Laura Esterman

Laura Esterman
Born
New York City, US
OccupationActress
Years active1969–present
Awards

Laura Esterman is an American actress, known for portraying Ruby the Galactic Gumshoe in contemporary radio dramas, and for her Drama Desk Award and Obie Award winning performance in the 1992 original stage production of Scott McPherson's Marvin's Room.

Early life

Esterman studied acting at HB Studio.[1]

Career

Esterman made her Broadway debut in the 1969 revival of The Time of Your Life. Her other Broadway credits include The Waltz of the Toreadors, God's Favorite, Teibele and Her Demon, The Suicide, Metamorphosis and The Show-Off.[2]

In 1972, Esterman played the Madonna Vampyra in the ZBS Foundation radio play The Fourth Tower of Inverness, the first in the long-running Jack Flanders series. Esterman returned to ZBS in 1982 to star as the title character in the first Ruby the Galactic Gumshoe serial, and has reprised the role many times in the decades to come, most recently Ruby 10 in 2018. Many of her Ruby appearances are credited to a stage name, "Blanche Blackwell". Esterman also returned as the Madonna Vampyra in the 2000 sequel, Return to Inverness.

Esterman has also worked in television and film. Her television credits include Remington Steele, St. Elsewhere, The Facts of Life, L.A. Law, Family Ties, Law & Order, Third Watch and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit among others. Her movie credits include Alone in the Dark, Ironweed, Awakenings, The Doors, Addams Family Values, The Confession and Arranged among others.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1982 Alone in the Dark Woman Voyager
1987 Ironweed Nora
1988 Me and Him Bag Lady
1990 Awakenings Lolly
1991 The Doors New York Journalist
1993 Addams Family Values Cousin Ophelia
1999 The Confession Sarah's Cousin
2000 Chinese Coffee Actor in play / Messenger
2001 Suspended Animation Vanessa Boulette
2004 From Other Worlds Psychiatrist
2007 Arranged Judit
2011 The Green Mrs. Heller
2017 Can Hitler Happen Here? Miriam Kohen
2018 Human Affairs Journalist

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1970 NET Playhouse Mary Magdalene Episode: "Generation of Leaves: Jesus - A Passion Play for Americans"
1980 Another World Felice Carpenter Episode #1.4124
1984 Remington Steele Miss Conover Episode: "A Pocketful of Steele"
1985 St. Elsewhere Psychiatrist Episode: "Cheers"
1985 The Facts of Life Ms. Resnick Episode: "Into the Frying Pan"
1985 Children of the Night Arlene Television film
1987 L.A. Law Gloria Rheinhold Episode: "Fifty Ways to Floss Your Lover"
1987 Family Ties Waitress Episode: "Matchmaker"
1995, 1999 Law & Order Evelyn Walcoff / Florence Cooley 2 episodes
2000 Third Watch Marge Episode: "Alone in a Crowd"
2000 Law & Order: SVU Mrs. Sandomir Episode: "Noncompliance"
2009 Life on Mars Sue Moyer Episode: "Home Is Where You Hang Your Holster"
2009 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Elderly Landlady Episode: "Identity Crisis"
2011 Mildred Pierce Mrs. Kramer 3 episodes
2020 I Know This Much Is True Ruth Rood
2021 The Blacklist Ada Rosenberg Episode: "The Avenging Angel (No. 49)"

References

  1. ^ "Alumni". hbstudio.org. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  2. ^ Laura Esterman at the Internet Broadway Database