Blythe Danner is a prominent American actress who played Izzy Huffstodt in ‘Huff’ and Mrs. Baker in ‘Butterflies Are Free.’ Blythe Danner is one of the rare actresses who has had success in all three types of acting: Broadway, television, and movies. She appeared in a number of successful films, including ‘The Great Santini,’ ‘Little Fockers,’ ‘Meet the Fockers,’ ‘Meet the Parents,’ ‘Mr. and Mrs. Bridge,’ and others. She is the widow of Bruce Paltrow, a well-known director. Jake and Gwyneth, her two children, are also in the film industry. Jake is a well-known director, while Gwyneth is a well-known actress. Blythe Danner has won two Emmy Awards and a Tony Award, in addition to numerous more nominations. Her rich voice and performances as a sophisticated, socialite, and educated lady have made her famous. Danner is an enthusiastic environmentalist who has battled for environmental protection for the past three decades.
Childhood and Adolescence
Blythe was born on February 3, 1943, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Harry Danner, Blythe’s father, was a bank executive, and Katherine Danner, her mother, was a homemaker. Harry, her younger brother, is now an operatic tenor. Blythe’s ancestors come from Pennsylvania Dutch, English, German, and Irish families.
In 1960, she graduated from the ‘George School,’ a Quaker secondary school in Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She went on to Bard College in New York to further her education.
She graduated with a B.A. in acting from Bard College and an honorary doctorate from Hobart/William Smith College.
The Career of Blythe
Blythe began her career as a Broadway performer. Her debut play was performed in 1965. It was Tennessee Williams’ well-known play ‘The Glass Menagerie.’
She went on to appear in a few more plays after that, including ‘The Knack’ and ‘The Infantry.’ She appeared in ‘Three Sisters,’ a Russian play, and Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ both in 1967.
In 1970, Blythe made her television debut in the film ‘George M!’ She then went on to star in a variety of television movies, including ‘Dr. Cook’s Garden,’ ‘F. Scott Fitzgerald,’ and ‘The Last of the Belles,’ as well as ‘A Love Affair: The Eleanor,’ ‘Lou Gehrig Story,’ and ‘Sidekicks.’
‘Adam’s Rib,’ in which she played Amanda Bonner for 13 episodes, was her first significant TV show. In the 1972 film ‘Kill a Clown,’ she portrayed the lead part of Lily Fischer.
Danner continued to work in the film industry for several years, and he became a huge success. ‘1776,’ ‘Lovin’ Molly,’ ‘Hearts of the West,’ and others are among her early films.
In 1979, she starred in Lewis John’s film ‘The Great Santini,’ which was written by Pat Conroy and directed by him. She was cast as Lillian Meechum, the female protagonist character. In the 1980s, she continued to deliver back-to-back hit pictures. ‘Man, Woman, and Child,’ ‘Brighten Beach Memoirs,’ ‘Mr. and Mrs. Bridge,’ ‘Alice,’ and others were among them.
In 1991, she played Sally Wingo in another Pat Conroy film, “The Prince of Tides.” In 1997, she was cast in the drama film ‘The Myth of Fingerprints,’ opposite Roy Schneider, Julian Moore, Bart Freundlich, and Noah Wyle.
Danner starred in the American science fiction thriller ‘The X-Files,’ which was a smash sensation in 1998. It is based on the same-named television series.
Between 1990 and 2000, she starred in a number of films, including ‘Husbands and Wives,’ ‘Napoleon,’ ‘To Wong Foo,’ ‘Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar,’ ‘No Looking Back,’ and ‘The Love Letter,’ among others.
She continued to appear in television pictures in addition to Hollywood blockbusters. She appeared in 21 different television movies between 1976 and 1998.
‘Are You in the House Alone?’, ‘You Can’t Take It with You,’ ‘Helen Keller: The Miracle Continues,’ ‘Tracey Ullman Takes on New York,’ ‘Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All,’ ‘Murder She Purred: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery,’ and so on were among the best-selling titles.
She made guest appearances on shows including ‘Great Performances,’ ‘Tales from the Crypt,’ and ‘From the Earth to the Moon’ during this time.
Blythe continued to act in Broadway plays despite her considerable success in the television and film industries. She appeared in a number of well-known films, including “Ring Around the Moon,” “Much Ado About Nothing,” “The Deep Blue Sea,” “Nice Work If You Can Get It,” “Cyrano de Bergerac,” and others.
She produced some extremely memorable TV appearances after 2000, earning several nominations and prizes during this time. Marilyn Truman in ‘Will & Grace,’ Corinne Mulvaney in ‘We Were the Mulvaneys,’ Rebecca Davitch in ‘Back when we were Grownups,’ and Isabelle Huffstodt in ‘Huff’ are just a few of her notable roles.
She has recently appeared on television shows such as ‘Up All Night,’ ‘The Slap,’ ‘Madoff,’ ‘Odd Mom Out,’ and ‘Gypsy.’
She portrayed Dina Byrnes in the films “Meet the Parents” (2000), “Meet the Fockers” (2004), and “Little Fockers” (2005). (2010). In the 2006 romantic comedy-drama film ‘The Last Kiss,’ she appeared alongside Zach Braff, Jacinda Barrett, and Casey Affleck.
In the 2012 American comedy film ‘Hello, I Must Be Going,’ Danner portrays Ruth Minsky. She also appeared in ‘The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2’, ‘What’s Your Number?’, ‘Detachment,’ ‘Waiting for Forever,’ and ‘The Lucky One,’ all of which were minor roles.
She gained rave acclaim from critics and the general public for her performance as Carol Peterson in the 2015 film ‘I’ll See You In My Dreams,’ for which she received several nominations and awards.
Danner has recently been cast in the films Strange But True,’ ‘Hearts Beat Loud,’ ‘The Chaperone,’ and ‘What They Had,’ all of which are set to debut in 2018.
Blythe is assisting in the establishment of ‘Act2ReduceFractures.com’ to raise awareness about osteoporosis. Amgen, The Global Healthy Living Foundation, American Bone Health, and the Older Women’s League are among the sponsors of the website.
She’s also involved with the Oral Cancer Foundation. Through the ‘Bruce Paltrow Mouth Cancer Fund,’ she raises awareness about oral cancer.
Achievements & Awards
In 2005-06, Blythe Danner was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her role on the television show “Will & Grace.” In 2002 and 2005, she was nominated for the same award for her role as the lead actress in the TV series “We Were The Mulvaneys.”
For her work as Rebecca Holmes Davitch in the series ‘Back When We Were Grownups,’ she was also nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie.
For her appearance in ‘Huff,’ she earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
Danner took home the Saturn Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film “Futureworld.”
For ‘Meet the Parents’ and ‘The Last Kiss,’ she was nominated for the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress in a Comedy and the Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, respectively.
For the film ‘I’ll See You In My Dreams,’ she also received nominations for the Gotham Award for Best Actress and the Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture.
The play ‘Butterflies are Free’ won Blythe Danner a Tony Award.
Personal History and Legacy
In 1969, Blythe married Bruce Paltrow, a film producer, writer, and director. Gwyneth (born in 1972) and Jake (born in 1975) are both working in the film industry.
Bruce passed away in 2002. During his final days, he had Oral Cancer and was suffering from pneumonia.
Transcendental meditation, she claims, is both relaxing and beneficial. Danner has osteoporosis and argues that it has made her more aware of the importance of bone health.
Estimated Net worth
Blythe Danner is an actress from the United States with a net worth of $40 million. “Huff,” “Will & Grace,” and “We Were the Mulvaneys” are among her television credits, as are the films “The Great Santini,” “The Prince of Tides,” “I’ll See You in My Dreams,” and the “Meet the Parents” series.
Danner has starred in various shows on stage, winning a Tony Award for her performance in the play “Butterflies Are Free.”
Trivia
She is the only actress to receive three Emmy nominations in a single year.
She has starred in advertising for Prolia, an osteoporosis therapy injectable.