Piper Laurie, the three-time Oscar nominee whose seven-decade acting career included iconic roles in “The Hustler” and “Carrie,” has died at age 91. The news was confirmed to IndieWire by Laurie’s ex-husband, critic Joe Morganstern.
Laurie was born Rosetta Jacobs in Detroit, Michigan in 1932 and changed her name after moving to Hollywood in 1949 and signing with Universal Pictures. She enjoyed early success in films such as the Ronald Reagan-directed “Louisa,” but soon moved to New York to focus on developing her acting skills on the stage. When she returned to Hollywood in 1961 to star in “The Hustler,” she received her first Oscar nomination for her role as Sarah Packard in the legendary story of a pool gamble gone wrong.
A firmly established acting actress, Laurie continued to work steadily in film and television over the next six decades. Her villainous role as Margaret White, the hyper-religious mother in Brian De Palma’s “Carrie,” earned her another Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress and secured her a place in horror film history. She received her third and final Oscar nomination in 1987 for her supporting role in Randa Haines’ Children of a Lesser God.
Television fans may best know Laurie as Catherine Martell, the scheming sawmill manager who worked with Benjamin Horne in the first two seasons of Twin Peaks. The role earned her a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Television Movie. She was also nominated for an Emmy for each of the series’ two seasons on ABC.
Laurie is survived by her daughter, Anna Grace Morgenstern.
Reporting by Anne Thompson.