Virginia Dwyer

Last updated

Virginia Dwyer
Virginia Dwyer 1941.jpg
Dwyer in 1941
Born
Virginia Dwyer Gorman

(1919-12-19)December 19, 1919
DiedAugust 20, 2012(2012-08-20) (aged 92)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active19421975
SpouseWalter Gorman

Virginia Dwyer Gorman (December 19, 1919 August 20, 2012) was an American actress known for her roles in several daytime soap operas. From 1954 to 1962, she had roles on at least five daytime programs, including The Road of Life, [1] The Secret Storm , Young Dr. Malone , Guiding Light , and As the World Turns .

Contents

Early life

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, [2] Dwyer first acted on TV in a live drama on WABD in New York City. [3]

Career

She was best known for her role as matriarch Mary Matthews on Another World , a role she played from the series premiere in 1964 until her departure in 1975. Although popular with the audience, she fell into disfavor with headwriter Harding Lemay, reportedly because she refused to learn her dialogue as written. Finally, Lemay had the Mary Matthews character die unexpectedly off-camera, thus eliminating Dwyer from the program. After being a regular performer on daytime television for over 20 years, Dwyer did not work on daytime again (other than appearing in one commercial) after leaving Another World.

On old-time radio, Dwyer played Ellen Smith in Houseboat Hannah [4] :158 and Sally Farrell in Front Page Farrell . [4] On TV, she portrayed Julia Acton in Wonderful John Acton (1953). [1] :1193

Personal life and death

She was at one time married to director/producer Walter Gorman. She died in 2012 in Manhattan aged 92. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucille Wall</span> American actress

Lucille Loretta Wall was an American actress who played the role of Lucille March Weeks on the ABC soap opera General Hospital from 1963 to 1976. When Wall was ill in 1975, the role was played by Mary Grace Canfield, who was a quarter-century younger than Wall. Wall returned to the show for infrequent guest appearances over the years, the last in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jill Corey</span> American popular standards singer (1935–2021)

Jill Corey was an American popular standards singer. She was discovered and signed on one day when she was 17. She went on to have her own radio shows and to star in a feature film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diana Hyland</span> American actress (1936–1977)

Diana Hyland was an American stage, film and television actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hildy Parks</span> American actress (1926–2004)

Hildy Parks was an American actress and writer for television programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elena Verdugo</span> American actress (1925–2017)

Elena Angela Verdugo was an American actress who began in films at the age of five in Cavalier of the West (1931). Her career in radio, television and film spanned six decades.

Ellen Weston is an American actress, producer, and writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snooky Lanson</span> American singer (1914–1990)

Roy Landman, better known as Snooky Lanson, was an American singer known for co-starring on the NBC television series Your Hit Parade.

Doran Clark is an American actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evelyn Scott (actress)</span> American actress

Evelyn Scott was an American film and television actress.

<i>Young Widder Brown</i>

Young Widder Brown was a daytime radio drama series broadcast on NBC from 1938 to 1956. Sponsored by Sterling Drugs and Bayer Aspirin, it daily examined the life of "attractive Ellen Brown, with two fatherless children to support."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naomi Stevens</span> American actress (1925–2018)

Naomi Ruth Stevens was an American character actress of film and television from the 1950s through the 1980s. She appeared in almost 100 roles over the years, usually depicting mothers, landladies, gossips, or neighbors.

Accused is a dramatized court show consisting of filmed reenactments of actual court cases that began on December 3, 1958, and ended on September 30, 1959. The show was cancelled at the end of its first season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernardine Flynn</span> American radio actress and announcer (1904–1977)

Bernardine Flynn was an American radio actress and announcer best known for playing the role of Sade Gook on the long-running comic radio serial Vic and Sade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Whitfield</span> American actress (born 1938)

Anne Whitfield is an American former actress on old-time radio, television, stage, and film. Her first name is sometimes seen spelled Ann.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florence Freeman (actress)</span> American actress

Florence Freeman was an actress in old-time radio. She was known as a "soap opera queen" for her work in daytime serial dramas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Meade</span> American actress (1925–2016)

Julia Meade Kunze was an American film and stage actress who was a frequent pitch person in live commercials in the early days of television in the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teri Keane</span> American actress (1925–2022)

Teri Louisa Keane was an American actress known for her work in the era of old-time radio. She was reported to have "appeared in more than 100 dramatic roles in radio and television." For a twelve-year period, from Oct 1963 to April 4, 1975, she played Martha Spears Marceau, the wife of police chief Bill Marceau on the CBS-TV daytime drama The Edge of Night.

Sybil Trent was an American actress in the era of old-time radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flora Campbell</span> American actress (1911–1978)

Flora Campbell was an American actress on radio, television, and stage.

Betty Ruth Smith was an American actress best known for her work in old-time radio.

References

  1. 1 2 Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 898. ISBN   978-0-7864-6477-7.
  2. Walls, Bette (September 20, 1966). "Let's talk TV". The Reporter-Times. Indiana, Martinsville. p. 5. Retrieved February 10, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  3. Pack, Harvey (May 16, 1969). "Virginia Dwyer Likes Daytime Show". The Star Press. Indiana, Muncie. p. 29. Retrieved February 11, 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 125. ISBN   978-0-7864-4513-4.
  5. "VIRGINIA GORMAN Obituary: View VIRGINIA GORMAN's Obituary by New York Times". Legacy.com. December 19, 1919. Retrieved August 27, 2012.