Anne Bancroft (born Anna Maria Louisa Italiano; September 17, 1931 – June 6, 2005) was an American actress. Respected for her acting prowess and versatility, Bancroft received an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two Tony Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Cannes Film Festival Award. She is one of only 24 thespians to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting. Bancroft was born Anna Maria Louisa (or Luisa) Italiano on September 17, 1931, in the Bronx, New York City, the middle of three daughters of Mildred (née Di Napoli), a telephone operator, and Michael G. Italiano, a dress pattern maker. Both of her parents' surnames were toponymic. Her parents were Italian immigrants from Southern Italy. In an interview, she stated that her family was originally from Muro Lucano, in the province of Potenza. She was raised in the Roman Catholic faith. Bancroft was raised in Little Italy, in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx, attended P.S. 12, later moving to 1580 Zerega Ave. Bancroft's Broadway debut in the two-character drama Two for the Seesaw (1958), brought her wide recognition for the depth of her talent and garnered her a Tony Award for best supporting actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker (1962), and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate (1967). Bancroft continued to have a successful career in film and television. She starred in a number of other films, including The Elephant Man (1980), 84 Charing Cross Road (1987), and Agnes of God (1985), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. Bancroft was married to director Mel Brooks from 1964 until her death in 2005. They had one son, Max Brooks.

Filmography

• 2018Hollywood: No Sex, Please!
• 2008Delgo — Sedessa (voice)
• 2003The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone — Contessa
• 2001Haven — Mama Gruber
• Haven — Mama Gruber
• 2001Heartbreakers — Gloria Vogal
• 2001In Search of Peace — Golda Meir (voice)
• Curb Your Enthusiasm — Anne Bancroft
• 2000Keeping the Faith — Ruth Schram
• 2000Up at the Villa — Princess San Ferdinando
• 1999Deep in My Heart — Gerry Cummins
• 1998Antz — Queen (voice)
• 1998Great Expectations — Ms. Dinsmoor
• 1998Mark Twain's America in 3D — Narrator
• 1997Critical Care — Nun
• 1997G.I. Jane — Senator Lillian DeHaven
• 1996Homecoming — Abigail Tillerman
• 1996The Sunchaser — Dr. Renata Baumbauer
• 1995Dracula: Dead and Loving It — Madame Ouspenskaya
• 1995Home for the Holidays — Adele Larson
• 1995How to Make an American Quilt — Glady Joe Cleary
• 1994Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All — Lucy Marsden (age 99-100)
• Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All — Old Lucy Marsden
• 1994The Mother — Mrs. Fanning
• 1993Malice — Mrs. Kennsinger
• 1993Mr. Jones — Dr. Catherine Holland
• 1993Point of No Return — Amanda
• 1992Broadway Bound — Kate Jerome
• 1992Honeymoon in Vegas — Bea Singer
• 1992Love Potion No. 9 — Madame Ruth
• 1992Mrs. Cage — Mrs. Cage
• Performance — Mrs. Fanning
• Freddie and Max — Max Chandler
• 1989Bert Rigby, You're a Fool — Meredith Perlestein
• The Simpsons — Dr. Zweig (voice)
• 1988Torch Song Trilogy — Ma Beckoff
• 198784 Charing Cross Road — Helene Hanff
• 1986'night, Mother — Thelma Cates
• 1985Agnes of God — Mother Miriam Ruth
• 1984Garbo Talks — Estelle Rolfe
• 1984James Mason: The Star They Loved to Hate — Jo Armitage (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 1983To Be or Not to Be — Anna Bronski
• American Playhouse — Mrs. Cage
• Marco Polo — Madre di Marco
• 1980Fatso — Antoinette, Director, Writer
• 1980The Elephant Man — Mrs Kendal
• Jesus of Nazareth — Mary Magdalene
• 1977The Turning Point — Emma
• 1976Lipstick — Carla Bondi
• 1976Silent Movie — Anne Bancroft
• 1975The Hindenburg — Ursula
• 1975The Prisoner of Second Avenue — Edna Edison
• Flick Flack
• 1972Young Winston — Lady Jennie Churchill
• Great Performances — Mrs. Fanning
• 1970Annie: The Women in the Life of a Man — Various
• 1967The Graduate — Mrs. Robinson
• ABC Stage 67 — Virginia
• 19657 Women — Dr. D.R. Cartwright
• 1965The Slender Thread — Inga Dyson
• 1964The Pumpkin Eater — Jo Armitage
• 1962The Miracle Worker — Annie Sullivan
• 1957Invitation to a Gunfighter — Julie Bickford
• 1957So Soon to Die — Isobel Waring
• 1957The Girl in Black Stockings — Beth Dixon
• 1957The Restless Breed — Angelita
• Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre — Isabelle Rutledge
• 1956Nightfall — Marie Gardner
• 1956Walk the Proud Land — Tianay
• 1955A Life in the Balance — María Ibinia
• 1955New York Confidential — Kathy Lupo
• 1955The Last Frontier — Corinna Marston
• 1955The Naked Street — Rosalie Regalzyk
• Climax! — Audrey, Elena Vallejo
• 1954Demetrius and the Gladiators — Paula
• 1954Gorilla at Large — Laverne Miller
• 1954The Raid — Katy Bishop
• 1953The Kid from Left Field — Marian Foley
• 1953Tonight We Sing — Emma Hurok
• 1953Treasure of the Golden Condor — Marie, Comtesse de St. Malo
• 1952Don't Bother to Knock — Lyn Lesley
• Lux Video Theatre — Leah, Kendal Browning, Ann Sommers, Cathy, Lolita, Sally
• 1950The Man Who Had Influence — Maria Cassini
• Suspense
• Studio One — Maria Cassini, Czechoslovakian Girl, Lisa Berzins

Appearances as themselves (17)

• 2018Mel Brooks: Unwrapped — Self (archive footage)
• 2017Mel Brooks: The Genius Entertainer — Herself
• 2013Mel Brooks: Make a Noise — Self
• 2009Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1980s, 1990s and 2000s — Self (archive)
• Legends — Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
• 2003Celebrity Naked Ambition — Self (archive footage)
• 1996Shirley Maclaine: Kicking Up Her Heels — Self (archive footage)
• 1984An Audience with Mel Brooks — Self
• 1982Women I Love: Beautiful But Funny — Self
• 1979The Muppets Go Hollywood — Self (uncredited)
• An Audience with... — Self
• 1978Mickey's 50 — Self
• Film '72 — Self
• Tonight Starring Jack Paar — Self
• Tony Awards — Self - Presenter
• The Oscars — Self
• What's My Line? — Self