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Brunette leading lady Marsha Mason made her Broadway debut in "Cactus Flower" (1965) and soon after landed in her first feature film, the low-budget actioner "Hot Rod Hullabaloo" (1966). For the next several years, she appeared in stage productions on and off Broadway as well as played a recurring role on the daytime drama "Love of Life" (CBS). The early 1970s found her at San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre, where she acted in such classics as "The Merchant of Venice", "Cyrano de Bergerac" and "A Doll's House" (all 1972) before coming into her own as a film actress in 1973....
Full Bio , Awards & Milestones

Filmography

Bride and Prejudice - ( Darcy's Mother / 2005 / Released / )
Bereft - ( Helen / 2004 / Released / )
2 Days in the Valley - ( Audrey Hopper / 1996 / Released / )
Nick of Time - ( Governor Eleanor Grant / 1995 / Released / )
I Love Trouble - ( Senator Gayle Robbins / 1994 / Released / )
Drop Dead Fred - ( Polly / 1991 / Released / Alliance Releasing )
Stella - ( Janice Morrison / 1990 / Released / Filmpac Holdings )
Heartbreak Ridge - ( Aggie / 1986 / Released / )
Max Dugan Returns - ( Nora McPhee / 1983 / Released / Fox Films, Ltd. )
Only When I Laugh - ( Georgia Hines / 1981 / Released / )
Chapter Two - ( Jennie MacLaine / 1979 / Released / )
Promises in the Dark - ( Dr Alexandra Kendall / 1979 / Released / )
The Cheap Detective - ( Georgia Merkle / 1978 / Released / )
Audrey Rose - ( Janice Templeton / 1977 / Released / )
The Goodbye Girl - ( Paula McFadden / 1977 / Released / Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution )
Cinderella Liberty - ( Maggie / 1974 / Released / )
Blume in Love - ( Arlene / 1973 / Released / )
TV Credits
Lipstick Jungle ( 2008 / Released ): Actor
Army Wives ( 2007 / Released ): Actor
Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King ( 2006 / Released ): Actor
The Long Shot: Believe in Courage ( 2004 / Released ): Actor
Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows ( 2001 / Released ): Actor
Matthew Broderick ( 2001 / Released ): Actor
The Education of Max Bickford ( 2001 / Released ): Actor
Shirley MacLaine: This Time Around ( 2000 / Released ): Actor
Intimate Portrait: Jane Alexander ( 1999 / Released ): Narrator
Neil Simon: The People's Playwright ( 1999 / Released ): Actor
Restless Spirits ( 1999 / Released ): Actor
The AFI's 100 Years... 100 Stars ( 1999 / Released ): Actor
Broken Trust ( 1995 / Released ): Actor
Clint Eastwood -- The Man From Malpaso ( 1993 / Released ): Actor
Frasier ( 1993 / Released ): Actor
The Power of Water ( 1993 / Released ): Narrator
Sibs ( 1991 / Released ): Actor
TGIF Comedy Preview ( 1991 / Released ): Actor
The Image ( 1990 / Released ): Actor
Dinner at Eight ( 1989 / Released ): Actor
From the Heart... The First International Very Special Arts Festival ( 1989 / Released ): Actor
Neil Simon: Not Just For Laughs ( 1989 / Released ): Actor
The 3rd Annual American Comedy Awards ( 1989 / Released ): Actor
Shortstories (10/08/88) ( 1988 / Released ): Actor
Golden Globe Awards ( 1987 / Released ): Actor
Little Miss Perfect ( 1987 / Released ): Director
All Star Party For Clint Eastwood ( 1986 / Released ): Actor
The 58th Annual Academy Awards Presentation ( 1986 / Released ): Actor
Trapped in Silence ( 1986 / Released ): Actor
Surviving ( 1985 / Released ): Actor
Lois Gibbs and the Love Canal ( 1982 / Released ): Actor
Cyrano de Bergerac ( 1974 / Released ): Actor
Where the Heart Is ( 1969 / Released ): Actor
Dark Shadows ( 1966 / Released ): Actor
Love of Life ( 1951 / Released ): Actor
Young Dr. Kildare ( Released ): Actor
Full Biography (Back to top)

Brunette leading lady Marsha Mason made her Broadway debut in "Cactus Flower" (1965) and soon after landed in her first feature film, the low-budget actioner "Hot Rod Hullabaloo" (1966). For the next several years, she appeared in stage productions on and off Broadway as well as played a recurring role on the daytime drama "Love of Life" (CBS). The early 1970s found her at San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre, where she acted in such classics as "The Merchant of Venice", "Cyrano de Bergerac" and "A Doll's House" (all 1972) before coming into her own as a film actress in 1973. That watershed year saw her first as one of George Segal's girlfriends in "Blume in Love" and then opposite James Caan as a hooker with an illegitimate black son in the earthy but touching "Cinderella Liberty", for which she earned her first Best Actress Oscar nomination. She also returned to Broadway that year in Neil Simon's "The Good Doctor". Although the show was not successful, Mason won the playwright's heart and they married.

Mason starred in Robert Wise's supernatural thriller "Audrey Rose" (1977) before beginning to act almost exclusively in movies with Simon scripts (five in all). Three of them ("The Goodbye Girl" 1977, "Chapter Two" 1979 and "Only When I Laugh" 1981) brought Best Actress Oscar nods for her somewhat harried, defensive but ultimately vulnerable urban "Everywoman" persona and they remain her best-known work. Since the break-up of their marriage, Mason has kept a lower profile, preferring to exercise her passion for racing cars in national competitions. Although she did star opposite Clint Eastwood in "Heartbreak Ridge" (1986), she has done mostly supporting turns in movies like "I Love Trouble" (1994) and "Nick of Time" (1995). In addition to NYC stage appearances in "Night of the Iguana" (1996) and as a convicted murderer facing death in Michael Cristofer's "Amazing Grace" (1998), Mason had the recurring role as the blowzy, declasse girlfriend of Martin Crane on NBC's "Frasier", reuniting her with her "Dinner at Eight" (TNT, 1989) co-star John Mahoney.


Profession(s):
Actor, director, waitress, go-go dancer, clerk, race car driver
Sometimes Credited As:
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Family
husband:Gary Campbell (divorced in 1964)
husband:Neil Simon (married on October 25, 1973; divorced October 1983)
step-daughter:Ellen Simon (born in 1957; wrote screenplay for "Moonlight and Valentino" (1995), adapted from her play)
step-daughter:Nancy Simon (born c. 1963)
Companion(s)
Lewis Smith , Companion , ```..dated in the mid-1980s


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Education
Webster College Webster Groves, Missouri BA speech and drama
Directing Workshop for Women, American Film Institute Los Angeles, California
Awards (Back to top)
Golden Globe Award Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) "The Goodbye Girl" 1977
Golden Globe Award Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) "Cinderella Liberty" 1973

Milestones (Back to top)
2005 Cast as Mr. Darcy's mother in "Bride and Prejudice" Gurinder Chadha's Bollywood update of Jane Austen's classic tale
2001 Cast as Ethel Gumm in the ABC miniseries "Me and My Shadows: Life With Judy Garland", based on Lorna Luft's memoir
1999 Co-starred with Dreyfuss in London production of Neil Simon's play "The Prisoner of Second Avenue"
1998 Reteamed with Richard Dreyfuss on stage in "House", produced on Long Island, New York
1997 Had recurring role of Sherry, the blowsy girlfriend of Martin Crane (John Mahoney), on NBC sitcom "Frasier"
1996 Returned to NYC stage in Tennessee Williams' "Night of the Iguana"
1996 Appeared in the feature film "2 Days in the Valley"
1995 Played Governor Eleanor Grant, the target of assassination, in "Nick of Time", starring Johnny Depp
1991 - 1992 Starred in short-lived ABC-TV series, "Sibs" (also known as "Grown-Ups")
1989 Appeared in the TNT remake of "Dinner at Eight"; cast opposite John Mahoney
1987 TV directorial debut, the "CBS Schoolbreak Special" entitled "Little Miss Perfect"
1986 Acted opposite Clint Eastwood, playing his foul-mouthed ex-wife struggling to survive by pushing drinks in a town bar, in "Heartbreak Ridge"
1986 Directed "Juno's Swans" at NYC's Second Stage Theatre
1982 Network TV movie debut in "Lois Gibbs and the Love Canal" (CSB)
1982 Last of five feature film collaborations with husband-screenwriter Neil Simon, "Max Dugan Returns"
1981 Earned fourth Best Actress Oscar nomination as an alcoholic actress in "Only When I Laugh"
1979 Reunited with James Caan in "Chapter Two", adapted by Simon from his stage play; third Academy Award nomination as Best Actress
1977 Starred in Robert Wise's reincarnation thriller "Audrey Rose"
1977 First feature role in a film with a Neil Simon screenplay, "The Goodbye Girl"; earned Best Actress Oscar nomination
1974 Appeared in the PBS "Great Performances" production of "Cyrano de Bergerac"
1973 Received first of four Best Actress Oscar nominations for "Cinderella Liberty", co-starring James Caan
1973 Appeared on Broadway in Neil Simon's "The Good Doctor"; later married the playwright
1972 Portrayed Nurse Marsha Lord in syndicated TV series "Young Dr Kildaire"
1967 Landed role in Norman Mailer's Off-Broadway play "The Deer Park"
1966 Film debut in "Hot Rod Hullabaloo"
1965 Broadway debut, "Cactus Flower"
Played Judith Cole on daytime soap, "Love of Life" (CBS)
Moved to New York to continue stage career

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