Jessica Walter

Jessica Walter Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: January 31, 1941

Death Date: March 24, 2021

Birth Place: Brooklyn, New York City, New York

Spouses: Ron Leibman

A formidable screen presence, Jessica Walter worked steadily on television but made her first impression on critics as the frigid gossip Libby in Sidney Lumet's "The Group" (1966). She delivered on her promise as a woman romantically obsessed with Clint Eastwood in the influential thriller "Play Misty for Me" (1971). She won an Emmy for playing "Amy Prentiss" (NBC, 1974-75), a groundbreaking female police chief and earned another nomination for recurring as the ex-wife of "Trapper John, M.D." (CBS, 1979-1986). She played a bored housewife in Garry Marshall's "The Flamingo Kid" (1984), the campily named "Kay Mart" in the cult hit "Tapeheads" (1988), and the college president facing off against Jeremy Piven in "PCU" (1994). On television, she played a series of family matriarchs: the voice of Fran on "Dinosaurs" (ABC, 1991-94); the brilliantly boozy and manipulative Lucille Bluth on the much beloved "Arrested Development" (Fox, 2003-06); the alcoholic grandmother on "90210" (The CW, 2008-13); and the voice of the superspy matriarch Malory Archer on the animated cult fave "Archer" (FX, 2009- ). As filming began on an "Arrested Development" revival, Walter was tapped alongside George Segal to return to live-action sitcoms to play the parents of a young man who "Retired at 35" (TV Land, 2011-12), followed by a similar role opposite Jaime Pressley on "Jennifer Falls" (TV Land 2014). An impressively arch comedic force who only improved with age, Jessica Walter enjoyed an amazingly long career trajectory, proving that true talent was the most invaluable asset an actor of any age could have. Jessica Walter died at her home in Manhattan on March 24, 2021. She was 80.

Born Jan. 31, 1941 in Brooklyn, NY, Jessica Walter graduated from Manhattan's High School of Performing Arts and went on to cut her teeth in regional and Broadway productions before landing her first screen role on the soap opera "Love of Life" (CBS, 1951-1980). She worked steadily on television, booking spots on everything from "Route 66" (CBS, 1960-64) to "Flipper" (NBC, 1964-67) and "Ben Casey" (ABC, 1961-66). Her film debut came in Robert Rossen's "Lilith" (1964), as Warren Beatty's old flame who marries Gene Hackman, but she soon returned to television as the musician wife of district attorney William Shatner on the short-lived "For the People" (CBS, 1965). In Sidney Lumet's "The Group" (1966), she was cast as Libby, the frigid gossip, but her profile hit a new high when Walter played the psychotically obsessed Evelyn in the hit Clint Eastwood thriller "Play Misty for Me" (1971). As filmdom's original scorned-woman stalker who refuses to be ignored, Walter earned a Golden Globe nomination for her chilling turn in the classic film.

Despite her flashy film turn, Walter spent more time appearing on television, recurring on the series "The F.B.I." (ABC, 1965-1974) and "Ironside" (NBC, 1967-1975), where she played a female police chief. The character proved popular enough to spin-off into her own series, and as the groundbreaking character "Amy Prentiss" (NBC, 1974-75) who was not only a cop but also the mother of a young daughter (Helen Hunt), Walter won an Emmy for her compelling performance. Continuing to book guest spots and small parts across television, Walter's standout roles included essaying a typically take-charge dame on Norman Lear's short-lived series "All that Glitters" (syndicated, 1977) and a recurring role on "Trapper John, M.D." (CBS, 1979-1986), as the title character's ex-wife, which earned her an Emmy nomination. Walter returned to film to star alongside Danny DeVito, Tony Danza and a chimp in the comedy "Going Ape!" (1981).

Continuing to rack up an impressive list of credits on both the big and small screen, she played the bitch of the TV series about a perfume dynasty "Bare Essence" (NBC, 1983) and a bored housewife with an eye on the cabana boy (Matt Dillon) in Garry Marshall's feature film "The Flamingo Kid" (1984). Returning to comedy, she played the mother-in-law of Jack Tripper (John Ritter) on the less-than-successful Chrissy and Janet-free spin-off of "Three's Company" (ABC, 1976-1984) called "Three's a Crowd" (ABC, 1984-85) and lent her silky vocals to Diabolyn, a wicked sorceress in the animated fantasy "Wildfire" (CBS, 1986). Walter next essayed the tart-tongued hairdresser mother of a girl pregnant by a lapsed Amish on the sitcom "Aaron's Way" (NBC, 1988) and the wife of a presidential aspirant with the campy name of Kay Mart in the John Cusack/Tim Robbins cult classic "Tapeheads" (1988). She recurred on "Coach" (ABC, 1989-1997) and voiced Fran Sinclair, the even-keeled matriarch on the prehistoric sitcom "Dinosaurs" (ABC, 1991-94).

Walter briefly faced off against the supernatural cyber threat of the "Ghost in the Machine" (1993) and the even more terrifying threat of Jeremy Piven in the raunchy comedy "PCU" (1994). In constant work flux, Walter also took a plumb supporting turn in Tamara Jenkins's critically-acclaimed coming-of-age dramedy "The Slums of Beverly Hills" (1998) and returned to the world of daytime drama by joining "One Life to Live" (ABC, 1968-2013) as Eleanor Armitage from 1996-97. Although critics swiftly spanked her next sitcom, "Oh Baby" (Lifetime, 1998-2000), Walter rebounded with the role of a lifetime: the boozy, brittle Bluth family matriarch Lucille on the critically beloved "Arrested Development" (Fox, 2003-06). Although the intricate plots and rapid-fire brilliance of the series failed to secure a large enough mainstream audience to enable a lengthy run, critics and a loyal base of fans hailed the show as one of the all-time funniest comedy series in television history. In Walter's hands, the manipulative and controlling Lucille - who alternately babies and pits her sons (Jason Bateman, Tony Hale, Will Arnett) against one another - became one of the show's supreme comic creations. On a show filled with scene-stealing maestros - including Jeffrey Tambor, Portia de Rossi and David Cross - Walter reigned supreme and earned an Emmy nomination for her work.

Enjoying a career renaissance, she appeared in the airport adventure film "Unaccompanied Minors" (2006) and recurred on the Holly Hunter drama "Saving Grace" (TNT, 2007-2010). When the axe inevitably fell on "Arrested" - leaving fans angry and devastated - Walter was cast as the matriarch of a new, less dysfunctional family on the reboot of "90210" (The CW, 2008-13). As had happened with the original series, however, the older characters were soon phased out. She recurred on the dark comedy "Gravity" (Starz, 2010) and guested on the gymnastics drama "Make It or Break It" (ABC Family, 2009-12) and the physics comedy "The Big Bang Theory" (CBS, 2007- ). Playing a spiritual sister to alpha-bitch Lucille Bluth, Walter voiced Malory Archer, the perpetually exasperated, self-centered head of a private spy service on the animated cult favorite "Archer" (FX, 2009- ). Her professional fortunes continued to rise as she and George Segal were tapped to play the parents of a young man who "Retired at 35" (TV Land, 2011-12). The likable sitcom followed in the footsteps of "Hot in Cleveland" (TV Land, 2010-14) as a low-key success; Walter played a similar role on "Jennifer Falls" (TV Land 2014) as the mother of Jaime Pressley's suddenly-unemployed career woman. Walter returned to her most beloved role as Lucille Bluth for a fourth season of "Arrested Development" that aired on Netflix in 2013. Jessica Walter died on March 24, 2021 in NY at the age of 80.

Credits

Archer

Actor
Movie
2021

The Mimic

Actor
Estelle
Movie
2020

Rediscovering Christmas

Actor
Mrs. Barrington
Movie
2019

The Carney Awards

Guest
Show
2018

Good GirlsStream

Guest Star
Judith
Series
2018
86%

Keep the Change

Actor
Carrie
Movie
2017

American HousewifeStream

Guest Star
Margaret
Series
2016

Undercover Grandpa

Actor
Maddie
Movie
2016

Star vs. the Forces of EvilStream

Guest Star
Miss Heinous
Series
2015

The Odd CoupleStream

Guest Star
Series
2015

Jennifer FallsStream

Actor
Maggie Doyle
Series
2014
56%

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
Talk
2014

Anderson Live

Guest
Show
2012

Bending the Rules

Actor
Lena
Movie
2012

Retired at 35Stream

Actor
Elaine Robbins
Series
2011

Scooby-Doo: Mystery IncorporatedStream

Guest Voice
Jason's Mom
Series
2010

ArcherStream

Voice
Malory Archer
Series
2010
91%

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Guest
Talk
2009

90210Stream

Actor
Tabitha Wilson
Series
2008

The Big Bang TheoryStream

Guest Star
Mrs. Latham
Series
2007
81%

Saving GraceStream

Guest Star
Series
2007
76%

The Wedding Bells

Guest Star
Show
2007

Rules of EngagementStream

Guest Star
Constance
Series
2007

Happy Hour

Guest Star
Show
2006

Higglytown Heroes

Guest Star
Show
2004

I Do (But I Don't)

Actor
Gennifer
Movie
2004

Arrested DevelopmentStream

Actor
Lucille Bluth
Series
2003
75%

NCISStream

Guest Star
Judith McKnight
Series
2003

Dummy

Actor
Fern
Movie
2003

Grownups

Actor
Mrs. Epstein
Movie
2002

Oh Baby

Actor
Series
1998

Slums of Beverly HillsStream

Actor
Doris Zimmerman
Movie
1998
81%

You Wish

Guest Star
Show
1997

Just Shoot MeStream

Guest Star
Eve Gallo
Series
1997

Mother Knows Best

Actor
Joan
Movie
1997

Doomsday Rock

Actor
Secretary
Movie
1997

Poltergeist: The LegacyStream

Guest Star
Series
1996

Temptress

Actor
Dr. Phyllis Evergreen
Movie
1995

Touched by an AngelStream

Guest Star
Series
1994

Inside the Actors Studio

Guest
Talk
1994

Leave of Absence

Actor
Bess
Movie
1994

P.C.U.

Actor
President Garcia-Thompson
Movie
1994

Ghost in the Machine

Actor
Elaine
Movie
1993

DinosaursStream

Voice
Fran Sinclair
Series
1991
91%

Law & OrderStream

Guest Star
Series
1990

CoachStream

Guest Star
Susan Miller
Series
1989

Aaron's Way

Actor
Connie Lo Verde
Series
1988

Tapeheads

Actor
Kay Mart
Movie
1988

Aaron's Way

Actor
Connie Lo Verde
Movie
1988

Jenny's Song

Actor
Peggy Shields
Movie
1988

Killer in the Mirror

Actor
Francesca DeLorca
Movie
1986

The Execution

Actor
Gertrude Simon
Movie
1985

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Jane Dawson
Series
1984

The Flamingo Kid

Actor
Phyllis Brody
Movie
1984
85%

Hotel

Guest Star
Soap
1983

Bare Essence: The Final Chapter

Actor
Ava Marshall
Movie
1983

Thursday's Child

Actor
Roz Richardson
Movie
1983

Joanie Loves Chachi

Guest Star
Series
1982

Going Ape!

Actor
Fiona
Movie
1981

Scruples

Actor
Maggie
Movie
1981

Miracle on Ice

Actor
Pat Brooks
Movie
1981

Magnum, P.I.Stream

Guest Star
Joan Fulton
Series
1980

Trapper John, M.D.

Actor
Melanie Townsend McIntyre
Series
1979

Wheels

Actor
Ursula
Show
1979

Vampiro

Actor
Movie
1979

Someone's Killing the World's Greatest Models

Actor
Irene Barton
Movie
1979

She's Dressed to Kill

Actor
Irene Barton
Movie
1979

Las Disparatadas

Actor
Movie
1978

Secrets of Three Hungry Wives

Actor
Christina Wood
Movie
1978

Dr. Strange

Actor
Morgan LeFay
Movie
1978

Black Market Baby

Actor
Louise Carmino
Movie
1977

A Dangerous Love

Actor
Louise Carmino
Movie
1977

McMillan

Guest Star
Donna Drake
Show
1976

Gibbsville

Guest Star
Show
1976

Wonder WomanStream

Guest Star
Series
1976

Victory at Entebbe

Actor
Nomi Haroun
Movie
1976

Having Babies

Actor
Sally McNamara
Movie
1976

Good Morning America

Guest
News
1975

Amy Prentiss: Profile in Evil

Actor
Amy Prentiss
Movie
1975

TattletalesStream

Guest
Game Show
1974

Hurricane

Actor
Louise Damon
Movie
1974

L'Ouragan

Actor
Movie
1974

Amy Prentiss, AKA: The Chief

Actor
Amy Prentiss
Movie
1974

Amy Prentiss: Baptism of Fire

Actor
Amy Prentiss
Movie
1974

Amy Prentiss: The Desperate World of Jane Doe

Actor
Amy Prentiss
Movie
1974

Barnaby JonesStream

Guest Star
Series
1973

The Cash and Carry Caper

Actor
Joyce Harrison
Movie
1973

The Two Million Clams of Cap'n Jack

Actor
Erica Osburn
Movie
1973

The Streets of San FranciscoStream

Guest Star
Maggie Jarris
Series
1972

Banacek

Guest Star
Erica Osburn
Series
1972

The Sixth Sense

Guest Star
Show
1972

Home for the Holidays

Actor
Frederica Morgan
Movie
1972

ColumboStream

Guest Star
Margaret Nicholson
Series
1971

Cannon

Guest Star
Jane Butler
Series
1971

Alias Smith and Jones

Guest Star
Series
1971

Play Misty for MeStream

Actor
Evelyn
Movie
1971
85%

They Call It Murder

Actor
Jane Antrim
Movie
1971

Women in Chains

Actor
Dee Dee
Movie
1971

Femmes enchaînées

Actor
Movie
1971

The Showdown

Actor
Rita Mason,Allie Chambers
Movie
1971

Night Gallery

Guest Star
Series
1970

McCloud

Guest Star
Jessica Wright
Series
1970

Love, American Style

Actor
Betty
Series
1969

Three's a Crowd

Actor
Jessica Carson
Movie
1969

Number One

Actor
Julie Catlan
Movie
1969

The Immortal

Actor
Janet Braddock
Movie
1969

The Name of the Game

Guest Star
Series
1968

Bye Bye Braverman

Actor
Inez Braverman
Movie
1968

MannixStream

Guest Star
Althea Blake
Series
1967

The Carol Burnett ShowStream

Guest
Variety Show
1967

Mission: ImpossibleStream

Guest Star
Series
1966

The Group

Actor
Libby
Movie
1966

Grand PrixStream

Actor
Pat
Movie
1966
92%

The Trials of O'Brien

Guest Star
Carole Ann Muffit
Show
1965

For the People

Actor
Phyllis Koster
Show
1965

FlipperStream

Guest Star
Series
1964

LilithStream

Actor
Laura
Movie
1964
86%

East Side West Side

Guest Star
Series
1963

The FugitiveStream

Guest Star
Pat Haynes
Series
1963

Alfred Hitchcock HourStream

Actor
Series
1962

Ben Casey

Guest Star
Flora Farr
Series
1961

Love of Life

Actor
Julie Murano
Soap
1951

News aboutJessica Walter