# Rochelle Oliver

Rochelle Oliver (April 15, 1937 – April 13, 2024) was an American acting coach and actress.

## Early life and career

Oliver studied acting with Uta Hagen. Her stage appearances include The Brothers Karamazov, The Cave Dwellers, The Diary of Anne Frank and Toys in the Attic, the latter of which earned her a Clarence Derwent Award in 1960.
In 1958, she appeared on television in the "Saw My Baby There" episode of Naked City. In 1963, she played the part of Jean Lowell in the episode "The Noose" from The Defenders. In 1970, she had a recurring role as Barbara Lamont in the series The Best of Everything. In 1976, she played the part of Dr. Marsha in Paul Mazursky's Next Stop, Greenwich Village. From 1993 to 2003, she appeared as Judge Grace Larkin in Law & Order.
Oliver had been teaching acting since the 1970s. She was on the faculty of HB Studio in New York City until her death in 2024.

## Personal life and death

Oliver was Jewish. In 1959, she married actor James Patterson, with whom she had a son. They remained together until his death in 1972. In 1997, Oliver married actor Fritz Weaver. They remained together until Weaver's death in 2016.
Oliver died in New York City on April 13, 2024, two days before her 87th birthday.

## Filmography

Film :
| Title | Year | Role | Director | Notes |
| The Happy Hooker | 1975 | Norma | Nicholas Sgarro | |
| Next Stop, Greenwich Village | 1976 | Doctor Marsha | Paul Mazursky | |
| Lianna | 1983 | Betty | John Sayles | |
| In Defense of Kids | 1983 | Mrs. Giankanis | Gene Reynolds | TV movie |
| 1918 | 1985 | Mrs. Mary Vaughn | Ken Harrison | |
| On Valentine's Day | 1986 | Mrs. Vaughn | Ken Harrison | |
| Courtship | 1987 | Mrs Vaughn | Howard Cummings | |
| The Appointments of Dennis Jennings | 1988 | Woman on TV | Dean Parisot | Short |
| An Unremarkable Life | 1989 | Mary Alice | Amin Q. Chaudhri | |
| Scent of a Woman | 1992 | Gretchen | Martin Brest | |
| Hollywood Ending | 2002 | Script supervisor | Woody Allen | |
Television shows :
| Title | Episode | Role | Director | Year / Air date | Notes |
| Naked City | "Four Sweet Corners" | Cora Gary | Stuart Rosenberg | April 28, 1959 | |
| Naked City | "Saw My Baby There " | Katie Harris | Stuart Rosenberg | June 9, 1959 | |
| The United States Steel Hour | "Little Lost Sheep" | | Ernest Kinoy | November 1, 1961 | |
| The Defenders | "The Noose" | Jean Lowell | Stuart Rosenberg | April 27, 1963 | |
| The Nurses | "Credo" | Sally Ellis | Stuart Rosenberg | January 9, 1964 | |
| The Defenders | "The Objector" | Anne Wendel | Leonard Horn | February 11, 1965 | |
| The Best of Everything | Barbara Lamont | Episode #1.1 | | March 30, 1970 | Writer: James Lipton Producer: Jacqueline Babbin |
| The Best of Everything | Barbara Lamont | Episode #1.112 | Dennis Kane | September 7, 1970 | |
| The Best of Everything | Barbara Lamont | Episode #1.114 | Alan Pultz | September 9, 1970 | |
| Ryan's Hope | Episode #1.838 | Jeri Jerome | Lela Swift | September 25, 1978 | |
| ABC Afterschool Specials | Mrs. York | "Amy & the Angel" | Ralph Rosenblum | September 22, 1982 | |
| Tribeca | "The Hopeless Romantic" | Blanche | Barry Primus | April 6, 1993 | |
| Law & Order | "Manhood" | Judge Grace Larkin | Ed Sherin | May 12, 1993 | |
| Law & Order | "Big Bang" | Judge Grace Larkin | Dann Florek | March 2, 1994 | |
| Law & Order | "Competence" | Judge Grace Larkin | Fred Gerber | November 2, 1994 | |
| All My Children | Episode dated 20 June 1995 | Alice Hart | | June 20, 1995 | |
| Law & Order | "Paranoia" | Judge Grace Larkin | Fred Gerber | November 15, 1995 | |
| Law & Order | "Family Business " | Judge Grace Larkin | Lewis Gould | November 20, 1996 | |
| Law & Order | "Faccia a Faccia" | Judge Grace Larkin | Martha Mitchell | February 25, 1998 | |
| Law & Order | "Ill-Conceived" | Judge Grace Larkin | David Platt | December 3, 2003 | |