Beverly Heather D'Angelo

The career of Beverly D'Angelo has been intriguing, inspirational, and always interesting for more than four years. Even though she was in better films than what she was usually in, Beverly D'Angelo was still an interesting character and the one to be on the lookout for no matter what the role. A far cry from the shrinking violet, Hollywood counted on her for her colorful appearance, affable manner and ability to steal scenes. Beverly Heather D'Angelo was the daughter of Eugene Constantino Gene "Gene" D'Angelo and Priscilla Ruth Smith who was a violinist, as well as bass player who also owned a television station. Her maternal grandfather, Howard Dwight Smith, was the architect who designed the Ohio ("Horseshoe") Stadium at Ohio State University. Her mother was an English, Irish and Scottish-born mother. Her father was Italian. Beverly was a student at an American school in Florence. Beverly was initially drawn to art and became an animator/cartoonist with Hanna-Barbera Productions. She then moved to Canada to pursue an opportunity in rock singing. To earn a living she would sing wherever she could, from topless bars to coffeehouses. At one point , the teen was invited to join forces with the rockabilly legendary Ronnie Hawkins. Beverly's acting career began when she left Hawkins and joined Charlottetown Festival. While she was touring in Canada, Ophelia was playing the character of Ophelia in "Kronborg 1582" an musical rock version of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Colleen Dewhurst saw potential in Beverly and the show. The show was renamed Rockabye Hamlet after Gower Champion who was the musical director joined the show. The show was a bit short-lived, but Beverly's Ophelia attracted attention with its fine reviews. She soon found herself on the West Coast and was offered opportunities in television and film. She rarely returned to the stage following the show, however she did perform alongside Ed Harris in 1995's off-Broadway production by Sam Shepard's "Simpatico" which earned her a Theatre World Award. She appeared in the TV miniseries Captains and the Kings (1976), and later played the role of a minor character in The Sentinel (1977), and Annie Hall (1977), both Woody Allen classics. A number of co-starring roles were followed by First Love (1977), the Clint Eastwood starrer Every Which Way but Loose (1978) and the film version of the hit music video Hair (1979). Beverly's most memorable performance came as Patsy Cline, the only coal miner's daughter (1980). She and Oscar winner Sissy Spacek (as her co-star country singer Loretta Lynn) performed with ease and skill. singing.