Zina Bethune

Zina Bianca Bethune (February 17, 1945

Career

Theater and dance Bethune began her formal ballet training aged six at George Balanchine's School of American Ballet.

By age 14 she was dancing with the New York City Ballet as Clara in the 1955 Balanchine production of The Nutcracker. Bethune's first professional acting role was at age six, with a small part in the off-Broadway play Monday's Heroes, produced by Stella Holt at the Greenwich Mews Theater. including a stint as the first "Robin Lang" on The Guiding Light from May 1956 to April 1958.

Newspaper columnist Dick Kleiner described Bethune's performance in a 1958 television production as a "shatteringly beautiful portrayal of Tennessee Williams' young heroine in This Property Is Condemned."

In October 1958, she portrayed Amy March in the CBS musical adaptation of Little Women. She portrayed nurse Gail Lucas on The Nurses (1962–65), and appeared in other series, including Kraft Television Theatre (with Martin Huston in the series finale), Route 66, The Judy Garland Show, Pantomime Quiz, Hollywood Squares, Young Dr. Malone, Dr. Kildare, Gunsmoke, The Invaders, and Emergency!

Film

Bethune played President Franklin D. Roosevelt's daughter in Sunrise at Campobello in 1960.

Other work Throughout her life, Bethune worked with disabled students. She herself was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 11, and hip dysplasia.

Bethune founded Bethune Theatredanse (now called Theatre Bethune) in 1981, a nonprofit dance and drama company that has toured internationally and performed at the White House.

Essential Filmography 1960 Sunrise at Campobello Anna Roosevelt 1967 Who's That Knocking at My Door Girl 1974Planet of the ApesArnTV series, S1 E5, "The Legacy" 1977 CHiPs MotherTV series, S1 E12, "Aweigh We Go" 1985 Walking the Edge Mrs. Johnson 1988 The Boost Dance Teacher / Choreographer