Lesley Ann Warren

Lesley Ann Warren Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: August 16, 1946

Age: 78 years old

Birth Place: New York, New York

Spouses: Jon Peters

A greatly underutilized talent in features, this stage-trained actress has shone in numerous TV-movies, miniseries, and music-oriented specials. America first discovered Lesley Ann Warren as a fresh-faced ingenue; she was a radiant "Cinderella" (CBS, 1966) in the now classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical TV special.

The next year, Warren made her feature debut in "The Happiest Millionaire," a Disney musical starring Fred MacMurray. She followed up with another Disney songfest, "The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band" (1968), in which she was the love interest of John Davidson. Warren then turned her attention to the small screen, appearing in numerous TV-movies, busted pilots, miniseries, and guest spots.

Whereas feature assignments were few and far between--only three between 1968 and 1982--TV realized Warren's potential as a lead.

Warren could ennoble some dubious material. She brought conviction, toughness, and sympathy to her portrayals of B-girls, struggling moms, and plucky careerists. Her many miniseries credits include portraying a plucky poor girl who becomes a high-class madam in "Harold Robbins' '79 Park Avenue" (NBC, 1977), the mistress of a plantation romanced by a Yankee in "Beulah Land" (NBC, 1980), and a Jewish immigrant in "Evergreen" (NBC, 1985).

In 1986's "A Fight for Jenny," she was a woman embroiled in a custody battle due to her relationship with a black man. Despite her roots as an affluent Jewish-American from New York City, Warren has often played Southern woman as in "Baja Oklahoma" (HBO, 1988), and "Willing to Kill: The Texas Cheerleader Story" (ABC, 1992).

Other TV-movies have had such provocative titles as "Portrait of a Stripper" (CBS, 1979) and "Portrait of a Showgirl" (CBS, 1982).

Warren's feature career was revived after an Oscar-nominated turn as the bleached blonde moll of a gangster (James Garner) in Blake Edwards' "Victor/Victoria" (1982). Her Norma Cassidy evoked memories of both Jean Harlow (for her sultry presence) and Jean Hagen's "Singing in the Rain" character (for her whiny 'Noo Yawk' accent). But whatever career momentum Warren might have gained was dissipated with less than stellar follow-up roles.

She appeared in the disastrous "A Night in Heaven" (1993) as a neglected wife who embarks on an affair with a male stripper (Christopher Atkins). She fared slightly better in two Alan Rudolph films, "Choose Me" and "Songwriter" (both 1984), although she was wasted as the female lead in Mel Brooks' "Life Stinks" (1991), and as the manager of a C&W singer in "Pure Country" (1992). Warren did win critical admiration for her sexy mother of a returning Korean War veteran in "Going All the Way" (1997).

Over the next several years, Warren continued to take on a wide range of roles, including playing an aging actress in Steven Soderbergh's film "The Limey" and the artful "Twin Falls, Idaho" (both 1999). She also made somewhat frequent appearances on television, including a recurring stint on "Will & Grace" as the lovelorn mistress of Will's father (Sydney Pollack) beginning in 2001, and had multiple appearances on the NBC crime drama "Crossing Jordan".

In 2002, Warren had a supporting role as Maggie Gyllenhaal's mother in the award-winning film "Secretary". In 2005 she joined Bob Newhart for a multi-episode stint on "Desperate Housewives," in which she played Sophie, the mother of Susan Meyer (Teri Hatcher).

Credits

Panhandle

Actor
Series
2022

It Snows All the Time

Actor
Anne
Movie
2022

BrokeStream

Guest Star
Alex McBride
Series
2020
67%

Echo Boomers

Actor
Author
Movie
2020

All RiseStream

Guest Star
Samara Strong
Series
2019

Life Support

Actor
Dawn
Movie
2019

Twinkle All the Way

Actor
Twinkle Harrison
Movie
2019

The Bay House

Actor
Joan Brooks
Movie
2019

The Cool KidsStream

Guest Star
Kathleen
Series
2018
75%

Ray Meets Helen

Executive Producer
Movie
2017

Between Us

Actor
Elsa
Movie
2016

Gigi Does ItStream

Guest Star
Series
2015

I Am Michael

Actor
Movie
2015

Babysitter

Actor
Hailey's Mother
Movie
2015

Girlfriends' Guide to DivorceStream

Guest Star
Series
2014

The Diagnosis

Actor
Show
2013

Jobs

Actor
Clara Jobs
Movie
2013

Ace the Zombie: The Motion Picture

Actor
Rep. Elizabeth Wells
Movie
2012

Working ClassStream

Actor
Series
2011

A Little Help

Actor
Joan
Movie
2010

Peep World

Actor
Marilyn
Movie
2010

CommunityStream

Guest Star
Deb Perry
Series
2009
88%

Unscripted

Guest
Show
2009

Bound by a Secret

Actor
Jane Tetley
Movie
2009

The Glass Seagull

Actor
Jane Tetley
Movie
2009

In Plain SightStream

Actor
Jinx Shannon
Series
2008

The Morning Show With Mike & Juliet

Guest
Show
2007

PsychStream

Guest Star
Series
2006
89%

10th and WolfStream

Actor
Tina
Movie
2006
19%

Miracle Dogs Too

Actor
Nurse Bleaker
Movie
2006

The Shore

Actor
Movie
2005

Constellation

Actor
Nancy
Movie
2005

When Do We Eat?

Actor
Peggy Stuckman
Movie
2005

Deepwater

Actor
Pam
Movie
2005

Desperate HousewivesStream

Guest Star
Sophie Bremmer
Series
2004
72%

My Tiny Universe

Actor
Vee
Movie
2004

Recipe for Disaster

Actor
Marie Korda
Movie
2003

Less Than PerfectStream

Guest Star
Series
2002

SecretaryStream

Actor
Joan Holloway
Movie
2002
78%

Crossing JordanStream

Guest Star
Series
2001

Wolf Girl

Actor
Dr. Klein
Movie
2001

The Quickie

Actor
Anna
Movie
2001

Delivering Milo

Actor
Anna
Movie
2001

Losing Grace

Actor
Mary Reed
Movie
2001

Trixie

Actor
Dawn Sloane
Movie
2000

Twice in a Lifetime

Guest Star
Show
1999

All of It

Actor
Glenda Holbeck
Movie
1999

Twin Falls Idaho

Actor
Francine
Movie
1999

Teaching Mrs. TingleStream

Actor
Faye Watson
Movie
1999
19%

The Limey

Actor
Elaine
Movie
1999

Jesse

Guest Star
Series
1998

Will & GraceStream

Guest Star
Tina
Series
1998

Love Kills

Actor
Evelyn Heiss
Movie
1998

Richie Rich's Christmas WishStream

Actor
Regina Rich
Movie
1998

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

The PracticeStream

Guest Star
Series
1997

Dartagnan

Actor
Movie
1997

Natural Enemy

Actor
Sandy Robards
Movie
1997

Going All the Way

Actor
Nina Casselman
Movie
1997

Joseph

Actor
Show
1995

Joseph

Actor
Esposa de Potifar
Movie
1995

Bird of Prey

Actor
Carla Carr
Movie
1995

Murderous Intent

Actor
Gayle
Movie
1995

Touched by an AngelStream

Guest Star
Series
1994

Color of Night

Actor
Sondra
Movie
1994

A Mother's Revenge

Actor
Carol Sanders
Movie
1993

Sangre de Mi Sangre

Actor
Movie
1992

In Sickness and in Health

Actor
Anita Mattison
Movie
1992

Willing to Kill: The Texas Cheerleader Story

Actor
Wanda Holloway
Movie
1992

Pure Country

Actor
Lula Rogers
Movie
1992

Dispuesta a Matar

Actor
Movie
1992

A Seduction in Travis County

Actor
Melanie Evans
Movie
1991

Life Stinks

Actor
Molly
Movie
1991

Lola

Actor
Lola Baltic
Show
1990

Family of Spies: The Walker Spy Ring

Actor
Show
1990

Familia de Espías

Actor
Movie
1990

Worth Winning

Actor
Eleanor Larimore
Movie
1989
0%

Baja Oklahoma

Actor
Juanita Hutchins
Movie
1988

Cop

Actor
Kathleen McCarthy
Movie
1988

Burglar

Actor
Dr. Cynthia Sheldrake
Movie
1987

Duel de tueurs

Actor
Movie
1987

Crimen en Cadena

Actor
Movie
1986

Apology

Actor
Lily
Movie
1986

A Fight for Jenny

Actor
Kelsey Wilkes
Movie
1986

Evergreen

Actor
Miniseries
1985

ClueStream

Actor
Miss Scarlet
Movie
1985
70%

Dancing Princess

Actor
Movie
1984

Songwriter

Actor
Gilda
Movie
1984
89%

Choose Me

Actor
Eve
Movie
1984

A Night in Heaven

Actor
Faye Hanlon
Movie
1983

Portrait of a Showgirl

Actor
Jillian Brooks
Movie
1982

Victor/VictoriaStream

Actor
Norma Cassady
Movie
1982
97%

Race to the Yankee Zephyr

Actor
Sally
Movie
1981

Portrait of a Stripper

Actor
Susie Hanson
Movie
1979

PearlStream

Actor
Dr. Carol Lang
Miniseries
1978

Betrayal

Actor
Julie Roy
Movie
1978

79 Park Avenue

Actor
Show
1977

79 Park Avenue

Actor
Marja Fludjicki
Movie
1977

Harry and Walter Go to New York

Actor
Gloria Fontaine
Movie
1976

Colombo: Testimone di se stesso

Actor
Nadia Donner
Movie
1975

The Legend of Valentino

Actor
Laura Lorraine
Movie
1975

Harry O

Guest Star
Show
1974

The Letters

Actor
Laura Reynolds
Movie
1973

The Daughters of Joshua Cabe

Actor
Mae
Movie
1972

Pickup on 101

Actor
Nicky
Movie
1972

Assignment: Munich

Actor
Cathy Lange
Movie
1972

ColumboStream

Guest Star
Nadia Donner
Series
1971
84%

Police Surgeon

Guest Star
Show
1971

Night GalleryStream

Guest Star
Series
1970

Love Hate Love

Actor
Sheila Blunden
Movie
1970

Seven in Darkness

Actor
Deborah Cabot
Movie
1969

Mod Squad

Guest Star
Virginia 'Ginny' Wells
Series
1968

The Family Band

Actor
Alice Bower
Movie
1968

The Carol Burnett ShowStream

Guest
Variety Show
1967

Le plus heureux des millionnaires

Actor
Movie
1967

The Happiest MillionaireStream

Actor
Cordy
Movie
1967
50%

Mission: ImpossibleStream

Actor
Dana Lambert
Series
1966

Cinderella

Actor
Cinderella
Movie
1965

Dr. Kildare

Guest Star
Series
1961

GunsmokeStream

Guest Star
Betsy Payson
Series
1955

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