1 month ago
Mariclare Costello, who played nan devoted schoolteacher Rosemary Hunter connected The Waltons, a free-spirited hippie-turned-vampire successful nan 1971 cult scary movie Let’s Scare Jessica To Death and appeared successful 9 Broadway productions during nan 1960s, died Friday, April 17, successful Brooklyn, her family has announced. She was 90.
Married to M*A*S*H actor Allan Arbus until his decease successful 2013, Costello received her master’s successful theatre and acquisition from Catholic University, was an original personnel of Lincoln Center Repertory Company and a life personnel of The Actors Studio.
Born February 3, 1936, successful Peoria, Illinois, Costello moved to New York City aft postgraduate schoolhouse and landed roles some Off Broadway and connected Broadway. Her Broadway debut came successful 1964 pinch a domiciled successful Arthur Miller’s After nan Fall opposite Jason Robards. Eight Broadway credits would follow, including But For Whom Charlie (1964), The Changeling (1964), Tartuffe (1965), Danton’s Death (1965), The Country Wife (1965), Lovers and Other Strangers (1968), A Patriot for Me (1969) and Harvey, pinch James Stewart and Helen Hayes (1970).
Costello made her movie debut successful 1967’s The Tiger Makes Out starring Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson, past appeared connected respective TV bid including nan 1969 bull show N.Y.P.D. before being formed 2 years later successful Let’s Scare Jessica To Death, a moody scary movie starring Zohra Lampert arsenic Jessica, a female conscionable released from a intelligence infirmary who thinks she mightiness beryllium relapsing erstwhile ghostly things statesman to happen. Costello played nan pivotal domiciled of a hippie who takes up pinch Jessica and her hubby only to go a vampire. Among nan film’s astir memorable scenes is nan undead Costello emerging slow from a reservoir to onslaught nan title character.
Subsequent credits see nan acclaimed 1974 TV movie The Execution of Private Slovik successful which she played nan woman of Martin Sheen’s title character. In 1980 she played nan sympathetic sister-in-law of Mary Tyler Moore’s grieving mother successful Robert Redford’s Ordinary People.
Her galore TV credits included episodic roles passim nan 1970s, ’80s and ’90s in, among others, Ironside, Kojak, Little House connected nan Prairie, Lou Grant, Murder She Wrote, Santa Barbara, Chicago Hope, Judging Amy and, successful nan early 2000s, TV movie Shadow of nan Blair Witch and bid Providence.
Costello was a bid regular connected nan single-season 1977 CBS play The Fitzpatricks, but she is astir apt champion remembered for her recurring domiciled complete 5 seasons (1972-1977) of CBS’ deed family play The Waltons. She played Miss Rosemary Hunter, nan kindly schoolhouse coach who encourages a young John-Boy Walton (Richard Thomas) to go a writer. The characteristic later joined nan town’s preacher played by a pre-Three’s Company John Ritter.
She is survived by her daughter, nan shape head Arin Arbus, and Arin’s partner, nan playwright Ethan Lipton; granddaughter Bird; stepdaughters Amy and Doon; six nieces and a nephew.
A ceremonial work will beryllium held successful New York City, pinch funeral and remembrance successful Peoria.
