Anne Bancroft

[Cyrano]

Anytime anyone mentions "A Streetcar Named Desire," or "The Godfather," you think Marlon Brando.

Anytime anyone mentions "The Miracle Worker," or "The Graduate," you think Anne Bancroft.

Very few actors become synonymous with roles they've played. Although "Streetcar" and "Miracle Worker" have been done by others, it was a waste of time. Stanley Kawolski and Vito Corleone will always be Marlon Brando. Annie Sullivan and Mrs. Robinson will always be Anne Bancroft.

Only a handful of actors have "owned" the roles they've played. Bogart and Bergman in "Casablanca," and Orson Welles in "Citizen Kane," to name a few. But how many can lay claim to "owning" two roles?

Anne Bancroft played Annie Sullivan in "The Miracle Worker"
on Broadway and on film, which won her the Academy Award. I don't think there's anyone that can choke back tears in the scene in which she finally breaks through to the blind, deaf Helen Keller (Patty Duke) in "The Miracle Worker."

Any actor on the face of the earth would have sold their soul for that role. And none of them would have expected to ever get another one like that in their lifetime.

But a couple of years later, along came Mike Nichols and an unknown named Dustin Hoffman. Paul Simon was asked to write a couple of songs for the "The Graduate," and he ended up immortalizing Joe DiMaggio and Mrs. Robinson.

A few years back, Anne Bancroft said that all she'd be remembered as was Mrs. Robinson. But there are many of us who will remember images of her throwing her head back in laughter sitting next to her husband, Mel Brooks. And watching her dominate a Broadway stage in "Two For The Seesaw."

All of my condolences, Mr. Brooks. And here's to you Mrs. Brooks.

[demnan]

1. Paul Simon wrote the songs for the Graduate

as he did everything else Simon and Garfunkel sang. About the rest of what you say here, I don't know.

[Cyrano]

4. You're right. My bad. Thanks for waking me up.

Regarding the rest of your post, I get the impression that you've never seen "The Miracle Worker," "The Turning Point," or some of her other films. If not, go rent them. You won't be disappointed.

[charlyvi]

5. I especially liked "The Slender Thread"

with Sidney Poitier. She was suicidal and he was a hotline worker. Great movie.

[tnlefty]

2. No, say it ain't so. I missed this. I like Anne Bancroft and Mel

Brooks. I remember that my spouse couldn't believe that they were married when I had to convince him of it a few years ago.

My condolences to Mr. Brooks, also.

[lumberingbear]

3. My favorite movie was "The turning Point"...

with Shirley McClain.

Bye Bye Miss Bancroft and Thanks!

[bertha katzenengel]

6. There goes another light. Out. Phzzzt.

:cry:

[Cyrano]

7. Hmmmm. Generation Gap.

The number of responses to this thread has given me an indication of the age gap(s) that exist among us on DU.

While I'm sure that everyone knows who Marlin Brando was, my guess is that many of you never heard of Anne Bancroft. As far as I know, her last movie was "G.I. Jane." She played the bitch senator who was trying to screw over Demi Moore.

If you're too young to have seen "The Miracle Worker" or "The Graduate," see if you can rent them. They're well worth watching.

I've often gone out of my way to find movies that were made before I was born and I'm constantly amazed at the fact that those who came before me weren't as clueless as I thought they were when I was 17.

Then again, maybe I'm not as with it as I currently think I am. And perhaps you aren't either. In any case, give it some thought.

[yellowdogintexas]

13. she played Ben Stiller's mom in "Keeping The Faith"...and of

course she was wonderful.

I LOVED her in the remake of "To Be or Not To Be" with Mel. They were just fantastic.

Such a great lady, she will be missed.

[Floogeldy]

8. She was hot!

A long time ago.

B-)

[Cyrano]

9. So was Bridget Bardot. What's your point?

[Floogeldy]

10. My point is . . .

. . . that if I was around a long time ago, and if I were old enough, I would have tried to fuck her.

Why do you ask?

B-)

[Cyrano]

11. Never mind.

[Floogeldy]

22. Never mind.

[Skittles]

17. she was only 36 when she played Mrs. Robinson!

and Dustin Hoffman was 30!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[booksenkatz]

12. Still cannot stop crying. God, that was beautiful, Cyrano!

I loved every particle of film she ever put out there, but right now at this moment in time, I'd have to go with "The Pumpkin Eater." Good God. What a woman.

That was a beautiful tribute, Cyrano.

[FreedomFry]

14. "The Miracle Worker" is an unsung masterpiece...

...largely because of Ms. Bancroft's tour-de-force portrayal as Annie Sullivan. She and Patty Duke played that dining room scene night after night after night on Broadway. And as you say, Cyrano, I can never get past the scene at the pump without a box of Kleenex. Nor would I want to.

I'm sorry she and Mel didn't get to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, which would have been next year.

[Floogeldy]

16. Not unsung!

Ms. Bancroft received an Academy Award for her performance.

B-)

[FreedomFry]

21. Yes, I know, but ...

... it's almost never on TV, and Ms. Bancroft herself often bemoaned the fact that she'll be remembered more for Mrs. Robinson than for Annie Sullivan.

I probably shouldn't have used the word "unsung." Maybe "undersung?"

[Beausoir]

15. 84 Charing Cross Road.

I adored her in that.

She was boozy and abrasive and incredibly literate. Her performance made me want to be a better-read person.

Bless her soul. She was a true talent.

[maveric]

18. Here's her Bio and Filmography. She was in some great ones.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000843/
And I just discovered that she was anextra in Blazing Saddles as a church congregation member.

[Lannes]

19. Other good ones..

The Prisoner of Second Avenue,Point of No Return.She was a very versatile actress and will be missed.Rest in peace.

[Flying Dream Blues]

20. I loved all her movies, but I swear

my favorite is the underrated "Home for the Holidays." She is absolutely PRICELESS as the neurotic mom. That movie captures the dysfunctional family Chpristmas, the way we've all probably experienced it to some degree, so perfectly. And she was absolutely understated comedic genius.

I was very sad to hear of her death. My heart goes out to her family.

[SnohoDem]

23. So sad.

What a great lady and a great actress. I remember Annie Sullivan at least as well as I do Mrs. Robinson. There's a tremendous LONG scene where she and Patty Duke fight in the dining room. No words are spoken. Everything is conveyed through physical action.