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Eileen Heckart (March 29, 1919 – December 31, 2001) was an American actress of film, stage, and television. Heckart was born Anna Eileen Herbert in Columbus, Ohio, the daughter of Esther Stark, who wed Leo Herbert at her own mother's insistence so her child would not be born with the stigma of illegitimacy. The child was soon after legally adopted by her grandfather, J.W. Heckart, whose surname she was known by her whole life. She graduated from Ohio State University with a B.A. in drama. Heckart began her Broadway career as the assistant stage manager and an understudy for The Voice of... MORE

Eileen Heckart (March 29, 1919 – December 31, 2001) was an American actress of film, stage, and television. Heckart was born Anna Eileen Herbert in Columbus, Ohio, the daughter of Esther Stark, who wed Leo Herbert at her own mother's insistence so her child would not be born with the stigma of illegitimacy. The child was soon after legally adopted by her grandfather, J.W. Heckart, whose surname she was known by her whole life. She graduated from Ohio State University with a B.A. in drama. Heckart began her Broadway career as the assistant stage manager and an understudy for The Voice of the Turtle in 1943. Her many credits include Picnic, The Bad Seed, A View from the Bridge, A Memory of Two Mondays, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, A Family Affair, Barefoot in the Park, Butterflies Are Free, and You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running. Her awards include Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, a 2000 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play for the Off-Broadway The Waverley Gallery, and the 1953 Theatre World Award for Picnic. Her nominations include a 1996 Drama Desk Award for Northeast Local and Tony nods for Butterflies Are Free, Invitation to a March, and LESS