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Frances Hussey Sternhagen (born January 13, 1930) is an American actress. Sternhagen has appeared on and off Broadway, in movies, and on TV since the 1950s. Sternhagen, who is of German descent, was born in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Gertrude (née Hussey) and John M. Sternhagen, a U.S. Tax Court judge. He was also a part time singer on the side. Sternhagen was educated at the Madeira and Potomac schools in McLean, Virginia. At Vassar College she was elected head of the Drama Club "after silencing a giggling college crowd at a campus dining hall with her interpretation of a scene... MORE

Frances Hussey Sternhagen (born January 13, 1930) is an American actress. Sternhagen has appeared on and off Broadway, in movies, and on TV since the 1950s. Sternhagen, who is of German descent, was born in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Gertrude (née Hussey) and John M. Sternhagen, a U.S. Tax Court judge. He was also a part time singer on the side. Sternhagen was educated at the Madeira and Potomac schools in McLean, Virginia. At Vassar College she was elected head of the Drama Club "after silencing a giggling college crowd at a campus dining hall with her interpretation of a scene from Richard II, playing none other than Richard himself". She also studied at the Perry Mansfield School of the Theatre, and New York's Neighborhood Playhouse. She met her husband, actor and drama teacher Thomas Carlin (who died in 1991), at Catholic University of America. They had six children—Paul (Wife - Becky Timms, Son - Payton Carlin), Amanda, Tony, Sarah, Peter, and John—several of whom are also professional actors and musicians. Sternhagen started her career teaching acting, singing and dancing to school children at Milton Academy in Massachusetts, and she herself first performed in 1948 at LESS