Gena Rowlands (1930-2024) American actress
Gena Rowlands (1930-2024) American actress dies at 94, Find a Grave Gena Rowlands, Gena Rowlands find a grave, Gena Rowlands grave, Gena Rowlands Death and burial details.
She was known to television and film viewers for the numerous roles she portrayed on both the “small” and “large” screens in a career that spanned seven decades. Born Virginia Cathryn Rowlands, she attended the University of Wisconsin from 1947 to 1950.
Gena Rowlands
| Full Name | Virginia Cathryn “Gena” Rowlands |
|---|---|
| Birth | 19 June 1930, Cambria, Columbia County, Wisconsin,United States |
| Death | 14 August 2024 (aged 94) Indian Wells, Riverside County, California, United States |
| Cause of Death | Alzheimer’s disease |
| Parents | Edwin Myrwyn Rowlands (Father), Lady Rowlands (Mother) |
| Spouses | Robert Forrest (Married 2012–2024), John Cassavetes (Married 1954 and Died 1989) |
| Children | Nick Cassavetes, Alexandra Cassavetes, Zoe Cassavetes |
| Years active | (1949–2014) |
| Occupations | Actress |
| Nationality | American |
| Burial |
Westwood Memorial Park
Westwood, Los Angeles County, California, USA
|
She later moved to New York City and entered the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she met John Cassavetes, a fellow acting student. The couple married in 1954, and they remained together until his death in 1989.
In 1954, she made her acting debut on the television series “Top Secret.” She went on to appear in such television series as “Appointment with Adventure,” “87th Precinct,” “Burke’s Law,” “Peyton Place,” “Medical Center,” “Monk,” and “NCIS.” In 1956, she made her Broadway stage debut in “Middle of the Night” and later appeared in local repertory theatre performances.
In 1958, she made her film debut in “The High Cost of Loving.” Her later film credits would include such titles as “Shadows,” “Lonely Are the Brave,” “Tony Rome,” “Faces,” “Gloria,” and “The Notebook.” Her work was honored with various awards during her career, including four Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, and an honorary Academy Award in 2016. She passed away after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Gena Rowlands Biography, Life and Career
Rowlands was born on June 19, 1930, in Madison, Wisconsin. Her mother, Mary Allen (née Neal), was a housewife who later worked as an actress under the stage name Lady Rowlands. Her father, Edwin Myrwyn Rowlands, was a banker and state legislator. He was a member of the Wisconsin Progressive Party and was of Welsh descent. She had an elder brother, David Rowlands.
His family moved to Washington, D.C., in 1939, when Edwin was appointed to a position in the United States Department of Agriculture; moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1942, when he was appointed branch manager of the Office of Price Administration; and later moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota.
From 1947 to 1950, she attended the University of Wisconsin, where she was a popular student already renowned for her beauty. While in college, she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She left for New York City to study drama at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Gena Rowlands Career
Early roles (1952–1967)
In the early 1950s, Rowlands performed with repertory theatre companies and at the Provincetown Playhouse. She made her Broadway debut in The Seven Year Itch and toured in a national production of the play. In 1956, she starred in the Broadway play Middle of the Night opposite Edward G. Robinson.
Rowlands costarred with Paul Stewart in the 26-episode syndicated TV series Top Secret (1954–55). She guest-starred on such anthology television series as Robert Montgomery Presents, Armstrong Circle Theatre, Studio One, Appointment with Adventure, The United States Steel Hour, and Goodyear Television Playhouse, all in 1955.
In 1959, Rowlands appeared in the Western series Laramie, alongside her husband John Cassavetes in the detective series Johnny Staccato, and in the Western series Riverboat, starring Darren McGavin. In 1961, she appeared in the adventure series The Islanders, set in the South Pacific, and in Target: The Corruptors!, starring Stephen McNally. She guest-starred in The Lloyd Bridges Show, the detective series 77 Sunset Strip, Kraft Suspense Theatre, the Westerns Bonanza and The Virginian, and Breaking Point, all in 1963. In 1964, she guest-starred in the medical drama Dr. Kildare and in two episodes of Burke’s Law. She appeared in four episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, three of which were after the series had been renamed The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. In 1967, she was cast as socialite Adrienne Van Leyden in the prime-time ABC soap opera Peyton Place.
Rowlands made her film debut in The High Cost of Loving in 1958. In 1962, she starred in director David Miller’s Lonely Are the Brave, with Kirk Douglas and Walter Matthau. She played the former lover of the Kirk Douglas character, now the wife of the Douglas character’s best friend.
Cassavetes era (1963–1984)
Rowlands and Cassavetes made ten films together: A Child Is Waiting (1963), Faces (1968), Machine Gun McCain (1969), Minnie and Moskowitz (1971), A Woman Under the Influence (1974; nomination for Academy Award for Best Actress), Two-Minute Warning (1976), Opening Night (1977), Gloria (1980; nomination for Academy Award for Best Actress), Tempest (1982), and Love Streams (1984).
According to Boston University film scholar Ray Carney, Rowlands sought to suppress an early version of Cassavetes’s first film, Shadows, that Carney says he rediscovered after decades of searching. Rowlands also became involved in the screenings of Husbands and Love Streams, according to Carney.
The UCLA Film and Television Archive mounted a restoration of Husbands, as it was pruned down (without Cassavetes’s consent, and in violation of his contract) by Columbia Pictures several months after its release, in an attempt to restore as much of the removed content as possible. At Rowlands’s request, UCLA created an alternative print with almost ten minutes of content edited out, as Rowlands felt that these scenes were in poor taste. The alternative print is the only one that has been made available for rental.
Gena Rowlands Late career (1985–2014)
In 1985, Rowlands played the mother in the critically acclaimed made-for-TV movie An Early Frost. She won an Emmy for her portrayal of former First Lady of the United States Betty Ford in the 1987 made-for-TV movie The Betty Ford Story.
In 1988, Rowlands starred in Woody Allen’s dramatic film Another Woman. She played Marion Post, a middle-aged professor who is prompted to a journey of self-discovery when she overhears the therapy sessions of another woman (Mia Farrow). The review in Time Out described the character’s trajectory: “Marion gets to thinking, and is appalled to realise that so many assumptions about her own life and marriage are largely unfounded: in her desire for a controlled existence, she has evaded the emotional truth about relationships with her best friend (Sandy Dennis), brother (Harris Yulin), and husband (Ian Holm).” Time Out praised the “marvellous” performances in the film, adding, “Rowlands’ perfectly pitched approach to a demanding role is particularly stunning.” Film4 called her performance “sublime,” while Roger Ebert noted that it marked a considerable change in tone from her work with Cassavetes, thus showing “how good an actress Rowlands has been all along.”
In 2002, Rowlands appeared in Mira Nair’s HBO movie Hysterical Blindness, for which she won her third Emmy. The next year she appeared as Mrs. Hellman in an episode from the third season of Numb3rs. She played a Nazi survivor whose whole family was killed. The family owned a painting that the Nazis confiscated. Later on, the painting reappeared. The new owner lent the painting to an art gallery in Los Angeles, but while on display, it was stolen. FBI agent Don Eppes, played by Rob Morrow, tries to figure out what really happened. Rowlands received positive reviews for this role. She has been a spokesperson for people who were persecuted by the Nazis.
She was later seen in The Notebook (2004), which was directed by her son Nick Cassavetes. The same year, she won her first Daytime Emmy for her role as Mrs. Evelyn Ritchie in The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie. In 2005, she appeared opposite Kate Hudson, Peter Sarsgaard, and John Hurt in the gothic thriller The Skeleton Key.
In 2007, she played a supporting role opposite Parker Posey and Melvil Poupaud in Broken English, an independent American feature written and directed by her daughter Zoe Cassavetes. In 2009, she appeared on an episode of Monk (“Mr. Monk and the Lady Next Door”). On March 2, 2010, she appeared on an episode of NCIS as lead character Leroy Jethro Gibbs’s former mother-in-law, who is embroiled in a murder investigation. In 2014, she starred in the film adaptation of Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks. In 2015, she described herself as generally retired from acting.
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Gena Rowlands Personal life
Rowlands was married to John Cassavetes from March 9, 1954, until his death on February 3, 1989. They met at the American Academy at Carnegie Hall, where they were both students. They had three children, all actor-directors: Nick, Alexandra, and Zoe. Rowlands married retired businessman Robert Forrest in 2012.
Rowlands stated that she was a fan of actress Bette Davis while growing up. She played Davis’s daughter in the 1979 made-for-TV film Strangers.
Gena Rowlands Health and death
On June 24, 2024, Nick Cassavetes announced that his mother had been living with Alzheimer’s disease for the previous five years.
Gena Rowlands Cause of Death
Alzheimer’s disease
Gena Rowlands Find a Grave
FAQs About Gena Rowlands
Q: What was Gena Rowlands’s full name at birth?
A: Gena Rowlands was born Virginia Cathryn Rowlands.
Q: Where was Gena Rowlands born?
A: She was born on June 19, 1930, in Cambria, Columbia County, Wisconsin, United States.
Q: When did Gena Rowlands pass away?
A: Gena Rowlands died on August 14, 2024, at the age of 94.
Q: What was the cause of Gena Rowlands’s death?
A: She died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease.
Q: Where is Gena Rowlands buried?
A: Gena Rowlands is buried at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles County, California, USA.
Q: When did Gena Rowlands attend the University of Wisconsin?
A: She attended the University of Wisconsin from 1947 to 1950.
Q: What notable role did Gena Rowlands play on television in 1985?
A: In 1985, she played the mother in the critically acclaimed made-for-TV movie An Early Frost.
Q: Which made-for-TV movie earned Gena Rowlands an Emmy in 1987?
A: She won an Emmy for her role as former First Lady Betty Ford in the made-for-TV movie The Betty Ford Story.
Q: What is one of Gena Rowlands’s most recognized film roles?
A: One of her most recognized film roles is in The Notebook (2004), directed by her son Nick Cassavetes.
Q: What was the nature of Gena Rowlands’s role in Another Woman (1988)?
A: In Another Woman, she played Marion Post, a middle-aged professor who embarks on a journey of self-discovery after overhearing another woman’s therapy sessions.
Q: How did Rowlands and Cassavetes’s professional collaboration impact their film careers?
A: Rowlands and Cassavetes made ten films together, including Faces, A Woman Under the Influence, and Gloria, showcasing their significant professional partnership.
Q: When did Gena Rowlands make her acting debut on television?
A: Gena Rowlands made her acting debut on the television series Top Secret in 1954.
Q: What Broadway play marked Gena Rowlands’s debut on stage?
A: Her Broadway stage debut was in the play Middle of the Night in 1956.
Q: In which film did Gena Rowlands make her film debut?
A: She made her film debut in The High Cost of Loving in 1958.
Q: What was Gena Rowlands’s role in the 1979 made-for-TV film Strangers?
A: In Strangers, she played the daughter of Bette Davis’s character.
Q: How many Emmy Awards did Gena Rowlands win during her career?
A: Gena Rowlands won four Emmy Awards during her career.
Q: What other major awards did Gena Rowlands receive?
A: In addition to Emmy Awards, she received two Golden Globes and an honorary Academy Award in 2016.
Q: What was Gena Rowlands’s role in Hysterical Blindness (2002)?
A: In Hysterical Blindness, she played a role that earned her her third Emmy Award.
Q: Which TV series featured Gena Rowlands in an episode as Mrs. Hellman?
A: She appeared as Mrs. Hellman in an episode of Numb3rs during its third season.
Q: What film did Gena Rowlands appear in that was directed by her son, Nick Cassavetes?
A: She appeared in The Notebook (2004), directed by her son Nick Cassavetes.
Q: What film did Gena Rowlands appear in that was directed by her daughter, Zoe Cassavetes?
A: She appeared in Broken English (2007), written and directed by her daughter Zoe Cassavetes.
Q: When did Gena Rowlands retire from acting?
A: Gena Rowlands described herself as generally retired from acting in 2015.
Q: What were Gena Rowlands’s parents’ names and professions?
A: Her father was Edwin Myrwyn Rowlands, a banker and state legislator, and her mother was Mary Allen (née Neal), a housewife who later worked as an actress under the stage name Lady Rowlands.
Q: How many children did Gena Rowlands and John Cassavetes have?
A: They had three children: Nick, Alexandra, and Zoe Cassavetes.
Q: What was Gena Rowlands’s relationship with the American Academy of Dramatic Arts?
A: She studied drama at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, where she met her future husband, John Cassavetes.
Q: What notable television series did Gena Rowlands guest-star in during the 1950s?
A: She guest-starred on television series such as Robert Montgomery Presents, Armstrong Circle Theatre, Studio One, Appointment with Adventure, The United States Steel Hour, and Goodyear Television Playhouse.
Q: What role did Gena Rowlands play in the film Lonely Are the Brave (1962)?
A: In Lonely Are the Brave, she played the former lover of the character portrayed by Kirk Douglas, who is now the wife of Douglas’s character’s best friend.
Q: What was Gena Rowlands’s role in the television series Peyton Place?
A: Gena Rowlands played the role of socialite Adrienne Van Leyden in the prime-time soap opera Peyton Place.
Q: What was Gena Rowlands’s involvement with the film Husbands (1970)?
A: Rowlands was involved in the screenings of Husbands, which had been pruned down by Columbia Pictures without Cassavetes’s consent. At Rowlands’s request, UCLA created an alternative print with content removed by Columbia Pictures, as she felt those scenes were in poor taste.
Q: In which film did Gena Rowlands receive Academy Award nominations for Best Actress?
A: She received Academy Award nominations for Best Actress for her roles in A Woman Under the Influence (1974) and Gloria (1980).
Q: What was the nature of the role Gena Rowlands played in The Skeleton Key (2005)?
A: In The Skeleton Key, she appeared opposite Kate Hudson, Peter Sarsgaard, and John Hurt in a gothic thriller.
Q: What was Gena Rowlands’s role in the TV series NCIS (2010)?
A: In NCIS, she appeared as Leroy Jethro Gibbs’s former mother-in-law, who is involved in a murder investigation.
Q: When did Gena Rowlands’s family reveal her Alzheimer’s diagnosis?
A: Gena Rowlands’s family revealed her Alzheimer’s diagnosis on June 24, 2024.
Q: How long had Gena Rowlands been living with Alzheimer’s disease before her death?
A: She had been living with Alzheimer’s disease for approximately five years before her death.
Q: What was the cause of Gena Rowlands’s death?
A: Gena Rowlands died from complications of Alzheimer’s disease.
Q: Where did Gena Rowlands pass away?
A: Gena Rowlands passed away at her home in Indian Wells, California.
Q: How old was Gena Rowlands when she died?
A: Gena Rowlands was 94 years old at the time of her death.
Q: Was Gena Rowlands’s death related to any other health conditions besides Alzheimer’s disease?
A: The primary cause of her death was complications related to Alzheimer’s disease, and no other specific health conditions were mentioned.
Q: How was Gena Rowlands’s Alzheimer’s disease publicly disclosed?
A: Her Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis was publicly disclosed by her son, Nick Cassavetes, in June 2024.
Q: Did Gena Rowlands’s family take any steps to preserve her legacy related to her condition?
A: The details of her family’s steps to preserve her legacy related to her condition are not specified, but her career and contributions to film and television are widely recognized and celebrated.
