Bonnie Bedelia

Early life

Bonnie Bedelia was born in New York City, the daughter of Marian Ethel (née Wagner), a writer and editor, and Philip Harley Culkin, a journalist. She was born in a difficult financial period when her father's firm went bankrupt and they lived in "a cold-water tenement flat". She has two brothers, one of whom is actor Kit Culkin, and a sister, Candice Culkin. She is the aunt of actors Macaulay, Kieran, and Rory Culkin. Her mother died when she was 14 and her father, "who had always had ulcers," died shortly after.

Career

Before becoming an actress, Bedelia studied ballet and appeared in a few productions with the New York City Ballet, including The Nutcracker. In 1958 she had her only dancing role onscreen as Clara in the Playhouse 90 television production of the George Balanchine Nutcracker. From 1961 to 1967 Bedelia was a regular on the CBS soap opera, Love of Life, playing the role of Sandy Porter. She also worked on Broadway, making her debut supporting Patty Duke in 1962 in Isle of Children and winning a Theatre World Award in the lead of My Sweet Charlie in 1966.

Bedelia made her film debut in The Gypsy Moths, and later in 1969 she attracted attention as the pregnant marathon dancer in They Shoot Horses, Don't They?. In following years, she starred in the 1970 comedy Lovers and Other Strangers, and had dramatic roles in The Strange Vengeance of Rosalie (1972), and Between Friends (1973). She also appeared opposite Richard Dreyfuss in 1978 comedyThe Big Fix. On television she had the leading role in the short-lived ABC drama series, The New Land.

In 1984 Bedelia received critical acclaim and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her starring role in 1983's Heart Like a Wheel as drag racer Shirley Muldowney. Other well-known performances came as Holly Gennero McClane, the wife of Bruce Willis's character John McClane in Die Hard (1988) and Die Hard 2 (1990), and as Barbara Sabich, the wife of Harrison Ford's character in Presumed Innocent (1990).

Bedelia appeared in two Stephen King screen adaptations: Salem's Lot (1979) and Needful Things (1993). She was nominated for Emmy Award for performances in Showtime anthology series, Fallen Angels in 1993, and for the leading role in the made-for-television movie Locked in Silence (1999). On television she played a number of leading roles in television films and miniseries, such as Switched at Birth, A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story, Her Costly Affair, and Picnic. From 2001 to 2004 Bedelia had lead role as Capt. Kate McCafferty in the Lifetime television drama series The Division. She later guest-starred in Big Love and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and starred oppisite Rue McClanahan and Olivia Newton-John in 2008 sitcom Sordid Lives: The Series.

In 2010 Bedelia began starring in the NBC drama series, Parenthood, playing the role of the family matriarch, Camille Braverman. The series aired during six seasons to 2015.

Personal life

She married scriptwriter Ken Luber on April 24, 1969; and they had two sons, Uri (b. 1970) and Jonah (b. 1976). They divorced in 1980. She was married to Jay Telfer. She married actor Michael MacRae in 1995.

Television

1972 Bonanza (TV series) First episode written by Michael Landon Alice Cartwright (Episode) Forever