Margot Kidder

Margot Kidder

Kidder in a publicity photo for Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx (1970)
Born Margaret Ruth Kidder
October 17, 1948
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
Residence Livingston, Montana, U.S.
Nationality Canadian
American
Education Havergal College
Occupation Actress
Years active 1965–present
Notable work Sisters, Black Christmas, The Great Waldo Pepper, Superman, The Amityville Horror, Superman II
Political party
 Democratic
Spouse(s) Thomas McGuane (1975–1977; divorced)
John Heard
(1979; divorced)
Philippe de Broca
(1983–1984; divorced)
Children 1

Margaret Ruth "Margot" Kidder (born October 17, 1948) is a Canadian-American actress. She rose to fame in 1978 for her role as Lois Lane in the film Superman, opposite Christopher Reeve, and her reprisal of the role in the three following sequels.

Kidder began her career in the 1960s appearing in low budget Canadian films and television series before landing a lead role in Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx (1970), opposite Gene Wilder. She then appeared in Brian De Palma's thriller film Sisters (1973), Black Christmas (1974), and The Great Waldo Pepper (1975). Other later roles included as Kathy Lutz in The Amityville Horror (1979), and Heartaches (1981).

She has since worked in low budget films as well as theatre, touring with The Vagina Monologues, and has also worked in television, appearing on Smallville, Brothers & Sisters, and The L Word. She also had a role in Rob Zombie's Halloween II (2009). In 2005, Kidder became a naturalized U.S. citizen, and is an outspoken political and environmental activist.[1]

Early life

Kidder, one of five children, was born in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, the daughter of Jocelyn Mary "Jill" (née Wilson), a history teacher, and Kendall Kidder, an explosives expert and mining engineer.[2][3][4] Kidder also spent time growing up in Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador.[5] Her mother was from British Columbia and her father was from New Mexico, United States.[6] She was born in Yellowknife because of her father's job, which required the family to live in remote locations.[7] Kidder recalled her childhood in northern Canada, saying, "We didn't have movies in this little mining town. When I was 12 my mom took me to New York and I saw Bye Bye Birdie, with people singing and dancing, and that was it. I knew I had to go far away. I was clueless, but I did okay."[8]

Kidder attended multiple schools through her youth, and graduated from Havergal College in 1966.[9] She has a sister, Annie, and three brothers, John, Michael and Peter. Kidder's niece, Janet Kidder, is also an actress.

Career

Early roles

In the late 1960s, Kidder was based in Toronto, and in 1970, Vancouver. She appeared in a number of TV drama series for the CBC, including guest appearances on Wojeck, Adventures in Rainbow Country, and a semi-regular role as a young reporter on McQueen plus was a panelist on Mantrap which featured discussions centered on a feminist perspective. During the 1971–72 season, she co-starred as barmaid Ruth in Nichols, a James Garner western, which aired 22 episodes on NBC. She appeared in "Such Dust As Dreams Are Made On", the first pilot for Harry O and aired in March 1973. She was also a guest star in a 1972 episode of the George Peppard detective series Banacek.

Kidder also appeared in a number of low-budget Canadian movies in the late 1960s (The Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kaladar being her first feature), and the early 1970s.

The 1970s and the Superman film series

In 1970, Kidder co-starred as Zazel Pierce opposite Gene Wilder in Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx. The Brian DePalma cult classic Sisters (1973) gained notoriety for both director and Kidder, who as leading lady, portrayed conjoined twins.[8] She starred in the classic horror film Black Christmas in 1974, for which she won a Canadian Film Award for Best Actress; and The Great Waldo Pepper opposite Robert Redford in 1975. She received positive reviews for 92 in the Shade (1975) with Peter Fonda, famously marrying the film's director Thomas McGuane.

Kidder appeared on the March 9, 1975 edition of The American Sportsman, learning how to hang glide with her providing the narration and a remote microphone recording her reactions in flight; the segment concluded with Kidder doing solos soaring amid the Wyoming Rockies.[10]

Kidder is perhaps best known for her role as Lois Lane in the 1978 film Superman: The Movie and its sequels. She won the Saturn Award for Best Actress for it. She publicly disagreed with the decision of producers Alexander Salkind and Ilya Salkind to replace Richard Donner as director of 1980's Superman II. It was reported that as a result, Kidder's role in 1983's Superman III consisted of less than five minutes of footage, though the producers have denied this in DVD commentaries. Her role in 1987's Superman IV: The Quest for Peace was more substantial.

In 2004, Kidder briefly returned to the Superman franchise in two episodes of the television program Smallville, as Dr. Bridgette Crosby, an emissary of Dr. Swann (played by her Superman co-star, Christopher Reeve).

Other film and television roles

Her turn as Kathy Lutz in the 1979 summer release of The Amityville Horror further cemented her status as one of Hollywood's leading ladies. In 1979, she hosted an episode of the American sketch comedy TV show Saturday Night Live.[11]

Other high profile parts included Paul Mazursky's Willie & Phil, Some Kind of Hero and The Reincarnation of Peter Proud. Her performance in 1981's Heartaches generated critical acclaim and Oscar buzz. As court stenographer-cum-private eye Mickey Raymond, the PG rating that 1983's Trenchcoat received led Disney to launch Touchstone Pictures. She appeared opposite James Garner in controversial Hollywood crime drama The Glitter Dome (1984). In 1985, she toplined Little Treasure for Columbia Tri-Star with co-stars Ted Danson and Burt Lancaster, where she played a distraught stripper looking for her bank robber-father's buried fortune.

Additionally, she has made uncredited cameo appearances in Maverick (1994) and Delirious (1991).

A 1982 stage performance of Bus Stop starring Kidder as Cherie and Tim Matheson as Bo, was broadcast on HBO. In 1983, she produced and starred as Eliza Doolittle in a version of Pygmalion with Peter O'Toole for Showtime.[12] She produced and starred in the period miniseries Louisiana . Body of Evidence (1988), a CBS Movie of the Week, cast Margot as nurse who is suspicious that her medical pathologist second husband is a serial killer.

In 2000, Kidder played Eileen Canboro in Apocalypse III: Tribulation, a Christian film dealing with Christian eschatology and the Rapture. Kidder stated afterwards that she did not realize until she was on the set that the movie was serious.[13] In 2001, she played a guest role as the abusive mother of a serial killer in "Pique", an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2002, she appeared alongside Crispin Glover and Vanessa Redgrave in the film adaptation, Crime and Punishment.

Kidder appeared on Broadway in The Vagina Monologues in December 2002,[14] and toured with the show for two years. After this, she made an appearance on Robson Arms, a Canadian sitcom set in an apartment block in Vancouver's west end. She played a quirky neighbor of the main cast members. She also had a cameo in Rich Hall's Election Special on BBC Four. In 2006, Kidder played a guest role as Jenny Schecter's mother Sandy Ziskin on The L Word. In 2007, Kidder began appearing on the television series Brothers and Sisters, playing Emily Craft.

She played Sally Cima, the mother of protagonist Greg Cima, a high school football player, in the film Windrunner: A Spirited Journey, which aired on the Disney Channel. She took a prominent role as an embattled guidance counselor in the 2008 gay-themed mystery film On the Other Hand, Death, as well as a supporting role as Barbara Collier, Laurie Strode's therapist, in Rob Zombie's Halloween II (2009).

Other appearances

In 1994, Kidder played the bartender at the Broken Skull Tavern in Under a Killing Moon, an IBM PC adventure game.

Personal life

In the past, Kidder dated former Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau, director Brian De Palma, and actor/comedian Richard Pryor.[15] She has been married and divorced three times: American novelist Thomas McGuane, with whom she had her only child, daughter Maggie (born October 28, 1976); actor John Heard, and French film director Philippe de Broca. None of the marriages lasted longer than a year. Since her divorce from De Broca, she has said that she prefers the companionship of her dogs. She has two grandchildren, Maisie and Charlie Kirn, from her daughter's marriage to the novelist Walter Kirn.

Kidder actively supported Jesse Jackson's bid for the Democratic nomination in 1984.

In the early 1990s, during the first Gulf War, Kidder was branded a "Baghdad Betty" and subjected to abuse for her remarks questioning the war.[16] In a piece called Confessions of 'Baghdad Betty' , styled as a letter to her mother and printed in The Nation, Kidder responded by explaining and defending her statements.[17]

Kidder was involved in a car crash in December, 1990, after which she was unable to work for two years, causing her financial problems.[18]

Kidder has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which led to a widely publicized manic episode in April, 1996. She disappeared for four days, having become a street person. She was found in a back yard by a homeowner and was taken by Los Angeles police to Olive View Medical Center in a distressed state, the caps on her teeth having fallen out. She was later placed in psychiatric care.[19] In 2007, Kidder said that she had not had a manic episode in 11 years.

As of November, 2009, Kidder was the Montana State Coordinator for Progressive Democrats of America. The organization's website carried her article "Ax Max", in which she criticized Max Baucus, Montana's Democratic senator.[20]

On August 23, 2011, Kidder, Tantoo Cardinal, and dozens of others were arrested while protesting against the proposed extension of the Keystone Pipeline.[21]

Citizenship

Kidder became a United States citizen on August 17, 2005, in Butte, Montana; she lives in Livingston, Montana.[6][22] She said the reason for her decision to become an American citizen is to participate in the voting process, to continue her protests against US intervention in Iraq, and at the same time to be free of worries about being deported.[23]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1968 The Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kaladar Rosie Prometer
Wojeck TV series (1 episode)
1969 Adventures in Rainbow Country Dr. Janet Rhodes / Sportscar Driver TV series (2 episodes)
McQueen Jenny TV series
Corwin Denny TV series
Gaily, Gaily Adeline
1970 The Mod Squad Claire Allen TV series (1 episode)
Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx Zazel
1971 Suddenly Single Jackie TV movie
1971-1972 Nichols Ruth / Ruth the Barmaid TV series (5 episodes)
1972 The Bounty Man Mae TV movie
Banacek Linda Carsini TV series (1 episode)
1973 Harry O Helen TV series (1 episode)
Sisters Danielle Breton / Dominique Blanchion
Barnaby Jones Lori Wright TV series (1 episode)
1974 The Suicide Club TV movie
Honky Tonk Lucy Cotton TV movie
A Quiet Day in Belfast Brigit Slattery/Thelma Slattery Canadian Film Award Winners for Best Actress
The Gravy Train Margue
Black Christmas Barb Canadian Film Award Winners for Best Actress
1975 The Great Waldo Pepper Maude
Baretta Terry Lake TV series (1 episode)
The Reincarnation of Peter Proud Marcia Curtis
Wide World Mystery Gerry TV series (1 episode)
92 in the Shade Miranda
1976 Switch Andrea Morris TV series (1 episode)
1978 Shoot the Sun Down The Woman from England
Superman Lois Lane Saturn Award for Best Actress
1979 The Amityville Horror Kathy Lutz Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Actress
1980 Willie & Phil Jeannette Sutherland
Superman II Lois Lane Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Actress
1981 Heartaches Rita Harris Genie Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
1982 Miss Right Juliette
Some Kind of Hero Toni Donovan
Bus Stop Cherie TV movie
1983 Pygmalion Eliza Doolittle TV movie
Trenchcoat Mickey Raymond
Superman III Lois Lane
1984 Louisiana Virginia Tregan TV movie
1985 Little Treasure Margo
The Hitchhiker Jane Reynolds TV series (1 episode)
Picking Up the Pieces Lynette Harding TV movie
1986 GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords Solitaire (voice)
Vanishing Act Chris Kenyon TV movie
Keeping Track Mickey Tremaine
1987 Shell Game Dinah / Jennie Jerome TV series (5 episodes)
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace Lois Lane
1988 Body of Evidence Carol Dwyer TV movie
1989 Mob Story Dolores
1990 White Room Madelaine X
1991 Delirious Woman in Washroom Uncredited
1992 Aaron Sent Me Kaitlynn Prescott
To Catch a Killer Rachel Grayson TV movie
Tales from the Crypt Cynthia TV series (1 episode)
1992-1993 Street Legal Charlotte Percy TV series (2 episodes)
1993 La Florida Vivy Lamori
Murder, She Wrote Dr. Ellen Holden TV series (1 episode "Threshold of Fear")
1994 One Woman's Courage Stella Jenson
Maverick Margret Mary Uncredited
Beanstalk Doctor Kate 'Doc' Winston
1995 Windrunner Sally 'Mom' Cima
Burke's Law Joy Adams TV series (1 episode)
Bloodknot Evelyn TV movie
1993-1995 Captain Planet and the Planeteers Gaia (voice) TV series (5 episodes)
1996-1997 Boston Common Cookie de Varen TV series (5 episodes)
1996 Phantom 2040 Rebecca Madison TV series (1 episode)
Never Met Picasso Genna Magnus
1997 Shadow Zone: My Teacher Ate My Homework Sol
Silent Cradle Cindy Wilson
Henry & Verlin Mabel
The Planet of Junior Brown Miss Peebs
The Hunger Mrs. Sloan
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters Mistress Helga (voice) TV series (2 episodes)
1998 Touched by an Angel Rita TV series (1 episode)
The Teddy Bears' Scare Mrs. Jones (voice) TV movie
1999 The Hi-Line Laura Johnson
Nightmare Man Lillian Hannibal
The Clown at Midnight Ellen Gibby
The Annihilation of Fish Mrs. Muldroone
2000 Apocalypse III: Tribulation Eileen Canboro
Someone is Watching Sally Beckert TV Movie
2001 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Grace Mayberry TV series (1 episode)
Mentors Queen Elizabeth I TV series (1 episode)
Earth: Final Conflict Dr. Josephine Mataros TV series (1 episode)
2002 Angel Blade Frida
Crime and Punishment Katerina Marmelodov
2004 Chicks with Sticks Edith Taymore
Death 4 Told Madam Badeau Scream Awards for Best Actress
Smallville Bridgette Crosby TV series (2 episodes)
2005 The Last Sign Endora TV series (2 episodes)
2006 Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut Lois Lane
The L Word Sandy Ziskin TV series (1 episode)
2007 Brothers & Sisters Emily Craft TV series (2 episodes)
2008 Universal Signs Rose Callahan
Love at First Kill Beth
On the Other Hand, Death Dorothy
A Single Woman Storyteller
2009 Something Evil Comes Claudia Brecher
Halloween II Barbara Collier
2011 Redemption: For Robbing the Dead Marlys Baptiste
Three of a Kind Claire
2012 HENRi Dr. Calvin Short film
2013 Matt's Chance Mother Mable
Real Gangsters Stella Kelly
2014 Pride of Lions Jean Dempsey
R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour Mrs. Worthington Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming[24]
TV series (1 episode)
The Big Fat Stone Madge

References

  1. ↑ "Margot Kidder arrested at White House oil protest". CBC News. 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  2. ↑ "Who Do You Think You Are? | Stories | Margot Kidder". CBC. 1919-01-07. Retrieved 2010-06-17.
  3. ↑ "Superman2 Media". Superman Cinema. 1981-08-24. Retrieved 2010-06-17.
  4. ↑ Published in the Vancouver Sun and/or The Province, 7 June 2008
  5. ↑ http://articles.latimes.com/1997/nov/19/entertainment/ca-55221
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Margot Kidder Biography (1948-)". Film Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  7. ↑ Hobson, John Allan; Leonard, Jonathan A. (2001). Out of Its Mind: Psychiatry in Crisis. Basic Books. p. 161. ISBN 0-7382-0251-7.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Roberts, Chris (2005-04-08). "No kidding". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  9. ↑ "Old Girl Margot Kidder 1966 Returns to Havergal". Havergal College. 2010-08-13. Retrieved 2015-01-31.
  10. ↑ "The American Sportsman Goes Hunting and Gliding". The Dispatch. 7 March 1975.
  11. ↑ Season 4, Episode 15
  12. ↑ Harmer, Ian (July 14, 1983). "Margot Kidder Leaves Superman for Shaw". Mount Airy News.
  13. ↑ Spencer, Scott (September 10, 2001). "Lights! Camera! Rapture!". The New Yorker. p. 108.
  14. ↑ Ehren, Christine (December 3, 2002). "Goodman, Kidder Join Mazzie in NYC's Vagina Monologues Dec. 3-22". Playbill.
  15. ↑ Rabin, Nathan (March 3, 2009). "Random Roles: Margot Kidder (interview)". The A.V. Club.
  16. ↑ Applebome, Peter (March 4, 1991). "National Mood; War Heals Wounds at Home, but Not All". The New York Times. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  17. ↑ Kidder, Margot (March 4, 1991). "Confessions of ‘Baghdad Betty’" (PDF). The Nation. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Curse? It's the luck of Superman". The Telegraph (9 December 2002). Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  19. ↑ Reed, J.D. (September 23, 1996). "Starting Over". People. Retrieved 2010-06-17.
  20. ↑ Kidder, Margot (November 26, 2009). "Ax Max". Progressive Democrats of America. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  21. ↑ "Margot Kidder arrested at White House oil protest". CBC News. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  22. ↑ Wilkinson, Todd. "To Find Russell Chatham, Look Homeward". Wildlife Art Journal. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
  23. ↑ Kelling, Thad (August 18, 2005). "Superman actress among 19 who gain U.S. citizenship in Butte". The Montana Standard. Retrieved June 21, 2006.
  24. ↑ The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announces winners of the 42nd Annual Daytime Creative Arts Emmy® Awards

External links

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