Newman, Phyllis 1933–

PERSONAL

Born March 19, 1933, in Jersey City, NJ; daughter of Arthur and Rachael Newman; married Adolph Green (a playwright, lyricist, and actor), January 31, 1960 (died, October 23, 2002); children: Adam, Amanda. Education: Attended Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve University) and Columbia University; studied for the stage with Wynn Handman; studied singing with Keith Davis.

Career: Actress, singer, writer, and director. Performed in cabarets and nightclubs in Wisconsin and New York City. Actors Fund, creator of Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, 1996.

Member: Actors' Equity Association.

Awards, Honors: Antoinette Perry Award, best supporting or featured actress in a musical, 1962, for Subways are for Sleeping; Drama Desk Award nomination, outstanding actress in a musical, 1978, for My Mother Was a Fortune Teller; Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best actress in a feature role in a play, 1987, for Broadway Bound; Drama Desk Award, outstanding featured actress in a play, 2000, for The Moment When.

CREDITS

Stage Appearances:

(Stage debut) Sarah and understudy Fay Fromkin, Wish You Were Here, Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1952–53.

I Feel Wonderful (revue), Theatre de Lys, New York City, 1954.

Understudy Ella Peterson, Bells Are Ringing, Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1956–59.

Jane Bennett, First Impressions, Alvin Theatre, New York City, 1959.

Sylvie, Moonbirds, Cort Theatre, New York City, 1959.

Martha Vail, Subways are for Sleeping, St. James Theatre, New York City, 1961–62.

Sura, Pleasures and Palaces, Fisher Theatre, Detroit, MI, 1965.

Eve, Princess Barbara, and Ella/Passionella, The Apple Tree, Shubert Theatre, 1966–67.

Claire, On the Town, Imperial Theatre, 1971–72.

Edna Edison, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, 1971–73.

Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Westbury Music Fair, New York City, 1972.

Gala Tribute to Joshua Logan, Imperial Theatre, 1975.

My Mother Was a Fortune Teller, Hudson Guild Theatre, New York City, 1978.

Heather, I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It On the Road, Anspacher Theatre, Public Theatre, New York City, 1978–81.

The Madwoman of Central Park West, 22 Steps Theatre, New York City, 1979.

Vamps and Rideouts, Unicorn Theatre, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Stockbridge, MA, 1982.

Standby Bessie Berger, Awake and Sing!, Circle in the Square, New York City, 1984.

Broadway Bound, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City, 1986–88.

Bea, The Food Chain, Westside Theatre, New York City, 1995–96.

Follies, Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ, 1998.

Ada, Shyster, Blue Heron Arts Center, New York City, 1999.

Mrs. Jacoby, A Majority of One, Jewish Repertory Theatre, New York City, then Ogunquit Playhouse, Ogunquit, ME, 1999.

Paula, The Moment When, Playwrights Horizon Theatre, New York City, 2000.

Also appeared in Awake and Sing, Circle in the Square, New York City; Annie Get Your Gun; How Do You Do, I Love You; I Married an Angel; Light Up the Sky; The Owl and the Pussycat; Red Rover, Red Rover; Rocket to the Moon; The Vagina Monologues, Westside Theatre (Downstairs), New York City.

Major Tours:

Vamps and Rideouts, 1982.

Also toured in I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road, U.S. cities.

Stage Director:

Straws in the Wind, American Place Theatre, New York City, 1975.

Three Minutes of Durang, Fierstein, Guare, and More, Provincetown Theatre, Provincetown, MA, 2004.

Also directed productions of Walking Papers, Circle in the Square, New York City; Area Code 212, Public Theatre, New York City; Facade; Franklin D. Roosevelt Centennial Show, New York City.

Film Appearances:

(Film debut; uncredited) Juanita Badger, Picnic, Columbia, 1955.

(Uncredited) Lulu, The Vagabond King, Paramount, 1956.

Kathy Abbott, Let's Rock (also known as Keep It Cool), Columbia, 1958.

Robert's mother, The Naked Witch (also known as The Naked Temptress), 1964.

Myra Mandelbaum, Bye Bye Braverman, 1968.

Betty McCarthy, To Find a Man (also known as Sex and the Teenager), Columbia, 1972.

Mrs. Hesire, Emmy's mother, Mannequin, 1987.

A Secret Space, 1988.

Lynn, Saying Kaddish, 1991.

Faith's mother, Only You (also known as Him and Just in Time), 1994.

Judy Miller, The Beautician and the Beast, Paramount, 1997.

Mrs. Gelbart, A Price Above Rubies, Miramax, 1998.

Sylvia Rosen, A Fish in a Bathtub, 1998.

Maggie, Just for the Time Being, Creative Light Worldwide, 2000.

Judith Penn, It Had to Be You, Regent Entertainment, 2000.

Iris Silk, The Human Stain (also known as La couleur du mensonge and Der menschliche makel), Miramax, 2003.

Herself, Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There (also known as Broadway, Broadway: The Golden Age, and Broadway: The Movie; documentary), Dada Films, 2003.

(Uncredited) Herself, Lipstick & Dynamite, Piss & Vinegar: The First Ladies of Wrestling (documentary), Koch Lorber Films, 2004.

Sophia's mom, Everyone's Depressed, 2005.

Television Appearances; Series:

Doris Hudson, Diagnosis: Unknown, CBS, 1960.

Panelist, To Tell the Truth, 1962–65.

Panelist, Password (also known as Password All-Stars), 1962–67.

Guest panelist, What's My Line?, 1963–67.

That Was the Week That Was, NBC, 1964–65.

Renee Divine Buchanan, One Life to Live, 1987.

Ginny Hale, Coming of Age, CBS, 1988.

Sarah Rifkind, 100 Centre Street, Arts and Entertainment, 2001–2002.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Tina, The People Next Door, CBS, 1968.

Television Appearances; Specials:

The Bob Hope Show, NBC, 1971.

Stella Deems, Follies in Concert, PBS, 1986.

Broadway Sings: The Music of Jules Styne, PBS, 1987.

The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1988.

The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1991.

Lynn, Saying Kaddish, ABC, 1991.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

"Before It's Too Late," Kraft Television Theatre (also known as Kraft Mystery Theatre and Kraft Theatre), 1956.

Ruth Austin, "The Gene Austin Story," Goodyear Television Playhouse (also known as Goodyear Playhouse), 1957.

Elsa, "The Lost Ones," Decoy (also known as Policewoman Decoy), 1959.

Amy Fitlon, "Smelling Like a Rose," Mr. Broadway, 1964.

Sophie, "The Arabian Affair," The Man from U.N.C.L.E., 1965.

Comrade Alexia Salov, "A Very Important Russian Is Missing," Burke's Law (also known as Amos Burke, Secret Agent), 1965.

Princess Wanakee, "The Night of the Raven," The Wild, Wild West, 1966.

Mary Severance, "Olympus 7-0000," ABC Stage 67, ABC, 1967.

Personality, 1967.

Match Game, 1967, 1968.

The Mike Douglas Show, 1968.

Snap Judgment, 1968.

Toast of the Town (also known as The Ed Sullivan Show), CBS, 1970.

The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (also known as The Best of Carson), NBC, 1970–76.

Mrs. Ellis, "Who's Who in Neverland," Quincy, M.E. (also known as Quincy), 1976.

Ann, "A Secret Space," Visions, 1977.

The Merv Griffin Show, syndicated, 1977.

Gwen Hunter, "Breakpoint," The Equalizer, 1986.

Elaine Steadman, "Be a Good Girl," thirtysomething, 1989.

Elaine Steadman, "Fathers and Lovers," thirtysomething, 1990.

Elaine Steadman, "Photo Opportunity," thirtysomething, 1990.

Edna Hayes, "The Taxman Cometh," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1991.

Mrs. Sewruck, "Mail Order Mystery," The Jury, Fox, 2004.

RECORDINGS

Taped Readings:

The Yellow House Mystery, 1993.

Mystery Ranch, 1994.

The Lighthouse Mystery, 1996.

Albums:

Contributor to Follies: The Complete Recordings.

WRITINGS

Plays:

My Mother Was a Fortune Teller, produced at Hudson Guild Theatre, 1978.

(With Arthur Laurents) The Madwoman of Central Park West, produced at 22 Steps Theatre, 1979.

Television Music:

Song, "Brand New Dreams," Destined to Live: 100 Roads to Recovery (television special), NBC, 1988.

Memoir:

Just in Time: Notes from My Life, Simon & Schuster, 1988.