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Betty Buckley

Actor, Producer, Additional CreditsBorn July 3, 1947 (78 years)
Betty Lynn Buckley (born July 3, 1947) is an American actress and singer who has worked 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 1977–81 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 character's 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 Children's Program/Special, 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 4–6 of the HBO series Oz. She also has guest-starred in a number of television series, including Without a Trace, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Monk. Betty also guest-starred 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, Carrie's 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 Beresford's film Tender Mercies, where she played a country music singer and sang the Academy Award-nominated song "Over You". She also appeared in the Woody Allen film Another Woman (1988), Roman Polanski's Frantic (1988) and Lawrence's Kasden's Wyatt Earp (1994). In 2008, Buckley played Mrs. Jones in M. Night Shyamalan's The Happening. In 2017, Buckley was one of the stars of M. Night Shyamalan's Split, a major success which was the number-one 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.

Movies & Shows on Plex

  • Simply Irresistible
  • Tender Mercies
  • Remember WENN
  • Vinegar Hill
  • New World Order

Known For

  • Split
  • The Happening
  • Carrie
  • Frantic
  • Imaginary
  • Tender Mercies
  • Another Woman
  • Simply Irresistible
  • Eight is Enough
  • Rain Without Thunder
  • Babycakes
  • Wild Thing

Featured Videos

    Filmography

    2025
    2025
    By Design · as Cynthia
    2024
    Imaginary · as Gloria
    2022
    The Cleaning Lady (TV Series) · as Mother Donna
    2016
    Split · as Dr. Karen Fletcher
    2016
    Preacher (TV Series) · as Gran’ma
    2015
    Chicago Med (TV Series) · as Olga Barlow
    2015
    Supergirl (TV Series) · as Patricia Arias
    2014
    The Leftovers (TV Series) · as Jane
    2013
    Getting On (US) (TV Series) · as Dottie Levy
    2011
    5 Time Champion · as Fran
    2011
    The Chicago Code (TV Series) · as Sister Paul
    2010
    Pretty Little Liars (TV Series) · as Regina Marin
    2010
    The Pacific (TV Series) · as Marion Leckie
    2009
    Melrose Place (2009) (TV Series) · as Bernadette Reese
    2008
    The Happening · as Mrs. Jones
    2006
    Brothers & Sisters (TV Series) · as Iva March
    2005
    Vinegar Hill · as Mary Margaret Grier
    2004
    The Jury (2004) (TV Series)
    2004
    2003
    Broadway's Lost Treasures · as Grizabella (segment "cats")
    2002
    Without a Trace (TV Series) · as Catherine Ryder
    2002
    Monk (TV Series) · as Cheryl Fleming
    2002
    New World Order · as Rose Kross
    1999
    Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series) · as Lorraine Maxwell
    1999
    1997
    Oz (TV Series) · as Suzanne Fitzgerald
    1996
    Critical Choices · as Dr. Margret Ludlow
    1996
    Remember WENN (TV Series) · as Gloria Redmond
    1994
    Wyatt Earp · as Virginia Earp
    1994
    Betrayal of Trust · as Jan Galanti
    1994
    Last Time Out · as Maxine Black
    1993
    Tribeca (TV Series) · as Ruth
    1992
    Rain Without Thunder · as Beverly Goldring
    1992
    1989
    Babycakes · as Wanda
    1988
    Another Woman · as Kathy
    1988
    Frantic · as Sondra Walker
    1987
    Wild Thing · as Leah
    1987
    Square One TV (TV Series) · as Sally Storm
    1987
    Mathnet (TV Series) · as Sally Storm
    1986
    L.A. Law (TV Series) · as Elsa Chandler
    1985
    Evergreen (TV Series) · as Mrs. Bradford
    1984
    1983
    1981
    Cagney & Lacey (TV Series)
    1977
    Eight is Enough (TV Series) · as Abby Bradford
    1976
    Carrie · as Miss Collins
    1975
    Ryan's Hope (TV Series) · as Twice Divorced Lady
    1972
    The ABC Afterschool Special (TV Series) · as Lillian Robinson

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