Person Biography:
Kathleen Widdoes is a veteran stage actress born on March 21, 1939, in Wilmington, Delaware. She is the daughter of Eugene Widdoes and Bernice Delapo. Kathleen attended high school in Wilmington and made her professional stage debut at age 18 in "Bus Stop" at the Robin Hood Playhouse.
She toured Canada in the role of "Catherine" in "A View from the Bridge" and played roles in "Ondine" and "The Lark" on Canadian TV. Kathleen also studied mime at the Université au Théâtre des Nations in Paris and attended the Sorbonne in Paris on a Fulbright Scholarship, where she completed her theatrical studies.
Moving to New York, Kathleen blossomed into one of the loveliest and most talented classical ingénues around, gaining valuable experience and acclaim on- and off-Broadway in plays such as "The World of Suzie Wong," "The Three Sisters," "The Idiot," and "The Maids." She earned glowing reviews in works of the Bard, including "Henry V," "Measure for Measure," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Richard II," and "The Tempest."
Kathleen's early Shakespeare work included "Henry V" (1960),"Measure for Measure" (1960),"A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1961),"Richard II" (1962),and "The Tempest" (1962).
TV audiences first caught sight of her talent in a regular role on the soapy medical drama "Young Dr. Malone" (1958) and as "Emily Webb" in a prestigious production of "Our Town" (1959),which also starred Art Carney.
Kathleen's film debut was in "The Group" (1966),alongside fellow newcomers Candice Bergen, Joanna Pettet, Hal Holbrook, and Joan Hackett. She appeared prominently in "Petulia" (1968) and "Anton Chekhov's The Sea Gull" (1968).
The 1970s proved to be the pinnacle of Kathleen's stage career, capped by her Obie Award-winning performance as "Polly Peacham" in "The Beggar's Opera" in 1972 and a Tony nomination the following year for her vibrant "Beatrice" in "Much Ado About Nothing."
In 1978, Kathleen began showing up on daytime drama, scoring big points as young Ray Liotta's emotional and careworn Italian mom, "Rose Perini," on "Another World" (1964) from 1978-1980. She also had a subsequent role on "Ryan's Hope" (1975) before establishing herself with the role of benevolent advice-giver "Emma Snyder" in "As the World Turns" (1956),a role she has played since November 1985, earning four daytime Emmy nominations in the process.
In all that time, Kathleen has maintained a strong profile in the New York theater scene, with credits including "The Importance of Being Earnest," Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs," the revival of "You Can't Take It With You" and "Hamlet" (twice playing "Gertrude"). She won a second Obie Award for "Tower of Evil" in 1990 and was awarded the Lucille Lortel Award for her outstanding participation in "Franny's Way" (2002).
