Rochelle Oliver

Rochelle Oliver
Born(1937-04-15)April 15, 1937
New York City, U.S.
DiedApril 13, 2024(2024-04-13) (aged 86)
New York City, U.S.
Occupations
  • Acting coach
  • actress
Years active1959–2003 (acting)
Spouses
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(m. 1959; died 1972)​
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(m. 1997; died 2016)​
Children1

Rochelle Oliver (April 15, 1937 – April 13, 2024) was an American acting coach and actress.

Early life and career

Oliver studied acting with Uta Hagen.[1] Her stage appearances include The Brothers Karamazov, The Cave Dwellers, The Diary of Anne Frank and Toys in the Attic, the latter of which earned her a Clarence Derwent Award in 1960.[2]

In 1958, she appeared on television in the "Saw My Baby There" episode of Naked City. In 1963, she played the part of Jean Lowell in the episode "The Noose" from The Defenders.[3] In 1970, she had a recurring role as Barbara Lamont in the series The Best of Everything.[4][5] In 1976, she played the part of Dr. Marsha in Paul Mazursky's Next Stop, Greenwich Village.[6] From 1993 to 2003, she appeared as Judge Grace Larkin in Law & Order.[7]

Oliver had been teaching acting since the 1970s.[1] She was on the faculty of HB Studio in New York City until her death in 2024.[8]

Personal life and death

Oliver was Jewish.[9] In 1959, she married actor James Patterson, with whom she had a son. They remained together until his death in 1972.[10][11] In 1997, Oliver married actor Fritz Weaver. They remained together until Weaver's death in 2016.[12]

Oliver died in New York City on April 13, 2024, two days before her 87th birthday.[13]

Filmography

Film
Title Year Role Director Notes
The Happy Hooker 1975 Norma Nicholas Sgarro
Next Stop, Greenwich Village 1976 Doctor Marsha Paul Mazursky
Lianna 1983 Betty John Sayles
In Defense of Kids 1983 Mrs. Giankanis Gene Reynolds TV movie
1918 1985 Mrs. Mary Vaughn Ken Harrison
On Valentine's Day 1986 Mrs. Vaughn Ken Harrison
Courtship 1987 Mrs Vaughn Howard Cummings
The Appointments of Dennis Jennings 1988 Woman on TV Dean Parisot Short
An Unremarkable Life 1989 Mary Alice Amin Q. Chaudhri
Scent of a Woman 1992 Gretchen Martin Brest
Hollywood Ending 2002 Script supervisor Woody Allen
Television shows
Title Episode Role Director Year / Air date Notes
Naked City "Four Sweet Corners" Cora Gary Stuart Rosenberg April 28, 1959
Naked City "Saw My Baby There " Katie Harris Stuart Rosenberg June 9, 1959
The United States Steel Hour "Little Lost Sheep" Ernest Kinoy November 1, 1961
The Defenders "The Noose" Jean Lowell Stuart Rosenberg April 27, 1963
The Nurses "Credo" Sally Ellis Stuart Rosenberg January 9, 1964
The Defenders "The Objector" Anne Wendel Leonard Horn February 11, 1965
The Best of Everything Barbara Lamont Episode #1.1 March 30, 1970 Writer: James Lipton
Producer: Jacqueline Babbin
The Best of Everything Barbara Lamont Episode #1.112 Dennis Kane September 7, 1970
The Best of Everything Barbara Lamont Episode #1.114 Alan Pultz September 9, 1970
Ryan's Hope Episode #1.838 Jeri Jerome Lela Swift September 25, 1978
ABC Afterschool Specials Mrs. York "Amy & the Angel" Ralph Rosenblum September 22, 1982
Tribeca "The Hopeless Romantic" Blanche Barry Primus April 6, 1993
Law & Order "Manhood" Judge Grace Larkin Ed Sherin May 12, 1993
Law & Order "Big Bang" Judge Grace Larkin Dann Florek March 2, 1994
Law & Order "Competence" Judge Grace Larkin Fred Gerber November 2, 1994
All My Children Episode dated 20 June 1995 Alice Hart June 20, 1995
Law & Order "Paranoia" Judge Grace Larkin Fred Gerber November 15, 1995
Law & Order "Family Business " Judge Grace Larkin Lewis Gould November 20, 1996
Law & Order "Faccia a Faccia" Judge Grace Larkin Martha Mitchell February 25, 1998
Law & Order "Ill-Conceived" Judge Grace Larkin David Platt December 3, 2003

References

  1. ^ a b Rosenfeld, Carol (2013). Acting and Living in Discovery: A Workbook for the Actor. p. 127. ISBN 9781585107032.
  2. ^ Film Reference - Rochelle Oliver Biography (1937-), Credits, Stage Appearances
  3. ^ Larry Cohen: The Radical Allegories of an Independent Filmmaker, By Tony Williams - Page 340
  4. ^ Short-Lived Television Series, 1948–1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops, by Wesley Hyatt - Page 195
  5. ^ The soap opera encyclopedia, Christopher Schemering - Page 44
  6. ^ Turner Classic Movies - Next Stop, Greenwich Village(1976)
  7. ^ Who Was Who on TV, Volume 2, By Norman Chance - Law & Order: Mystery: 1990- Page 267
  8. ^ HB Studio Faculty Page
  9. ^ "Jews in the News: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Julianne Margulies and Jake Gyllenhaal". Tampa Jewish Federation. October 3, 2013.
  10. ^ McHarry, Charles (May 27, 1960). "East Side Girl Jumps From Lower to Upper". Daily News.
  11. ^ "James Patterson of Stage, 40, Dies". The New York Times. August 21, 1972.
  12. ^ Berkvist, Robert (November 27, 2016). "Fritz Weaver, Tony-Winning Character Actor, Dies at 90". The New York Times.
  13. ^ Barnes, Mike (7 May 2024). "Rochelle Oliver, 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' Star and Admired Acting Teacher, Dies at 86". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 7 May 2024.