Norma Connolly
# Norma Connolly

Norma Connolly (August 27, 1927 – November 18, 1998) was an American actress having a career spanning five decades and known for her roles on The Young Marrieds as Lena Karr Gilroy and General Hospital as Ruby Anderson.

## Early life

Connolly was born on August 27, 1927, in Boston, Massachusetts to Beulah and Archie Connolly, where her father owned a lumber business. She graduated from Brandeis University in 1958. Connolly studied acting with Morris Carnovsky at the Leland Powers School of Drama, with both Harold Clurman and Stella Adler at Actors Studio, and at the Cushing Academy.

## Career

Connolly started her career as a guest star on Pulitzer Prize Playhouse in 1951. She next was in Celanese Theatre as Marcia in 1952. Connollly would guest star in a number of television programs such as Danger, Naked City, The Twilight Zone, Dr. Kildare, Mr. Novak, The F.B.I., I Dream of Jeannie, The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, Columbo, Little House on the Prairie, and Charlie's Angels. She starred in the Made-for-TV-Movies Mr. and Mrs. Cop and F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood. Connolly starred the miniseries QB VII as Corinne. She is best known for her roles as Lena Karr Gilroy in The Young Marrieds from 1964 to 1966 and Ruby Anderson on General Hospital from 1979 to 1998. She was in Alfred Hitchcock's The Wrong Man (1956), Robert Lewin's Third of a Man (1962), Robert Mulligan's The Other (1972), and James Goldstone's They Only Kill Their Masters (1972). On stage, Connolly was in A Streetcar Named Desire, Night of the Iguana and The Crucible. She was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for her performance as Ruby Anderson in 1985 at the 12th Daytime Emmy Awards.

## Personal life and death

Connolly married Howard Rodman in 1954; the marriage ended when he died on December 5, 1985. Together, they had three children: two sons and one daughter. She was active in the battle against AIDS, serving on the board of Hollywood Helps. Connolly addressed the concerns of actresses in their limited roles in television and film productions. She died on Wednesday, November 18, 1998, from complications of a stroke.

## Filmography

### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1956 | The Wrong Man | Betty Todd | Docudrama film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. |
| 1962 | Third of a Man | Extra | Drama film directed and written by Robert Lewin. Uncredited |
| 1972 | The Other | Aunt Vee | Psychological thriller film directed by Robert Mulligan and adapted for film by Tom Tryon from his novel of the same name. |
| 1972 | They Only Kill Their Masters | Mrs. DeCamp | Mystery film directed by James Goldstone. |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1951 | Pulitzer Prize Playhouse | Guest | Episode: "Ned McCobb's Daughter" (S 1:Ep 15) |
| 1952 | Celanese Theatre | Marcia | Episode: "On Borrowed Time" (S 1:Ep 20) |
| 1953 | Danger | Guest | Episode: "Missing Night" (S 3:Ep 41) |
| 1956 | Star Stage | Guest | Episode: "Scandal on Deepside" (S 1:Ep 30) |
| 1959 | Alcoa Theatre | Guest | Episode: "How's Business?" (S 2:Ep 15) |
| 1960 | Naked City | Ruth Peters | Episode: "Killer with a Kiss" (S 2:Ep 6) |
| 1961 | The Twilight Zone | Night Nurse | Episode: "Twenty Two" (S 2:Ep 17) |
| 1962 | The Real McCoys | Carol Dorset | Epispde: "The Washing Machine" (S 5:Ep 13) |
| 1962 | Dr. Kildare | Therapist | Episode: "Breakdown" (S 2:Ep 7) |
| 1962 | Eleventh Hour | Ruth | Episode: "Ruth" (S 1:Ep 7) |
| 1962 | The Real McCoys | Ethel | Episode: "Luke the Reporter" (S 6:Ep 13) |
| 1963 | The Lloyd Bridges Show | Winnie | Episode: "The Ramp" (S 1:Ep 31) |
| 1963 | Naked City | Pearl Wystemski | Episode: "Golden Lads and Girls" (S 4:Ep 33) |
| 1964 | Many Happy Returns | Laughing Woman | Episode: "Walter Meets the Machine" (S 1:Ep 2) |
| 1964 | The Young Marrieds | Lena Karr Gilroy | Contract role from October 5, 1964 – March 25, 1966 |
| 1964 | Mr. Novak | Mrs. Parker | Episode: "'A' Is for Anxiety" (S 2:Ep 10) |
| 1965 | Ben Casey | Mrs. Mangiopani | Episode: "Eulogy in Four Flats" (S 4:Ep 24) |
| 1965 | The F.B.I. | Woman | Episode: "The Giant Killer" (S 1:Ep 10) |
| 1966 | Gidget | Miss Beckley | Episode: "Ask Helpful Hannah" (S 1:Ep 29) |
| 1966 | The F.B.I. | Aline Spencer | Episode: "The Animal" (S 1:Ep 29) |
| 1967 | The Invaders | Waitress | Episode: "The Spores" (S 2:Ep 7) |
| 1967 | Dundee and the Culhane | Guest | Episode: "The Widow's Weeds Brief" (S 1:Ep 11) |
| 1970 | I Dream of Jeannie | Mrs. Ross | Episode: "Jeannie, the Recording Secretary" (S 5:Ep 20) |
| 1970 | Adam-12 | Eva Foster | Episode: "Log 75: Have a Nice Weekend" (S 3:Ep 7) |
| 1970 | The Bold Ones: The New Doctors | Mrs. Dorsey | Episode: "First: No Harm to the Patient" (S 2:Ep 4) |
| 1971 | The F.B.I. | Ruth Oliver | Episode: "Unknown Victim" (S 6:Ep 15) |
| 1971 | Columbo | Celia | Episode: "Ransom for a Dead Man" (Second pilot) |
| 1972 | The Man and the City | Guest | Episode: "Diagnosis: Corruption" (S 1:Ep 15) |
| 1973 | The Streets of San Francisco | Mrs. Carter | Episode: "A Wrongful Death" (S 2:Ep 1) |
| 1974 | QB VII | Corinne | Miniseries directed by Tom Gries |
| 1974 | Mr. and Mrs. Cop | Mother | Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Harvey Hart. |
| 1974 | Ironside | Lydia Todd | Episodes: Raise the Devil: Part 1 (S 8:Ep 1) Raise the Devil: Part 2 (S 8:Ep 2) |
| 1974 | Police Woman | Stage Mother | Episode: "The Beautiful Die Young" (S 1:Ep 2) |
| 1974 | Little House on the Prairie | Mrs. Kirkwood | Episode: "Ma's Holiday" (S 1:Ep 8) |
| 1975 | Harry O | Mrs. Hodges | Episode:"Lester" (S 1:Ep 20) |
| 1975 | F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood | Zelda's Nurse | Made-for-TV-Movie directed by Anthony Page. |
| 1976 | Police Woman | Landlady | Episode: "Mother Love" (S 2:Ep 22) |
| 1976 | The Bionic Woman | Mrs. Noah | Episode: "Jaime's Mother" (S 1:Ep 8) |
| 1976 | Charlie's Angels | Mrs. Lemson | Episode: "Hellride" (S 1:Ep 1) |
| 1977 | Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman | Prisoner | Episode: "Episode #2.90" (S 2:Ep 153) |
| 1977 | The Edge of Night | Mrs. Yost | Unknown number of episodes |
| 1979-1997 | General Hospital | Ruby Anderson | Contract role (final appearance) |
| 1999 | Intimate Portrait | Herself | Episode: "Donna Reed" Aired posthumously |

## Awards and nominations

List of acting awards and nominations :

| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result | Ref. |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1985 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Nominated | |
