Born: April 20, 1949
Age: 75
Birthplace: Bristol, England, U.K.
Veronica A. Cartwright (born 20 April 1949) is an English-born American actress who has worked mainly in American film and television in a career spanning six decades. As a child actress she appeared in supporting roles in The Children's Hour and The Birds. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the science fiction films Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) and Alien (1979), for which she won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Cartwright was born in Bristol and grew up in Los Angeles, having emigrated to America shortly after the birth of her younger sister, actress Angela Cartwright. Her career as a child actress began in 1958 with a role in In Love and War. Among her early appearances was a semi-regular part in the television series Leave It to Beaver (as Beaver's classmate Violet Rutherford) and an episode of One Step Beyond "The Haunting" (1960) and The Twilight Zone "I Sing the Body Electric" (1962). She guest starred twice in 1963 in NBC's medical drama about psychiatry, The Eleventh Hour, in the episodes "The Silence of Good Men" and "My Name is Judith, I'm Lost, You See." Cartwright appeared in the films The Children's Hour (1961) and Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963), which were both highly successful. In The Birds, she was reunited with her TV father from Leave It To Beaver, Richard Deacon, although the two were not on screen together. She was cast as daughter Jemima Boone in the first two seasons of NBC's Daniel Boone from 1964 until 1966, with co-stars Fess Parker, Patricia Blair, Darby Hinton, Ed Ames, and Dallas McKennon. She was the youngest actress to win an Emmy for Tell Me Not in Mournful Numbers.
Cartwright's career slowed during the late 1960s. She continued to work and achieved two of her biggest successes with Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) and Alien (1979), the latter performance winning her a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress. She was originally cast as Alien's heroine Ellen Ripley, but director Ridley Scott switched her role with Sigourney Weaver's just prior to shooting the film.
Other film roles include: Spencer's Mountain with Henry Fonda and Kym Karath (1963), Inserts (1974), Goin' South (1978), The Right Stuff (1983), Flight of the Navigator (1986), The Witches of Eastwick (1987), Money Talks (1997), Scary Movie 2 (2001), Kinsey (2004) and Straight-Jacket (2004).
A frequent performer in television, she has played guest roles in such series as The Mod Squad, Miami Vice, Baywatch, L.A. Law, ER, The X-Files, Chicago Hope, Will & Grace, Touched by an Angel, Judging Amy, Six Feet Under, The Closer, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Cartwright has received three Emmy Award nominations, one for her work in ER in 1997, and two for her work on The X-Files in 1998 and 1999. Veronica Cartwright also starred as Mrs. Olive Osmond in the made for TV film Inside the Osmonds.
She co-starred in the fourth version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Invasion (2007). She appears on the cover art for the Scissor Sisters' 2006 single "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'" as well as on their second album Ta-Dah.
In 2014, Cartwright reprised her role as Joan Lambert for DLC episodes in Alien: Isolation based on the original film. She appeared in the same year 2014, in the remake of The Town That Dreaded Sundown.
Cartwright is the older sister of actress Angela Cartwright, who appeared in The Sound of Music (1965) and as a regular in the television series Lost in Space and Make Room for Daddy.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1958 | In Love and War | Allie O'Neill (uncredited) | |
1961 | Children's Hour, TheThe Children's Hour | Rosalie Wells | |
1963 | Birds, TheThe Birds | Cathy Brenner | |
1963 | Spencer's Mountain | Becky Spencer (uncredited) | |
1963 | One Man's Way | Mary | |
1974 | Inserts | Harlene | |
1978 | Kid from Not-So-Big, TheThe Kid from Not-So-Big | Corinne | |
1978 | Goin' South | Hermine | |
1978 | Invasion of the Body Snatchers | Nancy Bellicec | |
1979 | Alien | Joan Lambert | Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress |
1983 | Nightmares | Claire Houston | Segment: "Night of the Rat" |
1983 | Right Stuff, TheThe Right Stuff | Betty Grissom | |
1985 | My Man Adam | Elaine Swit | |
1986 | Flight of the Navigator | Helen Freeman | |
1987 | Wisdom | Samantha Wisdom | |
1987 | Witches of Eastwick, TheThe Witches of Eastwick | Felicia Alden | Nominated-Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress |
1989 | Valentino Returns | Patricia 'Pat' Gibbs | |
1990 | False Identity | Vera Errickson | |
1991 | Walking the Dog | Short film | |
1992 | Man Trouble | Helen Dextra | |
1994 | Two Over Easy | Molly | Short film |
1994 | Mirror, Mirror 2: Raven Dance | Sister Aja | |
1994 | On Hope | Woman in Grocery | Short film |
1995 | Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh | Octavia Tarrant | |
1996 | Shoot the Moon | Mrs. Thomas | |
1997 | Money Talks | Connie Cipriani | |
1997 | Sparkler | Dottie Delgato | |
1998 | My Engagement Party | Sarah Salsburg | |
1999 | Slipping-Down Life, AA Slipping-Down Life | Mrs. Casey | |
1999 | Trash | Principal Evans | |
2001 | In the Bedroom | Minister on Television | |
2001 | Critic's Choice | Watkins | Short film |
2001 | Scary Movie 2 | Mother | |
2002 | Mackenheim | Eleanor | Short film |
2003 | Just Married | Mrs. 'Pussy' McNerney (uncredited) | |
2004 | Twisted | Landlady (uncredited) | |
2004 | Straight-Jacket | Jerry Albrecht | |
2004 | Kinsey | Sara Kinsey | |
2005 | Barry Dingle | Eleanor Dingle | |
2007 | Mommy's House | Mommy | Short film |
2007 | Invasion, TheThe Invasion | Wendy Lenk | |
2009 | Call of the Wild | Sheriff Taylor | |
2010 | Neowolf | Mrs. Belakov | Video |
2011 | Montana Amazon | Margaret | |
2011 | InSight | Patricia | |
2012 | Yellow Wallpaper, TheThe Yellow Wallpaper | Catherine Sayer | |
2012 | Adventures of the Dunderheads | Margaret | |
2013 | The Odd Way Home | Francine | |
2014 | The Town That Dreaded Sundown | Lillian |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1959 | Zane Grey Theater | Sarah Butler | Episode: "The Lone Woman" |
1959 | Make Room for Daddy | Girl in Play | Episode: "Bob Hope and Danny Become Directors" |
1959-1960 | Leave It to Beaver | Violet Rutherford | Episode: "The Tooth" Episode: "Beaver and Violet" |
1960 | Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond | Gillian | Episode: "The Haunting" |
1960 | Betty Hutton Show, TheThe Betty Hutton Show | Fake Foster Child (uncredited) | Episode: "Gullible Goldie" |
1960-1961 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Judy Davidson |
Episode: "The Schwartz-Metterklume Method" Episode: "Summer Shade" |
1961 | Make Room for Daddy | Veronica | Episode: "Teacher for a Day" |
1961 | Leave It to Beaver | Violet Rutherford | Episode: "Beaver's Rat" |
1962 | Route 66 | Miriam (age 9) | Episode: "Love Is a Skinny Kid" |
1962 | Twilight Zone | Anne Rogers - age 11 | Episode: "I Sing the Body Electric" |
1963 | Dick Powell Theatre, TheThe Dick Powell Theatre | Episode: "The Third Side of a Coin" | |
1963 | Leave It to Beaver | Peggy MacIntosh | Episode: "Don Juan Beaver" |
1963 | Eleventh Hour, TheThe Eleventh Hour | Judith Cameron Jan Ellendale |
Episode: "My Name Is Judith, I'm Lost, You See" Episode: "The Silence of Good Men" |
1964 | Tell Me Not in Mournful Numbers | TV film | |
1964-1966 | Daniel Boone | Jemima Boone | 36 episodes |
1965 | Dr. Kildare | Nancy Hiller | Episode: "Take Care of My Little Girl" |
1965 | Who Has Seen the Wind? | Kiri Radek | TV film |
1968 | Mannix | Mrs. Goldberg (uncredited) | Episode: "Edge of the Knife" |
1968 | Name of the Game, TheThe Name of the Game | Nancy Robins | Episode: "High on a Rainbow" |
1969 | Family Affair | Jo-Ann | Episode: "Flower Power" |
1969 | Dragnet 1967 | Melissa Stevens | Episode: "Personnel: The Shooting" |
1969 | Mod Squad | Gail Whitney | Episode: "The Girl in Chair Nine" |
1970 | Death Valley Days | Episode: "Simple Question of Justice" | |
1970 | Bold Ones: The Lawyers, TheThe Bold Ones: The Lawyers | Mary | Episode: "Point of Honor" |
1970 | Then Came Bronson | Petey Traine | Episode: "Still Waters" |
1970 | My Three Sons | Ruth Fletcher | Episode: "The Honeymoon" |
1973 | Here We Go Again | Nancy | Episode: "Sunday, Soggy Sunday" |
1976 | Bernice Bobs Her Hair | Marjorie | TV film |
1976 | Serpico | Lucy | Episode: "Dawn of the Furies" |
1980 | Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones | Marceline 'Marcy' Jones | TV film |
1981 | Big Black Pill, TheThe Big Black Pill | Sister Theresa | TV film |
1982 | Prime Suspect | Janice Staplin | TV film |
1985 | New Leave It to Beaver, TheThe New Leave It to Beaver | Violet Rutherford | Episode: "Violet Rutherford Returns" |
1985 | Robert Kennedy & His Times | Ethel Skakel Kennedy | TV miniseries |
1986 | Intimate Encounters | Emily | TV film |
1987 | Miami Vice | Society Dame | Episode: "By Hooker by Crook" |
1988 | Tanner '88 | Molly Hark | 10 episodes |
1989 | Desperate for Love | Betty Petrie | TV film |
1989 | Baywatch | Mrs. Harris (uncredited) | Episode: "Panic at Malibu Pier" |
1989-1992 | L.A. Law | A.D.A. Margaret Flanagan | 9 episodes |
1990 | Son's Promise, AA Son's Promise | Dorothy Donaldson | TV film |
1990 | Hitler's Daughter | Patricia Benedict | TV film |
1991 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Caroline Morris | Episode: "Abby, My Love" |
1991 | Dead in the Water | Victoria Haines | TV film |
1992 | Lincoln & Seward | TV film | |
1992 | Lincoln and the War Within | TV film | |
1993 | It's Nothing Personal | Barbara | TV film |
1993 | Triumph Over Disaster: The Hurricane Andrew Story | Carla Hulin | TV film |
1994 | Dead Air | The Caller | TV film |
1995 | My Brother's Keeper | Pat | TV film |
1996 | American Gothic | Angela | Episode: "Dr. Death Takes a Holiday" |
1996 | Lottery, TheThe Lottery | Maggie Dunbar | TV film |
1996 | Sliders | The Flame (voice) | Episode: "The Fire Within" |
1997 | ER | Norma Houston | Episode: "Whose Appy Now?" Episode: "Faith" Nominated-Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series |
1997 | Boston Common | Betty | Episode: "Here's to You, Mrs. Byrnes" |
1997 | Quicksilver Highway | Myra | TV film |
1997 | George & Leo | Anna | Episode: "The Wedding" |
1998 | George & Leo | Anna | Episode: "The Nine Wives of Leo Wagonman" |
1998 | Rat Pack, TheThe Rat Pack | Rocky Cooper | TV film |
1998-1999 | X-Files, TheThe X-Files | Cassandra Spender | 4 episodes Nominated-Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series |
1999 | Last Man on Earth, TheThe Last Man on Earth | Director Elizabeth Riggs | TV film |
1999 | Chicago Hope | Karen Flanders | Episode: "Team Play" |
1999 | Will & Grace | Judith McFarland | Episode: "Homo for the Holidays" |
2001 | Inside the Osmonds | Olive Osmond | TV film |
2001 | Touched by an Angel | Shirlee Gibbons | Episode: "Famous Last Words" |
2002 | Family Law | Norma Benson | Episode: "Arlene's Choice" |
2002 | Judging Amy | Dorothea Mitchell | Episode: "A Pretty Good Day" |
2003 | Without a Trace | Mrs. Beckworth | Episode: "There Goes the Bride" |
2004 | Dr. Vegas | Evelyn | Episode: "All In" |
2004 | Six Feet Under | Peg Kimmel | Episode: "Falling into Place" Episode: "The Black Forest" |
2005 | Six Feet Under | Peg Kimmel | Episode: "A Coat of White Primer" |
2005 | Closer, TheThe Closer | Vera Mathers | Episode: "Good Housekeeping" |
2005 | Without a Trace | Susan | Episode: "John Michaels" |
2005 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Virginia Kennison | Episode: "Starved" |
2005 | Nip/Tuck | Mother Mary Claire | Episode: "Quentin Costa" |
2005-2006 | Invasion | Valerie Shenkman | 5 episodes |
2006 | Boston Legal | Judge Peggy Zeder | Episode: "Helping Hands" |
2006 | Cold Case | Mary Ryan | Episode: "Dog Day Afternoons" |
2006 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Diane Chase | Episode: "Rashomama" |
2006 | 7th Heaven | Ms. Fitzhenry | Episode: "A Pain in the Neck" |
2006 | Nine, TheThe Nine | Barbara Dalton | Episode: "Brother's Keeper" |
2007 | Nine, TheThe Nine | Barbara Dalton | Episode: "Confessions" Episode: "The Inside Man" |
2007 | October Road | Lynn Farmer | Episode: "Deck the Howls" |
2009 | Eastwick | Bun Waverly | 11 episodes |
2010 | Drop Dead Diva | Marian Porter | Episode: "Back from the Dead" |
2010 | Memphis Beat | Miranda | Episode: "I Shall Not Be Moved" |
2010-2012 | Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil | Ms. Dominic (voice) | 3 episodes |
2012 | Revenge | Judge Elizabeth Blackwell | Episode: "Scandal" Episode: "Justice" |
2013 | Non-Stop | Rose | TV Movie |
2014 | Resurrection | Helen Edgerton | 6 episodes |
2015 | Bosch | Irene Saxon | 4 episodes |