86) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1959–2003 (acting) |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
Early life and career
editOliver studied acting with Uta Hagen.[1] Her stage appearances include The Brothers Karamazov, The Cave Dwellers, The Diary of Anne Frank and Toys in the Attic, the latter of which earned her a Clarence Derwent Award in 1960.[2]
In 1958, she appeared on television in the "Saw My Baby There" episode of Naked City. In 1963, she played the part of Jean Lowell in the episode "The Noose" from The Defenders.[3] In 1970, she had a recurring role as Barbara Lamont in the series The Best of Everything.[4][5] In 1976, she played the part of Dr. Marsha in Paul Mazursky's Next Stop, Greenwich Village.[6] From 1993 to 2003, she appeared as Judge Grace Larkin in Law & Order.[7]
Oliver had been teaching acting since the 1970s.[1] She was on the faculty of HB Studio in New York City until her death in 2024.[8]
Personal life and death
editOliver was Jewish.[9] In 1959, she married actor James Patterson, with whom she had a son. They remained together until his death in 1972.[10][11] In 1997, Oliver married actor Fritz Weaver. They remained together until Weaver's death in 2016.[12]
Oliver died in New York City on April 13, 2024, two days before her 87th birthday.[13]
Filmography
edit| Title | Year | Role | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Happy Hooker | 1975 | Norma | Nicholas Sgarro | |
| Next Stop, Greenwich Village | 1976 | Doctor Marsha | Paul Mazursky | |
| Lianna | 1983 | Betty | John Sayles | |
| In Defense of Kids | 1983 | Mrs. Giankanis | Gene Reynolds | TV movie |
| 1918 | 1985 | Mrs. Mary Vaughn | Ken Harrison | |
| On Valentine's Day | 1986 | Mrs. Vaughn | Ken Harrison | |
| Courtship | 1987 | Mrs Vaughn | Howard Cummings | |
| The Appointments of Dennis Jennings | 1988 | Woman on TV | Dean Parisot | Short |
| An Unremarkable Life | 1989 | Mary Alice | Amin Q. Chaudhri | |
| Scent of a Woman | 1992 | Gretchen | Martin Brest | |
| Hollywood Ending | 2002 | Script supervisor | Woody Allen |
| Title | Episode | Role | Director | Year / Air date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naked City | "Four Sweet Corners" | Cora Gary | Stuart Rosenberg | April 28, 1959 | |
| Naked City | "Saw My Baby There " | Katie Harris | Stuart Rosenberg | June 9, 1959 | |
| The United States Steel Hour | "Little Lost Sheep" | Ernest Kinoy | November 1, 1961 | ||
| The Defenders | "The Noose" | Jean Lowell | Stuart Rosenberg | April 27, 1963 | |
| The Nurses | "Credo" | Sally Ellis | Stuart Rosenberg | January 9, 1964 | |
| The Defenders | "The Objector" | Anne Wendel | Leonard Horn | February 11, 1965 | |
| The Best of Everything | Barbara Lamont | Episode #1.1 | March 30, 1970 | Writer: James Lipton Producer: Jacqueline Babbin | |
| The Best of Everything | Barbara Lamont | Episode #1.112 | Dennis Kane | September 7, 1970 | |
| The Best of Everything | Barbara Lamont | Episode #1.114 | Alan Pultz | September 9, 1970 | |
| Ryan's Hope | Episode #1.838 | Jeri Jerome | Lela Swift | September 25, 1978 | |
| ABC Afterschool Specials | Mrs. York | "Amy & the Angel" | Ralph Rosenblum | September 22, 1982 | |
| Tribeca | "The Hopeless Romantic" | Blanche | Barry Primus | April 6, 1993 | |
| Law & Order | "Manhood" | Judge Grace Larkin | Ed Sherin | May 12, 1993 | |
| Law & Order | "Big Bang" | Judge Grace Larkin | Dann Florek | March 2, 1994 | |
| Law & Order | "Competence" | Judge Grace Larkin | Fred Gerber | November 2, 1994 | |
| All My Children | Episode dated 20 June 1995 | Alice Hart | June 20, 1995 | ||
| Law & Order | "Paranoia" | Judge Grace Larkin | Fred Gerber | November 15, 1995 | |
| Law & Order | "Family Business " | Judge Grace Larkin | Lewis Gould | November 20, 1996 | |
| Law & Order | "Faccia a Faccia" | Judge Grace Larkin | Martha Mitchell | February 25, 1998 | |
| Law & Order | "Ill-Conceived" | Judge Grace Larkin | David Platt | December 3, 2003 |
References
edit- ^ a b Rosenfeld, Carol (2013). Acting and Living in Discovery: A Workbook for the Actor. p. 127. ISBN 9781585107032.
- ^ Film Reference - Rochelle Oliver Biography (1937-), Credits, Stage Appearances
- ^ Larry Cohen: The Radical Allegories of an Independent Filmmaker, By Tony Williams - Page 340
- ^ Short-Lived Television Series, 1948–1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops, by Wesley Hyatt - Page 195
- ^ The soap opera encyclopedia, Christopher Schemering - Page 44
- ^ Turner Classic Movies - Next Stop, Greenwich Village(1976)
- ^ Who Was Who on TV, Volume 2, By Norman Chance - Law & Order: Mystery: 1990- Page 267
- ^ HB Studio Faculty Page
- ^ "Jews in the News: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Julianne Margulies and Jake Gyllenhaal". Tampa Jewish Federation. October 3, 2013.
- ^ McHarry, Charles (May 27, 1960). "East Side Girl Jumps From Lower to Upper". Daily News.
- ^ "James Patterson of Stage, 40, Dies". The New York Times. August 21, 1972.
- ^ Berkvist, Robert (November 27, 2016). "Fritz Weaver, Tony-Winning Character Actor, Dies at 90". The New York Times.
- ^ Barnes, Mike (7 May 2024). "Rochelle Oliver, 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' Star and Admired Acting Teacher, Dies at 86". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 7 May 2024.