Harriet Sansom Harris

Bebe should be DL icon. The episode where Frasier is supposed to make her stop smoking is one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

Her appearance on Hacks this year was very good. She got a guest Emmy nomination today.

She’s almost made a career out of playing Eleanor Roosevelt. I saw her in the Berkshires last summer in a one woman, Eleanor Roosevelt play. She was very good.

One of the best. I'm always so happy when she pops up in a show or movie. I still think of her on Desperate Housewives and how much she hated her sister, but still wanted to solve the murder for her own selfish reasons. A real nutcase.

I liked her as the WASPy Mrs. Don Buckman in The Addams Family Values alongside Sam McMurray

Speaking of Guest Emmy R2:

Frasier was a huge hit at the Emmys during their prime. I assumed Harriet Sansom Harris had at least 2 Guest Wins because she just pops so much, but she was never even nominated. This blew my mind when I looked her up.

I want to see a movie where she and Ann Dowd play sisters!

She was great in 6FtU, as the woman who begs to see her husband in his coffin, and the sues the Fishers.

(couldn't find a clip, damn it!)

She deserved an Oscar for her acting on Frasier.

^I can get one for TV work?

[quote]Momento

Oh, dear.

I think I first noticed her in The Five Mrs. Buchanans. Agree she’s wonderful in everything she does. I ran into her shopping at the West Hollywood Target with her daughter? niece? years ago but didn’t approach her.

She's the best!

She was great on Frasier, but also in smaller roles, like Memento and Addams Family Values. I thought it was nice she was one of the people Jean Smart thanked.

Brilliant actress and a master of the 'North Atlantic' accent old movie stars had.

I loved her so much in "Phantom thread' as the fat heiress marrying the Caribbean playboy, and so aware of what a mistake she was making that she had to be ond rugs most of the time lest she panic.

I haven't gotten around to watching that, R15, and I will now.

I love that the supporting actresses from Frasier (including Jane Addams, Niles's 2nd wife Mel, also in Hacks) having a resurgence.

Liberate Bebe N. from whatever has her currently employed, as she can do so much better.

Felicia Tillman in Desperate Housewives was a great character. So kooky and creepy

Grateful that Paul Thomas Anderson is using her regularly now - her role in Licorice Pizza as the obnoxious casting agent who keeps talking about Alana Haim's "very Jewish nose" was a riot, a one scene wonder. There's that long close-up where we watch her talk on the phone, only hearing her side of the conversation, and the amount she gets across just watching her face is the stuff real genuine talent is made of

Looks like she really gets to chew the scenery in a new Marvel project:

One of those actors you like when you see them pop up in something, like Julia Duffy.

I've loved her in so many things, going back to the Five Mrs. Buchanans with legend Eileen Heckart.

Her initial run on Desperate Housewives was delicious - she nailed the weird, surreal vibe so perfectly. Her little monologue about her sister's murder (a sister she hated) was hilarious, and the final line ("no personal checks!") made me SCREAM and almost pee myself with laughter.

Bebe Neuwirth is doing just fine on HBO's Julia, R16.

R3 Played the same role in Crossing Atlantic, a Norwegian drama series.

R21, that clip reminds me just how brilliant Desperate Housewives was when it wanted to be.

I hate that show, R22.

Satan worships HER!:

I'm guessing that R25 was one of the "They have a black actress playing a white woman! SHRIEEEEEEKKKKK!!!!" bundles of joy who posted about it 4,892,367,490 times during the first season.

Of course, we know her just as Harriet Harris.

First noticed her in the “Eve 6” episode of “The X Files.”

The first time I ever saw her was in JEFFREY, off-bway, playing all the female roles. She stole the show...and my heart.

"It's DEBRA!"

She was the only good thing about Cry Baby the musical at the La Jolla Playhouse.

As a treat, here is a scene of Harriet in The Addams Family Values.

Wow, R33 that clip alone has Harriet Harris, Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christina Ricci, Peter MacNicol, Christine Baranski in a movie that includes Carol Kane; Christopher Lloyd and the VIP of this movie Joan Cusack. Cynthia Nixon in a small role and Dana Ivey in a cameo. With the exception of the movie stars, this movie was full of Thespians!

I wish they made more movies like Addams Family Values. You could tell the entire cast was having the best time playing these characters. There's not a bad performance in the bunch.

She is PERFECT

She seems to be funny in RL too. I follow Joe Keenan's Twitter and he sometimes quotes her. He is a huge fan, as well he might be.

She was brilliant in "thoroughly Modern Millie"....Won a Tony,

Why was she not bigger?

Best of Bebe

The last actress with the Mid-Atlantic accent.

So intense in Licorice Pizza that she made her single scene surreal.

She was at Juilliard alongside Kelsey Grammer, Robin Williams, Casey Biggs, Diane Venora, John de Lancie, William Hurt, and that theater queen Mandy Patankin.

"I am a STAR MAKER!"

I live for Bebe's appearances on Frasier.

And I love that they named her character after Bebe Neuwirth.

See related Frasier thread

Harriet was very good at a particular kind of over the top or "drawing room" comedy - if I'm not mistaken she originated Debra in "Jeffrey" - but it's great to see that she's also been given a lot of dramatic work in recent years, because she's actually very good in those roles, too.

Whoops, didn't read other responses first where her work was discussed. My bad.

I don't mind that I only see her here and there. She's like a strong spice that way. That quitting smoking scene when she describes how much she enjoys smoking, including the crinkling of the cellophane cracks me up every time. She is a choice talent.

She's amazing in Licorice Pizza and Phantom Thread.

Her facial expressions are great. No one can do crazed cunning like she can. When she's trying to get Daphne to hand over the cigarettes she says "I'll make you a STAHH!!" with that look that makes me laugh out loud every time.

Amanda @ the Guthrie

Millie

I loved her in (one of my favorite Broadway musicals) IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU. She played the mother of the Groom, disappointed that he was getting married because she tried to make him gay. The whole show was one big Feydeau Farce with an all-star DL cast, including Tyne Daly, Sierra Boggess, Josh Grisetti, David Burka, Montego Glover, and (delivering the best line of the entire show "I didn't see THAT coming!") Edward Hibbert.

Years ago I saw Harriet play Mrs. Lovett in Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd". She was very, very good (she's very, very at all times, TV and film) with this caveat... she's an actress with many tried and true tricks to get laughs... they work well on TV, not so much on stage.

I wish I had seen her as Sr. Mary Ignatius or as Eleanor... those roles may have shown a lot more range.

R51 No, it is SsssssstttAAAAAAAAAAaaaaarrrHHHh!

Am watching Law & Order, episode from 1992 and Harriet is part of the cast! She's very good.

Also, the very sexy - man, what a beard and head of hair! - Dennis Boutsikaris as the defense attorney. g'rrr...