Eileen Heckart was a talented and award-winning character actress born Anna Eileen Herbert on March 29, 1919, in Columbus, Ohio. She was an only child, and her parents separated when she was two years old. She was adopted by her grandfather, whose surname she took. Her childhood was marked by unhappiness due to her mother's alcoholism and her grandmother's physical abuse. To cope, Eileen found solace in movies as an adolescent.
Eileen graduated from Ohio State University in 1942 with a degree in English and married John Harrison Yankee Jr., an insurance broker, the same year. They had three sons and remained married for 54 years. During World War II, her husband joined the Navy, and Eileen moved to New York to pursue a career in acting. She began in summer stock, took classes at the American Theatre Wing, and apprenticed in various plays and revues.
Eileen's breakthrough came with her portrayal of a lonely schoolteacher in William Inge's "Picnic" on Broadway in 1953, earning her the Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World awards. She went on to establish herself as a major force on the Great White Way, appearing in numerous Broadway hits, including "The Bad Seed," "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs," "Invitation to a March," and "Butterflies Are Free." She also appeared in several live TV programs, including "Goodyear Television Playhouse," "Kraft Television Theatre," "Studio One," "Suspense," "The Alcoa Hour," and "Playhouse 90."
Eileen's film debut was in "Miracle in the Rain" in 1956, followed by roles in "The Bad Seed," "Somebody Up There Likes Me," "Bus Stop," "Hot Spell," and "Heller in Pink Tights." She earned Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for her role in "The Bad Seed" and won the Academy Award for "Best Supporting Actress" for her portrayal of a busybody mom in "Butterflies Are Free" in 1972.
Throughout her career, Eileen continued to work in all three mediums, earning four Tony nominations and a special Tony Award in 2000 for "excellence in theater" for her performance in "The Waverly Gallery." She passed away on December 31, 2001, at the age of 82, due to lung cancer, which was kept secret until after her death.
