Betty Buckley

Buckley worked across musician, singer, stage actor, film actor and television actor and 2 further recorded occupations. This article rests on 35 catalogued compositions, 2 published texts, 16 issued recordings and 3 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

• Name — Betty Buckley • Born — 3 July 1947 • Birthplace — Big Spring, Texas, U.S. • Occupation — Actress, singer, music teacher • Education — Texas Christian University • Years Active — 1964–present • Relatives — Norman Buckley (brother)

Betty Lynn Buckley was born on July 3, 1947, in Big Spring, Texas. At 11, she saw The Pajama Game at Fort Worth's Casa Mañana and decided to pursue musical theater. Her mother, a former tap dancer, supported this interest and took her to dance lessons without her father's knowledge; her father opposed a career in show business. She attended Arlington Heights High School. Her first professional role was Dainty June in a production of Gypsy when she was 15. Buckley graduated from high school at 16 and enrolled at Texas Christian University at 17. She won the Miss Fort Worth title in 1966 and placed as runner-up in the Miss Texas pageant. A producer for the Miss America pageant invited her to appear as a guest entertainer on the national telecast, where talent agents saw her perform and signed her before she finished her senior year. She worked as a reporter at the Fort Worth Press from 1967 to 1968. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from TCU in 1968. After graduating, she joined a USO tour to South Korea and Japan.

Buckley made her Broadway debut in 1969 in the original production of the musical 1776; she has been called "The Voice of Broadway" by New York magazine. In 1982, Buckley starred as Grizabella in the original Broadway production of the musical Cats, which features the song "Memory". She stayed with the production for 18 months. For this role, she won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. In 1988, Buckley starred as Margaret White in Carrie: The Musical. Buckley starred in both London (1994) and New York (1995) as Norma Desmond in the musical Sunset Boulevard. For her role in the London production, she received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. In 1997, she starred as Hesione in the Broadway musical Triumph of Love and received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. Buckley sang "Memory" from Cats at the Kennedy Center Honors in December 2006 as part of the tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber. In 2007, Buckley appeared with Quintessence at Lincoln Center in its Great American Songbook series. Buckley participated in a reading of the musical Ruthless! in September 2010, playing the role of Sylvia St. Croix/Ruth DelMarco. She then played Mrs. White in the off-Broadway comedy White's Lies from March to May 2010. In 2011, Buckley starred in the Dallas Theater Center production of Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring with Tovah Feldshuh. On January 28, 2013, she was inducted into The American Theater Hall of Fame. From January to March 2013, she starred in the London Premiere of Jerry Herman's Dear World. The musical was directed and choreographed by Gillian Lynne, with whom Buckley had previously worked on Cats. In September 2013, she starred in the world premiere of Horton Foote's The Old Friends at the Signature Theatre off-Broadway. She repeated her performance in 2014 at Houston's Alley Theatre. In May 2015, it was announced that Buckley would appear as Big Edie in the musical, Grey Gardens at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, NY. The production ran August 4 to 30, 2015. She reprised the role from July 13 to August 14, 2016 at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. On February 12, 2018, it was announced that Buckley would portray the title role in the first national tour of the 2017 Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly!, beginning performances in October 2018 in the Connor Palace at Cleveland's Playhouse Square. Buckley dedicated the January 15, 2019 performance in San Diego to Carol Channing following her death. Buckley finished her leg of the tour in September 2019 and prepared concerts scheduled in early 2020 at the Cafe Carlyle in NYC and other venues.

• Illustration — Buckley singing the National Anthem at MetLife Stadium, in 2012 Hope, Buckley's 18th solo album, was released on June 8, 2018, and she continues to appear in concert across the U.S. each year. She is also a composer; her first recording contains mostly songs she wrote. She is also featured on many Broadway compilation recordings, and on the original cast recording of 1776; the original Broadway recording of Cats; the London recording of Promises, Promises; Triumph of Love and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. In 2002, Buckley was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Category, for her album Stars and the Moon: Live at the Donmar, which was recorded at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre in London. This was her second Grammy nomination; she had previously been nominated in 2000, in the Best Spoken Word Album category for The Diaries of Adam and Eve. Her albums Quintessence and 1967 were released by Playbill Records in February 2008. Quintessence features jazz arrangements of standards by her former collaborator, jazz pianist Kenny Werner; while 1967 is a recording produced by T-Bone Burnett, and made when Buckley was just 19. Her album Bootleg: Boardmixes From the Road was released in 2010, and her recording of her hit show at Feinstein's at the Regency with pianist/collaborator Christian Jacob, titled Ah, Men: The Boys of Broadway debuted on August 28, 2012. Her album Ghostlight was produced by the T Bone Burnett and was released on September 16, 2014.

Buckley was married to Peter Flood in 1972, divorced in 1979, and has no children. She has received two honorary doctorates for her contributions to musical theater—one from The Boston Conservatory and the other from Marymount Manhattan College.

Film • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1976 — Carrie — Miss Collins • 1983 — Tender Mercies — Dixie • 1987 — Wild Thing — Leah • 1988 — Frantic — Sondra Walker • Another Woman — Kathy • 1992 — Rain Without Thunder — Beverly Goldring • 1994 — Last Time Out — Maxine Black • Wyatt Earp — Virginia Earp • 1995 — Ride for Your Life — Short film • 1998 — Of Love & Fantasy — Dr. Tania Brandt — Video • 1999 — Simply Irresistible — Aunt Stella • 2002 — New World Order — Rose Kross • 2004 — Mummy an' the Armadillo — Let • 2008 — The — Mrs. Jones • 2011 — 5 Time Champion — Fran • 2016 — Split — Dr. Karen Fletcher • 2024 — Imaginary — Gloria • 2025 — By Design — Cynthia • Eternity — old Joan Culter Television • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1977 — Ryan's Hope — Divorced Lady — Episode: "1.405" • The — Rosie — TV movie • 1977–1981 — Eight Is Enough — Sandra Sue 'Abby' Abbott Bradford — 102 episodes • 1981 — The — Barbara Slaner — TV movie • 1984 — Special Treat — Mrs. Lawson — Episode: "Bobby and Sarah" • The — Nancy Grier — TV movie • 1985 — Evergreen — Mrs. Bradford — TV miniseries • 1987 — Roses Are for the Rich — Ella — TV movie • Cagney & Lacey — Marci Bruckman — Episode: "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" • 1989 — ABC Afterschool Specials — Lillian Robinson — Episode: "Taking a Stand" • 1989 — Babycakes — Wanda — TV movie • 1991 — L.A. Law — Elisa Chandler — 2 episodes: "Something Old, Something Nude" and "TV or Not TV" • 1992 — Mathnet — Sally Storm — Episode: "The Case of the Mystery Weekend" • Bonnie & Clyde: The True Story — Mrs. Parker — TV movie • Square One TV — Sally Storm — 3 episodes • 1993 — Tribeca — Ruth — Episode: "The Rainmaker" • 1994 — Betrayal of Trust — Dr. Jan Galanti — TV movie • 1996 — Critical Choices — Dr. Margaret Ludlow • Remember WENN — Gloria Redmond — Episode: "Christmas in the Airwaves" • 2001–2003 — Oz — Suzanne Fitzgerald — 18 episodes • 2003 — Monk — Mrs. Fleming — Episode: "Mr. Monk Goes to the Theater" • 2004 — The — Carla Kohler — Episode: "Last Rites" • 2005 — Vinegar Hill — Mary Margaret Grier — TV movie • 2006 — Brothers & Sisters — Iva March — Episode: "Unaired Pilot" • Without a Trace — Catherine Ryder — Episode: "Expectations" • 2006 and 2008 — Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — Attorney Walsh — 3 episodes: "Manipulated", "Clock", "Lunacy" • 2010 — Melrose Place — Bernadette Reese — Episode: "Sepulveda" • The — Marion Leckie — Episode: "Home" • 2011 — The — Sister Paul — Episode: "Hog Butcher" • Pretty Little Liars — Regina Marin — Episode: "I Must Confess" • 2013 — Episode: "She's Better Now" • 2014 — Getting On — Dottie Levy — Episode: "Is Soap A Hazardous Substance?" • 2015 — The Leftovers — Jane — Episode: "Ten Thirteen" • 2016 — Chicago Med — Olga Barlow — Episode: "Extreme Measures" • 2017–2020 — Supergirl — Patricia Arias — 4 episodes • 2018 — Preacher — Madame Marie L'Angelle — Season 3 • 2021 — Supergirl — Owl (voice) — Episode: "Dream Weaver" • 2021–2022 — Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — Trial Division Chief Lorraine Maxwell — Recurring role (seasons 23-24) Theatre • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1969 — 1776 — Martha Jefferson — 46th Street Theatre • 1969 — Promises, Promises — Fran Kubelik — Prince of Wales Theatre • 1972 — What's A Nice Girl Like You Doing in a State Like This — Off-broadway • 1973 — Pippin — Catherine (replacement) — Imperial Theatre • 1980–1981 — I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road — Heather — Circle in the Square Theatre Downtown Huntington Hartford Theatre, Los Angeles • 1982–1984 — Cats — Grizabella — Winter Garden Theatre • 1985 — Song and Dance — Emma (replacement) — Royale Theatre • 1985 — Drood — Edwin Drood / Miss Alice Nutting — Shakespeare in the Park Imperial Theatre • 1985 — Juno's Swans — Second Stage Theatre • 1988 — Carrie — Margaret White — Virginia Theatre • 1992 — The Threepenny Opera — Jenny Diver — Williamstown Theatre Festival • 1992 — Gypsy — Mama Rose — Arizona Civic Light Opera • 1993 — The Fourth Wall — Chicago Opera Theatre • 1994–1996 — Sunset Boulevard — Norma Desmond (replacement) — Adelphi Theatre Minskoff Theatre • 1997 — Triumph of Love — Hesione — Royale Theatre • 1998 — Gypsy — Mama Rose — Paper Mill Playhouse • 1998 — Camino Real — Hartford Stage • 2003 — Elegies: A Song Cycle — Lincoln Center • 2003 — The Threepenny Opera — Jenny Diver — Williamstown Theatre Festival • 2010 — White's Lies — Mrs. White — New World Stages • 2011 — Arsenic and Old Lace — Martha Brewster — Dallas Theater Center • 2013 — Dear World — Countess Aurelia — Charing Cross Theatre, London • 2013–2014 — The Old Friends — Gertrude — Pershing Square Signature Center Alley Theatre, Houston • 2015 — Follies — Carlotta Campion — Royal Albert Hall, London • 2015–2016 — Grey Gardens — Big Edie — Bay Street Theater, Sag Harbour, New York Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles • 2018–2019 — Hello, Dolly! — Dolly Gallagher Levi — National Tour

Betty Buckley was born on 3 July 1947 in Big Spring. Buckley held the nationality of United States. Buckley was educated at Texas Christian University and Arlington Heights High School. Buckley worked as musician, singer, stage actor and film actor, and the authority record catalogues a further 3 occupations under the same name, among them television actor, actor and film producer. Buckley was active from 1969. Buckley played the voice.

Albums • Name — Year — Label — Notes • Betty Buckley — 1985 — Rizzoli • Children Will Listen — 1993 — Sterling • With One Look — 1994 — Sterling • New Ways to Dream – Songs from Sunset Boulevard — 1994 — Really Useful • The London Concert — 1995 — Sterling — Recorded March 19, 1995 • An Evening at Carnegie Hall — 1996 — Sterling — Recorded June 10, 1996 • Betty Buckley's Broadway — 1996 — Sterling — Compilation album • Much More — 1997 — Sterling • Betty Buckley (15 Year Anniversary Re-Release) — 2000 — KO • Heart to Heart — 2000 — KO • The Doorway — 2001 — Fynsworth Alley • Stars and the Moon – Live at the Donmar — 2001 — Concord — Recorded August 31 and September 1, 2000 • 1967 — 2007 — Playbill — Recorded in 1967, released 40 years later • Quintessence — 2008 — Playbill • Bootleg: Boardmixes from the Road — 2010 — Practical Magic • Ah, Men! The Boys of Broadway — 2012 — Palmetto — Songs sung by men on Broadway • Ghostlight — 2014 — Practical Magic — Produced by T Bone Burnett • Story Songs — 2017 — Palmetto • Hope — 2018 — Palmetto Cast recordings • Show — Cast — Year — Role • 1776 — Original Broadway Cast — 1969 — Martha Jefferson • Promises, Promises — Original London Cast — 1969 — Fran Kubelik • Hair — Film Soundtrack — 1979 • I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road — Off-Broadway Cast — 1980 — Heather • Cats — Original Broadway Cast — 1982 — Grizabella • The Mystery of Edwin Drood — Original Broadway Cast — 1985 — Edwin Drood / Dick Datchery / Miss Alice Nutting • Prom Queens Unchained — Studio Cast — 1997 • The Civil War — Concept Album — 1998 • Triumph of Love — Original Broadway Cast — 1998 — Hesione • Elegies, A Song Cycle — Original Off-Broadway Cast — 2003 Other contributions • Album — Year — Notes • Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall — 1992 — Sings "Children Will Listen" • George & Ira Gershwin: A Musical Celebration — 1993 — Sings "How Long Has This Been Going On?" • Mathis on Broadway — 2000 — Sings "Children Will Listen" and "Our Children" • The Maury Yeston Songbook — 2003 — Sings "I Had a Dream About You" and "Be on Your Own" • The Diaries of Adam and Eve, by Mark Twain — Reads the part of Eve

• Year — Award — Category — Work — Result • 1983 — Tony Award — Best Featured Actress in a Musical — Cats • Drama Desk Award — Outstanding Actress in a Musical • 1985 — Daytime Emmy Award — Outstanding Performer in a Children's Program/Special — NBC Special Treat: Bobby and Sarah • 1989 — ABC Afterschool Special: Taking a Stand • 1995 — Olivier Award — Best Actress in a Musical — Sunset Boulevard • 1998 — Tony Award — Best Actress in a Musical — Triumph of Love • Drama Desk Award — Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical • 2000 — Grammy Award — Best Spoken Word Album — The Diaries of Adam and Eve • 2002 — Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album — Stars and the Moon: Live at the Donmar • 2014 — Drama Desk Award — Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play — The Old Friends • 2016 — Fright Meter Awards — Best Actress — Split • 2017 — Saturn Awards — Best Supporting Actress

• 2004 – Legend of Cabaret Award • 2007 – Texas Film Hall of Fame Inductee • 2012 – American Theater Hall of Fame Inductee