# Kate Reid

Daphne Katherine Reid OC (4 November 1930 – 27 March 1993) was a Canadian actress, whose career spanned over fifty years and hundreds of roles across both stage and screen. She was described by the book Inspiring Women: A Celebration of Herstory as "the finest actress ever developed in Canada".
Born in England and raised in Ontario, Reid performed with the Stratford Festival, before making her Broadway debut as Martha in the matinee cast of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and went on to be nominated for two Tony Awards, Best Featured Actress in a Play for Dylan and Best Actress in a Play for Slapstick Tragedy. She played Linda Loman in the acclaimed 1984 revival of Death of a Salesman.
On screen, Reid won the Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Louis Malle's Atlantic City (1980). She was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for A Delicate Balance (1973), and Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film for the 1985 television film of Death of a Salesman. She also won a Dora Mavor Moore Award, and the Earle Grey Award.

## Early life and education

Reid was born on 4 November 1930 in London, England, the daughter of Canadian parents Walter Clarke Reid, a retired colonel of the Bengal Lancers in the Indian Army, and Helen Isabel, née Moore. While Reid was still a toddler, she and her family moved back to Canada and settled in Oakville, Ontario.
She attended Havergal College in Toronto, the University of Toronto, and then studied acting at the Royal Conservatory of Music. She made her earliest stage appearances at the Hart House Theatre, before her professional debut with the Straw Hat Players in Muskoka.

## Career
### Theatre

Reid performed with the Crest Theatre in Toronto and starred in The Stepmother on London's West End, before joining the Stratford Festival in 1959. She maintained a close association with the Festival until her death, over the years playing such roles as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Katharina in The Taming of the Shrew, Celia in As You Like It, Emilia in Othello, the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, and Mistress Overdone in Measure for Measure. In the early 1960s, Reid moved to New York City to study with Uta Hagen. She was cast as Martha in the alternate matinee cast of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
At the Shaw Festival, Reid played the title role in Mrs. Warren's Profession and in The Apple Cart. In 1984, Reid starred in the critically-acclaimed Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman, opposite Dustin Hoffman, John Malkovich, and Stephen Lang.

### Film

Reid made her film debut in the NFB short Farewell Oak Street, then starred in Sidney J. Furie's A Dangerous Age, notable for being English-language Canadian feature. Following her stage success, she was cast as the scheming and domineering mother of Natalie Wood's character in Sydney Pollack's 1966 film This Property is Condemned, although she was only seven years Wood's senior.
Her other film appearances included starring roles as acerbic scientist Dr. Ruth Leavitt in The Andromeda Strain (1971), the alcoholic sister of Katharine Hepburn's character in A Delicate Balance (1973) - which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, Margaret Dysart in the 1977 film version of Equus, and aging beauty Grace in Atlantic City (1980). The latter role won her the Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 2nd Genie Awards.

### Television

Reid was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for playing Queen Victoria in the television drama Invincible Mr. Disraeli (1963).
In 1971, Reid co-starred with Eddie Albert and Suzanne Pleshette in the Columbo episode "Dead Weight". She also co-starred as Lil Trotter on Dallas, between seasons 6 and 9.
In 1985, she reprised her role as Linda in the CBS television version of Death of a Salesman, alongside the other stars of the '84 Broadway revival. The film won three Emmys, and Reid received her second Golden Globe nomination, for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film

## Honours

In 1974, Reid was acclaimed an Officer of the Order of Canada.
She received honourary degrees from York University (1970) and the University of Toronto (1989).
She had lifetime achievement ACTRA and Dora Awards. In 1988, she received the Earle Grey Award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.

## Personal life

Both of Reid's marriages, to Michael Sadlier and Austin Willis, ended in divorce. She had two children with Willis, Reid and Robin.

### Death

Reid died of brain cancer in Stratford, Ontario, aged 62, in 1993. Her memorial service was held at St Clement's Episcopal Church in New York. Among those in attendance were Edward Albee, John Guare, Elizabeth Wilson, Marian Seldes, Rosemary Murphy, and Carrie Nye.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1953 | Farewell Oak Street | Welfare woman | Short |
| 1957 | A Dangerous Age | Nancy's Mother | |
| 1961 | One Plus One | Julia Bradley | 'Homecoming' segment |
| 1961 | William Lyon Mackenzie: A Friend to His Country | Isabel Mackenzie | Short |
| 1966 | This Property is Condemned | Hazel Starr | |
| 1966 | Each Day That Comes | | Short |
| 1967 | The Paper People | Rosamund Davis | |
| 1968 | The Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kaladar | Glad | |
| 1970 | The Sidelong Glances of a Pigeon Kicker | Jonathan's Mother | |
| 1971 | The Andromeda Strain | Dr. Ruth Leavitt | |
| 1973 | The Rainbow Boys | Gladys | |
| 1973 | A Delicate Balance | Claire | |
| 1976 | Shoot | Mrs. Graham | |
| 1977 | Equus | Margaret Dysart | |
| 1979 | Plague | Dr. Jessica Morgan, Director McNaughton Labs | |
| 1980 | Death Ship | Sylvia | |
| 1980 | Double Negative | Mrs. Swanscutt | |
| 1980 | Atlantic City | Grace | |
| 1981 | Circle of Two | Doctor Emily Reed | |
| 1982 | Monkey Grip | Peggy | |
| 1982 | Highpoint | Mrs. Hatcher | |
| 1984 | The Blood of Others | Madame Blomart | |
| 1985 | Heaven Help Us | Grandma | |
| 1986 | Fire with Fire | Sister Victoria | |
| 1987 | Control | Camille Dupont | |
| 1988 | Sweet Hearts Dance | Pearne Manners | |
| 1989 | Signs of Life | Mrs. Wrangway | |
| 1989 | Bye Bye Blues | Mary Wright | |
| 1991 | Deceived | Rosalie | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1952–1961 | General Motors Presents | Mrs. Manningham / Julie Bedford / Miss Robie / Evelyn Heath / Alice Pemberton / Carol / Jo March / Lisa / Martha / Esther / Annabelle Ronan / Susan / Nina / Ellen Gordon | 25 episodes |
| 1954–1957 | On Camera | Ethel Morrison / Ethel Muller / Lucille | 7 episodes |
| 1955 | Playbill | Reporter | 2 episodes |
| 1955 | Scope | Ophelia | Season 1 Episode 18: "Hamlet" |
| 1955 | CBC Summer Theatre | | Season 1 Episode 3: "The Mark" |
| 1955 | Perspective | Janice Barker (uncredited) | Episode: "Raw Material" |
| 1955–1959 | Folio | Anne / Natalya Petrovna / Lucie / Ines de Castro / Sarah | 6 episodes |
| 1958 | ITV Play of the Week | Anne Swift | Season 3 Episode 32: "The Myth Makers" |
| 1959 | Armchair Theatre | Gertrude Glass (The Actress) | 2 episodes |
| 1960 | Startime | Andromache / Hagga / Candida | 3 episodes |
| 1960 | The Hill | Mary Magdalene | TV Movie |
| 1960 | First Person | | Season 1 Episode 24: "A Matter of Some Importance" |
| 1960–1967 | Festival | Portia / Masha / Anne of Cleves / Madam Fay / Mother Courage / Rosamund Davis | 7 episodes |
| 1961 | The Wayne and Shuster Hour | | Season 4 Episode 5: "The Mona Lisa Mystery" |
| 1961–1964 | Playdate | Connie / Louise Pazzano / Stella / Grace | 4 episodes |
| 1963 | Invincible Mr. Disraeli | Queen Victoria | TV Movie |
| 1964 | Abe Lincoln in Illinois | Mary Todd | TV Movie |
| 1964 | CBC Show of the Week | | Episode: "The Trial of Dr. Fancy" |
| 1965 | The Holy Terror | Aunt Mai | TV Movie |
| 1966 | Wojeck | Rose Hunter | Season 1 Episode 2: "All Aboard for Candyland" |
| 1966 | NET Playhouse | Catherine Stockmann | Season 1 Episode 9: "An Enemy of the People" |
| 1970 | Neither Are We Enemies | Deborah | TV Movie |
| 1970 | Lassie | Woman | Season 17 Episode 13: "Any Heart in a Storm" |
| 1971 | Columbo | Mrs. Walters | Season 1 Episode 3: "Dead Weight" |
| 1972–1975 | The Whiteoaks of Jalna | Old Adeline / Adeline | Miniseries 5 episodes |
| 1973 | Hawkins: Death and the Maiden | Julia Dayton | TV Movie; Pilot for the series Hawkins |
| 1973 | She Cried Murder | Maggie Knowlton | TV Movie |
| 1974 | Witness to Yesterday | Queen Victoria | Episode: "Queen Victoria" |
| 1974 | Great Performances | Kleopatra | Episode: "Enemies" |
| 1975 | Death Among Friends | Lt. Shirley Ridgeway | TV Movie |
| 1975 | Medical Center | Mary | Season 7 Episode 15: "The Silent Witness" |
| 1976 | Sidestreet | | Season 2 Episode 2: "The Right to Defend" |
| 1976 | Ada | Mother | |
| 1977 | For the Record | | Season 2 Episode 5: "Ada" |
| 1977 | The Ugly Little Boy | Nurse Edyth L. Fellowes | TV Movie |
| 1978 | What Really Happened to the Class of '65? | Jane | Season 1 Episode 6: "Class Crusader" |
| 1978 | Loose Change | Hilda | Miniseries Episode: "Part II: Making It" |
| 1978 | Nellie McClung | | TV Movie |
| 1979 | Crossbar | Clare Kornylo | TV Movie |
| 1981 | Explorations in Shaw | Shaw's Mother | TV Movie |
| 1982 | CBS Library | Old Lady (segment: Invisible Boy) | Season 3 Episode 1: "Robbers, Rooftops and Witches" |
| 1982 | Morning's at Seven | Ida Bolton | TV Movie |
| 1982–1983 | Gavilan | Marion Jaworski | Series regular |
| 1982–1986 | Dallas | Aunt Lil Trotter | 17 episodes (Recurring role) |
| 1983 | Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Mrs. Welch | Season 1 Episode 1: "The First Time" |
| 1984 | Seeing Things | Hannah | Season 3 Episode 2: "Someone Is Watching" |
| 1985 | The Edison Twins | Millie | Season 3 Episode 10: "My House Is Your House" |
| 1985 | Death of a Salesman | Linda Loman | TV Movie |
| 1985 | The Execution of Raymond Graham | Mrs. Graham | TV Movie |
| 1985 | Hangin' In | Mrs. Brown | Season 6 Episode 8: "A Mother's Work Is Never Done" |
| 1986 | Morningstar/Eveningstar | Martha Cameron | Series regular |
| 1986 | Philip Marlowe, Private Eye | Anna Jeeter | Season 2 Episode 5: "Trouble Is My Business" |
| 1986 | Christmas Eve | Molly Gottchalk | TV Movie |
| 1987 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Johanna Enright | Season 2 Episode 2: "Conversation Over a Corpse" |
| 1989 | CBS Summer Playhouse | Gretta | Season 3 Episode 7: "Curse of the Corn People" |
| 1989 | Street Legal | Georgina Rawls | Season 4 Episode 5: "The Cradle Will Rock" |
| 1989 | Friday the 13th: The Series | Lili Lita | Season 3 Episode 9: "Femme Fatale" |
| 1990 | The Last Best Year | Sister Mary Rose | TV Movie |
| 1990 | Christmas in America | Hattie Booth | TV Movie |
| 1990 | E.N.G. | Irene | Season 2 Episode 4: "Scratches on a Plaster Wall" |
| 1990 | Saying Goodbye | | Season 1 Episode 5: "The First Snowfall" |
| 1992 | Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story | Faye | TV Movie |
| 1993 | Murder in the Heartland | Pansy Street | Miniseries |

## Awards and nominations

| Award | Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| CableACE Awards | 1987 | Best Actress in a Dramatic Series | Philip Marlowe, Private Eye (for "Trouble Is My Business") | Nominated |
| Dora Mavor Moore Awards | 1981 | Outstanding Supporting Actress | Stevie | Won |
| Genie Awards | 1980 | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Atlantic City | Won |
| Golden Globe Awards | 1973 | Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture | A Delicate Balance | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | 1985 | Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Death of a Salesman | Nominated |
| Grammy Awards | 1964 | Best Documentary, Spoken Word or Drama Recording (Other Than Comedy) | Dylan | Nominated |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | 1963 | Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actress | Hallmark Hall of Fame (for "The Invincible Mr. Disraeli) | Nominated |
| Tony Awards | 1964 | Best Supporting or Featured Actress in a Play | Dylan | Nominated |
| Tony Awards | 1966 | Best Leading Actress in a Play | Slapstick Tragedy | Nominated |