The New Dick Van Dyke Show (1971-1974) as Jenny Preston
The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (1968-1970) as Carolyn Muir / Mrs. Muir
Death Wish (1974) as Joanna Kersey
Short Info
Died
December 19, 2003, Santa Monica, California, United States
Spouse
Charles Hollerith, Jr., Alan J. Pakula, Don Murray
Fact
She was the niece of photographer Dorothea Lange, famous for her Depression-era photographs, including the iconic "Migrant Mother".
Hope Lange was born on November 28, 1931, in Redding, Connecticut. Her parents were John and Dorothy Lange, both of whom were of German descent. She had two sisters, Jane and Ann. Lange was educated at the prestigious Putney School in Vermont and later attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. It was here that she met and fell in love with Don Murray, whom she would later marry.
Lange’s career began on the stage, where she appeared in a number of Broadway productions. In 1957, she made her film debut in the comedy “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir”, which was a huge hit. This led to a string of successful films, including “Peyton Place”, “The Young Lions” and “Inherit the Wind”. Lange won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film “Blue Velvet”.
Lange was married three times. Her first husband was Don Murray, with whom she had two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary. Her second husband was Alan Bates, with whom she had one son, Nicholas. Her third and final husband was John Calley, with whom she had no children.
Lange passed away on December 19, 2014, at the age of 83.
General Info
Full Name
Hope Lange
Died
December 19, 2003, Santa Monica, California, United States
Height
1.57 m
Profession
Actor
Education
Reed College
Nationality
American
Family
Spouse
Charles Hollerith, Jr., Alan J. Pakula, Don Murray
Children
Christopher Murray, Patricia Murray
Parents
Minette Lange, John George Lange
Siblings
David Lange, Minelda Lange, Joy Lange
Accomplishments
Awards
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Nominations
Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Golden Globe Award for Best TV Star - Female, TV Land Favorite Character from the "Other Si...
Movies
Death Wish, Blue Velvet, Peyton Place, The Best of Everything, Bus Stop, Wild in the Country, Pocketful of Miracles, The Young Lions, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge, Clear and Present Danger, The True Story of Jesse James, Love Is a Ball, In Love and War, That Certain Summer, Just Cau...
TV Shows
The New Dick Van Dyke Show, The Ghost & Mrs. Muir, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Backstory, Knight & Daye
[on working with Joan Crawford on The Best of Everything (1959)] "I was fortunate that there was this tension with her. Our scenes were built with tension, and there it was, even before the camera rolled. It had to have been tough for her, to have these three young upstarts - and there she was, in a non-starring role."
Facts
#
Fact
1
Studied dance with Martha Graham.
2
Would occasionally walk Fala, a Scotch terrier belonging to former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
3
Hope appeared on Radio-Electronics magazine, June 1949 cover wearing the "Man from Mars" Radio Hat.
4
She was the niece of photographer Dorothea Lange, famous for her Depression-era photographs, including the iconic "Migrant Mother".
For two years, Lange lived in a sparsely furnished home with crates for coffee tables and only a box spring and mattress for her bed. "She put all her money into the refugee project because that is the kind of person she was", Don Murray said.
10
When she co-starred with Marilyn Monroe in Bus Stop (1956), Monroe disliked the presence of a younger blonde and sent a series of memos to producers and the director, even suggesting that Lange be made to dye her hair brown.
11
Made her acting debut on Broadway at the age of 11 in Sidney Kingsley's play "The Patriots".
12
Lange earned the only Oscar nomination of her career for her supporting role in the provocative film Peyton Place (1957), in which she murders her rapist stepfather.
13
In 1968, Lange turned to television, taking on the role of Carolyn Muir in the popular series The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (1968). She won two consecutive Emmys for that role, in 1969 and 1970.
