Jane Connell

Jane Sperry Connell (pronounced con-NELL, née Bennett; October 27, 1925 – September 22, 2013) She majored in drama at the University of California, Berkeley where she met her future husband.

Career Connell began her career with her husband Gordon, entertaining in San Francisco night clubs such as The Purple Onion and the Hungry I. Eventually the couple moved to New York City, where Connell made her Off-Broadway debut in the 1955 revival of The Threepenny Opera, a long-running hit at the Theatre de Lys. In the London production of Once Upon a Mattress, Connell starred as Winifred, the role that Carol Burnett had originated in New York. Her Broadway debut came in the role of Mrs. Peachum in Threepenny Opera (1955).

Connell's most prominent success came in 1966 when she was cast as Agnes Gooch in the original Broadway production of Jerry Herman's Mame. She recreated the role in the 1974 screen adaptation after Lucille Ball, the film's star, became dissatisfied with Madeline Kahn, who originally had been signed to play Gooch.

Only four-foot-eleven, Connell was described as a master of the large comic gesture in The Oxford Companion to American Theatre, which described her as "a tiny woman with a giant, squeaking voice".

Connell was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in Me and My Girl (1986). Additional Broadway credits include New Faces of 1956 (1956); Drat! The Cat! (1965); Dear World (1969), once again supporting Angela Lansbury; the short-lived 1983 revival of Mame, in which Lansbury reprised her 1966 lead role; Lend Me a Tenor (1989); Crazy for You (1992); and Moon Over Buffalo (1995), starring Carol Burnett; The Full Monty (2000), succeeding Kathleen Freeman, who died during her run in the show, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (2001). Her decades of television work included six appearances on Bewitched, where she variously played Mother Goose, Martha Washington, Queen Hepzibah and, in a memorable turn as Queen Victoria, often uttered the phrase "We are not amused." She also appeared on Green Acres, All in the Family, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Love, American Style, M*A*S*H, Maude, Good Times, Law & Order and many more.

Connell portrayed Jane in the comedy series Stanley (1956). She was a regular on the children's series Mr. Mayor (1964) and the situation comedy The Dumplings. From 1991 to 1994, she had the recurring role of social worker Roberta Domedian on the sitcom Big Brother Jake.

Family She married Gordon Connell, an actor and musician, in 1948. They remained married until her death in 2013. The couple had two daughters. She was survived by her husband (who died in 2016) and two daughters, Melissa and Maggie.

Filmography

Television + Year Title Role Notes 1956–1957 Stanley Jane/Mary/Ruth 9 episodes 1960–1961 Play of the Week Baby Doll Dalls 2 episodes 1963 The Patty Duke Show Mrs. Coglan Episode: The Conquering Hero 1967–1972 Bewitched Martha/Hepzibah/Mother Goose 6 episodes 1970 The Mary Tyler Moore Show Karen Norris Episode: Divorce Isn't Everything 1971 That Girl Laura Episode: Chef's Night Out 1971 Green Acres Woman/Clara Burton 3 episodes 1972 Love, American Style Rita Baker/Sadie 2 episodes 1974–1976 ABC Afterschool Specials Aunt Peggy/Duenna 2 episodes 1976 The Dumplings Bridget McKenna 10 episodes 1976 Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman Nurse 4 episodes 1976 Maude Sally Episode: The Game Show 1976 All's Fair Mother Episode: Happy Anniversary: Part 1 1977 All In The Family Sybil Gooley Episode: Edith's 50th Birthday: Part 1 1978 Good Times Mrs. Flicker Episode: Write On, Thelma 1978 C.P.O. Sharkey Mrs. Holland Episode: Captain's Right Hand Man 1979 Visions Vinny Episode: Ladies in Waiting 1980 M*A*S*H Red Cross Worker Betty Halpern Episode: Old Soldiers 1985 Tales from the Darkside Grandma Episode: Grandma's Last Wish 1985 Another World Peg 2 episodes 1998 Law & Order Mrs. Hodge Episode: Burden 1999 Great Performances Mother Episode: Crazy For You

Stage + Year Title Role Notes 1956 New Faces of 1956 Edna/Miss Hat/Old Lady Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway 1959 Pieces of Eight Euphrosyne/Portia/Simpering Julian Monk Theatre, Off-Broadway 1960 Once Upon a Mattress Winnifred Adelphi Theatre, West End 1962 Fortuna Christina Maidman Playhouse, Off-Broadway 1962 The Golden Apple Lovey Mars York Playhouse, Off-Broadway 1965 Drat! The Cat! Matilda Van Guilder Martin Beck Theatre, Broadway 1966 Mame Agnes Gooch Winter Garden Theatre, Broadway 1969 Dear World Gabrielle, the Madwoman of Montmartre Mark Hellinger Theatre, Broadway 1972 Lysistrata Gamma Brooks Atkinson Theatre, Broadway 1983 Mame Agnes Gooch Gershwin Theatre, Broadway 1985 Oh, Boy! Aunt Penelope Budd Carnegie Hall 1986 Me and My Girl Maria Marquis Theatre, Broadway 1989 Lend Me a Tenor Julia Royale Theatre, Broadway 1992 Crazy For You Mother Shubert Theatre, Broadway 1995 Call Me Madam Grand Duchess Sophie New York City Center, Off-Broadway 1995 Moon Over Buffalo Ethel Martin Beck Theatre, Broadway 1999 Sail Away Mrs. Sweeney Carnegie Hall 2000 The Student Prince Grand Duchess Anastasia Paper Mill Playhouse 2001 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Widow Douglas Minskoff Theatre, Broadway 2001 The Full Monty Jeanette Burmeister (Replacement) Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway

Awards and nominations +YearOrganizationCategoryWorkResultRef.1987Tony AwardsBest Featured Actress in a MusicalMe and My Girl