Estelle Parsons – Bio, Age, Net Worth, Children, Is She Still Alive?

Quick Facts

There are very few industries where multiple regular people can build a legacy that lasts generations. One of such industries is Hollywood, where several numbers of personalities can build something that would be appreciated, generations after they are gone – if they make enough right decisions. Hollywood holds this unique ability through its influence on the world as a whole and its own existence, which has lasted generations. Estelle Parsons is one of the regular people who has been able to – through Hollywood – build a legacy that would live on, long after she is dead. The actress’ legacy, among many, includes a career that has lasted over 60 years. Learn more about Estelle Parsons and her career below.

Estelle Parsons’ Bio

Our enjoyment of Estelle Parsons’ works is a result of a union between a Swedish woman and an English man. She was born to her parents – Elinor Ingeborg and Eben Parsons – on the 20th of November, 1927, in Lynn, Massachusetts. For a few years, Estelle Parsons looked set to have a normal life, attending Oak Grove School for Girls in Maine before moving to Connecticut College and later studying Law at Boston University.

It was the makings of a path that would end up with a simple middle-class life, until she joined a band in the 1950s and worked as a singer, changing her story forever. Parsons’ joined the band with the intention of becoming a professional singer before she decided to become an actress instead. She made her acting debut on Broadway, after moving to New York City as part of her conviction to become an actress.

Her first professional credit came on the theatre production of Happy Hunting in 1956. The theatre came a huge part of her early career, all through to the 1960s, where she performed in a number of theatres plays like Whisper into My Good Ear/Mrs. Dally Has a Lover in 1962, with the play earning her a Theatre World Award in 1963. From Broadway to Off-Broadway, Estelle Parsons’ switch to acting proved to be a smart decision in service of her talents, as she wowed several critics with her performances, winning multiple awards in the process, including the Obie Award in 1964 and several Tony Award nominations.

Estelle Parsons eventually grew towards directing and she has directed a number of Broadway plays, including plays like Macbeth and As You Like It. She was the inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 2004 for her service and excellence in the medium. Stage productions weren’t the extent of Estelle Parsons’ acting legacy, however.

She made her film debut in 1963 in the film, Ladybug Ladybug, playing the character JoAnn’s Mother and has gone on to star in several other films, including notables like Bonnie and Clyde in 1967 which earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She has starred in a total of 17 films since she made her debut till date, with her most recent credit being a performance as Mary in Diane (2018).

Onscreen, she also appeared on television, in various capacities, both as herself and as an actress playing a character. Since she made her television debut in 1954 on The Today Show, she has appeared in over 58 television shows, including iconic ones like Roseanne where she played Beverly Harris on the 1989 comedy for 61 episodes till 1997, reprising the role in 2018 for the show’s short-lived reboot. Others include The Good Wife, Frasier, Grace, and Frankie, among a few others.

In a career that has lasted for over 60 years, Estelle Parsons has made her mark on the industry, writing her name among the pantheon of Hollywood icons.

Net Worth

Estelle Parsons is a Hollywood icon. Her work in the theatre alone is an accomplishment many of her peers cannot speak of and she has an extensive filmography across the two more lucrative mediums – Film and Television. All have combined to help the veteran actress to a net worth of $6 million.

Children

Estelle Parsons has had three children in her life from two marriages. She has two daughters from her marriage to Richard Gehman whom she married in 1953. Her daughters are Abbie, who is a reporter while the other, Martha Gehman is an actress, like her mother. After divorcing Richard Gehman in 1958, she married Peter Zimroth, after 10 years of courtship in 1983. The couple adopted her third child, a son named Abraham.

Is Estelle Parsons Alive?

Despite losing the strength and consistency of work due to old age, Estelle Parsons is still very much alive and unretired. She still features in films and television shows, appearing in projects in either medium as recent as 2018.

Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.