Manna From Heaven Cast List and Biographies

Cast:
SHIRLEY JONES (Bunny), best known for playing the matriarch in the television hit “The Partridge Family,” got an early start in show business in high school when she was awarded first runner up in the Miss Pennsylvania beauty pageant. She soon moved to New York, where her first stage appearance was in Rogers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific.” Jones then moved on to film, starring in “Oklahoma” as Laurey, as well as starring in “The Music Man” and “Carousel.” She also appeared in “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” opposite Glenn Ford, “Bedtime Story” with David Niven and Marlon Brando, “The Happy Ending,” with Lloyd Bridges, “The Cheyenne Social Club” with Henry Fonda and James Stewart, “Never Steal Anything Small” opposite James Cagney, and “Two Rode Together” opposite Richard Widmark and James Stewart. She won the 1960 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Lulu Bains opposite Burt Lancaster in “Elmer Gantry.” Jones has also starred in numerous made for television movies, and was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performances in PBS’s “There were Times, Dear,” about a victim of Alzheimer’s Disease. In 1979, Shirley starred in the NBC television series “Shirley.” More recently, she has appeared as a guest on “The Drew Carey Show,” “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,” and “That 70’s Show,” and in the films “Ping” and Christopher Coppola’s “Bloodhead.”

CLORIS LEACHMAN (Helen) is an Academy Award winner who has earned a record eight Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, a National Board Review Award, and a British Academy Award. In the 1970’s, Leachman portrayed the self-absorbed yet endearing Phyllis Lindstrom on the “Mary Tyler Moore Show” and popular spin-off series “Phyllis.” She received four Emmy nominations and two Emmy Awards for her work on “Mary Tyler Moore” and an Emmy nomination and Golden Globe Award for “Phyllis.” These added to her collection of Emmy Awards for “A Brand New Life”(ABC Movie-of-the-Week) and CBS’ “Cher Special.” In the 1980’s, Leachman appeared as Beverly Ann on “The Facts of Life.” She received Emmy Awards for ABC’s “The Woman Who Willed a Miracle” and for her brilliant eight minute soliloquy for the “Screen Actors Guild 50th Anniversary Celebration.” Her more than 35 films for television include Emmy nominated performances in “The Migrants,” “It Happened One Christmas,” and “Ernie Kovacs: Between the Laughter.” In 1998, Leachman won a seventh Emmy for her work as aunt Mooster on the CBS series “Promised Land.” She has a recurring role on “Malcolm in the Middle,” for which she was twice nominated and won her eighth Emmy Award in 2002. Leachman made her screen debut in the Mickey Spillane shocker, “Kiss Me Deadly” and has appeared in more than forty feature films. She earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar, a National Board of Review Award and a British Film Academy Award for her portrayal of Ruth Popper in “The Last Picture Show.” Leachman’s other films include Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein,” “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Beavis and Butthead Do America,” “The Animal,” “Hanging up,” and “Music of the Heart.” She just wrapped up the features “Bad Santa” opposite Billy Bob Thornton, and Rob Reiner’s “Loosely Based a True Love Story.” Leachman’s stage work includes over two dozen productions. Most notably, she starred in the national tour of “Grandma Moses: An American Primitive.” She also starred in the national tours of “Showboat,” “Same Time Next Year,” and “The Housekeeper.” Leachman’s Broadway work includes roles in “As You Like It,” “South Pacific,” “Lo and Behold,” and “Masquerade.” Lifetime Television will premiere “An Intimate Portrait of Cloris Leachman” this fall.

LOUISE FLETCHER (Mother Superior) appeared on such TV series as “Wagon Train” and “The Untouchables” in the early 1960s before taking a decade-long hiatus from acting to raise her two sons. After returning to her career in a supporting role in Robert Altman’s 1974 film “Thieves Like Us,” Milos Forman cast Fletcher as Nurse Rached in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” for which she won an Academy Award. Numerous film roles followed, including co-starring turns with Peter Falk in “The Cheap Detective” and with Richard Burton in “Exorcist II: The Heretic.” Fletcher has appeared in numerous science fiction and horror classics such as “Firestarter,” “Brainstorm,” and “Flowers in the Attic.” Her other films include “The Contract,” “Cruel Intentions,” “High School High,” “The Player,” and “Nobody’s Fool.” Though she earned an Emmy Award nomination for her recurring role on “Picket Fences,” Fletcher is perhaps best known to recent television audiences as Kai Winn of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and as Nora Bloom from the cult classic “VR5.” In addition, she played Agnes Carpenter in the made-for-television movie “The Karen Carpenter Story.” Fletcher’s other notable television work includes “Any Day Now,” “Fantasy Island,” “The Practice,” “The Profiler,” “Dream On,” “Tales from the Crypt,” “The Hitchhiker,” “In the Heat of the Night,” and “The Twilight Zone.” About this film, Louise comments, “Working on MANNA FROM HEAVEN was a thrilling experience. I remember when it first started happening. I would look across the way, and there were women behind the camera-it took my breath away. To have five sisters pull together, working together, it’s an inspiration really. And such a positive project, such a vitalizing, revitalizing, energy-filled project. Everybody seemed to share the same feelings-all the cast, everyone involved felt the same way.”

SEYMOUR CASSEL (Stanley-Stanley) has worked in over 100 films. Cassel’s early career was highlighted by his Academy Award nomination and the National Critics Award as Best Supporting Actor in John Cassavetes’ “Faces.” His eight-picture association with Cassavetes led to a New York Film Critics Award for his starring role in “Minnie and Moskowitz” and an associate producer credit for “Shadows.” Cassel’s other film credits include Steve Buscemi’s “Trees Lounge,” Andrew Bergman’s “It Could Happen To You” and “Honeymoon in Vegas,” Adrian Lyne’s “Indecent Proposal,” Warren Beatty’s “Dick Tracy,” Randal Kleiser’s “White Fang,” Wes Anderson’s “The Royal Tenenbaums” and “Rushmore,” Billy Crystals “61*,” Jonathan Parker’s “Bartleby,” Graeme Clifford’s “The Last Don,” Barry Levinson’s “Tin Men,” Don Siegel’s “The Killers,” Dennis Hopper’s “Colors” and “Chasers,” and Alexandre Rockwell’s “In the Soup,” for which he won the first ever Special Outstanding Performance Award at the Sundance Film Festival. On television, Cassel has played recurring characters on HBO’s “Tracey Takes On,” and NBC’s “Matlock,” and he was a series regular on “Under Suspicion” and “Good Company.” In addition, he has appeared in “Boston Public,” “Arli$$,” “Chicago Hope,” and “Star Trek,” as well as in the made-for-television movies “Face of a Stranger,” “Dead in the Water,” “Beverly Hills Madam,” Nicholas Roegs’ “Sweet Bird of Youth,” and Don Siegel’s “I Want to Live” and “The Hanged Man.” Cassel will soon be seen on television as a recurring guest star on “Lucky” opposite John Corbett.

HARRY GROENER (Tony) received his third Tony Award nomination for his portrayal of song and dance man Bobby Child in the Gerswhin musical “Crazy for You.” His other Broadway credits include “Oklahoma!” (Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations), “Cats” (Tony Award nomination), “Harrigan and Hart” (Drama Desk Award nomination), “Oh Brother! Is There Life After High School?,” “Sleight of Hand,” and “Sunday in the Park with George.” Groener’s other New York theater credits include “Twelve Dreams” by James Lapine, Lincoln Center, and Steve Martin’s “Picasso at the Lapin Agile.” He is known to TV audiences as “The Mayor” on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” Ralph in the NBC series “Dear John” and a variety of characters on “Mad About You,” “West Wing,” “Law and Order,” “Star Trek: Voyager” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Profiler,” “Just Shoot Me,” “Quantum Leap,” “Watching Ellie,” “Philly,” and “Caroline in the City.” His film credits include: “Amistad,” “Dance With Me,” “Brubaker,” “Buddy Boy,” “Ghost of a Chance,” “About Schmidt” and “Road to Perdition.” Groener’s Regional Theatre credits include the role of Hans Kittel in “Ghetto” (Mark Taper Forum), Bluntshli in “Arms and the Man” (South Coast Repertory), Benedick in “Much Ado About Nothing” (Seattle Repertory Theater), Billy in “Billy Bishop Goes to War” and Feste in the “2001 Twelfth Night” (Globe Theater in San Diego). Most recently, Groener performed on Broadway in Nora Ephron’s “Imaginary Friends.” He is happily married to actress Dawn Didawick.

URSULA BURTON (Sister Theresa). Ursula co-starred in MANNA FROM HEAVEN with Cloris Leachman, Shirley Jones, Louise Fletcher, Frank Gorshin, Wendie Malick, Jill Eikenberry, Austin Pendleton, Seymour Cassel, and Shelley Duvall. She graduated from Yale University with honors, earning degrees in both Theater Studies and English Language and Literature. Working on both coasts, her theater, film, and tv credits include Wanda in THE BABY DANCE, the title role in ANTIGONE, Nerrissa in THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, HEMINGWAY AND THE DOS PASSOS WARS, SAGE AND TIME, SGT. BILKO, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, MAFIA!, DEATH OF A SALESWOMAN, DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD, THE ELLEN SHOW, “THE PRACTICE,” STRONG MEDICINE, and THE WEST WING. After producing and acting in the long running Los Angeles premiere of the musical, A…MY NAME IS ALICE, she founded FIVE SISTERS PRODUCTIONS with her sisters. Together they have produced three feature films (in which she has also appeared), JUST FRIENDS, TEMPS, and MANNA FROM HEAVEN. Most recently, she wrote, directed, and acted in the short film, THE HAPPIEST DAY OF HIS LIFE. She is also currently developing a series of movies, which she will produce through FIVE SISTERS PRODUCTIONS.

SHELLEY DUVALL (Detective Dubrinski) has won acclaim for her performance as Millie Lammoreaux, in Robert Altman’s “Three Women” (Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Award, L.A. Critics Award.) She has also starred in Altman’s “Thieves Like Us” and “Popeye” as Olive Oyl with Robin Williams. Some of her other film credits include Pam in Woody Allen’s Academy Award winning “Annie Hall,” Wendy Torrance opposite Jack Nicholson in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” “Roxanne” with Steve Martin, “Potrait of a Lady” with Nicole Kidman and the recent comedy “Homefries.” She has appeared as a special guest star in ABC’s “The Hughleys,” and in other renowned TV shows such as NBC’s “L.A. Law,” “Twilight Zone,” “The Ray Bradbury Theater” and Showtime’s “My Darlin’ Clementine” (1988 ACE Award for Best Children’s Entertainment, Special, or Series.) Duvall has also produced the TV shows “Faerie Tale Theatre” and “Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle.”

JILL EIKENBERRY’s (Dottie) outstanding portrayal of activist counselor, Ann Kelsey on NBC-TV hit series “L.A. Law” earned her four Emmy Award nominations, two Golden Globe nominations and a Golden Globe award. An accomplished actress with a strong list of theater, feature film and TV credits, Eikenberry’s theater credits on and off Broadway include “Beggars Opera,” “All Over Town” directed by Dustin Hoffman, “Summer Brave,” Tennessee Williams’ “Eccentricities of a Nightingale,” “Watch on the Rhine,” “Onward Victoria,” and “Lemon Sky,” for which she received an Obie award. She also starred onstage in Wendy Wasserstein’s “Uncommon Women” and appeared in the television version opposite Meryl Streep.Eikenberry made her feature film debut in “Between the Lines” opposite John Heard, Jeff Goldblum and Lindsay Krause. She later appeared in “Rich Kids” with John Lithgow, “Butch and the Sundance Kid: The Early Years,” “Hide in Plain Sight” opposite James Caan, “Arthur” (in which she played Dudley Moore’s jilted fiancee), and then reteamed with John Lithgow in “The Manhattan Project.” Having tackled theater and film, she turned to television and appeared in such TV projects as “Swansong” with David Soul, the CBS-TV movie “Orphan Train,” the CBS mini-series “Kane and Abel,” “Family Sins,” “A Stoning in Fulham County,” “My Boyfriend’s Back,” and “Cast The First Stone,” the four hour ABC mini-series “An Inconvenient Woman” opposite Jason Robards, “Ties that Bind” with Peter Coyote, “My Very Best Friend” starring opposite Jaclyn Smith, Showtime’s “Chantilly Lace” and its sequel “Parallel Lives.” She co-starred with her husband Michael Tucker in “Assault and Matrimony,” “Archie’s Wife,” “Taken Away” and “A Town Torn Apart.” Eikenberry co-produced and hosted “Destined to Live,” a one-hour documentary for NBC, which dealt with emotional aspects of breast cancer, which she herself successfully battled in 1986. Totally committed to the advancement of breast cancer education and research, Jill and Michael tour the U.S. and abroad as spokespersons for the cause.

FAYE GRANT (Rita) was seen most recently as Mrs. Maris in John Schultz’s “Drive Me Crazy.” Her other film credits include “Internal Affairs” with Richard Gere and Andy Garcia, and “Crossing Delancey.” She starred on Broadway as silent screen star Lina Lamont in Twyla Tharp’s “Singin’ in the Rain” (Theatre World Award, Drama Desk Nomination.) Her other Broadway credits include “The House of Blue Leaves” and “Grand Hotel.” Faye has just completed two seasons starring as “Tattie McKee” on ABC family channel’s “State of Grace”. Other television appearances include NBC’s science fiction phenomenon “V,” ABC’s “The Greatest American Hero,” and Fox’s “Time of Your Life.”

FRANK GORSHIN (Ed) started out in acting in high school doing impressions of famous actors. He later served in Special Services as an entertainer and when he returned from the Army he was quickly cast in his first Hollywood film, “The Proud and The Profane.” He was a regular on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and also a recurring role in the Jackie Cooper series “Hennessy.” He signed on as The Riddler in “Batman” the television series and received an Emmy award nomination for his performance. He also received an Emmy award nomination for his performance as Commissioner Bele in the 1969 “Star Trek” episode “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield.” Other notable television roles are as the star of ABC’s series “The KopyKats” and BBC’s “Treasure Island.” Mr. Gorshin made his Broadway debut as the star of “Jimmy” and also starred in many touring company productions, such as “Guys and Dolls,” “Promises, Promises,” “Peter Pan,” “Prisoner of Second Street” and “What Makes Sammy Run?” for which he earned recognition as an outstanding stage performer in the Burns Mantle Yearbook. His most recent film roles include Dr. Owen Fletcher in Terry Gilliam’s “Twelve Monkeys” with Bruce Willis, “Meteor Man” and “Twilight of the Ice Nymphs” with Shelley Duvall. Frank is currently on Broadway in playing George Burns in “Say Goodnight Gracie” and just completed a few movies this year, including “Something Else,” “Bloodhead” directed by Christopher Coppola, and a movie of the week television special entitled “Back to the Batcave.”

WENDIE MALICK (Inez) is working on her seventh season as Nina Van Horn in “Just Shoot Me,” which garnered her a Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations. She received four Cable ACE awards for her work on HBO’s “Dream On.” Feature projects include “On Edge and Cahoots,” “The American President,” “Jerome,” “Scrooged,” and “Bugsy.” She is heard in Disney’s “The Emperor’s New Groove.” Among her TV movies: “Take My Advice: The Ann and Abby Story,” “Paper Dolls,” “Apollo II,” and “Strange Frequency.” TV guest appearances range from “NYPD Blue” to “Seinfeld.” On stage she originated roles in Israel Horowitz’ “North Shore Fish” and Oliver Hailey’s “Round Trip.” She was seen last year in the Los Angeles production of “Vagina Monologues.” Malick and her husband, Richard Erickson, through their foundation, A Drop in the Bucket, help support an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico and a medical center in the Congo. She is also on the Board of Environmental Media Association and was honored in 2000 as “A Woman of Vision” by Women in Film. Wendie and Richard received the 2002 “Hope through Empowerment” award from St. Joseph’s Center in Venice, California. The Malick-Erickson’s live in the Santa Monica Mountains with three dogs, three horses and a car.

AUSTIN PENDLETON (Two-Digit Doyle) is considered one of the most diversified talents in the world of theatre. He was the former director of the venerable Circle Repertory Theater in New York. His acting career includes the Broadway original cast productions of “Diary of Anne Frank,” “Grand Hotel,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Hail Scrawdyke,” “Doubles” and the Lincoln Center and Broadway revivals of “Little Foxes,” directed by Mike Nichols. His Off-Broadway appearances include “Educating Rita, “Oh Dad, Poor Dad,” “The Last Sweet Days of Isaac,” “Sophistry” and the title roles in “Hamlet,” “Richard III” and “Uncle Vanya.” Pendleton has appeared in the films: “Clowns,” “Skirty Winner,” “Pleasant View Avenue,” “4th Floor,” “Amistad,” “Trial and Error,” “The Fantasticks,” “Two Days in the Valley,” “The Mirror has Two Faces,” “The Associates,” “The Proprietor,” “Sgt. Bilko,” “Guarding Tess,” “My Cousin Vinny,” “Mr. And Mrs. Bridge,” “Short Circuit,” “Starting Over,” “The Front Page,” “What’s Up Doc?” and “Catch-22.” His television appearances include: “Homicide,” “Oz,” “Jonny X,” “Ink,” “Fraiser,” “Fired Up,” “American Dreamer,” “Miami Vice” and “St. Elsewhere.” Pendleton has directed numerous productions on and Off-Broadway and at regional theaters, including “The Little Foxes” with Elizabeth Taylor and the world premieres of “Say Goodnight Gracie” and “The Runner Stumbles.” Pendleton has also directed at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago and the Williamstown Theater Festival. Pendleton’s first published play “Booth” starred Frank Langella and played at the Long Warf Theatre as well as Off-Broadway. His second play “Uncle Bob,” was originally produced at the Mint Theatre in New York and subsequently was presented at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago and at other theatres across the country. Pendleton’s third play “Orson’s Shadow” had it’s world premiere in Chicago concurrent to his performing the lead in Don DeLillo’s new play “Valperaiso,” both productions on the stages of the Steppenwolf Theater. “Orson’s Shadow” then went on to have successful runs both at the Westport Playhouse and the Old Globe Theater.