Sylvia Sidney

Acting

Sylvia Sidney

Born August 9, 1910 · The Bronx, New York, USA

Died July 1, 1999 · aged 88

Sylvia Sidney (born Sophia Kosow, August 8, 1910 – July 1, 1999) was an American stage, screen and film actress whose career spanned over 70 years. She rose to prominence in dozens of leading roles in the 1930s. She later gained attention for her role as Juno, a case worker in the afterlife, in Tim Burton's film Beetlejuice, for which she won a Saturn Award as Best Supporting Actress. She also was…

Known For

BeetlejuiceBeetlejuice · 1988
Beetlejuice
7.41988
MovieFantasyComedy
A newly dead New England couple seeks help from a deranged demon exorcist to scare an affluent New York family out of their home.
Mars Attacks!Mars Attacks! · 1996
Mars Attacks!
6.41996
MovieComedyFantasy
A fleet of Martian spacecraft surrounds the world's major cities and all of humanity waits to see if the extraterrestrial visitors have, as they claim, "come in peace." U.S. President James Dale receives assurance from science professor Donald Kessler that the Martians' mission is a friendly one. But when a peaceful exchange ends in the total annihilation of the U.S. Congress, military men call for a full-scale nuclear retaliation.
Used PeopleUsed People · 1992
Used People
5.81992
MovieComedyDrama
At her husband's funeral, Pearl, Jewish mother of two divorced and antagonistic daughters, meets an old Italian friend of her husband, whose advice years previously had stopped the husband leaving home. For 23 years he, now a widower, has secretly loved Pearl.
Damien - Omen IIDamien - Omen II · 1978
Damien - Omen II
6.41978
MovieHorrorThriller
Since the sudden and suspicious deaths of his parents, young Damien has been in the charge of his wealthy aunt and uncle and enrolled in a military school. Widely feared to be the Antichrist, he relentlessly plots to seize control of his uncle's business empire — and the world.
Raid on EntebbeRaid on Entebbe · 1976
Raid on Entebbe
6.01976
MovieDramaThriller
Based on a true operation by Israeli commandos. An Air France flight is hijacked by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The airplane landed in Uganda. The terrorists released some passengers, keeping 94 Jews and 12 air crew hostage. The Israeli government would not negotiate. A rescue plan was devised, and less than 100 commandos were flown across Africa to rescue the passengers in surprisingly successful operation.
Breakdowns of 1941Breakdowns of 1941 · 1941
Breakdowns of 1941
7.01941
MovieComedyDocumentary
Flubs and bloopers that occurred on the set of some of the major Warner Bros. pictures of 1941.
Merrily We Go to HellMerrily We Go to Hell · 1932
Merrily We Go to Hell
6.51932
MovieComedyDrama
A drunken newspaperman, Jerry Corbett, is rescued from his alcoholic haze by an heiress, Joan Prentice, whose love sobers him up and encourages him to write a play, but he lapses back into dipsomania.
Pick-upPick-up · 1933
Pick-up
5.11933
MovieCrimeDrama
The scheme of a pair of married con artists goes awry when their victim dies, and they are both caught and imprisoned. When she gets out of prison, she tries to put her life back together.

Movies

BeetlejuiceBeetlejuice · 1988
Beetlejuice
7.41988
MovieFantasyComedy
A newly dead New England couple seeks help from a deranged demon exorcist to scare an affluent New York family out of their home.
Mars Attacks!Mars Attacks! · 1996
Mars Attacks!
6.41996
MovieComedyFantasy
A fleet of Martian spacecraft surrounds the world's major cities and all of humanity waits to see if the extraterrestrial visitors have, as they claim, "come in peace." U.S. President James Dale receives assurance from science professor Donald Kessler that the Martians' mission is a friendly one. But when a peaceful exchange ends in the total annihilation of the U.S. Congress, military men call for a full-scale nuclear retaliation.
Used PeopleUsed People · 1992
Used People
5.81992
MovieComedyDrama
At her husband's funeral, Pearl, Jewish mother of two divorced and antagonistic daughters, meets an old Italian friend of her husband, whose advice years previously had stopped the husband leaving home. For 23 years he, now a widower, has secretly loved Pearl.
Damien - Omen IIDamien - Omen II · 1978
Damien - Omen II
6.41978
MovieHorrorThriller
Since the sudden and suspicious deaths of his parents, young Damien has been in the charge of his wealthy aunt and uncle and enrolled in a military school. Widely feared to be the Antichrist, he relentlessly plots to seize control of his uncle's business empire — and the world.
Raid on EntebbeRaid on Entebbe · 1976
Raid on Entebbe
6.01976
MovieDramaThriller
Based on a true operation by Israeli commandos. An Air France flight is hijacked by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The airplane landed in Uganda. The terrorists released some passengers, keeping 94 Jews and 12 air crew hostage. The Israeli government would not negotiate. A rescue plan was devised, and less than 100 commandos were flown across Africa to rescue the passengers in surprisingly successful operation.
Breakdowns of 1941Breakdowns of 1941 · 1941
Breakdowns of 1941
7.01941
MovieComedyDocumentary
Flubs and bloopers that occurred on the set of some of the major Warner Bros. pictures of 1941.
Merrily We Go to HellMerrily We Go to Hell · 1932
Merrily We Go to Hell
6.51932
MovieComedyDrama
A drunken newspaperman, Jerry Corbett, is rescued from his alcoholic haze by an heiress, Joan Prentice, whose love sobers him up and encourages him to write a play, but he lapses back into dipsomania.
Pick-upPick-up · 1933
Pick-up
5.11933
MovieCrimeDrama
The scheme of a pair of married con artists goes awry when their victim dies, and they are both caught and imprisoned. When she gets out of prison, she tries to put her life back together.
Night of 100 StarsNight of 100 Stars · 1982
Night of 100 Stars
5.81982
MovieComedyMusic
The most glittering, expensive, and exhausting videotaping session in television history took place Friday February 19, 1982 at New York's Radio City Music Hall. The event, for which ticket-buyers paid up to $1,000 a seat (tax-deductible as a contribution to the Actors' Fund) was billed as "The Night of 100 Stars" but, actually, around 230 stars took part. And most of the audience of 5,800 had no idea in advance that they were paying to see a TV taping, complete with long waits for set and costume changes, tape rewinding, and the like. Executive producer Alexander Cohen estimated that the 5,800 Radio City Music Hall seats sold out at prices ranging from $25 to $1,000. The show itself cost about $4 million to produce and was expected to yield around $2 million for the new addition to the Actors Fund retirement home in Englewood, N. J. ABC is reputed to have paid more than $5 million for the television rights.
SabotageSabotage · 1937
Sabotage
6.71937
MovieDramaThriller
Karl Anton Verloc and his wife own a small cinema in a quiet London suburb where they live seemingly happily. But Mrs. Verloc does not know that her husband has a secret that will affect their relationship and threaten her teenage brother's life.
FuryFury · 1936
Fury
7.51936
MovieCrimeDrama
Joe, who owns a gas station along with his brothers and is about to marry Katherine, travels to the small town where she lives to visit her, but is wrongly mistaken for a wanted kidnapper and arrested.
Behold My Wife!Behold My Wife! · 1934
Behold My Wife!
8.01934
MovieDramaRomance
After Michael Carter's fiancée commits suicide, Michael vows to seek revenge on his wealthy family, who sabotaged their marriage. He drives across the country angrily, and lands up at a saloon, where he is shot by an Indian, Pete. Pete's girlfriend, Tonita nurses Michael's wound and falls in love with him. Michael realizes this, proposes marriage to Tonita - a perfect revenge for his prejudice family. They marry and he takes her to New York, in full Indian dress hoping to embarrass the family.
Winner Take AllWinner Take All · 1975
Winner Take All
7.41975
MovieDramaTV Movie
The chronicle of an average American housewife who just happens to be addicted to gambling.
Having It AllHaving It All · 1982
Having It All
6.51982
MovieComedyRomance
Thera Baylin is a fashion designer with a husband in New York and another one in California.
Dead EndDead End · 1937
Dead End
7.01937
MovieCrimeDrama
The lives of a young man and woman, an infamous gangster and a group of street kids converge one day in a volatile New York City slum.
Mr. AceMr. Ace · 1946
Mr. Ace
5.81946
MovieDrama
A rich society woman uses a gangster to win a congressional election.
Man on the LedgeMan on the Ledge · 1955
Man on the Ledge
7.01955
MovieDramaTV Movie
Beat cop Bragan is about to go off duty when he discovers a man standing on the ledge of a hotel more than a dozen stories up. Bragan tries to talk the man, Robert Cosick, down from his threatening perch and in the process learns the reasons for the Robert's suicide attempt.
You Only Live OnceYou Only Live Once · 1937
You Only Live Once
7.11937
MovieCrimeDrama
Based partially on the story of Bonnie and Clyde, Eddie Taylor is an ex-convict who cannot get a break after being released from prison. When he is framed for murder, Taylor is forced to flee with his wife Joan Graham and baby. While escaping prison after being sentenced to death, Taylor becomes a real murderer, condemning himself and Joan to a life of crime and death on the road.
I Never Promised You a Rose GardenI Never Promised You a Rose Garden · 1977
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden
5.91977
MovieDrama
A disturbed and institutionalized 16-year-old girl struggles between fantasy and reality.
HammettHammett · 1982
Hammett
6.31982
MovieDramaThriller
Chinatown, San Francisco, 1928. Former private detective Dashiell Hammett, a compulsive drinker with tuberculosis who writes pulp fiction for a living, receives an unexpected visit from an old friend asking for help.
You and MeYou and Me · 1938
You and Me
6.61938
MovieCrimeRomance
Mr. Morris, the owner of a large metropolitan department store, gives jobs to paroled ex-convicts in an effort to help them reform and go straight. Among his 'employed-prison-graduates' are Helen Roberts and Joe Dennis, working as sales clerks. Joe is in love with Helen and asks her to marry him, but she is forbidden to marry as she is still on parole, but she says yes and they are married. In spite of their poverty-level life, their marriage is a happy one until Joe discovers she has lied about her past, in order to marry him. Disillusioned, he leaves, goes back to his old gang and plans to rob the department store.
Violent SaturdayViolent Saturday · 1955
Violent Saturday
6.71955
MovieDramaCrime
Three men case a small town very carefully, with plans to rob the bank on the upcoming Saturday, which turns violent and deadly.
Night of 100 Stars IIINight of 100 Stars III · 1990
Night of 100 Stars III
4.01990
MovieComedyMusic
A celebrity benefit for The Actors' Fund of America, featuring music, songs, dance and comedy.
Les MiserablesLes Miserables · 1952
Les Miserables
5.51952
MovieAdventureDrama
In 19th century France, Jean Valjean, a man imprisoned for stealing bread, must flee a relentless policeman named Javert. The pursuit consumes both men's lives, and soon Valjean finds himself in the midst of the student revolutions in France.

TV Shows

The Mike Douglas ShowThe Mike Douglas Show · 1961
The Mike Douglas Show
5.81961
SeriesComedy
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that originally aired only in the Cleveland area during much of its first two years on the air. It then went into syndication in 1963 and remained on television until 1982. It was distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations in Cleveland and Philadelphia.
Diagnosis: MurderDiagnosis: Murder · 1993
Diagnosis: Murder
7.11993
SeriesDramaFamily
Dr. Mark Sloan is a good-natured, offbeat physician who is called upon to solve murders.
Golden Globe AwardsGolden Globe Awards · 1944
Golden Globe Awards
7.01944
Series
An annual awards ceremony recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign, bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
The Love BoatThe Love Boat · 1977
The Love Boat
6.31977
SeriesDramaComedy
Passengers who search for romantic nights aboard a beautiful ship travelling to tropical or mysterious countries, decide to pass their vacation aboard the "Love Boat", where Gopher, Dr. Bricker, Isaac, Julie, and Captain Stubing try their best to please them, and sometimes help them fall in love. Things are not always so easy, but in the end, love wins.
Magnum, P.I.Magnum, P.I. · 1980
Magnum, P.I.
7.31980
SeriesCrimeDrama
A private investigator who works when he wants, lives in a beachfront estate in Hawaii, drives a posh Ferrari, runs up an unlimited tab at a swank bar, and charms attractive women in peril - that's the lifestyle of Thomas Magnum, aka Magnum, P.I.
My Three SonsMy Three Sons · 1960
My Three Sons
6.61960
SeriesComedyFamily
A widower and aeronautical engineer named Steven Douglas raises three sons with the help of his father-in-law, and later the boys' great-uncle. An adopted son, a stepdaughter, wives, and another generation of sons join the loving family in later seasons.
The EqualizerThe Equalizer · 1985
The Equalizer
7.11985
SeriesCrime
Robert McCall is a former agent of a secret government agency who is now running his own private crime fighting operation where he fashions himself as "The Equalizer." It is a service for victims of the system who have exhausted all possible means of seeking justice and have nowhere to go. McCall promises to even out the odds for them.
Climax!Climax! · 1954
Climax!
3.81954
SeriesDramaMystery
Climax! is an American anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS programs of that era to be broadcast in color. Many of the episodes were performed and broadcast live.
The Philco Television PlayhouseThe Philco Television Playhouse · 1948
The Philco Television Playhouse
6.61948
SeriesDrama
The Philco Television Playhouse is an American anthology series that was broadcast live on NBC from 1948 to 1955. Produced by Fred Coe, the series was sponsored by Philco. It was one of the most respected dramatic shows of the Golden Age of Television, winning a 1954 Peabody Award and receiving eight Emmy nominations between 1951 and 1956.
Naked CityNaked City · 1958
Naked City
5.71958
SeriesDramaCrime
Naked City is a police drama series which aired from 1958 to 1963 on the ABC television network. It was inspired by the 1948 motion picture of the same name, and mimics its dramatic “semi-documentary” format. In 1997, the episode “Sweet Prince of Delancey Street” was ranked #93 on TV Guide’s “100 Greatest Episodes of All Time”.
Starsky & HutchStarsky & Hutch · 1975
Starsky & Hutch
7.31975
SeriesDrama
Streetwise Detective David Starsky partners up with a more intellectual partner, Kenneth 'Hutch' Hutchinson, to protect citizens and patrol the streets of Bay City.
The DefendersThe Defenders · 1961
The Defenders
6.31961
SeriesDrama
The Defenders is an American courtroom drama series . It starred E. G. Marshall and Robert Reed as father-and-son defense attorneys who specialized in legally complex cases, with defendants such as neo-Nazis, conscientious objectors, civil rights demonstrators, a schoolteacher fired for being an atheist, an author accused of pornography, and a physician charged in a mercy killing.
Route 66Route 66 · 1960
Route 66
6.71960
SeriesDramaCrime
After discovering that his late father has gone through most of the family fortune, Tod Stiles hits the title trans-America highway in his Corvette in search of adventure with friend Buz Murdock, a survivor of New York's mean streets. The two work odd jobs as they meet and interact with colorful characters and find themselves plunged into one situation after another, some of them romantic, some of them very dangerous. Later, Linc Case, a Vietnam war hero trying to find himself, takes over as Tod's travel companion.
American PlayhouseAmerican Playhouse · 1982
American Playhouse
6.61982
SeriesDramaComedy
American Playhouse is an anthology television series periodically broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service in the United States.
thirtysomethingthirtysomething · 1987
thirtysomething
6.31987
SeriesDrama
Thirtysomething is an American television drama about a group of baby boomers in their late thirties. It was created by Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick for MGM/UA Television Group and The Bedford Falls Company, and aired on ABC. It premiered in the U.S. on September 29, 1987. It lasted four seasons, with the last of its 85 episodes airing on May 28, 1991. The title of the show was designed as thirtysomething by Kathie Broyles, who combined the words of the original title, Thirty Something. In 1997, "The Go Between" and "Samurai Ad Man" were ranked #22 on TV Guide′s 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time. In 2002, Thirtysomething was ranked #19 on TV Guide′s 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time, and in 2013 TV Guide ranked it #10 in its list of The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time.
KazKaz · 1978
Kaz
7.01978
SeriesCrimeDrama
Kaz is an American crime drama series that aired on CBS from September 10, 1978 to April 22, 1979.
Dear JohnDear John · 1988
Dear John
5.71988
SeriesComedy
Dear John starred Judd Hirsch as easygoing Drake Prep high school teacher John Lacey who is dumped by his wife, Wendy, via a Dear John letter. Wendy ends up with everything in the divorce settlement, including custody of the couple's son, forcing John to move into an apartment in Ozone Park, Queens. John soon joins the One-2-One Club, a self help group for divorced, widowed or lonely people. The group is led by Louise (Jane Carr), a sex-obsessed British woman. Other members of the group include Kate McCarron (Isabella Hofmann), a sweet divorcée; Kirk Morris (Jere Burns), a cocky ladies' man; Ralph Drang (Harry Groener), a shy and neurotic tollbooth collector; Bonnie Philbert (Billie Bird), a feisty senior citizen; and Tom, Mrs. Philbert's quiet boyfriend (Tom Willett).
Eight Is EnoughEight Is Enough · 1977
Eight Is Enough
6.21977
SeriesDramaComedy
Eight Is Enough is an American television comedy-drama series that ran on ABC from March 15, 1977, until August 29, 1981. The show was modeled after syndicated newspaper columnist Thomas Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who wrote a book with the same name.
The 20th Century Fox HourThe 20th Century Fox Hour · 1955
The 20th Century Fox Hour
6.01955
SeriesDrama
The 20th Century Fox Hour is an American drama anthology series televised in the United States on CBS from 1955 to 1957. Some of the shows in this series were restored, remastered and shown on the Fox Movie Channel in 2002 under the title Hour of Stars. The season one episode Overnight Haul, starring Richard Conte and Lizabeth Scott, was released in Australia as a feature film.
Playhouse 90Playhouse 90 · 1956
Playhouse 90
7.61956
SeriesDrama
Playhouse 90 is an American television anthology series that was telecast on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. It originated from CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology drama series of the mid-1950s were usually hour-long shows, the title highlighted the network's intention to present something unusual, a weekly series of hour-and-a-half dramas rather than 60-minute plays. Playhouse 90 began as a pitch by Frank Stanton—the formidable, forward-thinking right-hand man to CBS chairman William S. Paley—during a brainstorming session for program ideas. The project was ultimately developed by Hubbell Robinson, a CBS vice president who received no screen credit on Playhouse 90 but is often described as its creator.
Kraft Television TheatreKraft Television Theatre · 1947
Kraft Television Theatre
7.81947
SeriesDrama
Kraft Television Theater is an American, well-received anthology series presenting live television dramas.
The Ford Television TheatreThe Ford Television Theatre · 1952
The Ford Television Theatre
7.81952
SeriesDrama
This show started in New York City, with Broadway actors and actresses. It then moved to Hollywood, California, where Hollywood actors and actresses headed the cast.
WKRP in CincinnatiWKRP in Cincinnati · 1978
WKRP in Cincinnati
7.61978
SeriesComedy
When a Cincinnati radio station switches from sedate music to top-40 rock 'n' roll, its staff of oddball characters is forced to switch gears quickly. New programming director Andy Travis brings in a new DJ named Venus Flytrap to work with the station's burned-out veteran, Dr. Johnny Fever. Neurotic newsman Les Nessman, eager beaver Bailey Quarters, sleazy salesman Herb Tarlek, blonde bombshell Jennifer Marlowe, who serves as the station's ultra-capable receptionist, and station manager Arthur Carlson, whose domineering mother owns WKRP, round out the eccentric bunch.
Tales of TomorrowTales of Tomorrow · 1951
Tales of Tomorrow
6.41951
SeriesSci-Fi & Fantasy
Tales of Tomorrow is an American anthology science fiction series that was performed and broadcast live on ABC from 1951 to 1953. The series covered such stories as Frankenstein, starring Lon Chaney, Jr., 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea starring Thomas Mitchell as Captain Nemo, and many others featuring such performers as Boris Karloff, Brian Keith, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, Bruce Cabot, Franchot Tone, Gene Lockhart, Walter Abel, Leslie Nielsen, and Paul Newman. The series had many similarities to the later Twilight Zone which also covered one of the same stories, "What You Need". In total it ran for eighty-five 30-minute episodes.