Beverly D'Angelo

Beverly Heather D'Angelo (born November 15, 1951) is an American actress who starred as Ellen Griswold in the National Lampoon's Vacation films (1983–2015). She has appeared in over 60 films and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her role as Patsy Cline in Coal Miner's Daughter, and for an Emmy Award for her role as Stella Kowalski in the TV film A Streetcar Named Desire (1984). D'Angelo's other film roles include Sheila Franklin in Hair (1979) and Doris Vinyard in American History X (1998).

Early life D'Angelo was born in Columbus, Ohio, the daughter of Priscilla Ruth ( Smith), a violinist, and Eugene Constantino "Gene" D'Angelo Jr. a bass player and television station manager at WBNS-TV in Columbus. Her father was of Italian descent. Her paternal grandparents, Eugenio and Rosina D'Angelo were from Introdacqua in the Abruzzo region of Italy. She has three brothers, Jeff, Tim and Tony. Their maternal grandfather, Howard Dwight Smith, was an architect who designed the Ohio Stadium, nicknamed "the Horseshoe" at Ohio State University.

D'Angelo attended Upper Arlington High School in Upper Arlington, Ohio, a northwest Columbus suburb. In 2009, she was awarded the Upper Arlington Alumni Association (UAAA) Distinguished Alumnus Award for achievement in her career.

D'Angelo worked as an illustrator at Hanna-Barbera Studios and as a singer before pursuing an interest in acting. While living for a period in Canada, she was a backup singer for American-born rockabilly singer Rompin' Ronnie Hawkins' band The Hawks. After going out on their own they became The Band, a group that is considered legendary.

Career D'Angelo began acting in the theatre, appearing on Broadway in 1976 in Rockabye Hamlet (also known as Kronborg: 1582), a musical based on Shakespeare's Hamlet. She also won a Country Music Association award for Album of the Year.

Her biggest break came in 1983 starring with Chevy Chase in National Lampoon's Vacation in the role of Ellen Griswold. She reprised this role in four Vacation sequels (1985's National Lampoon's European Vacation, 1989's National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, 1997's Vegas Vacation, and 2015's Vacation ), and the 2010 short film Hotel Hell Vacation. She also starred in other comedy films in the 1980s including Maid to Order (1987) and High Spirits (1988).

D'Angelo received an Emmy Award nomination for her performance as Stella Kowalski in the 1984 TV film version of A Streetcar Named Desire. She later had main roles in a number of made-for-television dramatic films, including Slow Burn (1986), Hands of a Stranger (1987), Judgment Day: The John List Story (1993), Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills (1994), and Sweet Temptation (1996).

In 1994, D'Angelo returned to the stage and won a Theatre World Award for her performance in the Off-Broadway play Simpatico. She also continued acting in films. She played Dolly Green (the co-worker of Sally Field's character) in the psychological thriller Eye for an Eye (1996) and Doris Vinyard (the mother of Edward Norton's character) in the crime drama American History X (1998). In the mid to late 1990s, she acted in many independent films including Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills (1997) and Illuminata (1998).

In the 2000s, D'Angelo had a recurring role on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as defense attorney Rebecca Balthus. She later made appearances in the television series Mom, Shooter, and Insatiable. In 2022, she played Gertrude in the Christmas action comedy Violent Night.

D'Angelo narrates a short biographical film about Patsy Cline, which is shown to visitors of The Patsy Cline Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. The museum opened to the public on April 7, 2017.

Personal life D'Angelo was romantically involved with Neil Jordan the director and Miloš Forman, who directed her in Hair (1979). In 1981, she married Italian Don Lorenzo Salviati, who is the only son and heir of Don Forese Salviati, 5th Duke Salviati, Marchese di Montieri and Boccheggiano, Nobile Romano Coscritto, and his wife, the former Maria Grazia Gawronska.

Later, she began a relationship with Anton Furst, an Academy Award-winning production designer, who died by suicide in 1991. She was in a relationship with actor Al Pacino from 1997 until 2003. The couple had twins conceived through IVF, a son and daughter born January 25, 2001.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1977 Annie Hall Actress in Rob's T.V. Show The Sentinel Sandra First Love Shelley 1978 Every Which Way but Loose Echo 1979 Hair Sheila Franklin 1980 Coal Miner's Daughter Patsy Cline Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture 1981 Honky Tonk Freeway Carmen Odessa Shelby Paternity Maggie 1982 Highpoint Lise 1983 National Lampoon's Vacation Ellen Griswold 1984 Finders Keepers Standish Logan 1985 Get Out of My Room Harriet National Lampoon's European Vacation Ellen Griswold 1986 Big Trouble Blanche Rickey 1987 In the Mood Francine Glatt Aria Gilda Segment "Rigoletto" Maid to Order Stella Winston 1988 Trading Hearts Donna Nottingham High Spirits Sharon Brogan Crawford 1989 Cold Front Amanda O'Rourke National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Ellen Griswold 1990 Daddy's Dyin'... Who's Got the Will? Evalita Turnover Pacific Heights Ann Miller Uncredited 1991 The Miracle Renee Baker The Pope Must Die Veronica Dante Lonely Hearts Alma 1992 Man Trouble Andy Ellerman 1994 Lightning Jack Lana Castel 1995 The Crazysitter Edie 1996 Eye for an Eye Dolly Green Edie & Pen Barlady Love Always Miranda 1997 Vegas Vacation Ellen Griswold Nominated — Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress A Rat's Tale Mrs. Dollart Nowhere Dark's Mom Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills Pixie Chandler The Good Life Never released 1998 Merchants of Venus Mistress Cody Illuminata Astergourd With Friends Like These... Theresa Carpenter American History X Doris Vinyard Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Divorce: A Contemporary Western Linda 1999 Sugar Town Jane Get Bruce Herself Jazz Night Kate Winslow Short film 2000 High Fidelity Woman selling records Deleted scene 2001 Women in Film Phyllis Wolf Happy Birthday Bag Lady Cameo Summer Catch Lusty House Mother Uncredited 2003 Where's Angelo? Auntie Nanny Short film 2004 Hair High Darlene Voice King of the Corner Betsy Ingraham 2006 Gamers: The Movie Gordon's Mom Relative Strangers Angela Minnola 2007 Game of Life Kathy Battle for Terra Interrogator Wright Voice 2027 Paris Paramount TBA Filming

Television films Year Title Role Notes 1984 A Streetcar Named Desire Stella DuBois Kowalski Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie 1985 Doubletake Caroline Wallace 1986 Slow Burn Laine Fleischer 1987 Hands of a Stranger Mary Hearn The Man Who Fell to Earth Eva Milton 1992 Trial: The Price of Passion Johnnie Faye Boudreau A Child Lost Forever: The Jerry Sherwood Story Jerry Sherwood 1993 Judgment Day: The John List Story Helen List 1994 Jonathan Stone: Threat of Innocence Annie Hayes Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills Kitty Menendez 1996 Widow's Kiss Vivian Fairchild Sweet Temptation Jesse Larson 1999 Lansky Teddy Lansky 2013 The Good Mother Judge Kennedy 2014 The Michaels Millie Barnworth

Television series Year Title Role Notes 1976 Captains and the Kings Miss Emmy 3 episodes 1983 Faerie Tale Theatre Henbane Episode: "Sleeping Beauty" 1985 Tall Tales & Legends Katrina Van Tassel Episode: "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" 1992 Tales from the Crypt Janice Baird Episode: "Werewolf Concerto" 1992, 2008, 2025 The Simpsons Lurleen Lumpkin Voice, 3 episodes 1999 Frasier Audrey Voice, episode: "The Show Where Woody Shows Up" 1999 Rude Awakening Sidney 'Syd' Gibson 4 episodes 2000 Talk to Me Dr. Debra 3 episodes 2003–2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Rebecca Balthus 5 episodes 2005–2011 Entourage Barbara Miller 25 episodes 2007 Imperfect Union Maizy Unsold TV pilot 2007 Family Guy Ellen Griswold Voice, episode: "Blue Harvest" 2008 Skip Tracer Donna King Unsold TV pilot 2010 Cougar Town Sheila Keller Episode: "What Are You Doin' in My Life?" 2010 Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated Sheila Altoonian / Mom Voice, 1 episode 2014 Friends with Better Lives Gretchen Episode: "Something New" 2015 Mom Lorraine 3 episodes Chev & Bev Beverly Unsold TV pilot 2017–2018 Shooter Patricia Gregson 6 episodes 2018–2019 Insatiable Stella Rose Buckley 5 episodes 2019 The Filth Millionairess Episode: "Filthy Day Jobs" 2022 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Serafina Carisi Episode: "Promising Young Gentlemen" Little Ellen Adelaide Voice, 2 episodes 2023 True Lies Director Susan Trilby 2 episodes