Susan Anspach

Susan Florence Anspach (ONS-bok ; November 23, 1942 – April 2, 2018)[1] was an American stage, film and television actress who had roles in films during the 1970s and 1980s such as Five Easy Pieces (1970), Play It Again, Sam (1972), Blume in Love (1973), Montenegro (1981), Blue Monkey (1987), and Blood Red (1989).

Susan Anspach
Anspach in 1979
Born
Susan Florence Anspach

(1942-11-23)November 23, 1942
New York City, New York U.S.
DiedApril 2, 2018(2018-04-02) (aged 75)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1964–2011
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1970; div. 1978)​
    Sherwood Ball
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1982; div. 1988)​
    Children2

    Early life

    Anspach was born and raised in Queens, New York City. Her mother was Gertrude (née Kehoe), a secretary and former singer of Scottish and Irish ancestry. Her father was Renald Anspach, a World War II Army veteran and later factory worker, who was of German-Jewish and English descent.[2] The couple met at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Anspach's grandfather had disapproved of the marriage and disowned his son.[3][4] Anspach was raised by her great aunt until Anspach was six, when her aunt died. She went back to live with her parents in what grew to be an abusive home; she ran away at age 15. With the help of a Roman Catholic organization, she moved in with a family in Harlem.[4]

    Anspach graduated from William Cullen Bryant High School in Long Island City in 1960.[5] She received a full scholarship to the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. She studied music and drama. Anspach made her professional debut in Thornton Wilder's one-act play Pullman Car Hiawatha at a summer theater in Maryland.[4][5] After college, she moved back to New York City.[1]

    Career

    Anspach starred in several Broadway and off-Broadway shows, including as the female lead (Sheila) in the musical Hair. The musical ran for 45 performances at the Cheetah Theatre. She was in a play with Al Pacino while at the Actors Studio.[4] She starred off-Broadway in 1965 in A View from the Bridge with Robert Duvall, Jon Voight, and Dustin Hoffman.[6]

    Anspach first came to prominence in the 1970 film Five Easy Pieces, directed by Bob Rafelson and starring Jack Nicholson. Vincent Canby of The New York Times called her "one of America's most charming and talented actresses".[7] She followed this with a supporting role in Woody Allen's Play It Again, Sam (1972) and a more prominent role in Paul Mazursky's romantic comedy Blume in Love (1973), alongside George Segal and Kris Kristofferson.

    Anspach originally was cast in the role of country singer Barbara Jean in the 1975 film Nashville, but her salary request exceeded the ensemble film's budget; she was replaced by Ronee Blakley.[8]

    In her film career, Anspach starred in 19 features and eight television movies and also was featured in two series, The Yellow Rose and The Slap Maxwell Story (with Dabney Coleman). She guest-starred in the NBC romantic anthology series Love Story in 1973, in the episode "All My Tomorrows".[9]

    Personal life

    Anspach raised in the Catholic faith of her mother. She said that the church and her psychoanalyst were her "parents" for close to 10 years of her youth.[10]

    Anspach had a daughter, Catherine Curry (born October 15, 1968) with fellow Hair cast member Steve Curry.[11] She had a son, Caleb Goddard (born September 26, 1970), whom she claimed was fathered by actor Jack Nicholson.[5] She married actor Mark Goddard in June 1970 and divorced him in October 1978. Goddard adopted both children.

    Anspach married musician Sherwood Ball (son of musician-entrepreneur Ernie Ball) in 1982 and divorced him in 1988.[12][13]

    Activism

    Anspach marched with United Farm Workers head Cesar Chavez. She protested against the racist apartheid system of South Africa. Anspach also advocated for human rights in Central America.[14]

    Death

    Anspach died from heart failure on April 2, 2018, aged 75, in her Los Angeles home.[4]

    Filmography

    Film
    Year Title Role Notes Ref.
    1970 The Landlord Susan Enders Directed by Hal Ashby
    Five Easy Pieces Catherine Van Oost Directed, produced, and story by Bob Rafelson
    1972 Play It Again, Sam Nancy
    1973 Blume in Love Nina Blume Directed, written, and produced by Paul Mazursky
    1978 The Big Fix Lila
    		[15][16]
    1979 Running Janet Sports drama film directed by Steven Hilliard Stern
    1981 The Devil and Max Devlin Penny Hart Fantasy–comedy film directed by Steven Hilliard Stern
    Gas Jane Beardsley Canadian comedy film directed by Les Rose
    Montenegro Marilyn Jordan
    1984 Misunderstood Lily
    		[17][18]
    1987 Blue Monkey Dr. Judith Glass Horror film directed by William Fruet
    Heaven and Earth Karen McKeon
    1988 Into the Fire Rosalind Winfield Thriller film directred by Graeme Campbell
    1989 The Rutanga Tapes Kate Simpson
    Blood Red Widow Drama film directed by Peter Masterson
    Back to Back Madeline Hix
    2009 Wild About Harry Martha Drama film directed by Gwen Wynne and co-written by Wynne & Mary Beth Fielder
    2011 Inversion Edna Boswell (final film role)

    Television
    Year Title Role Notes Ref.
    1964 The Nurses Harriet Ravensel
    • Episode: "So Some Girls Play the Cello" (S 3:Ep 10)
    • Also known as The Doctors and the Nurses
    1965 The Patty Duke Show Susan Episode: "Will the Real Sammy Davis Please Hang Up?" (S 2:Ep 25)
    The Defenders Jackie Dowling Episode: "A Matter of Law and Disorder" (S 4:Ep 26)
    The Patty Duke Show Susan Episode: "Cathy, the Rebel" (S 2:Ep 31)
    The Nurses Leora
    • Episode: "The Heroine" (S 3:Ep 29)
    • Also known as The Doctors and the Nurses
    1966 The Journey of the Fifth Horse Miss Gruboy / Elizaveta Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Larry Arrick and Earl Dawson
    1969 Judd, for the Defense Nan Dawes Episode: "Runaway" (S 2:Ep 23)
    1973 Love Story Lee McKinley Episode: "All My Tomorrows" (S 1:Ep 2)
    1975 For the Use of the Hall Terry Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Lee Grant
    1976 McMillan & Wife Lt. Kit Boone Episode: "Point of Law" (S 5:Ep 7)
    I Want to Keep My Baby! Donna Jo Martelli Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Jerry Thorpe
    The Secret Life of John Chapman Wilma
    		[19]
    1977 Rosetti and Ryan Beverly Dresden Episode: "Men Who Love Women" (Pilot) [20]
    Mad Bull Christina Sebastiani Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Walter Doniger and Len Steckler
    1979 The Last Giraffe Betty Leslie-Melville
    • Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Jack Couffer
    • Based on Raising Daisy Rothschild by Leslie-Melville
    		 [21]
    1980 Portrait of an Escort Jordan West Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Steven Hilliard Stern
    1982 The First Time Lucy Dillon Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Noel Nosseck
    1982 Deadly Encounter Chris Butler Made-for-TV-Movie directed by William A. Graham
    1984 Gone Are the Dayes Phyllis Daye Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Gabrielle Beaumont
    1989 Murder, She Wrote Lois Fricksey Episode: "Dead Letter" (S 6:Ep 6)
    2002 Dancing at the Harvest Moon Julia Made-for-TV-Movie directed Bobby Roth

    References

    Citations
    1. Haring, Bruce (April 5, 2018). "Susan Anspach Dies: 'Five Easy Pieces' & 'Play It Again, Sam' Actress Was 75". Deadline Hollywood. Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
    2. "Susan Anspach obituary".
    3. Windeler, Robert (November 20, 1978). "It's Easier to Pull a Rabbit Than a Career Out of a Hat—Unless You're Susan Anspach". People. New York City: Time Inc. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
    4. Gates, Anita (April 5, 2018). "Susan Anspach, 75, Dies; Daring Actress in Maverick Films". The New York Times. New York City.
    5. Brockington, Ariana (April 5, 2018). "Susan Anspach, 'Five Easy Pieces' and 'Blume in Love' Actress, Dies at 75". Variety. Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
    6. Bergan, Ronald (April 11, 2018). "Susan Anspach obituary, Actor who starred in 'Five Easy Pieces' and 'Play It Again, Sam'". The Guardian. Kings Place, London. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
    7. Canby, Vincent (November 8, 1981). "Makavejev'S 'Montenegro,' Set In Sweden". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
    8. Robert Altman in his DVD commentary to Nashville, Paramount DVD, 2000 release
    9. "Love Story". TV.com. New York City: CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
    10. "Susan Anspach obituary: ethereal star of New Hollywood". BFI National Archive. London, England: British Film Institute.
    11. "Steve Curry obituary". The New York Times. New York City. October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
    12. Sherwood Ball. stormalliancemedia.com.
    13. Barnes, Mike (April 5, 2018). "Susan Anspach, Actress in 'Five Easy Pieces' and 'Blume in Love,' Dies at 75". The Hollywood Reporter. Los Angeles, California: Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group (Valence Media). Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
    14. "Susan Anspach, who starred in 'Five Easy Pieces' and 'Blume in Love,' dead at 75". USA Today. McLean, Virginia: Gannett Corporation. Associated Press. April 9, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
    15. Canby, Vincent (November 19, 1978). "The Big Fix Film Review". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
    16. Simon, Roger L. (1973). The Big Fix (1st ed.). San Francisco: Straight Arrow Books. ISBN 978-0879320485.
    17. Montgomery, Florence (1869). Misunderstood. New York City: Anson D. F. Randolph & Company. ASIN QBAAAAQAAJ.
    18. Zambenedetti 2014, p. 52.
    19. Snyder, Susan (September 7, 2016). "John R. Coleman, former Haverford College president and jack of all trades, dies at 95". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia: Philadelphia Media Network. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
    20. Terrace 1985, p. 355.
    21. Leslie-Melville, Betty (1977). Raising Daisy Rothschild (Hard cover ed.). New York City: Simon & Schuster. ASIN B000RWW0VS.

    Sources
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