Jessica Walter was born on January 31, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York, to Esther (Groisser) and David Walter, a musician, and teacher. She was of Russian Jewish descent and had a sister, Richard Walter, a screenwriter, and an uncle, Jerry Jarrett, a stage and screen actor.
Walter grew up in Queens and attended the High School of the Performing Arts and the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. She began her acting career in summer stock and later appeared in various stage productions on and off Broadway, earning the Clarence Derwent Award as Most Promising Newcomer for her role in "Photo Finish".
Walter's early career in television included guest appearances on several shows in the 1960s. She made her move to feature films, attracting attention for her role as Libby in Sidney Lumet's "The Group" (1966),which seemed to set the tone for her future screen personas as strong-willed and complex characters.
Some of her most notable roles include Evelyn in Clint Eastwood's "Play Misty for Me" (1971),for which she received a Golden Globe nomination, and Pat, the glamorous model wife, in "Grand Prix" (1966). Walter also had a memorable role as the enchantress Morgan LeFay in the 1978 telemovie "Dr. Strange".
Throughout her career, Walter demonstrated her versatility, taking on a wide range of roles, from comedy to drama, and even animation. She received an Emmy Award for her role in the TV series "Amy Prentiss" (1974) and was nominated for her guest appearances in "Trapper John, M.D." (1979) and "The Streets of San Francisco" (1972).
Walter is perhaps best known for her iconic role as the devious matriarch Lucille Bluth in the TV series "Arrested Development" (2003). She died on March 24, 2021, at the age of 80, and her ashes are with her daughter.
