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Biography
Kathleen Doyle Bates (born June 28, 1948) is an American actress and director. She has been the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, she studied theatre at the Southern Methodist University before moving to New York City to pursue an acting career. She landed minor stage roles before being cast in her first on screen role in Taking Off (1971). Her first Off-Broadway stage performance was in the 1976 production of Vanities. Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, she continued to perform on screen and on stage, and garnered a Tony Award nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Play in 1983 for her performance in 'night, Mother, and won an Obie Award in 1988 for her performance in Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. Bates' performance as Annie Wilkes in the tense psychological thriller Misery (1990) marked her Hollywood breakthrough, winning her the Academy Award for Best Actress. Further acclaim came for her starring role in Dolores Claiborne (1995), The Waterboy (1998), and supporting roles in Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) and Titanic (1997). Bates received subsequent Oscar nods in the Best Supporting Actress category for her work in Primary Colors (1998), About Schmidt (2002), and Richard Jewell (2019). Bates' television work has resulted in 14 Emmy Award nominations, including two for her leading role on the NBC series Harry's Law (2011–12). She won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her appearance on the ninth season of Two and a Half Men (2012) and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie for her portrayal of Delphine LaLaurie on the third season of American Horror Story (2013). She also received accolades for her portrayal of Miss Hannigan in the 1999 television adaptation of Annie. Her directing credits include several episodes of the HBO television series Six Feet Under (2001–03) and the television film Ambulance Girl (2005).
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
June 28, 1948
Age
78 years old
Place of Birth
Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Popularity Score
2.6
Filmography
Rob Reiner – Scenes from a Life
Self
2025Movie
Summer Camp
Ginny Moon
2024Movie
A Family Affair
Leila Ford
2024Movie
The Great Lillian Hall
Edith Wilson
2024Movie
Matlock
Madeline 'Matty' Matlock
2024TV
The Great Lillian Hall
Executive Producer
2024Movie
Matlock
Executive Producer
2024TV
Titanic: Stories from the Heart
Self (archive footage)
2023Movie
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
Sylvia Simon
2023Movie
The Miracle Club
Eileen Dunne
2023Movie
Off Script with The Hollywood Reporter
Self
2023TV
The Jennifer Hudson Show
Self
2022TV
Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony
Self (archive footage)
2021Movie
Home
Bernadette
2021Movie
The Death & Life of John F. Donovan
Barbara Haggermaker
2019Movie
The Highwaymen
Ma Ferguson
2019Movie
Richard Jewell
Bobi Jewell
2019Movie
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
2019TV
Krystal
Vera
2018Movie
On the Basis of Sex
Dorothy Kenyon
2018Movie
Disjointed
Ruth
2017TV
FEUD
Joan Blondell
2017TV
The Boss
Ida Marquette
2016Movie
Complete Unknown
Nina
2016Movie
Bad Santa 2
Sunny Soke
2016Movie
Chelsea
Self
2016TV
Boychoir
Headmistress
2015Movie
The Great Gilly Hopkins
Maime Trotter
2015Movie
Lip Sync Battle
Self
2015TV
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Guest
2015TV
Tammy
Lenore
2014Movie
Return to the 5 & Dime: An Interview with Ed Graczyk
Self – Stella Mae (archive footage)
2014Movie
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self
2014TV
Cadaver
Beth
2012Movie
Reflections on Titanic
Self
2012Movie
A Little Bit of Heaven
Beverly Corbett
2011Movie
You May Not Kiss the Bride
Bryan's Mother
2011Movie
Midnight in Paris
Gertrude Stein
2011Movie
Harry's Law
Harriet 'Harry' Korn
2011TV
American Horror Story
Delphine LaLaurie
2011TV
Valentine's Day
Susan
2010Movie
Mike & Molly
Kay
2010TV
The Blind Side
Miss Sue
2009Movie
Chéri
Madame Peloux
2009Movie
Personal Effects
Gloria
2009Movie
The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Club
Pancho Barnes (Voice)
2009Movie
Alice
Queen of Hearts
2009TV
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009TV
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Regina Jackson
2008Movie
Revolutionary Road
Mrs. Helen Givings
2008Movie
Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys
Charlotte Cartwright
2008Movie
Stand Up to Cancer
Self
2008TV
Fred Claus
Mother Claus
2007Movie
Bee Movie
Janet Benson (voice)
2007Movie
P.S. I Love You
Patricia
2007Movie
Christmas Is Here Again
Miss Dowdy (voice)
2007Movie
Guilty Hearts
The Judge
2007Movie
The Golden Compass
Hester (voice)
2007Movie
The Big Bang Theory
Mrs. Fowler
2007TV
Chelsea Lately
Self (archive footage)
2007TV
Failure to Launch
Sue
2006Movie
Charlotte's Web
Bitsy the Cow (voice)
2006Movie
Relative Strangers
Agnes Menure
2006Movie
Bonneville
Margene Cunningham
2006Movie
Ambulance Girl
Jane Stern
2005Movie
Rumor Has It...
Aunt Mitsy
2005Movie
Hansel and Gretel
Narrator (voice)
2005Movie
Warm Springs
Helena Mahoney
2005Movie
Six Feet Under: In Memoriam
Herself
2005Movie
The Office
Jo Bennett
2005TV
American Dad!
D.O. Rothy (voice)
2005TV
Ambulance Girl
Director
2005Movie
Around the World in 80 Days
Queen Victoria
2004Movie
Little Black Book
Kippie Kann
2004Movie
The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing
Narrator (voice)
2004Movie
The Bridge of San Luis Rey
The Marquesa
2004Movie
Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy
Siren / Sea Hag (voice)
2004Movie
Tupperware!
Narrator
2004Movie
Misery Loves Company
Self
2003Movie
Declaration of Independence
Self
2003Movie
Celebrity Naked Ambition
Self (archive footage)
2003Movie
Two and a Half Men
Charlie Harper
2003TV
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self
2003TV
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
2003TV
Fargo
Director
2003Movie
Dragonfly
Mrs. Belmont
2002Movie
About Schmidt
Roberta Hertzel
2002Movie
My Sister's Keeper
Christine Chapman
2002Movie
Love Liza
Mary Ann Bankhead
2002Movie
Unconditional Love
Grace Beasley
2002Movie
Making Rat Race
Herself
2002Movie
Everwood
Director
2002TV
American Outlaws
Ma James
2001Movie
Rat Race
The Squirrel Lady (uncredited)
2001Movie
Six Feet Under
Bettina
2001TV
Six Feet Under
Director
2001TV
Bruno
Mother Superior
2000Movie
Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood
Frances Marion (voice)
2000Movie
Annie
Miss Agatha Hannigan
1999Movie
Baby Steps
Mrs. Mellon
1999Movie
Dash and Lilly
Director
1999Movie
Swept from the Sea
Miss Swaffer
1998Movie
The Waterboy
Mama Boucher
1998Movie
Primary Colors
Libby Holden
1998Movie
A Civil Action
Bankruptcy Judge (uncredited)
1998Movie
The Effects of Magic
Raphaella, the Magic Bunny
1998Movie
Titanic: Breaking New Ground
Self
1998Movie
Moments of Discovery: The Making of Fried Green Tomatoes
Self
1998Movie
Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life
Self
1997Movie
Titanic
Molly Brown
1997Movie
The View
Self
1997TV
King of the Hill
Patrol Officer Jane Cooper (voice)
1997TV
Oz
Director
1997TV
Diabolique
Det. Shirley Vogel
1996Movie
The Late Shift
Helen Kushnick
1996Movie
The War at Home
Maurine Collier
1996Movie
The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful
Self
1996Movie
The Daily Show
Self
1996TV
3rd Rock from the Sun
Charlotte Everly
1996TV
Dolores Claiborne
Dolores Claiborne
1995Movie
Angus
Meg Bethune
1995Movie
Talking With
Big Eight (segment "Rodeo")
1995Movie
The West Side Waltz
Mr. Goo
1995Movie
MADtv
Stuart's Grandma
1995TV
Talking With
Director
1995Movie
North
Alaskan Mom
1994Movie
Curse of the Starving Class
Ella Tate
1994Movie
Inside the Actors Studio
Self
1994TV
The Stand
Rae Flowers (uncredited)
1994TV
Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun
Lunar Mom
1993Movie
A Home of Our Own
Frances Lacey
1993Movie
Homicide: Life on the Street
Director
1993TV
NYPD Blue
Director
1993TV
Prelude to a Kiss
Leah Blier
1992Movie
Used People
Bibby Berman
1992Movie
Hostages
Peggy Say
1992Movie
Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories
Narrator (voice)
1992TV
Fried Green Tomatoes
Evelyn Couch
1991Movie
At Play in the Fields of the Lord
Hazel Quarrier
1991Movie
Shadows and Fog
Prostitute
1991Movie
The Road to Mecca
Elsa Barlow
1991Movie
Misery
Annie Wilkes
1990Movie
White Palace
Rosemary
1990Movie
Men Don't Leave
Lisa Coleman
1990Movie
Dick Tracy
Mrs. Green
1990Movie
No Place Like Home
Bonnie Cooper
1989Movie
High Stakes
Jill
1989Movie
Roe vs. Wade
Jessie
1989Movie
Signs of Life
Mary Beth Alder
1989Movie
Arthur 2: On the Rocks
Mrs. Canby
1988Movie
China Beach
1988TV
American Experience
Narrator (voice)
1988TV
Summer Heat
Ruth
1987Movie
My Best Friend Is a Vampire
Helen Blake
1987Movie
Murder Ordained
Bobbi Birk
1987Movie
Murder Ordained
Bobbi Birk
1987TV
The Morning After
Woman on Mateo Street
1986Movie
Johnny Bull
Katherine Kovacs
1986Movie
L.A. Law
Charlotte Haley
1986TV
Two of a Kind
Furniture Man's Wife
1983Movie
Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean
Stella Mae
1982Movie
St. Elsewhere
Polly Miller
1982TV
Cagney & Lacey
1982TV
American Playhouse
Mary Beth Alder
1982TV
Straight Time
Selma Darin
1978Movie
The Love Boat
Sally Allison
1977TV
Taking Off
Audition Singer
1971Movie
Great Performances
Self
1971TV
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962TV
The Oscars
Self
1953TV
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Christine Chapman
1951TV
The Emmy Awards
Self
1949TV
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee / Presenter
1944TV
The Smack
Babs
—Movie