Jean Stapleton was born Jeanne Murray in Manhattan, New York City, to Marie A. (Stapleton), an opera singer, and Joseph Edward Murray, a billboard advertising salesman. Her paternal grandparents were Irish. She was a cousin of actress Betty Jane Watson. Other relatives in show business were her uncle, Joseph E. Deming, a vaudevillian; and her brother Jack Stapleton, a stage actor. She graduated from Wadleigh High School, NYC, in 1939, and attended Hunter College. She worked as a secretary before becoming an actress. Stapleton made her stage debut at the Greenwood Playhouse, Peaks Island, Maine, in the summer of 1941, and her New York stage debut in The Corn Is Green (1948). She appeared on Broadway in the musicals Damn Yankees (1955) and Bells Are Ringing (1956), and later repeated her roles in the movie versions (Damn Yankees (1958) and Bells Are Ringing (1960)). Her other Broadway roles included the original companies of Rhinoceros (1961) and Funny Girl (1964). Stapleton also played Abby Brewster in the 1986-87 revival of Arsenic and Old Lace.

All movies available from Jean Stapleton

Poster movie Up the Down Staircase

Up the Down Staircase

Movie
Poster movie You Can't Take it With You

You Can't Take it With Yo

Movie
Poster movie Fire in the Dark

Fire in the Dark

Movie

Movies unavailable from Jean Stapleton

Michael

Pansy Milbank

Movie 1996

Pursuit of Happiness

Lorraine

Movie 2001

Dead Man's Folly

Ariadne Oliver

Movie 1986

You've Got Mail

Birdie Conrad

Movie 1998

Damn Yankees

Sister Miller

Movie 1958

Cold Turkey

Mrs. Wappler

Movie 1971

Bells Are Ringing

Sue

Movie 1960

Good Evening Captain

Self

Movie

The Buddy System

Mrs. Price

Movie 1984

Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff

Self

Movie 1985

Something Wild

Shirley Johnson

Movie 1961

The Television Revolution Begins: "All in the Family" Is On the Air

Self

Movie 2009

Those Were the Days: The Birth of "All in the Family"

Self

Movie 2009

Baby

Byrd

Movie 2000

Chance of a Lifetime

Mrs. Dunbar

Movie 1998

Angel Dusted

Betty Eaton

Movie 1981

Lily Dale

Mrs. Coons

Movie 1996

The Last Laugh

Self

Movie 2016

Funny Ladies: A Portrait of Women Cartoonists

Narrator

Movie 1991

Klute

Goldfarb’s Secretary

Movie 1971

Aunt Mary

Mary Dobkin

Movie 1979

Eleanor, First Lady of the World

Eleanor Roosevelt

Movie 1982

Tail Gunner Joe

Mrs. DeCamp

Movie 1977

Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World

Mrs. Jenkins (voice)

Movie 1998

A Matter of Sex

Irene Wallin

Movie 1984

Acts of Love and Other Comedies

Gina's Mother

Movie 1973

Bury Me in Niagara

Mildred

Movie 1993

Jack and the Beanstalk

The Giantess

Movie 1983

Cinderella

Fairy Godmother

Movie 1985

Like Mother Like Son: The Strange Story of Sante and Kenny Kimes

Irene Silverman

Movie 2001

Pursuit of Happiness

Lorrraine

Movie 2001

The Trial

Landlady (uncredited)

Movie 1993

Isabel's Choice

Isabel Cooper

Movie 1981

Mother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme

Mother Goose

Movie 1990

The Habitation of Dragons

Lenora Tolliver

Movie 1992

The Muppets Go Hollywood

Self

Movie 1979

All in the Family: 20th Anniversary Special

Movie 1991

Tv series unavailable from Jean Stapleton

The Rosie O'Donnell Show

Self

Tv 1996

My Three Sons

Tv 1960

The Love Boat

Tv 1977

Caroline in the City

Aunt Mary Kosky

Tv 1995

Touched by an Angel

Emma

Tv 1994

Everybody Loves Raymond

Aunt Alda

Tv 1996

All in the Family

Edith Bunker

Tv 1971

Route 66

Tv 1960

E! True Hollywood Story

Tv 1996

Murphy Brown

Tv 1988

Naked City

Marilyn Konish

Tv 1958

Grace Under Fire

Tv 1993

Scarecrow and Mrs. King

Tv 1983

Archie Bunker's Place

Tv 1979

Faerie Tale Theatre

The Giantess

Tv 1982

Beakman's World

Beakman's Mom

Tv 1992

The Electric Company

Tv 1971

The Muppet Show

Self - Special Guest Star

Tv 1976

Hallmark Hall of Fame

Mary Dobkin

Tv 1951

The Eleventh Hour

Tv 1962

Intimate Portrait

Self

Tv 1993

Dennis the Menace

Tv 1959

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

Self

Tv 1967

Lux Video Theatre

Teacher

Tv 1950

The Defenders

Mrs. Larsen

Tv 1961

The Patty Duke Show

Tv 1963

The Philco Television Playhouse

Bus Girl

Tv 1948

Robert Montgomery Presents

Tv 1950

TV Land Top 10

Tv 2004

Dr. Kildare

Nurse Whitney

Tv 1961

Bagdad Cafe

Tv 1990

Cher

Self

Tv 1975

Trying Times

Tv 1987

Woman With A Past

Tv 1954

TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV

Tv 2003

The Ray Bradbury Theater

Tv 1985

Saturday Night Live

Self - Cameo (uncredited)

Tv 1975

Naked City

Mrs. Trellis

Tv 1958

The Mike Douglas Show

Self

Tv 1961

Faerie Tale Theatre

The Fairy Godmother

Tv 1982

Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories

Narrator (Voice)

Tv 1992

The Carol Burnett Show

Self - Guest / Various Characters

Tv 1967

Tony Awards

Self - Presenter

Tv 1956

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

Tv 1994

Tony Awards

Self - Host

Tv 1956

The Dick Cavett Show

Self - Guest

Tv 1968

The Nurses

Mrs. Montgomery

Tv 1962

Style & Substance

Gloria Utley

Tv 1998

Great Performances

Helen

Tv 1971