An Olympian actress

Happy 80th birthday today to the wonderful Olympia Dukakis!

One of my screen icons, I have of course blogged about my admiration of her before.

So, let's just sit back and admire the lady as she gives the almighty Cher a bloody good telling-off...

Olympia Dukakis and Cher - Moonstruck - "What the hell happened to you?"

And she's not stopping yet!

Academy Award-winner Olympia Dukakis will host a benefit performance of American Conservatory Theatre's world-premiere musical, Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City on Friday, June 24 2011. The actress starred as Anna Madrigal in the PBS adaptation of Tales of the City.

Featuring a book by Jeff Whitty and a score by Jake Shears and John Garden of the Scissor Sisters, the A.C.T. production is directed by Jason Moore, with choreography by Larry Keigwin. It is based on Maupin's popular series of newspaper columns and novels.

Dukakis most recently starred Off-Broadway in The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore. Her many stage credits include Rose, Social Security, Vigil, and Elektra. She won the Academy Award for Moonstruck. She will also be one of the Grand Celebrity Marshals of this year's San Francisco Pride celebration.

An amazing woman...

Olympia Dukakis on IMDB

"If you're going to be a degenerate, you might as well be a lady about it"

Happy birthday today to the wonderful Olympia Dukakis, one of my favourite actresses. This lady is one of a rare breed, for if ever I see her name in the credits, I know that a film is going to have at least one scene worth watching!

Although her film career stretches all the way back to the 1960s, it was really only in the 80s that the world took notice of this feisty little Greek mama, in films such as Moonstruck and Steel Magnolias.

But it is for her Emmy-award-winning performance as the enigmatic Mrs Madrigal in Tales of the City that we love her the most, of course (although I must admit her cameo in Jeffrey as the proud mother of the "pre-operative transsexual lesbian son" is perhaps one of my personal favourites!). Here are a few small clips of the talent that is Olympia Dukakis...

Olympia Dukakis - Tales of the City (Part 1, Chapter 5)

Olympia Dukakis as "Clairee" - Steel Magnolias

Olympia Dukakis - Jeffrey

Olympia Dukakis on IMDB

Welcome to 28 Barbary Lane

"He’s not a strange man, Mom. He’s a homosexual.
I know you’ve heard of them. They have them on TV now!"
- Mary-Ann Singleton

What a fantastic bit of news! Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters is writing the songs for a stage musical version of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City. The show is being produced on Broadway by the team behind the brilliant Avenue Q, and is set to open in 2009.

I’m so excited! I wonder who they will get to play Mrs Madrigal? Or Mouse? And what sort of song will they give Mary Ann to sing?

But, much like the recent musical version of Terrence McNally’s The Ritz, I bet it won’t cross the pond and get to the UK - we may never get to see what could prove to be one of the campest, gayest musicals to hit the stage!

Enjoy this classic clip from the first TV series...

Tales of the City, part 1, chapter 5

Read the article on the BBC