Freeman, Kathleen

▪ 2002

      American character actress (b. Feb. 17, 1919, Chicago, Ill.—d. Aug. 23, 2001, New York, N.Y.), appeared in some 100 films, including nearly a dozen Jerry Lewis movies and, most memorably, in the role of vocal coach Phoebe Dinsmore in Singin' in the Rain (1952); in her last movie role, she was the voice of an old woman in the animated Shrek (2001). In addition to showing up in most of the popular television sitcoms from the late 1950s on, she also had a notable stage career that included tours as Miss Hannigan in Annie and Helga Ten Dorp in Deathtrap and the role of sassy piano player Jeanette Burmeister in the Broadway production The Full Monty, for which she received a Tony nomination and which she played until five days before her death.

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