# Kathleen Widdoes

Kathleen Effie Widdoes (born March 21, 1939) is an American actress. She is known for playing the role of Emma Snyder on the CBS Daytime soap opera As the World Turns (1985 to 2010). For her work on As the World Turns, she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1986, 1987, and 1991. She also received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1994. Widdoes has appeared in theatrical productions, including The Beggar's Opera (1972), Much Ado About Nothing (1972), Brighton Beach Memoirs (1983), The Tower of Evil (1991), Hamlet (1992), and Franny's Way (2002). She has been nominated for a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. She has won two Obie Awards and a Lucille Lortel Award. Widdoes has also appeared in films, including The Group (1966), The Sea Gull (1968), and Courage Under Fire (1996).

## Early life

Widdoes was born on March 21, 1939 in Wilmington, Delaware. She is the oldest of six siblings, all raised by their mother. She has said that her father ran away from the family when she was very young. She has three brothers and two sisters. In Delaware, she performed in an amateur theater group's production of They Ain't Done Right By Nell. Widdoes moved to New York after high school. She had never studied acting, but she began to land roles.

## Career
### 1958-1962: Early work

Widdoes played Teusret in the original Broadway production of The Firstborn. The play opened at the Coronet Theatre on April 29, 1958. She co-starred with Katharine Cornell. Widdoes also performed in Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge (1958). She played a Tourist in the original Broadway production of The World of Suzie Wong. The play opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on October 14, 1958.
On television, Widdoes was cast as Jill Malone on the NBC soap opera Young Doctor Malone, playing the role from 1958 to 1959. In October 1959, she played Irina in Chekhov's Three Sisters at New York's Fourth Street Theater. In 1960, she performed in Henry V and Measure for Measure at the New York Shakespeare Festival. In September 1960, she appeared in Dostoevsky's The Idiot at the Gate Theatre.
Widdoes performed in Richard II, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet at the New York Shakespeare Festival in 1961. She also appeared in The Tempest for the NYSF in 1962. Widdoes had a singing role in the musical We Take the Town (1962), but she heard through the dressing room wall that she was going to be fired, so she gave her notice that she was leaving.

### 1963-1969: The Group

She appeared in The Maids at the Aldana Theatre in November 1963, co-starring with Lee Grant. Widdoes spent 1964 in Paris, studying at the Sorbonne on a Fulbright scholarship. She trained as a mime. In 1966, she played Alice Sycamore in a Broadway revival of You Can't Take It with You at the Lyceum Theatre. She replaced Rosemary Harris in the role. Widdoes made her film debut as Helena Davison in The Group (1966), directed by Sidney Lumet. She guest starred on 12 O'Clock High.
She played Tina in the television film A Bell for Adano (1967), co-starring with John Forsythe. In April 1967, she starred in To Clothe the Naked at the Sheridan Square Playhouse. She guest starred on The Invaders. She appeared in productions of 'Tis Pity She's a Whore and Three Sisters at the Yale Repertory Theatre.
Widdoes played Wilma in the film Petulia (1968), co-starring with Julie Christie. She also played Masha in a film adaptation of Chekhov's The Sea Gull (1968), directed again by Sidney Lumet. On television, she guest starred on The F.B.I. and Here Come the Brides. In 1969, she co-starred with Robert Loggia in an Off-Broadway production of World War 2 1/2.

### 1971-1977: Much Ado About Nothing

In 1971, she played Maggie West in the horror film The Mephisto Waltz, co-starring with Alan Alda. In 1972, she guest starred on Bonanza. She played Leslie in the film Savages (1972), directed by James Ivory. Widdoes shared nude scenes with her co-star, Sam Waterston, and she posed for nude photos in Playboy to promote the movie.
In June 1972, Widdoes played Polly Peachum in The Beggar's Opera at the McAlpin Rooftop Theatre. She won an Obie Award for her performance. She starred as Beatrice in a New York Shakespeare Festival production of Much Ado About Nothing. The play was recorded and aired on CBS. For her work in Much Ado, Widdoes was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play in 1973. She appeared in the television film The Return of Charlie Chan (1973). She guest starred on Toma. In June 1973, Widdoes played Rosalind in As You Like It at the Delacorte Theater.
She played Margaret in the television film Punch and Jody (1974), co-starring with Glenn Ford. In 1975, she starred as Viola in Twelfth Night at the Stratford Festival in Canada. Widdoes also played Mariana in Measure for Measure at the Stratford Festival. In February 1977, she starred in the musical Castaways at New York's Promenade Theater. She guest starred on Kojak. Widdoes returned to Broadway, playing Cecily in a revival of The Importance of Being Earnest. The play opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre on May 27, 1977.

### 1978-1987: As the World Turns

Widdoes was cast as Rose Perrini on the NBC soap opera Another World, playing the role from 1978 to 1980. The character was the mother of Joe Perrini (Ray Liotta). In March 1981, she starred in Stops Along the Way and In Fireworks Lie Secret Codes at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater. She guest starred on Secrets of Midland Heights and Nurse. Widdoes starred as author Edith Wharton in Edith Wharton: Looking Back, an episode of the PBS series Great Performances.
She played Mrs. Alving in a production of Ghosts for the American Repertory Theater. She appeared in the film I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can (1982). In December 1982, Widdoes played Gertrude in Hamlet at The Public Theater. In 1983, she had a recurring role as Una MacCurtain on the ABC soap opera Ryan's Hope. She played Ms. Hauser in the film Without a Trace. Widdoes appeared as Blanche Morton in the original Broadway production of Brighton Beach Memoirs. She replaced Anita Gillette in the role.
She was cast in the contract role of Emma Snyder on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, first airing in July 1985. The character was the owner of a farm and the matriarch of a large family, including son Holden Snyder (Jon Hensley). Widdoes appeared in the television film Mafia Princess (1986), co-starring with Susan Lucci. For her work on As the World Turns, she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1986. She was nominated again in the same category in 1987.

### 1990-present

In May 1990, Widdoes played Margaret in The Tower of Evil for the Classic Stage Company. She received an Obie Award for her performance. For her work on As the World Turns, she received her third Daytime Emmy Award nomination in 1991 for Outstanding Supporting Actress. In July 1991, Widdoes played Jan Kirkland in Man in his Underwear at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
She starred as Gertrude in a Broadway revival of Hamlet. The play opened in previews at Criterion Center Stage Right on March 11, 1992. For her work on As the World Turns, she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1994. She was switched to recurring status at ATWT in 1995. In February 1995, Widdoes played Nora Culligan in The Truth-Teller for the Circle Repertory Company. In October 1995, she played Maria in Moonlight for the Roundabout Theater Company.
Widdoes played Geraldine Walden in the film Courage Under Fire (1996), co-starring with Denzel Washington. In October and November 1996, she starred in The Rose Tattoo at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. In 1997, she began playing the recurring role of Mrs. Beecher on the HBO series Oz. She appeared as Frankie in the comedy film Hi-Life (1998). In February 1998, she played Maria Callas in Master Class for North Carolina's PlayMakers Repertory Company. She starred in Long Day's Journey into Night at the American Conservatory Theater. Widdoes guest starred on Law & Order in 1999.
In March and April 2002, Widdoes starred in Franny's Way at The Atlantic Theatre. She co-starred with Elisabeth Moss. Widdoes won the Lucille Lortel Award (Featured Actress) for her performance. In December 2004, she appeared in Noël Coward's After the Ball at The Irish Repertory Theatre. In January 2007, she starred as Lady Kitty in The Circle at the American Conservatory Theater. The cancellation of As the World Turns was announced on December 8, 2009. Widdoes made her last appearance on the show in June 2010.

## Personal life

In 1961, Widdoes met actor Richard Jordan when they played the lead roles in a Shakespeare Festival production of Romeo and Juliet. They were married in Paris in 1964, while she was studying at the Sorbonne. They had a daughter, born the same year. They were later divorced.
She is married to Jerry Senter.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1966 | The Group | Helena Davison |
| 1968 | Petulia | Wilma |
| 1968 | The Sea Gull | Masha |
| 1971 | The Mephisto Waltz | Maggie West |
| 1972 | Savages | Leslie |
| 1982 | I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can | Dr. Rawlings |
| 1983 | Without a Trace | Ms. Hauser |
| 1996 | Courage Under Fire | Geraldine Walden |
| 1998 | Hi-Life | Frankie |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1958–1959 | Young Doctor Malone | Jill Malone | |
| 1958–1959 | Camera Three | | 3 episodes |
| 1959 | The Art Carney Special | Emily Webb | Episode: "Our Town" |
| 1960 | Startime | Rachel | Episode: "Jeff McCleod, the Last Reb" |
| 1960–1962 | Festival | Joan of Arc; Ondine | 3 episodes |
| 1961 | Way Out | Bonnie Draco | Episode: "Dissolve to Black" |
| 1961 | Look Up and Live | Elektra | Episode: "The Flies" |
| 1961 | Armstrong Circle Theatre | Anna Halber | Episode: "A Chapter on Tyranny: Dateline Berlin" |
| 1962 | The DuPont Show of the Week | Kathy Allen | Episode: "The Movie Star" |
| 1962; 1963 | The Defenders | Sandra Mason; Theresa Sullivan | Episodes: "The Benefactor", "The Star Spangled Ghetto" |
| 1963 | The Doctors | Charity | 5 episodes |
| 1965 | The Nurses | Young Woman | Episode: "Sixteen Hours to Chicago" |
| 1966 | 12 O'Clock High | Lt. Irina Zavanoff | Episode: "Massacre" |
| 1967 | The Invaders | Ellen Woods | Episode: "Nightmare" |
| 1967 | A Bell for Adano | Tina Tomasino | Television film |
| 1968 | Here Come the Brides | Dr. Allyn Wright | Episode: "A Crying Need" |
| 1968 | The F.B.I. | Margaret Kane | Episode: "The Hero" |
| 1972 | Bonanza | Anna Kosovo | Episode: "Frenzy" |
| 1973 | Much Ado About Nothing | Beatrice | Television film |
| 1973 | Toma | Marian Dalton | Episode: "The Bambara Bust" |
| 1973 | The Return of Charlie Chan | Irene Hadrachi | Television film |
| 1974 | The American Parade | Anne Bradstreet | Episode: "We the Women" |
| 1974 | Punch and Jody | Margaret Howell Grant | Television film |
| 1975 | ABC's Wide World of Entertainment | Joan Harper | Episode: "Please Call It Murder" |
| 1977 | The Andros Targets | Bonnie Stanik | Episode: "A Currency for Murder" |
| 1977 | Kojak | Sonia | Episode: "Another Gypsy Queen" |
| 1978–1980 | Another World | Rose Perrini | |
| 1981 | Secrets of Midland Heights | Helen Millington Dulles | Episode: "The Birthday Party" |
| 1981 | Great Performances | Edith Wharton | Episode: "Edith Wharton: Looking Back" |
| 1981 | Nurse | Dr. Carol Swanson | Episode: "My Life as a Woman" |
| 1983 | Ryan's Hope | Una MacCurtain | Recurring role, 9 episodes |
| 1985–2010 | As the World Turns | Emma Snyder | Contract role: 1985–1995, Recurring role: 1995–2010 |
| 1986 | Mafia Princess | Angelina Giancana | Television film |
| 1991 | American Playhouse | Esther Rosenbloom | Episode: "The Hollow Boy" |
| 1997–2002 | Oz | Mrs. Beecher | Episodes: "Straight Life", "Works of Mercy", "Impotence" |
| 1999 | Law & Order | Judge Childers | Episode: "Sideshow: Part 1" |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
| 1972 | Obie Award | Distinguished Performance | The Beggar's Opera | Won |
| 1973 | Tony Award | Best Actress in a Play | Much Ado About Nothing | Nominated |
| 1986 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | As the World Turns | Nominated |
| 1987 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | As the World Turns | Nominated |
| 1991 | Obie Award | Performance | The Tower of Evil | Won |
| 1991 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | As the World Turns | Nominated |
| 1994 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series | As the World Turns | Nominated |
| 2002 | Lucille Lortel Award | Featured Actress | Franny's Way | Won |
| 2002 | Drama Desk Award | Featured Actress in a Play | Franny's Way | Nominated |