Frances Sternhagen
![Sternhagen in 1962](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Frances_Sternhagen_1962.jpg)
Sternhagen gained acclaim for her extensive career on the Broadway stage. She made her debut in ''The Skin of Our Teeth'' (1955). She went on to receive two Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performances as various characters in Neil Simon's comedic play ''The Good Doctor'' (1973) and as Lavinia Penniman in Ruth and Augustus Goetz's dramatic play ''The Heiress'' (1995). Her other Tony-nominated roles were for ''The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window'' (1972), ''Equus'' (1975), ''Angel'' (1978), ''On Golden Pond'' (1979), and ''Morning's at Seven'' (2002). She gained prominence and Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her recurring roles as Esther Clavin in the NBC sitcom ''Cheers'' (1986–1993) and Bunny MacDougal in the HBO series ''Sex and the City'' (2000–2002). She also had recurring roles in the NBC medical drama ''ER'' (1994–2009), and the TNT series ''The Closer'' (2006–2012). Sternhagen acted in numerous films including ''The Hospital'' (1971), ''Starting Over'' (1979), ''Misery'' (1990), and ''Julie & Julia'' (2009). Provided by Wikipedia