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ABOUT KATHY BATES (1946 - )
Born Kathleen Doyle-Bates on June 28, 1948 in Memphis,
Tennessee, Kathy Bates is the youngest of three girls
and goes by “Bobo” to those closest to her. In 1991
she married Tony Campisi, having lived together for
the previous twelve years, and the two spent the next
six years as husband and wife until their divorce
in 1997. Despite her stature, only 5’3”, Bates is
anything but diminutive. In fact, it is her strong
personality that has become a trademark for many of
her successful roles. Bates knows how to make an impression
and leave you hungry for more; whether it’s her psychotic
rendition of Annie Wilkes in “Misery” or her savvy
humor as an aristocrat in “Titanic”.
Kathy Bates began her long road to stardom at Southern
Methodist University where she received her BFA in
Theatre in 1969. Upon graduation, Bates began a lengthy
career as a stage actress, where she is most notably
at home, on Broadway. In 1983 she was nominated for
the Tony’s Best Actress Award for her performance
in “Night, Mother”. What’s more, playwright Terrence
McNally specifically crafted the role of Frankie,
of the 1987 off-Broadway production “Frankie and Johnny
in the Clair de Lune”, with Bates in mind. Needless
to say, she nailed it.
But when it came time to take the play to the big
screen Bates was unreasonably passed up with a much
younger Michelle Pfeiffer selected to play the role.
That same year however, Bates received her major motion
breakthrough was when she starred as Annie Wilke’s
in the 1990 Stephen King rendition of “Misery”. Not
only did Bates win an Oscar for her villainous lead,
but she was ranked #17 in the American Film Institute’s
list of “100 Years of the Greatest Screen Villains”.
It seems alls well that ends well after all.
Her next major motion role as a downtrodden housewife
in 1992’s “Fried Green Tomatoes” placed Bates alongside
stars like Jessica Tandy. Bates was gaining both exposure
and experience and was doing so with the utmost grace
and realism. She was attune to playing her roles with
a naturalness that lacked all signs of artifice or
forced emotion. It’s her take-it-or-leave-it acting
style that made her the perfect fit for the role of
Dolores Claiborne in 1995’s “Dolores Claiborne”, which
further proliferated Bates trademark as an actress
whose roles focused on “women living on the edge”,
of sanity most likely.
But Bates hasn’t limited herself to remaining in
front of the camera. In 2003 she helped direct “Fargo”
(TV) after building a resume via her involvement in
the direction of 1999’s “Dash and Lily”, and multiple
episodes of 2001’s “Six Feet Under”. Bates has also
tried her hand at producing, with 2004’s “Ingrate”,
as well as composing, with 1997’s “Taking Off”.
What with a resume loaded full of accomplishments
that equates to nothing short of star-status, Kathy
Bates is, if nothing else, real. She plays her roles
with a grit and honesty that would make most people
blush. Be it her nude scenes in 1991’s “At Play in
the Fields of the Lord” or 2002’s “About Schmidt”,
or her zealous portrayal of a psychotic, Bates proves
that whatever the vehicle, she will catch your attention.
What’s more, she’ll make you look her in the eye while
doing so.
*Currently, Bates is a member of the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences Board of Governors.
Kathy Bates' other credits include:
TAKING OFF (1971)
STRAIGHT TIME (1978)
SUMMER HEAT (1987)
ARTHUR 2 - ON THE ROCKS (1988)
MEN DON'T LEAVE (1990)
DICK TRACY (1990)
HIGH STAKES (1989)
WHITE PALACE (1990)
PRELUDE TO A KISS (1992)
SHADOWS AND FOG (1992)
USED PEOPLE (1992)
CURSE OF THE STARVING CLASS (1994)
DIABOLIQUE (1996)
THE WAR AT HOME (1996)
SWEPT FROM THE SEA (1997)
TITANIC (1997)
PRIMARY COLORS (1998)
THE WATERBOY (1998)
BABY STEPS (1999)
BRUNO (2000)
RAT RACE (2001)
AMERICAN OUTLAWS (2001)
LOVE LIZA (2002)
DRAGONFLY (2002)
ABOUT SCHMIDT (2002)
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE (2002)
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (2004)
Kathy Bates' television credits include...
ALL MY CHILDREN (series) (1970)
NO PLACE LIKE HOME (1989)
ROE VS WADE (1989)
JOHNNY BULL (1986)
MURDER ORDAINED (1987)
HOSTAGES (1993)
THE STAND (mini-series) (1994)
THE LATE SHIFT (1996)
THE WEST SIDE WALTZ (1995)
ANNIE (1999)
MY SISTER'S KEEPER (2002)
 
Kathy Bates in FRIED
GREEN TOMATOES (1991)
Kathy Bates in RAT RACE
Kathy Bates in TITANIC
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