SWOOSIE KURTZ
Name: Swoosie Kurtz
Born: 6 September 1944 Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Swoosie Kurtz (born September 6, 1944) is a Primetime Emmy- and Tony Award-winning
American actress. She currently stars as Lily Charles in the ABC series Pushing
Daisies.
Kurtz was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the only child of author Margo (nee Rogers)
and Air Force Colonel Frank Kurtz, Jr., a much-decorated WWII American bomber
pilot. She got her unique first name "Swoosie" (which rhymes with Lucy,
rather than woozy) from her father. It is derived from the sole surviving
example, at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, of the B-17D Flying
Fortress airplane, named "The Swoose" or simply "Swoose" - half swan, half goose
- which her father piloted during World War II. Kurtz's first television
appearance was on To Tell the Truth at age eighteen, introducing her father and
two impostors. As a military brat, Kurtz moved frequently. Kurtz attended the
University of Southern California, where she majored in drama. She then attended
the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Kurtz first gained attention in the late 70s in Uncommon Women and Others, the
breakthrough play by Wendy Wasserstein. Kurtz was soon was awarded Broadway's "triple
crown" (the Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards) for her portrayal
of Gwen in Lanford Wilson's The Fifth of July. She won a second Tony for her
performance as Bananas in a 1986 revival of The House of Blue Leaves by John
Guare.
In 1978, she was part of the ensemble cast of Mary Tyler Moore's short lived
variety series Mary, that also included David Letterman and Michael Keaton.
Later, Kurtz had starring roles in the television series Love, Sidney and
Sisters. She has also received an Emmy for her guest-starring performance on
Carol Burnett's comedy series Carol & Company, playing a woman who attends her
20th high-school reunion and discovers her former sweetheart a football player
has been through a sex change operation. Recently, Kurtz has had a recurring
guest role as Judy Miller's mother on the CBS sitcom Still Standing, John Locke's
mother, Emily Annabeth Locke, on Lost, and as Beth Huffstodt's mother on Huff.
She stars in the current ABC television series, Pushing Daisies as Lily Charles.
Kurtz frequently received stellar reviews even in less praised projects, and she
is widely respected as one of Hollywood's most sought-after supporting actresses,
doing a lot of work she would rather not so as to pay the bills and be able to
really act in the theatre.
She has never married or had children. Kurtz was mentioned in the press with
Brent Spiner in the 80s.
Name: Swoosie Kurtz
Born: 6 September 1944 Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Swoosie Kurtz (born September 6, 1944) is a Primetime Emmy- and Tony Award-winning
American actress. She currently stars as Lily Charles in the ABC series Pushing
Daisies.
Kurtz was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the only child of author Margo (nee Rogers)
and Air Force Colonel Frank Kurtz, Jr., a much-decorated WWII American bomber
pilot. She got her unique first name "Swoosie" (which rhymes with Lucy,
rather than woozy) from her father. It is derived from the sole surviving
example, at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, of the B-17D Flying
Fortress airplane, named "The Swoose" or simply "Swoose" - half swan, half goose
- which her father piloted during World War II. Kurtz's first television
appearance was on To Tell the Truth at age eighteen, introducing her father and
two impostors. As a military brat, Kurtz moved frequently. Kurtz attended the
University of Southern California, where she majored in drama. She then attended
the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Kurtz first gained attention in the late 70s in Uncommon Women and Others, the
breakthrough play by Wendy Wasserstein. Kurtz was soon was awarded Broadway's "triple
crown" (the Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards) for her portrayal
of Gwen in Lanford Wilson's The Fifth of July. She won a second Tony for her
performance as Bananas in a 1986 revival of The House of Blue Leaves by John
Guare.
In 1978, she was part of the ensemble cast of Mary Tyler Moore's short lived
variety series Mary, that also included David Letterman and Michael Keaton.
Later, Kurtz had starring roles in the television series Love, Sidney and
Sisters. She has also received an Emmy for her guest-starring performance on
Carol Burnett's comedy series Carol & Company, playing a woman who attends her
20th high-school reunion and discovers her former sweetheart a football player
has been through a sex change operation. Recently, Kurtz has had a recurring
guest role as Judy Miller's mother on the CBS sitcom Still Standing, John Locke's
mother, Emily Annabeth Locke, on Lost, and as Beth Huffstodt's mother on Huff.
She stars in the current ABC television series, Pushing Daisies as Lily Charles.
Kurtz frequently received stellar reviews even in less praised projects, and she
is widely respected as one of Hollywood's most sought-after supporting actresses,
doing a lot of work she would rather not so as to pay the bills and be able to
really act in the theatre.
She has never married or had children. Kurtz was mentioned in the press with
Brent Spiner in the 80s.