TAMMY GRIMES (Ruth Arnold) has created characters on the Broadway stage ranging from the uninhibited hoyden Molly Brown, to the brittle sophisication of Noel Coward's Amanda that caused the august drama critic of the New York Times, Walter Kerr, to proclaim: "Tammy Grimes is a genius," and ten years later, to state: "Miss Grimes remains a miracle."
She won her second Tony award as "Best Dramatic Actress" in 1970 for her portrayal of Amanda Pryne in the revivalof Noel Coward's PRIVATE LIVES.
Born in Lynn, Massachussetts, she graduated from the Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill, Mass., attended Stephens College in Missouri, spent a season at Westport Playhouse in Connecticut, and studied at Sanford Meisner's Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. Then came the world of a full-fledged actress as she stood by for Kim Stanley in BUS STOP, appeared with Joel Grey Off-Broadway in THE LITTLEST REVUE, toured with Julie Harris in THE LARK, supported Claude Dauphin Off-Broadway in CLERAMBARD, and played "Mistress Quickly" in KING HENRY, PART ONE and "Mopsa" in WINTER'S TALE at Stratford, Ontario.
Her Broadway debut was the result of her supper club appearance at Julius Monk's Downstairs at the Upstairs. Roddy McDowell, on of her earliest fans, brought Noel Coward to hear her sing and during intermission he offered her the leading role in LOOK AFTER LULU. Although her personal notices were glowing, it wasn't until she made her musical debut in her next show, THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN, that the world became Tammy Grimes conscious. She won her first Tony Award for "Best Actress in a Musical Comedy" and appeared in the show for two years.
Tammy followe MOLLY with starring roles in Broadway's RATTLE OF A SIMPLE MAN, in the musical HIGH SPIRITS as the ghostly Elvira, and in Pulitzer Prize winner Frank D. Gilroy's THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN. Her most recent appearance on Broadway was the critically acclaimed revival of Noel Coward's PRIVATE LIVES.
In addition to her Broadway successes, she has been a guest on virtually all of the major dramatic and variety television programs, and starred in her own ABC-TV series. She has also appeared in many of the chic supper clubs throughout the country as a musical headliner.
Miss Grimes made her film debut costarring with David McCallum in "Three Bites of the Apple" and her most recent film is "Arthur, Arthur."