Actor Piper Laurie, known for roles in ‘Carrie’ and ‘The Hustler,’ dies at 91

Oscar-nominated actor Piper Laurie, known for her roles in ‘Carrie’ and ‘The Hustler,’ has passed away at her home in Los Angeles at the age of 91.

Celebrated Career: Piper Laurie enjoyed a prominent acting career, receiving acclaim for several roles.
* Starting her Hollywood career in 1949 as Rosetta Jacobs, she quickly secured a contract with Universal-International and starred in roles with Ronald Reagan, Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis.
* Laurie received Academy Award nominations for three films: ‘The Hustler’ (1961), ‘Carrie’ (1976) and ‘Children of a Lesser God’ (1986).

Intermission and Comeback: In 1955, Laurie took a break from acting, seeking more meaningful roles.
* Dissatisfied with the parts she was receiving, Laurie moved to New York, where she found engagement in theater and live television drama.
* Her performances in ‘Days of Wine and Roses,’ ‘The Deaf Heart’ and ‘The Road That Led After’ earned her Emmy nominations and facilitated her return to film.

Personal Life: Laurie largely stepped back from acting for many years, focusing on her personal life.
* She married film critic Joseph Morgenstern, had a daughter, and moved to a farmhouse in Woodstock, New York.
* During this period, she became well-known as a baker, with her recipes appearing in The New York Times. Her only performance during this period was joining a tour of college campuses to support Sen. George McGovern’s 1972 presidential bid.

Return to Screen: Laurie returned to acting with her role in ‘Carrie’, a box-office hit that rekindled her desire to act.
* Initially, Laurie considered playing her character in the film for laughs, thinking the script was poor, until director Brian De Palma clarified he intended the film to be a thriller.
* Following ‘Carrie’, Laurie resumed a busy career that spanned decades, appearing in TV series like ‘Matlock,’ ‘Murder, She Wrote,’ ‘Frasier’ and ‘ER,’ where she played George Clooney’s mother.

View original article on NPR

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