---
name: "Alice Drummond"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/alice-drummond"
fi1m_id: "alice-drummond"
imdb_id: "nm0238541"
tmdb_id: 17488
wikidata_id: "Q143369"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "21 May 1928"
died: "30 November 2016"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 70
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-10-01T20:09:25.336399+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Alice Drummond

## Identity

Alice Drummond

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/alice-drummond
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** alice-drummond
- **IMDb ID:** nm0238541
- **TMDB ID:** 17488
- **Wikidata ID:** Q143369
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Drummond, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q143369, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0238541/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/17488

Actor. Born 21 May 1928 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. Died 30 November 2016.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 21 May 1928, Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA
- **Died:** 30 November 2016
- **Active:** 1984–2008
- **Average Fi1m score:** 70, as actor, over 5 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 80 (1), 1990s 58 (2), 2000s 78 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 70 to 60 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Comedy 2, Crime 1, Fantasy 1, Mystery 1
- **Screen time:** 9 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $511m across 5 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Drummond, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q143369, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0238541/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/17488

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*Ghostbusters*](https://film.one/film/ghostbusters.md) (80)
- **Tubi:** [*Awakenings*](https://film.one/film/awakenings.md) (73)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Alice Drummond

> Alice Drummond made brief appearances matter through fear, bewilderment and quiet pathos. We value her vulnerability, though the repeated casting as eccentric elderly women too often left her with a type to play and little time to develop it.

The opening scare in *Ghostbusters* (1984) depends on Alice Drummond's librarian looking as though she could do with some help. Ivan Reitman's comedy gives her little time to establish that vulnerability, and she makes it count. We were unsettled by her fear, because she makes the disturbance feel serious before the film settles into its jokes. The team's easy conversation is the chief reason we recommend the film; Drummond gives its supernatural premise a firm start.

Small parts of this kind became her regular work, though they were not the limit of her ambition. Her stage roles tended towards offbeat supporting characters; after her first film role in 1970, she became a frequent character player in features from the 1980s. She put the frustration plainly: “I wanted to play a lead, and nobody would let me.” The elderly, befuddled or infirm women she was repeatedly asked to play gave her a recognisable place in an ensemble, but often little room to develop a character.

In Penny Marshall's *Awakenings* (1990), she plays Lucy Fishman, one of the catatonic patients, and her quiet pathos contributes to the film's convincing concern for them. Robert De Niro and Robin Williams carry the drama, and our recommendation rests chiefly on them. Drummond's contribution is smaller, but it gives us another reason to care about the patients as individuals. The script and score press too hard at times; her vulnerable presence does not need that insistence.

Her later work kept returning to comic eccentricity and quiet vulnerability. As Mrs Finkle in *Ace Ventura: Pet Detective* (1994), she supplies a brief comic interruption. Playing Sister Veronica in *Doubt* (2008), she brings pathos to an ensemble that includes Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Those are useful contributions, but the repeated elderly supporting parts could leave her with little beyond an immediately recognisable type. Start with *Ghostbusters* for what she could establish quickly, then *Awakenings* for what she could add without taking the centre.

## Biography

Alice Drummond was an American actress. Born Alice Elizabeth Ruyter in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, on 21 May 1928, she graduated from Pembroke College at Brown University in 1950. She began her career in theatre, appearing on and off Broadway, and received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 1970 for her performance in *The Chinese*.

Drummond was known for character roles in film and television. She played the librarian in the opening scene of *Ghostbusters* (1984), Lucy Fishman in *Awakenings* (1990), Mrs Finkle in *Ace Ventura: Pet Detective* (1994) and Sister Veronica in *Doubt* (2008). She also appeared in *Synecdoche, New York* (2008) and *Furry Vengeance* (2010). Drummond died in the Bronx, New York, on 30 November 2016.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, nytimes.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (5)

- *Doubt* (2008), Fi1m 71, as Sister Veronica — [page](https://film.one/film/doubt.md)
- *Synecdoche, New York* (2008), Fi1m 84, as Actress Playing Frances — [page](https://film.one/film/synecdoche-new-york.md)
- *Ace Ventura: Pet Detective* (1994), Fi1m 44, as Mrs. Finkle — [page](https://film.one/film/ace-ventura-pet-detective.md)
- *Awakenings* (1990), Fi1m 73, as Lucy Fishman — [page](https://film.one/film/awakenings.md)
- *Ghostbusters* (1984), Fi1m 80, as Librarian — [page](https://film.one/film/ghostbusters.md)

## Complete filmography (66)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Furry Vengeance* (2010), as Mrs. Martin
- *After.Life* (2009), as Mrs. Hutton
- *Motherhood* (2009), as Edith
- *Doubt* (2008), as Sister Veronica — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/doubt.md)
- *Synecdoche, New York* (2008), as Actress Playing Frances — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/synecdoche-new-york.md)
- *Chronic Town* (2008), as Elizabeth
- *Mitch Albom's For One More Day* (2007), as Rose
- *The Honeymooners* (2005), as Miss Benvenuti
- *Boston Legal* (2004), series, as Lydia Tuffalo — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/boston-legal.md)
- *The Jury* (2004), series, Actor
- *House of D* (2004), as Mrs. Brevoort
- *Pieces of April* (2003), as Grandma Dottie
- *The Rising Place* (2001), as Aunt Millie
- *Ed* (2000), series, as Mrs. Shroeder
- *Joe Gould's Secret* (2000), as Helen
- *Earthly Possessions* (1999), as Old Woman in Jalopy
- *I'll Take You There* (1999), as Stella
- *The Love Letter* (1999), as Postal Clerk
- *Advice From a Caterpillar* (1999), as Diner Grandmother
- *Just the Ticket* (1998), as Lady with Cash
- *Office Killer* (1997), as Carlotta Douglas
- *In & Out* (1997), as Aunt Susan
- *'Til There Was You* (1997), as Harriet
- *Commandments* (1997), as Mrs. Mann
- *Spin City* (1996), series, as Sondra Spencer
- *Walking and Talking* (1996), as Betsy
- *New York News* (1995), series, Actor
- *To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar* (1995), as Clara
- *Jeffrey* (1995), as Grandma Rose
- *I.Q.* (1994), as Dinner Guest
- *Nobody's Fool* (1994), as Hattie
- *Ace Ventura: Pet Detective* (1994), as Mrs. Finkle — Fi1m 44, [page](https://film.one/film/ace-ventura-pet-detective.md)
- *Money for Nothing* (1993), as Mrs. Breen
- *Daybreak* (1993), as Anna
- *Frannie's Turn* (1992), series, as Rosa Escobar
- *Awakenings* (1990), as Lucy Fishman — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/film/awakenings.md)
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Zelda — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *Lenny* (1990), series, Actor
- *Tales from the Darkside: The Movie* (1990), as Carolyn (segment ‘Cat From Hell’)
- *Money, Power, Murder.* (1989), as Helen
- *Animal Behavior* (1989), as Site Committee
- *Nikki and Alexander* (1989), as Mrs Klein
- *Running on Empty* (1988), as Mrs. Powell
- *Funny Farm* (1988), as Mrs. Ethel Dinges
- *The Suicide Club* (1988), Actor
- *The House on Carroll Street* (1988), as Woman at Hearing
- *The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd* (1987), series, as Juror
- *The Equalizer* (1985), series, as Kind Woman
- *You Can't Take it With You* (1984), as Gay Wellington
- *Ghostbusters* (1984), as Librarian — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/ghostbusters.md)
- *Kate & Allie* (1984), series, Actor
- *Night Court* (1984), series, as Alice Beeker, Mavis Tuttle
- *The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas* (1982), as Governor's Secretary — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/the-best-little-whorehouse-in-texas.md)
- *Park Place* (1981), series, Actor
- *Eyewitness* (1981), as Mrs. Eunice Deever
- *Hide in Plain Sight* (1980), as Mrs. Novack
- *Sanctuary of Fear* (1979), as Grace Barringer
- *King of the Gypsies* (1978), as Zharko's Nurse
- *Thieves* (1977), as Mrs. Ramsey
- *Secret Service* (1977), as Mrs. Varney
- *Man on a Swing* (1974), as Mrs. Dawson
- *Particular Men* (1972), as Mrs. Ewing
- *Great Performances* (1971), series, as Mrs. Varney
- *Where’s Poppa?* (1970), as Woman in Elevator
- *Where the Heart Is* (1969), series, Actor
- *The Dog Lover* (1962), Actor

## Gallery

- ![Alice Drummond](https://film.one/media/person/77698/gallery-fffd01ea7bb9.jpg) Alice Drummond — Image via TMDB
- ![Alice Drummond](https://film.one/media/person/77698/gallery-1d09597f35a1.jpg) Alice Drummond — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Other awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play 1970: Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play (nominated)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/alice-drummond