Kathleen Freeman

Kathleen Freeman's introduction to show business came very early in life. Her parents were vaudevillians, and she made her debut at age 2 in their act. Later she attended UCLA with intentions of becoming a pianist, but was bitten by the acting bug and never looked back. She gained experience on stage in various stock and repertory companies, and made her film debut in 1948. One of the most memorable character actresses in recent memory, her stocky build, incredibly expressive face and hearty laugh have kept audiences convulsed for decades, playing a variety of neighborhood gossips, busybodies and eccentrics.

In the 1950s, at The Music Circus (a theater-in-the-round in Sacramento, Calif.) a prop chair collapsed under her weight while she was singing, the musicians stopped playing, and in a dead silence she got up to her knees, spread her arms and sang, "That's why I love the theater".

Was in two Oscar Best Picture winners Greatest Show On Earth (1952) and The Sting (1973), and one other nominee: A Place in the Sun (1951).

She did much television work, playing in everything from The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) to Gomer Pyle: USMC (1964) to Hogan's Heroes (1965) to Married. . .

Was considered for the role of Alice Nelson in The Brady Bunch (1969).

Memorable as Sister Mary Stigmata ("The Penguin"), Dan Aykroyd's and John Belushi's nemesis, in The Blues Brothers (1980). She was used as a comic foil by Jerry Lewis in many of his films, always to great advantage.

with Children (1987), where she was the voice of Peg's monstrous but never-seen mother, Al Bundy's nemesis.

Gave her final Tony nomination performance for her role as the piano player in Broadway's musical hit "The Full Monty," on August 18th - she passed away five days later. [August 2001]