Corinne Conley

Last updated

Corinne Conley
Born
Corinne Alexandra Conley

(1929-05-23) May 23, 1929 (age 94)
Le Roy, New York, U.S.
Alma mater University of Mary Washington
OccupationActress
Years active1953–present
Spouse
Bonar Stuart
​
​
(m. 1950;died 2015)​
Children2

Corinne Alexandra Conley (born May 23, 1929) [1] is an American actress who spent the majority of her career in Canada, notable for having won the Canadian Council of Authors and Artists' Best Actress Award. [2] Conley is known for her voiceover work in various films and television productions and is better recognized for voicing Rudolph's mother and presumably Dolly for Sue in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964).

Contents

Conley's acting career has spanned seventy years, receiving several nominations for her work. She has also made prominent and notable appearances in Tales of the Wizard of Oz as Dorothy Gale (1961), Days of Our Lives as Phyllis Anderson (1973-1982), the Goosebumps episode "Monster Blood" as Aunt Katherine (1996), Quads! as Sister Butch (2001-2002), A Christmas Horror Story as Aunt Edda (2015), and voicing multiple characters in the Watch Dogs: Legion video game (2020).

Acting career

For two years, she played the ingenue lead in The Common Glory , an outdoor drama in Williamsburg, Virginia. [3]

For four years, [4] Conley portrayed Phyllis Anderson on the NBC-TV daytime drama Days of Our Lives . [2] She also provided the voice of Dolly Sue and Rudolph’s mother in the 1964 animated NBC-TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer . [5]

Conley was a winner of the Canadian radio talent competition Opportunity Knocks . [5] Beginning in 1955, she was hostess of Open House, a daily program on CBC Television. [6] She played the female lead in CBC-TV's adaptation of the soap opera Search for Tomorrow . [7] Other Canadian TV programs on which she appeared included Playdate, [8] G. M. Presents, [9] and Portrait. [10] She also was heard on Crime Quiz on CBC Radio, and she made commercials for radio and TV. [11]

On Broadway, Conley portrayed Pearl Vambrance in Love and Libel (1960). [12] Her other stage experience includes productions of the National Classic Theatre (NCT) in New York, [3] which presented plays across the United States in colleges and high schools, [5] and The Mountain Playhouse, Beaver Lake, and Vineland Summer Theatre, all in Canada. [13] She also performed with the comedy duo Wayne and Shuster across Canada. [14]

In an interview with Saturday Morning Rewind in 2013, Conley admitted to having no memory of voicing Dolly for Sue during the production of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), but remembers voicing Rudolph's mother. [15] [16] She told the interviewer that the possibility of voicing Dolly is likely, but has no memory of it. According to several movie databases and websites, Corinne Conley is credited as Dolly for Sue and additional voices. [16]

In 2018, Conley defended the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer TV film against claims of bigotry and bullying. [17]

Personal life

Conley was born in New York and spent most of her youth in Radford, Virginia. After graduating from high school in Radford, she graduated from the University of Mary Washington in Virginia. [5]

Conley married Bonar Stuart, whom she met when both worked with the NCT. [5] They have two sons, Tony and Curtis. [18]

Filmography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer</span> Fictional reindeer created by Robert L. May

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a fictional reindeer created by Robert L. May. Rudolph is usually depicted as the ninth and youngest of Santa Claus's reindeer, using his luminous red nose to lead the reindeer team and guide Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. Though he initially receives ridicule for his nose as a fawn, the brightness of his nose is so powerful that it illuminates the team's path through harsh winter weather. Ronald D. Lankford, Jr., described Rudolph's story as "the fantasy story made to order for American children: each child has the need to express and receive approval for his or her individuality and/or special qualities. Rudolph's story embodies the American Dream for the child, written large because of the cultural significance of Christmas."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Marks</span> American songwriter (1909–1985)

John David Marks was an American songwriter. He specialized in Christmas songs and wrote many holiday standards, including "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", "A Holly Jolly Christmas", "Silver and Gold", and "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment</span> Former production company known mainly for animated holiday specials

Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment was an American production company located in New York City, and known for its seasonal television specials, usually done in stop motion animation. Rankin/Bass' stop-motion productions are recognizable by their visual style of doll-like characters with spheroid body parts and ubiquitous powdery snow using an animation technique called Animagic.

"Frosty the Snowman" is a popular Christmas song written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson, and first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950 and later recorded by Jimmy Durante in that year. It was written after the success of Autry's recording of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" the previous year. Rollins and Nelson shopped the new song to Autry, who recorded "Frosty" in search of another seasonal hit. Like "Rudolph", "Frosty" was subsequently adapted to other media including a popular television special.

<i>Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer</i> (TV special) 1964 television film

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a 1964 stop motion Christmas animated television special produced by Videocraft International, Ltd. and currently distributed by NBCUniversal Television Distribution. It first aired December 6, 1964, on the NBC television network in the United States and was sponsored by General Electric under the umbrella title of The General Electric Fantasy Hour. The special was based on the 1949 Johnny Marks song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" which was itself based on the poem of the same name written in 1939 by Marks's brother-in-law, Robert L. May. Since 1972, the special has aired on CBS. The network unveiled a high-definition, digitally remastered version of the program in 2005, re-scanned frame-by-frame from the original 35 mm film elements.

<i>Rudolphs Shiny New Year</i> American-Japanese 1976 animated TV special

Rudolph's Shiny New Year is a 1976 American Christmas and New Year's stop motion animated television special and a standalone sequel to the 1964 special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer produced by Rankin/Bass Productions. The special premiered on ABC on December 10, 1976.

"Run Rudolph Run" is a Christmas song written by Chuck Berry but credited to Johnny Marks and M. Brodie due to Marks' trademark on the character of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It was published by St. Nicholas Music (ASCAP) and was first recorded by Berry in 1958, released as a single on Chess Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billie Mae Richards</span> Canadian voice actress

Billie Mae Richards was a Canadian actress, voice actress and singer who also appeared onstage and on television. She was the voice of Rankin/Bass' version of the Christmas character Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer from 1964 to 1979, and of the Kid in the radio series Jake and the Kid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry D. Mann</span> Canadian actor (1922–2014)

Larry D. Mann was a Canadian actor. He was best known as "The Boss" in a series of Bell Canada television commercials in the 1980s and for voicing the character of Yukon Cornelius in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Claus's reindeer</span> Legendary sleigh-pulling flying reindeer

In traditional festive legend and popular culture, Santa Claus's reindeer are said to pull a sleigh through the night sky to help Santa Claus deliver gifts to children on Christmas Eve.

<i>Santa Claus Is Comin to Town</i> (TV special) 1970 television special

Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town is a 1970 stop motion Christmas television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions in New York, New York. The film is narrated by Fred Astaire and stars the voices of Mickey Rooney, Keenan Wynn, Robie Lester, Joan Gardner and Paul Frees, as well as an assistant song performance by the Westminster Children's Choir. The film tells the story of how Santa Claus and several Claus-related Christmas traditions came to be. It is based on the hit Christmas song, "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town", which was written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie for Leo Feist, Inc. and introduced on radio by Eddie Cantor in 1934; and the story of Saint Nicholas.

<i>Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys</i> 2001 animated film

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys is a 2001 direct-to-video computer-animated Christmas adventure musical film directed by Bill Kowalchuk for GoodTimes Entertainment. It was released on VHS and DVD on October 30, 2001. The film takes place after the events of the original special. The film thus revisits classic characters like Yukon Cornelius, Hermey the elf, Abominable Snow Monster, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, who is now famous in the North Pole.

<i>Frosty the Snowman</i> (TV special) 1969 film directed by Jules Bass

Frosty the Snowman is a 1969 American animated Christmas television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions. It is the first television special featuring the character Frosty the Snowman. The special first aired on December 7, 1969, on the CBS television network in the United States, airing immediately after the fifth showing of A Charlie Brown Christmas; both scored high ratings. The special has aired annually for the network's Christmas and holiday season every year since.

<i>Rudolph and Frostys Christmas in July</i> 1979 American-Japanese feature film/television special

Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July is an American-Japanese Christmas/Independence Day film produced by Rankin/Bass Productions, featuring characters from the company's holiday specials Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) and Frosty the Snowman (1969), among others. It was filmed in Japan using the company's trademark "Animagic" stop-motion animation style. The film was originally a theatrical film released through Avco Embassy Pictures where it ran for only 2-3 weeks and was considered a box office flop. Later that year, the film premiered on television in the US on November 25, 1979, on ABC where it received better status.

<i>Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer</i> (film) 2000 film by Phil Roman

Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer is a 2000 animated Christmas television special directed by Phil Roman. The special was first released on home video in October, and then aired on The WB network on December 21, 2000. The title and story are based on the 1979 novelty song of the same name.

Robert L. May was an American retailer. He was best known for creating the fictional character Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

<i>Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie</i> 1998 animated film by William R. Kowalchuk

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie is a 1998 American Christmas animated adventure musical film about the character of the same name, who first appeared in a 1939 story by Robert L. May. The film was the first theatrical feature from GoodTimes Entertainment, long known as a home video company. It stars Kathleen Barr as the voice of the titular Rudolph, and also features celebrity talents including John Goodman, Eric Idle, Whoopi Goldberg, Debbie Reynolds, Richard Simmons and Bob Newhart. The film disappointed at the box-office, recouping only $113,484 of its $10 million budget from its theatrical release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (song)</span> 1949 Christmas song by Johnny Marks

"Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" is a song by songwriter Johnny Marks based on the 1939 story Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer published by the Montgomery Ward Company. Gene Autry's recording hit No. 1 on the U.S. charts the week of Christmas 1949.

<i>Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer</i> (soundtrack) 1964 soundtrack album by cast

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a soundtrack album to the 1964 Rankin/Bass television special of the same name. The original cast recordings from the TV special are supplemented with instrumental versions recorded by the Decca Concert Orchestra on the Compact Disc version. All songs used in the television special were written by Johnny Marks.

Alfred Scopp was a Canadian actor who worked mostly in television series, including as a voice actor. He also worked in theatre, radio, and films. He was part of the voice cast for the 1964 Christmas special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Scopp was the longest-lived and one of the last surviving cast members of the special.

References

  1. ↑ King, Bob; Wagner, Laura; Cross, Lon (January 2019). "Senior Film & TV Celebrities". Classic Images (523): 27.
  2. 1 2 "Corinne Conley joins cast". The Courier-News. New Jersey, Bridgewater. April 30, 1973. p. 16. Retrieved January 30, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 "Famous Comedy By Van Druten Opening at Playhouse Monday". The Gazette. Canada, Montreal. July 28, 1951. p. 20. Retrieved January 30, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "ABC expanding 'General Hospital'". Public Opinion. Pennsylvania, Chambersburg. December 3, 1977. p. 30. Retrieved February 2, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Davis, Kristin (July 26, 2012). "Nights With Mrs. Bushnell Led to "Days of Our Lives"". University of Mary Washington Magazine. Archived from the original on January 30, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  6. ↑ "The Hostess with the Mostes'". The Ottawa Citizen. Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. November 26, 1955. p. 10. Retrieved January 30, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Gonsalves, Jim (January 26, 1957). "Esse Ljungh Offers Defence Time-Honored Soap Operas". The Ottawa Citizen. Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. p. 26. Retrieved February 2, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Guy with gimmick is winner". The Province. Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver. September 29, 1962. p. 14. Retrieved February 2, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Horton, Conley Star In Comedy Sunday". The Gazette. Canada, Montreal. June 3, 1961. p. 24. Retrieved January 30, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "(photo caption)". The Vancouver Sun. Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver. August 6, 1965. p. 64. Retrieved January 30, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Corinne Conley". Calgary Herald. Canada, Alberta, Calgary. January 21, 1967. p. 55. Retrieved February 2, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Corinne Conley". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on January 30, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Comedy by F. Hugh Herbert Opening on Monday". The Gazette. Canada, Montreal. July 23, 1955. p. 22. Retrieved January 30, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "'Days Of Our Lives' Has Talent Of Musical". The Times and Democrat. South Carolina, Orangeburg. November 17, 1974. p. 27. Retrieved February 2, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Corinne Conley podcast interview". Saturday Morning Rewind. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  16. 1 2 20: Corinne Conley interview (Rankin Bass Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer Christmas Special), December 16, 2013, retrieved December 20, 2021
  17. ↑ "'Rudolph' Actor Defends Christmas Classic Against Claims of Bullying and Bigotry". TMZ. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  18. ↑ Hassard, Kathy (June 11, 1959). "Helpful Husband Major Asset in Stage Career". The Vancouver Sun. Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver. p. 53. Retrieved February 2, 2019– via Newspapers.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.