Lynne Thigpen

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Lynne Thigpen

Born Cherlynne Theresa Thigpen
December 22, 1948(1948-12-22)
Joliet, Illinois, U.S.
Died March 12, 2003 (aged 54)
Marina del Rey, California
Other name(s) Lynne Richmond
Years active 1971-2003

Cherlynne Theresa “Lynne” Thigpen (December 22, 1948 – March 12, 2003) was an American Tony Award-winning, stage and Emmy- and Image Award-nominated television actress.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Thigpen was born in Joliet, Illinois, and obtained a degree in teaching. She taught English in high school briefly in her hometown, while studying theatre and dance at the University of Illinois, then in 1971, she moved to New York City to begin her career as a stage actor.

[edit] Career

[edit] Theatre

She had a long and prolific theater career, appearing initially in musicals such as Godspell, The Night that Made America Famous, The Magic Show, Working, and Tintypes. Her crowning theater achievement was her appearance in the Wendy Wasserstein play An American Daughter in 1997, for which she won her Tony Award for her portrayal of "Dr. Judith Kaufman".

[edit] Film

Her first feature film role was Godspell (1973) co-starring opposite Victor Garber and David Haskell. She has appeared in few films throughout her career, notably as the omniscient Radio DJ in The Warriors; her last film was Anger Management (2003) starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson (which was released a month following her death).

[edit] Television

Thigpen was perhaps best known for her role as "The Chief" of the ACME Detective Agency in the long-running PBS children's geography game show Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, which involves both education and comedy, and, on occasion, musical performance. She was the only World cast member to star in Time. She also appeared on another children's show, Bear in the Big Blue House, voicing character of Luna, the moon.

She appeared in many prime-time series during her career, most notably her recurring role as "Grace Keefer" in a storyline on the daytime drama All My Children and a supporting role as "Ella Farmer", a statistics clerk for the Washington, D.C. police department, on The District. She has guest starred in episodes of Gimme A Break!, L.A. Law, Law & Order, The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, and Thirtysomething.

[edit] Radio

She appeared in radio skits of the Garrison Keillor program A Prairie Home Companion. Her dusky voice was also heard on over 20 books on tape. The books were often works with socially relevant themes.[1]

[edit] Death

On March 12, 2003, Thigpen was found dead at her home in Marina del Rey, California, by a friend; she had died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 54. She had been complaining of headaches for several days. She had not been seriously ill, and her death was a surprise and shock. Drugs and foul play were ruled out by the coroner's autopsy, which found "acute cardiac dysfunction, non-traumatic systemic and spontaneous intraventricular hemorrhage and hemorrhage in the brain".

[edit] Aftermath

When Thigpen died, The District had a funeral for her character in the third season finale as well. Her untimely death have also led to the four-year hiatus of Bear in the Big Blue House.

A planned film version was also put on hold. According to journalist Tara Mooney (Shadow), who was interviewed by Ray D'Arcy on Ireland's Today FM in 2005, says "the crew's hearts just weren't in it anymore" two years after Thigpen's death. Friends established a non-profit foundation, The Lynne Thigpen - Bobo Lewis Foundation, to help young actresses and actors learn how to survive and succeed in New York theater, to mentor the next generation of Broadway stars.

Her last film Anger Management (2003) starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson was dedicated to her memory. An elementary school in her hometown is named in her honor.[2]

[edit] Work

[edit] Stage

  • Godspell: 1973
  • The Night That Made America Famous: 1975
  • The Magic Show: 1976
  • Working
  • But Never Jam Today
  • Tintypes: 1980-81
  • August Wilson's Fences: 1988
  • Athol Fugard's Boesman and Lena: Obie award, 1992
  • A Month of Sundays
  • Wendy Wasserstein's An American Daughter:1996-7 (Tony Award 1997)
  • Jar the Floor

[edit] Radio

[edit] Film

[edit] Television

[edit] Software

[edit] Voice

[edit] Awards and nominations

Awards
  • 1997 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play – An American Daughter
Nominations

[edit] References

  1. ^ Muppet Central Articles - Tributes: Lynne Thigpen
  2. ^ http://www.kitoko.com/school.html

[edit] External links


v • d • e
Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play

Shirley Knight (1976) · Trazana Beverley (1977) · Ann Wedgeworth (1978) · Joan Hickson (1979) · Dinah Manoff (1980) · Swoosie Kurtz (1981) · Amanda Plummer (1982) · Judith Ivey (1983) · Christine Baranski (1984) · Judith Ivey (1985) · Swoosie Kurtz (1986) · Mary Alice (1987) · L. Scott Caldwell (1988) · Christine Baranski (1989) · Margaret Tyzack (1990) · Irene Worth (1991) · Brid Brennan (1992) · Debra Monk (1993) · Jane Adams (1994) · Frances Sternhagen (1995) · Audra McDonald (1996) · Lynne Thigpen (1997) · Anna Manahan (1998) · Elizabeth Franz (1999) · Blair Brown (2000)