About
| Birth Name: | Dunaway, Dorothy Faye |
| Birth Notes: | 14 January 1941, Bascom, Florida, USA |
| Height: | 5' 7" |
| Nicknames: | Miss Faye |
| Family: | * Peter Wolf (1 August 1974 - 1979) (divorced) * Terry O'Neill (1982 - 26 March 1987) (divorced); 1 child |
| Biography: | Faye Dunaway was born on a farm in Bascom, Florida; the daughter of an army officer and a housewife. She graduated high school in 1958, and after a stint as a beauty queen she intended to pursue education at the University of Florida, but switched to acting, earning her degree from Boston University in 1962. She was given the enviable task of choosing between a Fulbright Scholarship to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts or a role in the Broadway production of "A Man For All Seasons" as a member of the American National Theatre and Academy. She picked the latter, enjoying a fruitful stage career for the next two years. She made her screen debut on the television series "Seaway" (1965) and played small roles in a couple forgettable movies until landing the lead role of bank robber Bonnie Parker in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), one of the biggest blockbusters of all time. It was that film that made her an overnight superstar, and from then on she was in demand everywhere, holding her own against some of the biggest macho stars of the period, including Steve McQueen , Jack Nicholson , Robert Redford , and Paul Newman . |
Filmography
| 'Doc' (1971) as Katie Elder |
| Albino Alligator (1996) as Janet Boudreaux |
| Arizona Dream (1993) as Elaine Stalker |
| Chinatown (1974) as Evelyn Mulwray |
| Cougar Club (2007) as Edith Birnbaum |
| Cut Off (2006) as Marilyn Burton |
| Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) as Laura Mars |
| Flick (2008) as Lt. McKenzie |
| Little Big Man (1970) as Mrs. Pendrake |
| Network (1976) as Diana Christensen |
| The First Deadly Sin (1980) as Barbara Delaney |
| The Gene Generation (2007) as Dr. Josephine Hayden |
| The Handmaid's Tale (1990) as Serena Joy |
| The Seduction of Dr. Fugazzi (2009) as Detective Rowland |
| The Temp (1993) as Charlene Towne |
| The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) as Vicki Anderson |
| The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) as The Psychiatrist |
| The Two Jakes (1990) as Evelyn Mulwray |
| The Yards (2000) as Kitty Olchin |
| Unzipped (1995) as Herself |
| Voyage of the Damned (1976) as Denise Kreisler |
| 21 and a Wake-Up (2009) as Major Rose Thorn |
| Amanti (1968) as Julia |
| Balladyna (2009) as Therapist |
| Barfly (1987) as Wanda Wilcox |
| Blind Horizon (2003) as Ms. K |
| Bonnie and Clyde (1967) as Bonnie Parker |
| Burning Secret (1988) as Mrs. Sonya Tuchman |
| Changing Hearts (2002) as Betty Miller |
| Don Juan DeMarco (1994) as Marilyn Mickler |
| Drunks (1995) as Becky |
| Dunston Checks In (1996) as Mrs. Dubrow |
| Earth Ring (2010) as Blue |
| El padrino (2004) as Atty. Gen. Navarro |
| En brazos de la mujer madura (1997) as Condesa |
| Fashion: The Movie (2008) as Flora Fortuna |
| Festival in Cannes (2001) as Herself |
| Ghosts Never Sleep (2005) as Kathleen Dolan |
| Helmut Newton: Frames from the Edge (1989) as Herself |
| Hurry Sundown (1967) as Lou McDowell |
| In una notte di chiaro di luna (1989) as Mrs. Colbert |
| Jennifer's Shadow (2004) as Mary Ellen Cassi |
| Joan of Arc (1999) as Yolande of Aragon |
| La maison sous les arbres (1971) as Jill |
| La partita (1988) as Countess Matilda Von Wallenstein |
| La rabbia (2008) as Madre |
| Lahav Hatzui (1992) as Faye Milano |
| Last Goodbye (2004) as Sean Winston |
| Lionpower from MGM (1967) as Jennifer Winslow |
| Love Hollywood Style (2006) as God |
| Love Lies Bleeding (1999) as Josephine Butler |
| Mid-Century (2002) as Blue/Mother |
| Midnight Crossing (1988) as Helen Barton |
| Mommie Dearest (1981) as Joan Crawford |
| Oklahoma Crude (1973) as Lena Doyle |
| Ordeal by Innocence (1985) as Rachel Argyle |
| Puzzle of a Downfall Child (1970) as Lou Andreas Sand |
| Rain (2006) as Isabel Hudson |
| Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008) |
| Say It in Russian (2007) as Jacqueline de Rossy |
| Scorchers (1991) as Thais |
| Stanley's Gig (2000) as Leila |
| Supergirl (1984) as Selena |
| The Arrangement (1969) as Gwen |
| The Calling (2002) as Mae West |
| The Chamber (1996) as Lee Cayhall Bowen |
| The Champ (1979) as Annie |
| The Extraordinary Seaman (1969) as Jennifer Winslow |
| The Four Musketeers (1974) as Milady |
| The Happening (1967) as Sandy |
| The Magic Stone (2009) as Filomena |
| The Rules of Attraction (2002) as Mrs. Denton |
| The Three Musketeers (1973) as Milady/Lady de Winter |
| The Towering Inferno (1974) as Susan |
| The Twilight of the Golds (1996) as Phyllis Gold |
| The Wicked Lady (1983) as Lady Barbara Skelton |
| The Yellow Bird (2001) as Aurora Beavis |
| Three Days of the Condor (1975) as Kathy Hale |
| Visions (1978) as Herself |
| Wait Until Spring, Bandini (1989) as Mrs. Hildegarde |
| Master Class (2010) |
| The Yellow Bird (2001) |
Trivia
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* She auditioned for the role of Daisy that went to Mia Farrow in The Great Gatsby (1974). Her 1995 autobiography was titled "Looking for Gatsby: My Life." * Attended Boston University. Gave up a Fulbright Scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London to join the original training program at the Lincoln Center Repertory Theater in New York. She got her first starring role in "A Man For All Seasons" just days after graduating from college. She was the daughter of a career army man which resulted in her traveling constantly in her early life. * Her son with ex-husband Terry O'Neill , Liam Walker Dunaway O'Neill, was born in the summer of 1980. * Her ex-husband, Peter Wolf , was with the J. Geils Band. * (October 1997) Ranked #65 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. * (27 December 1996) Converted to Catholicism while in Boston. * Has a connection with the James Bond - 007 franchise: was considered for the role of Domino Derval in Thunderball (1965), and Octopussy (1983) as the female lead ('Maud Adams' (qv) ended up with the part). Faye had a chance to co-star with Pierce Brosnan (the fifth 007) in the remake of The Thomas Crown Affair (1999). * Competing for beauty titles was considered de rigueur for Southern girls in the 1950s, and Dunaway remembers in her autobiography that she was somehow convinced that she could NOT leave Florida until she won one. She missed being crowned May Queen at Leon High School in Tallahassee by a mere six votes, and had another near-miss at a title when she was voted runner up for Miss University of Florida in 1959. Dunaway finally scored her beauty crown when she was named Sweetheart of Sigma Chi, and promptly transferred to Boston University. * Other actresses considered for Dunaway's breakthrough role of Bonnie Parker in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) included Natalie Wood , Sue Lyon, Carol Lynley, Leslie Caron, and even Warren Beatty's big sister Shirley MacLaine. Tuesday Weld actually turned down the role due to pregnancy. * The role of Evelyn Mulwray in Chinatown (1974) was originally marked for Ali MacGraw, wife of the film's producer, Robert Evans . By the time production started, MacGraw had left Evans for actor Steve McQueen and other actresses were considered for the part. Dunaway's main competition for the role was Jane Fonda. * By her own admission in a New York Times interview many years back, she and late comedian Lenny Bruce were briefly lovers and lived together for a week, circa 1963. She was also engaged to director Jerry Schatzberg in the late 1960s. * In order to be taken seriously as an actress, she turned down a regular role on "The Guiding Light" (1952) in 1965. * Her real-life portrayal of actress Joan Crawford in the critically panned film Mommie Dearest (1981) was ranked #41 on the villains list of the 100 years of "The Greatest Screen Heroes and Legends." * Her portrayal of Bonnie Parker in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) was ranked #32 on the villains list of the 100 years of "The Greatest Screen Heroes and Villains." She shared this honor with Warren Beatty, who played Clyde Barrow. * Member of Pi Beta Phi sorority. * One of only four actresses, along with Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock and Liza Minnelli, to win both the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Razzie Award for Worst Actress (Dunaway shared her award with Bo Derek). * Is only 14 years older than Diana Scarwid, who played her daughter in Mommie Dearest (1981). * Is the only actor/actress to have appeared in both the 1968 version (The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) and 1999 version (The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) of "The Thomas Crown Affair". * Her performance as Evelyn Cross Mulwray in Chinatown (1974) is ranked #36 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006). * Her performance as Bonnie Parker in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) is ranked #34 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time. * According to the commentary by John Waters on the Mommie Dearest (1981) DVD, Dunaway feels the film's reception ruined her career, to an extent, and she refuses to discuss the film (hence her lack of participation in its release). * Turned down the role in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969). * Mother of Liam Dunaway O'Neill from her marriage to renowned British photographer Terry O'Neill . * Was offered the role of Lillian Hellman in Julia (1977) but she turned it down and Jane Fonda, who went on to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance, was cast instead. * Got the lead role in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) after Natalie Wood turned it down. * She studied drama at HB Studio in Greenwich Village in New York City. * She presented the Palme d'Or to Wim Wenders for Paris, Texas (1984) at the 37th Cannes Film Festival in 1984. |
Quotes
| * I really hate talking about "Mommie Dearest"! It is like an obsession with people! Why do people need to focus so much on one film I made over 20 years ago? It was not a great time in my life and the film was not an experience I want to think about. Period! |
Photos
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