Heidi Vanderbilt
Heidi Lourdes Murray Vanderbilt (July 20, 1948 – January 31, 2021) was an American actress, photographer, equestrian, and writer. She made her Broadway debut in 1965, under the stage name Heidi Murray, in Ruth Gordon's play A Very Rich Woman. In 1983, she received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
Heidi Vanderbilt
- Name
- Heidi Vanderbilt
- Born
- July 20, 1948
- Birthplace
- New York City, New York, U.S.
- Died
- January 31, 2021
- Place of death
- Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
- Education
- Columbia University
- Occupation
- actress writer photographer equestrian rancher
- Spouse
- Jones Gordon Harris
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Documentary summary
Heidi Lourdes Murray Vanderbilt (July 20, 1948 – January 31, 2021) was an American actress, photographer, equestrian, and writer. She made her Broadway debut in 1965, under the stage name Heidi Murray, in Ruth Gordon's play A Very Rich Woman. In 1983, she received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
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The Wikipedia record describes Heidi Vanderbilt as actress, novelist and photographer. Born in 1948. Death followed in 2021.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Heidi Vanderbilt • Born — July 20, 1948 • Birthplace — New York City, New York, U.S. • Died — January 31, 2021 • Place of death — Tucson, Arizona, U.S. • Education — Columbia University • Occupation — actress writer photographer equestrian rancher • Other Names — Heidi Murray Heidi Harris • Spouse — Jones Gordon Harris • Children — 1 • Parents — Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. (father) Jeanne Lourdes Murray (mother) • Relatives — Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt III (brother)
Early life and family
Early life and family
Vanderbilt was born on July 20, 1948 to the racehorse owner Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr. and the socialite Jeanne Lourdes Murray Vanderbilt. She was a member of the prominent Vanderbilt family and the granddaughter of Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt. Through her mother, she was the great-granddaughter of the inventor Thomas E. Murray and a niece of fashion editor Catherine Murray di Montezemolo. Vanderbilt was educated at Spence School, Lycée Français de New York, and the Professional Children's School. She continued her studies at the School of General Studies at Columbia University.
Career
Career
Vanderbilt made her Broadway debut, using the stage name Heidi Murray, as Dalphne Bailey in Ruth Gordon's 1965 play A Very Rich Woman at the Belasco Theatre. She retired from the stage to pursue a career in photography. She published work as a photographer, poet, and author of both nonfiction and fiction. She wrote the novel The Scar Rule. She received the Edgar Award in 1983 from the Mystery Writers of America.
Personal life
Personal life
In October 1971, she married Jones Gordon Harris, the son of Ruth Gordon and Jed Harris. The ceremony, officiated by New York Supreme Court Justice Theodore R. Kupferman, took place at her family's home in Oyster Bay. Wedding guests included Thornton Wilder and Garson Kanin. She and Harris had one son, Jack Gwynne Emmet Harris. Vanderbilt lived in New York City, Cleveland, and in Connecticut before moving to Martha's Vineyard in 1978. She lived in Edgartown and then Vineyard Haven until 1994, when she moved to Tucson, Arizona. Vanderbilt was an accomplished equestrian and horsewoman and raised horses, donkeys, pigs, cats, dogs, and goats at her ranch in Benson, Arizona. She finished the one-hundred-mile-long one-day Tevis Cup ride three times. She died on January 31, 2021.
Works and production
Works and production
Heidi Vanderbilt is recorded with the occupation novelist. It is also recorded that heidi Vanderbilt is recorded with the occupation actor. Recorded with the gender female. It is also recorded that heidi Vanderbilt was born on 20 July 1948. Recorded with the occupation photographer. It is also recorded that heidi Vanderbilt is recorded as human. It is also recorded that heidi Vanderbilt died on 31 January 2021.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Heidi Vanderbilt”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q131343682: Heidi Vanderbilt
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Harris, Mrs. Jones (Heidi Murray Vanderbilt) | Collection Guides. collections.library.vanderbilt.edu.
- 2.Miss Vanderbilt Becomes Bride Of Jones Harris. The New York Times. 1971-10-28.
- 3.A Vanderbilt Ready For Debut on Stage. The New York Times. 6 September 1965.
- 4.Inside the Playbill Gallery | Playbill.
- 5.Son to Mrs. Jones Harris. The New York Times. 1972-03-26.
- 6.Rebekah Sturges And Jack Harris. The New York Times. 1999-06-27.
- 7.Heidi Vanderbilt, 72. The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
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General reference
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
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This entry is compiled from 5 catalogued sources across 5 independent registers. The registers consulted are Wikidata, Wikipedia, The Art Institute of Chicago, Crossref registry and National Library of Medicine. Every statement above is held against the register that stated it; where the registers are silent, the entry is silent.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
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