Alice Playten
| Alice Playten | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
Alice Plotkin August 28, 1947 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died |
June 25, 2011 (aged 63) Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1959–2011 |
Alice Playten (August 28, 1947 – June 25, 2011) was an American actress and singer.
Life and career
Born Alice Plotkin in New York City, Playten began her career in the Broadway musical Gypsy (1959). Her other Broadway credits included Oliver!, Henry, Sweet Henry, Hello, Dolly!, Rumors, Seussical, and Caroline, or Change.
Her many off-Broadway credits include Promenade, The Last Sweet Days of Isaac, Up from Paradise, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You, Spoils of War, Four Short Operas, First Lady Suite, A Flea in Her Ear, National Lampoon's Lemmings and Shlemiel the First.[1]
Playten's screen credits include Ladybug Ladybug (1963), Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name? (1971), California Dreaming (1979), Legend (1985), and I.Q. (1994). She wore heavy makeup and prosthetics in Legend to portray the character of 'Blix', a major minion of the Lord of Darkness; she also dubbed the voice of Gump. She did voice work in several animated features, including Felix the Cat, Really Rosie, Heavy Metal, Doug, Doug's 1st Movie and My Little Pony: The Movie.
She was a regular on the children's television series The Lost Saucer and That's Cat, appeared in National Lampoon's Disco Beaver from Outer Space during the early days of HBO, and had guest shots on Frasier, Law & Order, Third Watch, and As the World Turns, among others.
She performed a romantic dialog with Rupert Holmes in his song "Our National Pastime" on his 1974 debut album Widescreen.
Playten may have been best known for her role of the newlywed who makes a gigantic dumpling as the first meal she cooks for her husband (Terry Kiser) in two classic 1969-1970 Alka-Seltzer commercials.[1]
Death
Playten died on June 25, 2011 at Sloan-Kettering Hospital in Manhattan from heart failure after a lifetime of juvenile diabetes, complicated by pancreatic cancer. She was 63 years old.[1]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Ladybug Ladybug | Harriet | |
| 1971 | Who Killed Mary Whats'ername? | Della Isador | |
| 1978 | Petronella | Princess / Queen (voice) | |
| 1979 | California Dreaming | Corrine | |
| 1981 | Heavy Metal | Gloria (voice) | Segment: "So Beautiful and So Dangerous" |
| 1985 | Legend | Blix | |
| 1986 | My Little Pony: The Movie | Baby Lickety-Split (voice) | |
| 1987 | Big Bang, TheThe Big Bang | Una (voice) | |
| 1988 | Felix the Cat: The Movie | Pearl / Poindexter (voice) | |
| 1993 | For Love or Money | Mrs. Prissilla Bailey | |
| 1994 | I.Q. | Gretchen | |
| 1996 | MURDER and murder | Alice | |
| 1997 | Amazing Feats of Young Hercules, TheThe Amazing Feats of Young Hercules | The Gorgon (voice) | Video |
| 1999 | Doug's 1st Movie | Beebe Bluff / Elmo (voice) | |
| 1999 | Pioneer 12 | Mother | |
| 2003 | Very Wompkee Christmas, AA Very Wompkee Christmas | Buster (voice) | Video |
| 2007 | Oy Vey! | Hannah | Short |
| 2009 | Rebound, TheThe Rebound | Sensei Dana |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Lost Saucer, TheThe Lost Saucer | Alice | Main role |
| 1975 | Really Rosie | Nutshell Kid (voice) | TV film |
| 1976 | That's Cat | Alice | Main role |
| 1980 | Pirates of Penzance, TheThe Pirates of Penzance | Edith Stanley | TV film |
| 1984 | Rescue at Midnight Castle | Baby Lickety-Split (voice) | TV film |
| 1985 | My Little Pony: Escape from Catrina | Baby Moondancer (voice) | TV film |
| 1991 | Monsters | Violet Mitla | "The Moving Finger" |
| 1991-94 | Doug | Beebe Bluff (voice) | Recurring role |
| 1992 | Ghostwriter | Parrot (voice) | "Ghost Story: Parts 3 & 5" |
| 1994 | Cosby Mysteries, TheThe Cosby Mysteries | Oona Dowd | TV film |
| 1997 | Remember WENN | Jane Smith (voice) | "Caller I.D." |
| 1998 | New York Undercover | Homeless Woman | "Spare Parts" |
| 1999 | Frasier | Bonnie | "Our Parents, Ourselves", "Shutout in Seattle: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 2001 | Third Watch | Sandy | "The Self-Importance of Being Carlos" |
| 2001 | Law & Order | Dog Walker | "Who Let the Dogs Out?" |
| 2001 | Education of Max Bickford, TheThe Education of Max Bickford | Mrs. Lynch | "A Very Great Man" |
| 2005 | As the World Turns | Mrs. Lovejoy | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Book of Daniel, TheThe Book of Daniel | Francesca | "Acceptance", "Assignation" |
Awards and honors
- 1968 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Henry, Sweet Henry)
- 1968 Theatre World Award (Henry, Sweet Henry)
- 1973 Obie Award for Distinguished Performance (National Lampoon's Lemmings)[2]
- 1989 Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play (Spoils of War)
- 1994 Obie Award (First Lady Suite)
References
Notes
- 1 2 3 Holden, Stephen. "Alice Playten, an Actress of Small Frame, Big Voice, Dies at 63" New York Times (June 26, 2011)
- ↑ 1972–1973 Obie Awards, accessed November 27, 2009
External links
- 490501 Alice Playten at the Internet Broadway Database
- Playten at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Alice Playten on IMDb
- Alice Playten at the TCM Movie Database
- Alice Playten Passes Away at 63
- Alice Playten at Find a Grave