Piper Laurie is an American actress who has appeared in numerous films, television shows, and stage productions.
Her breakout role came in 1961 when she played the role of Sarah Packard in the film, The Hustler, for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Laurie went on to appear in several other notable films, including Carrie (1976), Children of a Lesser God (1986) and The Grass Harp (1995).
In addition to her film work, she has also had a successful career in television.
Laurie has appeared in a number of popular shows, including Twin Peaks, Frasier and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Throughout her career, she has received numerous accolades for her work, including four Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe Award for her role in the television movie Promise (1986).
Until her death in October 2023, Laurie was considered one of the most respected actresses of her generation.
Saddened to hear of the passing of Piper Laurie. Such an immensely talented actor. May she rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/qvWLcXuPFP
— Shawn Hunt (@realshawnhunt) October 15, 2023
Piper Laurie early life
Laurie was born Rosetta Jacobs on January 22, 1932, in Detroit, Michigan, to Alfred Jacobs, a furniture dealer, and Charlotte Sadie Jacobs.
She was the younger of two children and had an older sister.
Her paternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Poland, and her maternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Russia.
Laurie’s childhood was difficult. Her parents abandoned her and her sister without any explanation when she was a child.
She was raised by her grandparents and later by her aunt and uncle.
Laurie started studying acting with Benno and Betomi Schnider when she was a teenager and auditioned for Universal Studios, who signed her to a long-term contract.
She made more than twenty films starring opposite actors such as Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson and Tyrone Power.
Laurie was married to Wall Street Journal’s movie critic, Pulitzer Prize-winner Joe Morgenstern, from 1962 to 1982; they had one daughter who lives in Oregon.
In 2011, she published her autobiography, Learning to Live Out Loud, which received rave reviews.
Piper Laurie net worth
At the time of her death, Laurie had an estimated net worth of between $3 million and $ 5 million.
How did Piper Laurie make her money?
There is no information available on how Laurie made her money.
However, she was known for her roles in films such as The Hustler (1961), Carrie (1976) and Children of a Lesser God (1986).
Piper Laurie career
Laurie was a three-time Oscar nominee, nominated by BAFTA as well as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
She began her acting career at the age of 17 when she made her debut in the film, Louisa, playing Ronald Reagan’s daughter.
Laurie was signed to a long-term contract with Universal Studios after auditioning for them, and they made more than twenty films starring the teenage girl opposite such actors as Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson and Tyrone Power.
She is known for her roles in the films The Hustler, Carrie and Children of a Lesser God, and received critical acclaim for her role in The Hustler which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
In Carrie, Laurie played the role of Margaret White, the mother of the titular character, and received her second Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Her third Academy Award nomination came for her role in Children of a Lesser God, in which she played the mother of a deaf woman.
After making several films with Universal Studios, Laurie walked out on her $2,000-a-week contract in 1955, vowing she wouldn’t work again unless offered a decent part.
For many years after, Laurie turned her back on acting; she married Morgenstern, and moved to a farmhouse in Woodstock, New York.
She said later that the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War had influenced her decision to make the change.
“I was disenchanted and looking for an existence more meaningful for me,” Laurie recalled, adding that she never regretted the move.
Her autobiography, Learning to Live Out Loud, was published by Crown in 2011 to rave reviews and is now available as an audiobook on audible.com.
In addition to her acting career, Laurie was also noted as a baker, with her recipes appearing in The New York Times.
