Biographies: Frances Sternhagen - Actor

Biographies

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An American actress, born in Washington, D.C., she is the daughter of John Sternhagen, a judge in the U.S. Tax Court. She studied at the Catholic University of America and Vassar College in New York State. She began her career in teaching at Milton Academy in Massachusetts. She made her debut in 1948 at the Bryn Mawr Theater in the play The Glass Menagerie and the play Angel Street written by Patrick Hamilton as Gas Light. Frances continued her work in theater in Washington State, then made her debut on Broadway in New York State in 1955 in the play The Skin of Our Teeth. She won two Tony Awards for theater in 1974 for her role in The Good Doctor, and in 1995 for The Heiress. Frances was nominated for the award on numerous occasions for The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window (1972), Equus (1975), and On Golden Pond (1979).