Glynnis O'Connor

Glynnis O'Connor
Born (1955-11-19) November 19, 1955 (age 69)
Years active1973–present
Spouse
Douglas Stern
(m. 1985)
Children2

Glynnis O'Connor (born November 19, 1955)[1] is an American actress. She made her big screen debut starring in the 1973 romantic drama film, Jeremy. She later starred in the short-lived CBS drama series Sons and Daughters (1974) and the television version of Our Town (1977). She starred in films Ode to Billy Joe, Baby Blue Marine (both 1976), California Dreaming (1979), Those Lips, Those Eyes (1980), The White Lions (1981), Night Crossing, Melanie (both 1982) and Johnny Dangerously (1984).

Personal life

O'Connor was born in New Rochelle, New York,[2] and is the daughter of actress Lenka Peterson and film producer Daniel Patrick O'Connor.[3][4] She is married to Douglas Stern, a New York City native, and they have two daughters together, Lindsay (b. 1990) and Hana.[5]

Career

In 1973, O'Connor made her screen debut and also sang the title song for the romantic drama film Jeremy in which she co-starred with Robby Benson.[6] Soon after her big screen debut, O'Connor was cast as a female lead opposite Gary Frank in the CBS drama series, Sons and Daughters.[7] On January 8, 1974, she starred in the CBS Radio Mystery Theatre production of "Ring of Roses" and then co-starred with John Travolta in the 1976 TV movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble.[7] The same year, she portrayed Bobbie Lee Hartley, co-starring again with Robby Benson, in the drama film Ode to Billy Joe, a tragic romance produced and directed by Max Baer Jr., and the drama film Baby Blue Marine opposite Jan-Michael Vincent[6] The following year she starred in the Western film Kid Vengeance and the made-for-television version of Our Town. In 1978, she starred in the made-for-television biographical film, Little Mo playing Maureen Connolly, the 1950s American tennis player who was the first woman to win all four Grand Slam tournaments during the same calendar year, before an accident ended her tennis career at age 19.[8] In 1979, she returned to big screen starring in the comedy-drama film, California Dreaming.[9]

In 1980, O'Connor starred opposite Tom Hulce in the romantic comedy film, Those Lips, Those Eyes receiving positive note from critic Roger Ebert.[10] The following year she starred opposite Michael York in the drama film, The White Lions.[11] In 1982 she had supporting role in the thriller film Night Crossing and the leading role in the drama film, Melanie. Ned Powers of the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix wrote that "a compelling performance by O'Connor and a surprisingly fluid effort by Cummings lift the picture beyond the fair-to-middling category", adding that "the music, most written and performed by Cummings, is a strong selling point".[12] Bruce Bailey of The Montreal Gazette echoed Powers' praise of Glynnis O'Connor, but otherwise found the film to be a calculating melodrama. Calling it "a successful manipulator of emotions", he noted that the crowd erupted into cheers when Melanie finally hit back at her cruel husband, noting that "the morality of encouraging such applause for violence on anybody's part, however, is a little dicey."[13] At the 4th Genie Awards, she won the Genie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign Actress for her performance in Melanie.[14] In 1984, she was featured in the crime comedy film, Johnny Dangerously making her final big screen appearance in 1980s.[15]

Since the mid-1980s, O'Connor has been in a string of made-for-television movies.[7] In 1984, O'Connor starred as Leola Mae Harmon in the biographical film Why Me?, about United States Air Force nurse Harmon's trauma and series of facial reconstruction surgeries after a horrifying car accident. In 1986, O'Connor performed in the miniseries The Deliberate Stranger. Her other notable film credits include Love Leads the Way: A True Story (1984), To Heal a Nation (1988), Police Story: Cop Killer (1988) and Kojak: Flowers for Matty (1990). She starred in an 1986 episode of The Twilight Zone and from 1992 to 1993 had a recurring role in the NBC police drama Reasonable Doubts as Mark Harmon's character ex-wife. From 1993 to 1994, she replaced Ellen Dolan in the role of Margo Hughes on the CBS daytime soap opera, As the World Turns.[7] In 1995 she made her return to prime time starring opposite Richard Thomas in the true crime television film, Death in Small Doses. She later starred in Summer of Fear (1996), Ellen Foster (1997) and Saint Maybe (1998).

O’Connor played defense attorney Anne Paulsen in five episodes, from 1998 through 2004, on the NBC drama series, Law & Order.[6] She also guest-starred on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In 2002 she made her first big screen appearance since 1980s, in the mystery thriller film, New Best Friend. In 2007, she appeared in the independent feature film P.J., directed by Russ Emanuel.[16] She later appeared in films Angelica (2015), Diane and A Bread Factory (2018). In 2020 she had a recurring role in the Epix thriller series, Condor and later was cast as Shirley Beaumont in the Starz crime drama series, Power Book III: Raising Kanan.[17]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1973 Jeremy Susan Rollins
1976 Baby Blue Marine Rose
1976 Ode to Billy Joe Bobbie Lee Hartley
1977 Kid Vengeance Lisa Thurston
1978 Getting It Over With Ruthie short
1979 California Dreaming Corky
1980 Those Lips, Those Eyes Ramona
1981 The White Lions Jeannie McBride
1982 Night Crossing Petra Wetzel
1982 Melanie Melanie Genie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign Actress
1984 Johnny Dangerously Sally
2002 New Best Friend Connie Campbell
2007 Graduation Mary
2008 P.J. Evelyn
2012 The Trouble with Cali Avie Bluejones
2012 Album Adult Trish short
2014 The Historian Dean Jan Messer
2015 Angelica Older Constance
2018 Diane Dottie
2018 A Bread Factory Jan

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1973 As the World Turns Dawn "Dee" Stewart TV series
1974 Love Is Not Forever Anita TV film
1974 Insight Laura "Resuscitation"
1974 Sons and Daughters Anita Cramer main role
1975 All Together Now Carol Lindsay TV film
1975 Someone I Touched Carrie TV film
1975 The Rookies Ellen "Cliffy"
1976 Harry O Gayle "Mister Five and Dime"
1976 The Boy in the Plastic Bubble Gina Biggs TV film
1977 Insight Laura "She's Waiting for Us"
1977 Our Town Emily Webb TV film
1977 Rosetti and Ryan Angel "Bedeviled Angel"
1978 Black Beauty Phyllis Carpenter TV miniseries
1978 Little Mo Maureen Connolly TV film
1979 The Chisholms Elizabeth Chisholm TV miniseries
1980 My Kidnapper, My Love Geegee TV film
1983 The Fighter Rindy Banks TV film
1984 Why Me? Leola Mae Harmon TV film
1984 Love Leads the Way: A True Story Lois TV film
1985 Sins of the Father Kevan Harris TV film
1986 The Deliberate Stranger Cas Richter TV film
1986 The Twilight Zone Dorothy Livingston "The Storyteller"
1987 A Conspiracy of Love Marcia Woldarski TV film
1988 To Heal a Nation Becky Scruggs TV film
1988 Too Good to Be True Ruth Berent TV film
1988 Police Story: Cop Killer Lynn Lewis TV film
1990 Kojak: Flowers for Matty Molly Fitzimons TV film
1992 Nightmare in Daylight Sloan Evans TV film
1992–93 Reasonable Doubts Jo recurring role
1993–94 As the World Turns Margo Hughes TV series
1995 Death in Small Doses Nancy Lyon TV film
1995 Past the Bleachers Harper Parish TV film
1996 Summer of Fear 'Cat' Marshall TV film
1997 Ellen Foster Charlotte Nelson Hammond TV film
1998 Saint Maybe Claudia Bedloe TV film
1998–2004 Law & Order Anne Paulsen recurring role
2000 Young Americans Donna Banks "Will Bella Scout Her Mom?"
2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Raquel Kurtz "Damaged"
2006 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Rev. Poole "On Fire"
2012 Behind the 8 Ball Guest "Matty"
2021 Sand Dollar Cove Nana Hallmark movie
2023-2024 Power Book III: Raising Kanan Shirley Beaumont TV Series

References

  1. ^ "Glynnis O'Connor". prod.tcm.com.
  2. ^ Ebert, Roger (September 14, 1980). "Interview with Glynnis O'Connor". Chicago Sun Times.
  3. ^ "Glynnis O'Connor Biography (1955-)". Film Reference. Retrieved 2014-04-21.
  4. ^ O'Donnell, Monica M., ed. (1984). Lenka Peterson. Gale. p. 417. ISBN 978-0-8103-2064-2. Retrieved 2023-04-17. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  5. ^ Goudas, John N. (1993-08-01). "Glynnis O'Connor: Acting Is In Her Blood". Tulsa World. Retrieved 2018-09-11.
  6. ^ a b c "Glynnis O'Connor". TV Guide. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d "Glynnis O'Connor". prod.tcm.com.
  8. ^ "The Phoenix". The Phoenix – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "California Dreaming | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
  10. ^ "Those Lips, Those Eyes movie review (1980) | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com.
  11. ^ "The White Lions | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference star-23-feb-82 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Bailey, Bruce (20 February 1982). "Actress lifts 'Melanie' above level of ho-hum". The Gazette. Montreal. p. D4.
  14. ^ "The Grey Fox tops Genie awards". Ottawa Citizen. 24 March 1983. p. 76.
  15. ^ "Johnny Dangerously | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
  16. ^ "P.J.: A Journey of the Heart | A Russ Emanuel Film". Pjthemovie.com. Retrieved 2014-04-21.
  17. ^ "'Power Book III: Raising Kanan' Recap – 'Open for Business'". Nerds That Geek.