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{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{short description|American actress and singer}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Anita Gillette
| name = Anita Gillette
| image = Theatre World Award (1960) 1 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Gillette in 1960
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1936|8|16}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1936|8|16}}
| birth_place = [[Baltimore|Baltimore, Maryland]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[Baltimore|Baltimore, Maryland]], U.S.
| birth_name = Anita Luebben
| birth_name = Anita Luebben
| occupation = Actress
| occupation = Actress, singer
| yearsactive = 1959–present
| yearsactive = 1959–present
| spouse = Dr. William Gillette (1957–1967) (2 children, divorced)<br>Armand Coullet (1982–1999) (his death)<ref>{{cite web |author= |url=http://www.womanaroundtown.com/sections/woman-around-town/woman-around-town-anita-gillette-after-all-a-working-actress |title=Anita Gillette-After All, a Working Actress |publisher=Woman Around Town |date=2012-09-17 |accessdate=2017-06-30 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/23/classified/paid-notice-deaths-coullet-armand.html |title=Paid Notice: Deaths COULLET, ARMAND |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=1999-04-23 |accessdate=2017-06-30}}</ref>
| spouse = Dr. William Gillette (1957–1967) (2 children, divorced)<br />Armand Coullet (1982–1999) (his death)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.womanaroundtown.com/sections/woman-around-town/woman-around-town-anita-gillette-after-all-a-working-actress |title=Anita Gillette-After All, a Working Actress |website=Woman Around Town |date=September 17, 2012 |access-date=June 30, 2017 }}{{dead link|date=June 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/23/classified/paid-notice-deaths-coullet-armand.html |title=Paid Notice: Deaths COULLET, ARMAND |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=April 23, 1999 |access-date=June 30, 2017}}</ref>
| children = 2{{Citation needed |date=July 2021}}
| children = 2<ref name="FilmReference bio">{{cite web | url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/79/Anita-Gillette.html | title=Anita Gillette Biography (1936–) | website=FilmReference.com | accessdate=2017-06-30}}</ref>
}}
}}

[[File:Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice television cast 1973.JPG|thumb|From TV series ''[[Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (TV series)|Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice]]'' (1973). Back: [[David Spielberg]]; front, L–R: [[Anne Archer]], [[Robert Urich]], Anita Gillette ]]
[[File:Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice television cast 1973.JPG|thumb|From TV series ''[[Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (TV series)|Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice]]'' (1973). Back: [[David Spielberg]]; front, L–R: [[Anne Archer]], [[Robert Urich]], Anita Gillette ]]
'''Anita Gillette''' (born '''Anita Luebben'''; August 16, 1936) is an American actress. She is notable for her extensive [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] credits, her many appearances as a celebrity guest on television [[game shows]], her guest-starring and recurring roles in American television series and for her roles in feature films.


'''Anita Gillette''' ({{née}} '''Luebben''';<ref>{{cite news| title=Understudy to Star in a Single Year: And Anita Gillette, of Baltimore, Maintains a Family Life, Too| author=Wolf, William|date=August 5, 1962| work=The Baltimore Sun| page=MA8| quote=The actress is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Luebben, of Lennings Lane in Rosedale.| id={{ProQuest|533766321}}}}</ref> born August 16, 1936<ref>{{cite news| title=Today in History: Today's Birthdays| date=August 16, 1984| newspaper=[[Home_News_Tribune#History|The Home News]]| location=Somerville, New Jersey| page=12| quote=Singer Eydie Gorme is 52. Actress Julie Newmar is 49 [sic]. Actress Anita Gillette is 48.|id={{ProQuest|2271060883}}}} See also:
==Personal life and theatre==
* {{cite news| title=Today in History: August 16 Birthdays| date=August 16, 2022| newspaper=Asheville Citizen-Times| page=6B| quote=Actor Julie Newmar is 89. Actor-singer Kitty Lester ("Little House on the Prairie") is 88. Actor Anita Gillette is 86.| id={{ProQuest|2706778479}}}}</ref>) is an American actress and singer. She has performed numerous roles on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]], American television, and in feature films.
Gillette was born Anita Luebben in [[Baltimore|Baltimore, Maryland]], the daughter of Juanita ([[married and maiden names|née]] Wayland) and John Alfred Luebben.<ref name="FilmReference bio" /> Raised in [[suburb]]an [[Rossville, Maryland|Rossville]], she graduated from [[Kenwood High School (Maryland)|Kenwood High School]].<ref name="jkellytbs">{{cite news | url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/bs-xpm-2010-05-07-bs-md-kelly-anita-gilette-20100507-story.html | last=Kelly | first=Jacques | title=Baltimore actress returns home for 'After All' | date=2010-05-07 | work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] | accessdate=2020-05-17}}</ref> Gillette studied at the [[Peabody Conservatory]] and made her [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] debut in ''[[Gypsy: A Musical Fable|Gypsy]]'' in 1959. Additional Broadway credits include ''[[Carnival!]]'', ''[[All American (musical)|All American]]'', ''[[Mr. President (musical)|Mr. President]]'', ''[[Kelly (musical)|Kelly]]'', ''[[Jimmy (musical)|Jimmy]]'', ''[[Guys and Dolls (musical)|Guys and Dolls]]'', ''[[Don't Drink the Water (play)|Don't Drink the Water]]'', ''[[Cabaret (musical)|Cabaret]]'', ''[[They're Playing Our Song]]'', ''[[Brighton Beach Memoirs]]'', and ''[[Chapter Two (play)|Chapter Two]]'', for which she was nominated for the [[Tony Award]] for Best Actress in a Play. She received a 1960 [[Theatre World Award]] for her performance in ''Russell Patterson's Sketchbook''.


Her Broadway credits include performing in musical productions of ''[[Gypsy (musical)|Gypsy]]'', ''[[Carnival!]]'', ''[[Guys and Dolls]]'', ''[[They're Playing Our Song]]'', ''[[Mr. President (musical)|Mr. President]]'', and ''[[Cabaret (musical)|Cabaret]]''. In 1978, she was nominated for the [[Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play]] for her performance in [[Neil Simon]]'s ''[[Chapter Two (play)|Chapter Two]]''.
==Television and film==
Gillette's first television appearance was on ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'' in 1963. She joined the cast of ''[[The Edge of Night]]'' in 1967, leaving the next year. Gillette's biggest exposure on a national scale came as a celebrity guest on various [[New York City]]-based game shows, mostly those produced by [[Mark Goodson|Goodson-Todman]] and [[Bob Stewart (television)|Bob Stewart]]. She served as a semi-regular on the syndicated ''[[What's My Line?]]'', ''[[Match Game]]'' and on the various ''[[Pyramid (game show)|Pyramid]]'' series, among others.


==Early life==
Gillette's roles in the 1970s included the short-lived series ''[[Me and the Chimp]]'' with [[Ted Bessell]] and ''[[Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (TV series)|Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice]]'' with a then-unknown [[Robert Urich]] and a young [[Jodie Foster]]. She also appeared in [[Norman Lear]]'s ''[[All That Glitters (TV series)|All That Glitters]]'' (1977), and TV movies such as ''[[A Matter of Wife... and Death]]'' (1975) and ''[[It Happened at Lakewood Manor]]'' (1977).
Raised in suburban [[Rossville, Maryland|Rossville]], Gillette graduated from [[Kenwood High School (Maryland)|Kenwood High School]]. Gillette studied at the [[Peabody Conservatory]]<ref name="jkellytbs">{{cite news| url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/bs-xpm-2010-05-07-bs-md-kelly-anita-gilette-20100507-story.html| last=Kelly| first=Jacques| title=Baltimore actress returns home for 'After All'| date=May 7, 2010| newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]]| access-date=May 17, 2020}}</ref>


== Career ==
The 1980s marked Gillette's transition from Broadway and television into a character film actress. Prior to this transition, she had sizeable television roles as Nancy Baxter on the national run of ''[[The Baxters]]'', Quincy's second wife Dr. W. Emily Hanover on the last season of ''[[Quincy M.E.]]'' (having previously portrayed his deceased first wife Helen Quincy in a flashback<ref>''Quincy, M.E.'' episode "Promises to Keep", 1 March 1979</ref>), and a role on ''[[Search for Tomorrow]]'' at the end of that series' long run, as well as the early [[David Chase]] series ''[[Almost Grown (TV series)|Almost Grown]]'' (1988–1989).


===Television and film===
After the end of ''Search for Tomorrow'' in late 1986, and appearing with [[Robert Reed]] and [[Bert Convy]] on ''[[Password Plus and Super Password|Super Password]]'', Gillette transitioned to film with a variety of notable roles such as that of Mona in 1987's ''[[Moonstruck]]''. Many of these roles had her as an on-screen mother to characters played by prominent actors; she played [[Jack Black]]'s mother in ''[[Bob Roberts]]'' (1992), [[Mary-Louise Parker]]'s mother in ''[[Boys on the Side]]'' (1995), [[Bill Murray]]'s mother in ''[[Larger than Life (film)|Larger Than Life]]'' (1996), [[Jennifer Aniston]]'s mother in ''[[She's the One (1996 film)|She's The One]]'' (1996), and the mother of [[Bobby Cannavale]]'s love interest in ''[[The Guru (2002 film)|The Guru]]'' (2002). Her return to television in 2000's short-lived ''[[Normal, Ohio]]'' had her playing the mother of [[John Goodman]]'s character (coincidentally with fellow former game show regular [[Orson Bean]] as her on-screen husband).
Gillette's first television appearance was on ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'' in 1963. She joined the cast of ''[[The Edge of Night]]'' in 1967, leaving the next year. Gillette's biggest exposure on a national scale came as a celebrity guest on various [[New York City]]-based game shows, mostly those produced by [[Mark Goodson|Goodson-Todman]] and [[Bob Stewart (television)|Bob Stewart]]. She served as a semi-regular on the syndicated ''[[What's My Line?]]'', ''[[Match Game]]'' and the various ''[[Pyramid (game show)|Pyramid]]'' series, among others. She also appeared with [[Robert Alda]] as a panelist on ''[[Fast Draw (game show)|Fast Draw]]''.<ref>{{cite web| title=Fast Draw Starring Johnny Gilbert| via=YouTube| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GiMKmM8qzs| date=Summer 1968| access-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref>

Gillette's roles in the 1970s included the short-lived series ''[[Me and the Chimp]]'' with [[Ted Bessell]] and ''[[Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (TV series)|Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice]]'' with a then-unknown [[Robert Urich]] and a young [[Jodie Foster]]. She also appeared in [[Norman Lear]]'s ''[[All That Glitters (American TV series)|All That Glitters]]'' (1977), and TV movies such as ''[[A Matter of Wife... and Death]]'' (1975) and ''[[It Happened at Lakewood Manor]]'' (1977).

The 1980s marked Gillette's transition from Broadway and television into a character film actress. Prior to this transition, she had sizeable television roles as Nancy Baxter on the national run of ''[[The Baxters]]'', Quincy's second wife Dr. W. Emily Hanover on the last season of ''[[Quincy M.E.]]'' (having previously portrayed his deceased first wife Helen Quincy in a flashback<ref>''Quincy, M.E.'' episode "Promises to Keep", March 1, 1979</ref>), and a role on ''[[Search for Tomorrow]]'' at the end of that series' long run, as well as the early [[David Chase]] series ''[[Almost Grown (TV series)|Almost Grown]]'' (1988–1989).

After the end of ''Search for Tomorrow'' in late 1986, and appearing with [[Robert Reed]] and [[Bert Convy]] on ''[[Password Plus and Super Password|Super Password]]'', Gillette transitioned to film with a variety of notable roles such as that of Mona in 1987's ''[[Moonstruck]]''. Many of these roles had her as an on-screen mother to characters played by prominent actors; she played [[Jack Black]]'s mother in ''[[Bob Roberts]]'' (1992), [[Mary-Louise Parker]]'s mother in ''[[Boys on the Side]]'' (1995), [[Bill Murray]]'s mother in ''[[Larger than Life (film)|Larger than Life]]'' (1996), [[Jennifer Aniston]]'s mother in ''[[She's the One (1996 film)|She's The One]]'' (1996), and the mother of [[Bobby Cannavale]]'s love interest in ''[[The Guru (2002 film)|The Guru]]'' (2002). Her return to television in 2000's short-lived ''[[Normal, Ohio]]'' had her playing the mother of [[John Goodman]]'s character (coincidentally with fellow former game show regular [[Orson Bean]] as her on-screen husband).


In the 1990s, Gillette starred in two ''[[Hallmark Hall of Fame]]'' movies, ''[[The Summer of Ben Tyler]]'' (1996) with [[James Woods]] and ''[[A Christmas Memory#Television|A Christmas Memory]]'' (1997) with [[Patty Duke]]. In 2004, Gillette appeared as Miss Mitzi, the lonely alcoholic owner of a struggling dance studio in ''[[Shall We Dance? (2004 film)|Shall We Dance?]]'', opposite [[Richard Gere]], [[Jennifer Lopez]] and [[Susan Sarandon]]. She made several appearances as Grandma Betty on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]'s ''[[The War at Home (TV series)|The War at Home]]'' (2005–2007); as Lily Flynn, the mother of criminalist [[Catherine Willows]], in four episodes of ''[[CSI (TV series)|CSI]]'' (2005–2007/2012); and the mother of [[Liz Lemon]] in two episodes of ''[[30 Rock]]'' (2007/2010). She starred in the 2006 film ''Hiding Victoria''.
In the 1990s, Gillette starred in two ''[[Hallmark Hall of Fame]]'' movies, ''[[The Summer of Ben Tyler]]'' (1996) with [[James Woods]] and ''[[A Christmas Memory#Television|A Christmas Memory]]'' (1997) with [[Patty Duke]]. In 2004, Gillette appeared as Miss Mitzi, the lonely alcoholic owner of a struggling dance studio in ''[[Shall We Dance? (2004 film)|Shall We Dance?]]'', opposite [[Richard Gere]], [[Jennifer Lopez]] and [[Susan Sarandon]]. She made several appearances as Grandma Betty on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]'s ''[[The War at Home (TV series)|The War at Home]]'' (2005–2007); as Lily Flynn, the mother of criminalist [[Catherine Willows]], in four episodes of ''[[CSI (TV series)|CSI]]'' (2005–2007/2012); and the mother of [[Liz Lemon]] in two episodes of ''[[30 Rock]]'' (2007/2010). She starred in the 2006 film ''Hiding Victoria''.


Since 2010 she has had several guest-starring roles in such shows as: ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]'' (2010), ''[[Shake It Up (U.S. TV series)|Shake it Up]]'' (2012), ''[[Modern Family]]'' (2013), ''[[Blue Bloods (TV series)|Blue Bloods]]'' (2013), ''[[Elementary (TV series)|Elementary]]'' (2015), ''[[Public Morals (2015 TV series)|Public Morals]]'' (2015) and ''[[Chicago Med]]'' (2016).<ref>{{imdb name|id=0319036|name=Anita Gillette}}</ref> She played Rose Fitzgerald (Mom) in the 2012 film ''[[The Fitzgerald Family Christmas]]'', written, directed by, and starring [[Edward Burns]].
Since 2010 she has had several guest-starring roles in such shows as: ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]'' (2010), ''[[Shake It Up (U.S. TV series)|Shake it Up]]'' (2012), ''[[Modern Family]]'' (2013), ''[[Blue Bloods (TV series)|Blue Bloods]]'' (2013), ''[[Elementary (TV series)|Elementary]]'' (2015), ''[[Public Morals (2015 TV series)|Public Morals]]'' (2015) and ''[[Chicago Med]]'' (2016).{{Citation needed |date=October 2020}} She played Rose Fitzgerald in the 2012 film ''[[The Fitzgerald Family Christmas]]'', written, directed by, and starring [[Edward Burns]].


=== Theatre ===
On February 17, 2020, Gillette was bestowed Honorary Member of [[The Lambs]], America's oldest professional theatrical association, in recognition of her outstanding career.
She made her [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] debut in ''[[Gypsy: A Musical Fable|Gypsy]]'' in 1959. Additional Broadway credits include ''[[Carnival!]]'', ''[[All American (musical)|All American]]'', ''[[Mr. President (musical)|Mr. President]]'', ''[[Kelly (musical)|Kelly]]'', ''[[Jimmy (musical)|Jimmy]]'', ''[[Guys and Dolls (musical)|Guys and Dolls]]'', ''[[Don't Drink the Water (play)|Don't Drink the Water]]'', ''[[Cabaret (musical)|Cabaret]]'', ''[[They're Playing Our Song]]'', ''[[Brighton Beach Memoirs]]'', and ''[[Chapter Two (play)|Chapter Two]]'', for which she was nominated for the [[Tony Award]] for Best Actress in a Play. She received a 1960 [[Theatre World Award]] for her performance in ''Russell Patterson's Sketchbook''. On February 17, 2020, Gillette was bestowed Honorary Member of [[The Lambs]], America's oldest professional theatrical association.

In 2012, she was nominated for the [[Lucille Lortel Award]] Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in Dan LeFranc's ''The Big Meal'' [[Off-Broadway]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/22/theater/reviews/the-big-meal-by-dan-lefranc-at-playwrights-horizons.html| title=A High-Gear Trip Through Life, From Soup to Nuts| first=Christopher| last=Isherwood| newspaper=The New York Times| date=March 21, 2012| access-date=2024-02-25| url-access=subscription}}</ref>

== Filmography ==

=== Film ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1987
|''[[Moonstruck]]''
|Mona
|
|-
|1988
|''Bum Rap''
|Drunk woman
|
|-
|1991
|''Undertow''
|Marlene
|
|-
|1992
|''[[Bob Roberts]]''
|Mrs. Davis
|
|-
|1995
|''[[Boys on the Side]]''
|Elaine
|
|-
|rowspan=2|1996
|[[Larger than Life (film)|''Larger than Life'']]
|Mom
|
|-
|[[She's the One (1996 film)|''She's the One'']]
|Carol
|
|-
|1998
|''Charlie Hoboken''
|Stepmother
|
|-
|rowspan=2|2001
|''Dinner and a Movie''
|Heddie
|
|-
|''Early Bird Special''
|Betty
|
|-
|2002
|[[The Guru (2002 film)|''The Guru'']]
|Mrs. McGee
|
|-
|2004
|[[Shall We Dance? (2004 film)|''Shall We Dance?'']]
|Miss Mitzi
|
|-
|2005
|''[[The Great New Wonderful]]''
|Lainie
|
|-
| rowspan=2| 2006
|''The Last Adam''
|Betty Adams
|
|-
|''Hiding Victoria''
|Althea Jaffery
|
|-
|2012
|''[[The Fitzgerald Family Christmas]]''
|Rosie Fitzgerald
|
|}

=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|1956
|''[[The Edge of Night]]''
|Franki
|{{N/a}}
|-
|1961
|[[Route 66 (TV series)|''Route 66'']]
|Nancy
|Episode: "The Thin White Line"
|-
|1963
|''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]''
|Singer
|1 episode
|-
|1968
|[[Pinocchio (1968 film)|''Pinocchio'']]
|Blue Fairy
| rowspan="2" |Television film
|-
|1970
|''[[George M!]]''
|[[Ethel Levey]]
|-
|1971–1974
|''[[Love, American Style]]''
|Pat O'Brien
|4 episodes
|-
|1972
|''[[Me and the Chimp]]''
|Liz Reynolds
|13 episodes
|-
|1973
|[[Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (TV series)|''Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice'']]
|Alice Henderson
|12 episodes
|-
|1975
|''[[A Matter of Wife... and Death]]''
|Helen Baker
|Television film
|-
|rowspan=2|1977
|[[All That Glitters (American TV series)|''All That Glitters'']]
|Nancy Langston
|2 episodes
|-
|''[[It Happened at Lakewood Manor]]''
|Peggy Kenter
|Television film
|-
|1979
|''[[Trapper John, M.D.]]''
|Teresa Duvall
|Episode: "Taxi in the Rain"
|-
|1979–1983
|''[[Quincy, M.E.]]''
|Dr. Emily Hanover / Helen Quincy
|17 episodes
|-
|1980
|''Marathon''
|Anita
|Television film
|-
|1982
|[[Another World (TV series)|''Another World'']]
|Loretta Shea
|Episode #1.4498
|-
|1985
|''Brass''
|Sister Mary Elizabeth
|Television film
|-
|rowspan=3| 1986
|''[[St. Elsewhere]]''
|Maureen Westphall
|Episode: "Time Heals: Part 1"
|-
|''[[Search for Tomorrow]]''
|Wilma Holliday
|Episode: "Finale"
|-
|''[[You Again?]]''
|Sue
|Episode: "Henry the Kissinger"
|-
|1987
|[[Brothers (1984 TV series)|''Brothers'']]
|Flo Waters
|Episode: "Love and Learn"
|-
|1988–1989
|[[Almost Grown (TV series)|''Almost Grown'']]
|Vi Long
|13 episodes
|-
|1992
|''[[All My Children]]''
|Dee Dee Dunstin
|3 episodes
|-
|1994
|''[[Mad About You]]''
|Claire Wicker
|Episode: "When I'm Sixty-Four"
|-
| rowspan=4 | 1996
|''[[Law & Order]]''
|Cookie Costello
|Episode: "Remand"
|-
|''[[ABC Afterschool Special]]''
|Aunt Rita
|Episode: "Through Thick & Thin"
|-
|''[[The Summer of Ben Tyler]]''
|Suellen
| rowspan="3" |Television film
|-
|''Jules''
|Herky
|-
|1997
|''[[A Christmas Memory]]''
|Callie
|-
| rowspan=3 | 2000
|''[[Frasier]]''
|Mrs. Wojadubakowski
|Episode: "Whine Club"
|-
|''[[Sex and the City]]''
|Mrs. Adams
|Episode: "Hot Child in the City"
|-
|''[[Normal, Ohio]]''
|Joan Gamble
|12 episodes
|-
|2001
|''[[Law & Order: Criminal Intent]]''
|Loretta Marlon
|Episode: "Poison"
|-
|2003
|''[[Queens Supreme]]''
|Mrs. DeSipio
|Episode: "Case by Case"
|-
|2005–2007
|[[The War at Home (TV series)|''The War at Home'']]
|Betty
|5 episodes
|-
|2005–2010
|''[[CSI: Crime Scene Investigation]]''
|Lily Flynn
|4 episodes
|-
|2007
|[[Women's Murder Club (TV series)|''Women's Murder Club'']]
|Winnie Spencer
|Episode: "Grannies, Guns and Love Mints"
|-
|2007, 2010
|''[[30 Rock]]''
|Margaret Lemon
|2 episodes
|-
|2009
|''[[Cold Case]]''
|Grace Stearns '09
|Episode: "The Crossing"
|-
|2010
|''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]''
|Judge Sheila Tripler
|2 episodes
|-
|2012
|[[Shake It Up (American TV series)|''Shake It Up'']]
|Edie Wilde
|Episode: "Rock and Roll It Up"
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2013
|''[[Modern Family]]''
|Annie
|Episode: "Goodnight Gracie"
|-
|[[Blue Bloods (TV series)|''Blue Bloods'']]
|Colleen McGuire
|Episode: "Bad Blood"
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2015
|[[Elementary (TV series)|''Elementary'']]
|Claire Renziger
|Episode: "A Stitch in Time"
|-
|[[Public Morals (2015 TV series)|''Public Morals'']]
|Eileen
|2 episodes
|-
|2016
|''[[Chicago Med]]''
|Ruth
|Episode: "Extreme Measures"
|-
|2018–2019
|''After Forever''
|Frannie
|7 episodes
|}


==References==
==References==
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* {{IBDB name}}
* {{IBDB name}}
* {{IOBDB name|7416}}
* {{IOBDB name|7416}}
* [https://www.facebook.com/anita.gillette/ Facebook page (official)]


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Gillette, Anita}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gillette, Anita}}

[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:1936 births]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]

Latest revision as of 17:04, 8 July 2024

Anita Gillette
Gillette in 1960
Born
Anita Luebben

(1936-08-16) August 16, 1936 (age 88)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1959–present
Spouse(s)Dr. William Gillette (1957–1967) (2 children, divorced)
Armand Coullet (1982–1999) (his death)[1][2]
Children2[citation needed]
From TV series Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1973). Back: David Spielberg; front, L–R: Anne Archer, Robert Urich, Anita Gillette

Anita Gillette (née Luebben;[3] born August 16, 1936[4]) is an American actress and singer. She has performed numerous roles on Broadway, American television, and in feature films.

Her Broadway credits include performing in musical productions of Gypsy, Carnival!, Guys and Dolls, They're Playing Our Song, Mr. President, and Cabaret. In 1978, she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in Neil Simon's Chapter Two.

Early life

[edit]

Raised in suburban Rossville, Gillette graduated from Kenwood High School. Gillette studied at the Peabody Conservatory[5]

Career

[edit]

Television and film

[edit]

Gillette's first television appearance was on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1963. She joined the cast of The Edge of Night in 1967, leaving the next year. Gillette's biggest exposure on a national scale came as a celebrity guest on various New York City-based game shows, mostly those produced by Goodson-Todman and Bob Stewart. She served as a semi-regular on the syndicated What's My Line?, Match Game and the various Pyramid series, among others. She also appeared with Robert Alda as a panelist on Fast Draw.[6]

Gillette's roles in the 1970s included the short-lived series Me and the Chimp with Ted Bessell and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice with a then-unknown Robert Urich and a young Jodie Foster. She also appeared in Norman Lear's All That Glitters (1977), and TV movies such as A Matter of Wife... and Death (1975) and It Happened at Lakewood Manor (1977).

The 1980s marked Gillette's transition from Broadway and television into a character film actress. Prior to this transition, she had sizeable television roles as Nancy Baxter on the national run of The Baxters, Quincy's second wife Dr. W. Emily Hanover on the last season of Quincy M.E. (having previously portrayed his deceased first wife Helen Quincy in a flashback[7]), and a role on Search for Tomorrow at the end of that series' long run, as well as the early David Chase series Almost Grown (1988–1989).

After the end of Search for Tomorrow in late 1986, and appearing with Robert Reed and Bert Convy on Super Password, Gillette transitioned to film with a variety of notable roles such as that of Mona in 1987's Moonstruck. Many of these roles had her as an on-screen mother to characters played by prominent actors; she played Jack Black's mother in Bob Roberts (1992), Mary-Louise Parker's mother in Boys on the Side (1995), Bill Murray's mother in Larger than Life (1996), Jennifer Aniston's mother in She's The One (1996), and the mother of Bobby Cannavale's love interest in The Guru (2002). Her return to television in 2000's short-lived Normal, Ohio had her playing the mother of John Goodman's character (coincidentally with fellow former game show regular Orson Bean as her on-screen husband).

In the 1990s, Gillette starred in two Hallmark Hall of Fame movies, The Summer of Ben Tyler (1996) with James Woods and A Christmas Memory (1997) with Patty Duke. In 2004, Gillette appeared as Miss Mitzi, the lonely alcoholic owner of a struggling dance studio in Shall We Dance?, opposite Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon. She made several appearances as Grandma Betty on Fox's The War at Home (2005–2007); as Lily Flynn, the mother of criminalist Catherine Willows, in four episodes of CSI (2005–2007/2012); and the mother of Liz Lemon in two episodes of 30 Rock (2007/2010). She starred in the 2006 film Hiding Victoria.

Since 2010 she has had several guest-starring roles in such shows as: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2010), Shake it Up (2012), Modern Family (2013), Blue Bloods (2013), Elementary (2015), Public Morals (2015) and Chicago Med (2016).[citation needed] She played Rose Fitzgerald in the 2012 film The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, written, directed by, and starring Edward Burns.

Theatre

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She made her Broadway debut in Gypsy in 1959. Additional Broadway credits include Carnival!, All American, Mr. President, Kelly, Jimmy, Guys and Dolls, Don't Drink the Water, Cabaret, They're Playing Our Song, Brighton Beach Memoirs, and Chapter Two, for which she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. She received a 1960 Theatre World Award for her performance in Russell Patterson's Sketchbook. On February 17, 2020, Gillette was bestowed Honorary Member of The Lambs, America's oldest professional theatrical association.

In 2012, she was nominated for the Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in Dan LeFranc's The Big Meal Off-Broadway.[8]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Titel Role Notes
1987 Moonstruck Mona
1988 Bum Rap Drunk woman
1991 Undertow Marlene
1992 Bob Roberts Mrs. Davis
1995 Boys on the Side Elaine
1996 Larger than Life Mom
She's the One Carol
1998 Charlie Hoboken Stepmother
2001 Dinner and a Movie Heddie
Early Bird Special Betty
2002 The Guru Mrs. McGee
2004 Shall We Dance? Miss Mitzi
2005 The Great New Wonderful Lainie
2006 The Last Adam Betty Adams
Hiding Victoria Althea Jaffery
2012 The Fitzgerald Family Christmas Rosie Fitzgerald

Television

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Year Titel Role Notes
1956 The Edge of Night Franki —
1961 Route 66 Nancy Episode: "The Thin White Line"
1963 The Ed Sullivan Show Singer 1 episode
1968 Pinocchio Blue Fairy Television film
1970 George M! Ethel Levey
1971–1974 Love, American Style Pat O'Brien 4 episodes
1972 Me and the Chimp Liz Reynolds 13 episodes
1973 Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice Alice Henderson 12 episodes
1975 A Matter of Wife... and Death Helen Baker Television film
1977 All That Glitters Nancy Langston 2 episodes
It Happened at Lakewood Manor Peggy Kenter Television film
1979 Trapper John, M.D. Teresa Duvall Episode: "Taxi in the Rain"
1979–1983 Quincy, M.E. Dr. Emily Hanover / Helen Quincy 17 episodes
1980 Marathon Anita Television film
1982 Another World Loretta Shea Episode #1.4498
1985 Brass Sister Mary Elizabeth Television film
1986 St. Elsewhere Maureen Westphall Episode: "Time Heals: Part 1"
Search for Tomorrow Wilma Holliday Episode: "Finale"
You Again? Sue Episode: "Henry the Kissinger"
1987 Brothers Flo Waters Episode: "Love and Learn"
1988–1989 Almost Grown Vi Long 13 episodes
1992 All My Children Dee Dee Dunstin 3 episodes
1994 Mad About You Claire Wicker Episode: "When I'm Sixty-Four"
1996 Law & Order Cookie Costello Episode: "Remand"
ABC Afterschool Special Aunt Rita Episode: "Through Thick & Thin"
The Summer of Ben Tyler Suellen Television film
Jules Herky
1997 A Christmas Memory Callie
2000 Frasier Mrs. Wojadubakowski Episode: "Whine Club"
Sex and the City Mrs. Adams Episode: "Hot Child in the City"
Normal, Ohio Joan Gamble 12 episodes
2001 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Loretta Marlon Episode: "Poison"
2003 Queens Supreme Mrs. DeSipio Episode: "Case by Case"
2005–2007 The War at Home Betty 5 episodes
2005–2010 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Lily Flynn 4 episodes
2007 Women's Murder Club Winnie Spencer Episode: "Grannies, Guns and Love Mints"
2007, 2010 30 Rock Margaret Lemon 2 episodes
2009 Cold Case Grace Stearns '09 Episode: "The Crossing"
2010 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Judge Sheila Tripler 2 episodes
2012 Shake It Up Edie Wilde Episode: "Rock and Roll It Up"
2013 Modern Family Annie Episode: "Goodnight Gracie"
Blue Bloods Colleen McGuire Episode: "Bad Blood"
2015 Elementary Claire Renziger Episode: "A Stitch in Time"
Public Morals Eileen 2 episodes
2016 Chicago Med Ruth Episode: "Extreme Measures"
2018–2019 After Forever Frannie 7 episodes

References

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  1. ^ "Anita Gillette-After All, a Working Actress". Woman Around Town. September 17, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2017.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Paid Notice: Deaths COULLET, ARMAND". The New York Times. April 23, 1999. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  3. ^ Wolf, William (August 5, 1962). "Understudy to Star in a Single Year: And Anita Gillette, of Baltimore, Maintains a Family Life, Too". The Baltimore Sun. p. MA8. ProQuest 533766321. The actress is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Luebben, of Lennings Lane in Rosedale.
  4. ^ "Today in History: Today's Birthdays". The Home News. Somerville, New Jersey. August 16, 1984. p. 12. ProQuest 2271060883. Singer Eydie Gorme is 52. Actress Julie Newmar is 49 [sic]. Actress Anita Gillette is 48. See also:
    • "Today in History: August 16 Birthdays". Asheville Citizen-Times. August 16, 2022. p. 6B. ProQuest 2706778479. Actor Julie Newmar is 89. Actor-singer Kitty Lester ("Little House on the Prairie") is 88. Actor Anita Gillette is 86.
  5. ^ Kelly, Jacques (May 7, 2010). "Baltimore actress returns home for 'After All'". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  6. ^ "Fast Draw Starring Johnny Gilbert". Summer 1968. Retrieved February 25, 2024 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ Quincy, M.E. episode "Promises to Keep", March 1, 1979
  8. ^ Isherwood, Christopher (March 21, 2012). "A High-Gear Trip Through Life, From Soup to Nuts". The New York Times. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
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