Betty Buckley

Betty Lynn Buckley is a Tonywinning American actress and singer who has worked extensively in film television and theatre She possesses a singing of voice of great power and beauty and has achieved great success in cabaret and concerts Betty has also sustained a successful recording career with numerous cast albums and 18 solo albums to her credit for which she has been nominated for two Grammys Buckley is widely known for the 197781 TV series Eight Is Enough She joined the show in its second season when the original star Diana Hyland died after the first four episodes of season one and her character Joan Bradford died as well Buckley was cast as the central characters new romantic interest Sandra Sue Abby Abbott who became stepmother of the eight children to which the series title refers Betty later received two Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Performer in a Childrens ProgramSpecial for NBC Special Treat Bobby and Sarah 1984 and ABC Afterschool Special Taking a Stand 1989 From 2001 to 2003 Betty Buckley played a role in seasons 46 of the HBO series Oz She also has gueststarred in a number of television series including Without a Trace Law Order Special Victims Unit and Monk Betty also gueststarred in a Christmas special of the TV series Remember WENN in which she sang You Make It Christmas On film Buckley appeared in the original movie version of Carrie in 1976 playing Miss Collins Carries gym teacher She went on to appear as Margaret White in the notorious 1987 musical adaptation of the film on Broadway an expensive and creatively disastrous flop in which she nevertheless scored a personal triumph In 1977 she recorded an uncredited solo on the song Walking in Space in the movie Hair Her screen roles during the 1980s include Bruce Beresfords film Tender Mercies where she played a country music singer and sang the Academy Awardnominated song Over You She also appeared in the Woody Allen film Another Woman 1988 Roman Polanskis Frantic 1988 and Lawrences Kasdens Wyatt Earp 1994 In 2008 Buckley played Mrs Jones in M Night Shyamalans The Happening In 2017 Buckley was one of the stars of M Night Shyamalans Split a major success which was the numberone film at the box office for three weeks running Buckley has worked regularly in the theatre throughout her career In 1969 she made her Broadway debut as Martha Washington in the original company of Tony winner 1776 a role she famously won on her first day in New York That same year she made her West End debut in the original London cast of Promises Promises In 1982 Buckley starred as Grizabella in the original Broadway production of the musical Cats which features the song Memory For this role she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical In 1985 she played the titular character in another Tony winning musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood This was the third time Buckley had originated a role in a show that went on to win the Tony for Best Musical Buckley starred in both London 1994 and New York 1995 as Norma Desmond in the musical Sunset Boulevard For her role in the London production she received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical