Bibi Osterwald
Born
Margaret Virginia Osterwald

(1920-02-03)February 3, 1920[1]
DiedJanuary 2, 2002(2002-01-02) (aged 81)
OccupationActress
Years active1944–2002
SpouseJustin Arndt (m. 1951–2002; her death)
Children1

Margaret Virginia "Bibi" Osterwald (February 3, 1920 January 2, 2002) was an American actress.

Life and career

Osterwald was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey,[2] the daughter of Dagmar (Kvastad) and Rudolf August Osterwald, a hotel owner.[3][4]

As a student, Osterwald appeared in the Catholic University semi-pro revue in Washington, D.C., in August 1942.[4] She gained acting experience in five years of work in summer stock theatre in Rockville, Maryland.[5] She starred in Ten Nights in a Barroom at the Willard Hotel for 8 weeks starting in mid-August 1943. She then pursued a career on the New York stage. The Central Opera House [NYC], seating 2000, introduced Osterwald leading in Broken Hearts of Broadway in June 1944. "Miss Osterwald is on Broadway as one of the outstanding participants in 'Sing Out, Sweet Land.' What is more, next to stars Alfred Drake and Burl Ives, she has received the loudest praise of those critics who saw the play out of town. Its road tour Included Hartford, Boston and Philadelphia." -December 28, 1944.

Osterwald went on to appear in such Broadway shows as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Bus Stop, Three to Make Ready, and The Golden Apple, for which she won an Outer Critics Circle Award in 1953.[6]

Starting in the late 1940s, Osterwald began appearing on television, continuing to do so through the end of 2001. She was best known for her television role of Stella O'Brien, the cranky housekeeper for the Hathaway family on the soap opera, Where the Heart Is in the 1970s and also as Mrs. Sophie Steinberg, the mother of David Birney and mother-in-law of Meredith Baxter on the comedy series, Bridget Loves Bernie.[7]:136. She played Anita, who becomes an avid fan of The Amazing Alonzo (Vincent Price) in "The Love Boat" S2 E6 "Ship of Ghouls" (1978).

In 1982, she originated the role of Nanny McTavish, Holly Sutton's long-time confidante, on General Hospital. Her other roles included Mrs. Nakamura on The Absent-Minded Professor (1988).[7] She was also a regular on The S.S. Holiday (1950),[7]:1008 The Imogene Coca Show (1954),[7]:499 Captain Billy's Showboat (1948)[7]:159 and Front Row Center (1949).[7]:370

In the years just prior to her death in 2002, she was a voice actress for the cartoon series Rugrats. She also appeared in several films, including Parrish (1961), The World of Henry Orient (1964) (in which she had the role of Erica "Boothy" Booth), A Fine Madness (1966), Bank Shot (1974), Caddyshack II (1988) and As Good as It Gets (1997).

Outside of acting, she was a frequent participant on the Ben Bagley's Revisited series of famous pop composers including albums of rarities by Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart Vol.2 and Frank Loesser. Osterwald was a practicing Catholic and a registered Republican.[4]

On January 2, 2002, Osterwald died of a lung ailment in Burbank, California, at age 81.[8]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1961ParrishRosie
1964The World of Henry OrientErica Booth
1966A Fine MadnessMrs. Fitzgerald
1967The Tiger Makes OutMrs. Ratner
1974Bank ShotMums Gornik
1977The Great Smokey RoadblockAnnie McCarigle
1978The Great Bank HoaxSara Pennysworth
1988MovingCrystal Butterworth
1988Caddyshack IIMrs. Pierpont
1994 Angie Dr. Gould's Nurse
1995 The Wayans Bros. Saleslady S1:E8
1996The Paper BrigadeWidow Hansen
1996The Glimmer ManWoman In Ovington Arms
1997As Good as It GetsNeighbor Woman

References

  1. "Actress Bibi Osterwald, Original Dolly Standby, Is Dead at 81". Playbill. January 14, 2002.
  2. Lentz, Harris M. III (2008). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2002: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland. pp. 227–228. ISBN 978-0-7864-5207-1. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
  3. "Bibi Osterwald Biography". filmreference.com. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 An Interview With Bibi Osterwald, Skip E. Lowe, 1992
  5. Francis, Robert (June 18, 1944). "Candid Close-ups". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Brooklyn. p. 21. Retrieved March 23, 2019 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Bibi Osterwald, 83, Stage and TV Actress". The New York Times. January 16, 2002.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  8. "Bibi Osterwald, 83; Versatile Actress Had a 50-Year Career". The Los Angeles Times. California, Los Angeles. January 31, 2002. p. 10. Retrieved March 24, 2019 via Newspapers.com.
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