Elizabeth Ashley, a renowned actress, has consistently delivered outstanding performances throughout her illustrious career. Born Elizabeth Ann Cole on August 30, 1939, in Ocala, Florida, she began her acting journey after graduating from Louisiana State University Laboratory School in 1957.
Ashley's early success came in the 1960s, when she won the Tony and Theatre World Awards for her role in "Take Her, She's Mine." She then went on to star in Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park" opposite Robert Redford, earning another Tony nomination for Best Actress.
The 1960s also saw Ashley make her film debut in "The Carpetbaggers" (1964),followed by roles in "Ship of Fools" (1965) and "The Third Day" (1965). She married actor James Farentino in 1962, but the marriage ended in divorce just three years later.
Ashley's personal life was marked by turmoil, including a divorce from her second husband, George Peppard, whom she married in 1966 and had a son with. The couple divorced in 1972, and Ashley continued to work in film and television, albeit with limited success.
Her return to the stage in the 1970s brought renewed success, with notable performances in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1974) and "The Skin of Our Teeth" (1975). Ashley's friendship with Tennessee Williams led to her playing three of his iconic female roles: Mrs. Venable in "Suddenly, Last Summer" (1995),Alexandra Del Lago in "Sweet Bird of Youth" (1998),and Amanda Wingfield in "The Glass Menagerie" (2001).
Throughout her career, Ashley has appeared in numerous notable productions, including "Caesar and Cleopatra," "Vanities," "Agnes of God," and "The Little Foxes." She has also worked in television, with roles on "Another World," "All My Children," and "Evening Shade."
In addition to her acting career, Ashley has written a bestselling memoir, "Actress: Postcards from the Road" (1978),and has served on the boards of the American Film Institute and the Kennedy Center. Despite facing personal setbacks, including a third divorce, a boating accident, a NY apartment fire, and a rape incident, Ashley continues to work in the entertainment industry, maintaining a busy schedule on stage, film, and television.
