Joan Hackett

Joan Ann Hackett (March 1, 1934 – October 8, 1983) was an American actress of film, stage, and television. She was a versatile artist who starred in a varied range of unique and diverse roles across multiple expressive mediums, with a particular prominence in motion pictures. Her iconic roles include performances in the female ensemble-driven drama 'The Group' (1966), the western saga 'Will Penny' (1968), the comedy-western 'Support Your Local Sheriff!' (1969), the mystery 'The Last of Sheila' (1973), and the thriller 'The Terminal Man' (1974). Her critically acclaimed performance as Toby Landau in 'Only When I Laugh' (1981) earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for best supporting actress, and secured her a Golden Globe Award for the same category. Over the course of her career, Hackett was nominated for multiple awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Laurel Award. In addition to her notable film performances, she had a starring role as Christine Mannon in the 1978 PBS miniseries version of 'Mourning Becomes Electra'. Hackett was born in the East Harlem neighborhood of New York City and grew up in Elmhurst, Queens. She started her career as a model and left school in her final year to pursue an acting career. Hackett made her acting debut in 1959 in the TV series 'Young Doctor Malone'. She was applauded for her role in Michael Shurtleff's play 'Call Me By My Rightful Name', for which she won a Theatre World Award, an Obie Award for Best Actress, and a Drama Desk Award. Her acting career spanned from 1959 to 1983 and included roles in both television and theatre.