---
name: "Frances Sternhagen"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/frances-sternhagen"
fi1m_id: "frances-sternhagen"
imdb_id: "nm0827973"
tmdb_id: 36926
wikidata_id: "Q272412"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "13 January 1930"
died: "27 November 2023"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 78
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-10-01T20:44:20.094327+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."
---

# Frances Sternhagen

## Identity

Frances Sternhagen

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/frances-sternhagen
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** frances-sternhagen
- **IMDb ID:** nm0827973
- **TMDB ID:** 36926
- **Wikidata ID:** Q272412
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Sternhagen, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q272412, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0827973/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/36926

Actor. Born 13 January 1930 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. Died 27 November 2023.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 13 January 1930, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- **Died:** 27 November 2023
- **Active:** 1990–2009
- **Also known as:** Francis Sternhagen, Frances Hussey Sternhagen
- **Average Fi1m score:** 78, as actor, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 83 (1), 2000s 72 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Sternhagen, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q272412, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0827973/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/36926

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Misery*](https://film.one/film/misery.md) (83)

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

## Biography

Frances Sternhagen was an American actress who worked on Broadway and off-Broadway, in film and on television from the 1950s until the 2010s. She was born in Washington, D.C., and made her Broadway debut in 1955.

She won two Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress in a Play, for Neil Simon’s *The Good Doctor* in 1974 and the 1995 revival of *The Heiress*. Sternhagen received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her television work. Her film roles include Virginia in *Misery* (1990), Irene Reppler in *The Mist* (2007) and Irma Rombauer in *Julie & Julia* (2009). On television she appeared as Esther Clavin in *Cheers*, Millicent Carter in *ER* and Bunny MacDougal in *Sex and the City*.

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

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Julie & Julia* (2009), Fi1m 72, as Irma Rombauer — [page](https://film.one/film/julie-and-julia.md)
- *Misery* (1990), Fi1m 83, as Virginia — [page](https://film.one/film/misery.md)

## Complete filmography (68)

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

- *And So It Goes* (2014), as Claire
- *Pearl* (2012), as Pearl
- *Prohibition* (2011), series, as Reader (voice)
- *Dolphin Tale* (2011), as Gloria Forrest
- *Parenthood* (2010), series, as Blanche Braverman
- *Julie & Julia* (2009), as Irma Rombauer — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/julie-and-julia.md)
- *When Darkness Came: The Making of 'The Mist'* (2008), Thanks
- *The Mist* (2007), as Irene Reppler
- *The Closer* (2005), series, as Willie Ray Johnson
- *Highway* (2002), as Mrs. Murray
- *The Laramie Project* (2002), as Marge Murray
- *Curtain Call* (1998), as Amy
- *Sex and the City* (1998), series, as Bunny MacDougal
- *To Live Again* (1998), as Constance Holmes
- *The Con* (1998), as Hadabelle
- *The Outer Limits* (1995), series, as Jean Anderson
- *Reunion* (1994), as Tobie Yates
- *ER* (1994), series, as Millicent Carter — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *Vault of Horror I* (1994), as Effie Gluckman (archive footage)
- *The Road Home* (1994), series, as Charlotte Babineaux
- *Labor of Love: The Arlette Schweitzer Story* (1993), as Mary Rafferty
- *The Donner Party* (1992), as voice
- *Raising Cain* (1992), as Dr. Lynn Waldheim
- *She Woke Up* (1992), as Noelle DuVausant
- *Doc Hollywood* (1991), as Lillian, Welcoming Committee
- *Golden Years* (1991), as Gina Williams
- *Golden Years* (1991), series, as Gina Williams
- *Coney Island* (1991), as (voice)
- *Misery* (1990), as Virginia — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/misery.md)
- *Sibling Rivalry* (1990), as Rose Turner
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Margaret Langdon, Estelle Muller — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *Follow Your Heart* (1990), as Cloe Sixbury
- *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as Mrs. Bellamy (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *Communion* (1989), as Dr. Janet Duffy
- *Tales from the Crypt* (1989), series, as Effie Gluckman (segment "None But the Lonely Heart")
- *See You in the Morning* (1989), as Neenie
- *American Experience* (1988), series, as (voice)
- *Bright Lights, Big City* (1988), as Clara
- *Once Again* (1987), as Esther
- *The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd* (1987), series, as Dora
- *At Mother's Request* (1987), series, as Berenice Bradshaw
- *Resting Place* (1986), as Eudora McCallister
- *Spencer* (1984), series, Actor
- *The Dining Room* (1984), as Various
- *Prototype* (1983), as Dorothy Forrester
- *Romantic Comedy* (1983), as Blanche Dailey
- *Independence Day* (1983), as Carla Taylor
- *Cheers* (1982), series, as Esther Clavin — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/cheers.md)
- *Outland* (1981), as Dr. Lazarus
- *The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg* (1980), as Mary Richards
- *Mother and Daughter: The Loving War* (1980), as Mrs. Lloyd
- *Starting Over* (1979), as Marva Potter
- *Who'll Save Our Children?* (1978), as Nellie Henderson
- *Fedora* (1978), as Miss Balfour
- *The Andros Targets* (1977), series, as Mrs. Mason
- *Enemies* (1974), as Paulina
- *Two People* (1973), as Mrs. McCluskey
- *The Rimers of Eldritch* (1972), as Wilma Atkins
- *The Hospital* (1971), as Mrs. Cushing
- *Great Performances* (1971), series, as Wilma Atkins, Paulina
- *Up the Down Staircase* (1967), as Charlotte Wolf, School Librarian
- *Soldier in Love* (1967), as Abigail
- *Profiles in Courage* (1964), series, as Miss Koeller
- *Another World* (1964), series, Actor
- *The Secret Storm* (1954), series, Actor
- *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Abigail, Mrs. McAlister
- *Robert Montgomery Presents* (1950), series, as Mrs. Who
- *Studio One* (1948), series, as Betty - Secretary, Mary

## Gallery

- ![Frances Sternhagen](https://film.one/media/person/77419/gallery-c34dc7622d6b.jpg) Frances Sternhagen — Friedman-Abeles, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Frances_Sternhagen_1962.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Frances Sternhagen](https://film.one/media/person/77419/gallery-fa2a1401d825.jpg) Frances Sternhagen — Image via TMDB
- ![Frances Sternhagen](https://film.one/media/person/77419/gallery-38e0bee1ade5.jpg) Frances Sternhagen — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Other awards — 2 won, 5 nominated

- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play 2002: Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play (nominated)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play 1995: Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play (won)
- Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play 1979: Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play (nominated)
- Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical 1978: Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical (nominated)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play 1975: Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play (nominated)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play 1974: Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play (won)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play 1972: 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/frances-sternhagen