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Veronica Cartwright

Veronica Cartwright

Ms. Cartwright has built an impressive list of stage and screen credits. Born in England, she began her career as a child actress in the 1960s appearing in various television shows including the CBS series, Leave It To Beaver, as Violet Rutherford, the classic episode of The TwiLight Zone called I Sing the Body Electric, as young Anne and NBC's serial, Daniel Boone.

Her film career began in the classic films, IN LOVE AND WAR, THE CHILDREN'S HOUR, directed by William Wyler, Alfred Hitchcock's THE BIRDS, and SPENCER'S MOUNTAIN, with Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara.

She made her transition into adult roles in such films as INSERTS and GOIN' SOUTH, the first of three films in which she starred opposite Jack Nicholson. Cartwright appeared in two science fiction classics in the 1970s: Philip Kaufman's remake of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS and Ridley Scott's masterpiece thriller, ALIEN.

In the 1980s, Cartwright starred as Betty Grissom in the epic dramatization of NASA's space program based on Tom Wolfe's novel, THE RIGHT STUFF, also directed by Kaufman. She made an indelible impression on movie-goers in 1987 with her standout performance in THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK, alongside Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon and Nicholson.

Cartwright's other film credits include Bob Rafelson's MAN TROUBLE, again with Nicholson, and CANDYMAN II, based on a Clive Barker story. As well as Keenan Ivory Wayans SCARY MOVIE 2 and JUST MARRIED, co-starring Ashton Kucher and Brittany Murphy.

She was seen in 1997 starring in Brett Ratner's MONEY TALKS, opposite Chris Tucker and Charlie Sheen and in 1998 in HBO's THE RAT PACK with Ray Liotta. She can also be seen in Darren Stein's wonderful comedy, SPARKLER, opposite Park Overall and appeared in Toni Kalem's upcoming A SLIPPING DOWN LIFE, opposite Guy Pearce and Lili Taylor.

Her many theater credits from New York to Los Angeles include Ezra Pounds' Electra, the two-character play Tally's Folly, at Elitch Gardens in Denver, starring with and directed by Judd Hirsch, and The Master Builder, opposite Sam Waterston, for which she received brilliant reviews. Her performances in The Hands of Its Enemy, Homesteaders and The Triplet Collection each brought her DramaLogue awards.

She has appeared in numerous television movies and series, including The Lottery, My Brother's Keeper, opposite John Lithgow, Dead In The Water, Guyana Tragedy, Robert Altman's Tanner '88 on HBO, and RFK: His Life and Times as Ethel Kennedy, opposite Brad Davis. She had a very memorable recurring television role as the zealous prosecutor, Margaret Flanagan, on NBC's L.A. LAW. Cartwright was recently seen on Showtime in the Stephen King / Clive Barker horror thriller, Quicksilver Highway, directed my Mick Garris.

Cartwright received an Emmy award in 1964 for her portrayal of Paula in Tell Me Not In Mournful Numbers. She was nominated again by the Television Academy in 1997 for her guest-starring role of Mrs. Huston in very widely acclaimed episodes of E.R. called Whose Appy Now? and Faith. She starred in a recurring role on George and Leo, the Bob Newhart / Judd Hirsch series for CBS, as Hirsch's ex-wife, Anna.

Veronica was also nominated two years in a row by the Television Academy for her pivotal role of Cassandra Spender on Fox's The X Files. She can also be seen as Jack's mother in the hit series Will and Grace.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2004.
Read earlier biographies on this page.

Veronica Cartwright Facts

OccupationActress
BirthdayApril 20, 1950 (73)
SignTaurus
BirthplaceBristol, England, United Kingdom
Height5' 8" (1m73)  How tall is Veronica Cartwright compared to you?

Selected Filmography

Money Talks
The Invasion
The Town That Dreaded Sundown
Flight of The Navigator
Alien Quadrilogy Blu-ray
The Misadventures of the Dunderheads
Alien: The Director's Cut
The Right Stuff
The Birds
The Odd Way Home
Continue » Find more details on the Veronica Cartwright Movies page