Anne Bancroft

Known for ActingBorn 1931-09-17Died 2005-06-06The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Anne Bancroft (born Anna Maria Louisa Italiano; September 17, 1931 – June 6, 2005) was an American actress. Respected for her acting prowess and versatility, Bancroft received an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two Tony Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Cannes Film Festival Award. She is one of only 24 thespians to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting. Bancroft was born Anna Maria Louisa (or Luisa) Italiano on September 17, 1931, in the Bronx, New York City, the middle of three daughters of Mildred (née Di Napoli), a telephone operator, and Michael G. Italiano, a dress pattern maker. Both of her parents' surnames were toponymic. Her parents were Italian immigrants from Southern Italy. In an interview, she stated that her family was originally from Muro Lucano, in the province of Potenza. She was raised in the Roman Catholic faith. Bancroft was raised in Little Italy, in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx, attended P.S. 12, later moving to 1580 Zerega Ave. Bancroft's Broadway debut in the two-character drama Two for the Seesaw (1958), brought her wide recognition for the depth of her talent and garnered her a Tony Award for best supporting actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker (1962), and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate (1967). Bancroft continued to have a successful career in film and television. She starred in a number of other films, including The Elephant Man (1980), 84 Charing Cross Road (1987), and Agnes of God (1985), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. Bancroft was married to director Mel Brooks from 1964 until her death in 2005. They had one son, Max Brooks.Read more

Movies & web series

Mark Twain's America in 3D

Women I Love: Beautiful But Funny

Tonight We Sing

Mickey's 50

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Celebrity Naked Ambition

The Simpsons

The Elephant Man

Jesus of Nazareth

The Miracle Worker

The Man Who Had Influence

The Kid from Left Field

The Graduate

'night, Mother

Torch Song Trilogy

Tonight Starring Jack Paar

84 Charing Cross Road

Homecoming

In Search of Peace

Mrs. Cage

Haven

An Audience with Mel Brooks

The Slender Thread

Deep in My Heart

Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All

Great Expectations

Mel Brooks: Unwrapped

So Soon to Die

Marco Polo

To Be or Not to Be

What's My Line?

The Oscars

ABC Stage 67

G.I. Jane

Nightfall

Broadway Bound

Freddie and Max

The Prisoner of Second Avenue

The Turning Point

Critical Care

Shirley Maclaine: Kicking Up Her Heels

How to Make an American Quilt

The Pumpkin Eater

Silent Movie

The Sunchaser

Performance

Lux Video Theatre