My Take
Beverly D'Angelo is one of those actors who quietly built one of the most underrated careers in Hollywood — and I genuinely mean that. Most people know her as the long-suffering, cheerfully optimistic Ellen Griswold in the National Lampoon's Vacation films, and she's hilarious in them, but what really floors me is her Golden Globe-nominated turn as Patsy Cline in Coal Miner's Daughter (1980). She did her own singing, matched Sissy Spacek scene for scene, and somehow walked away without an Oscar conversation that she absolutely deserved. Add an Emmy nomination for A Streetcar Named Desire and a Theatre World Award, and you've got a performer with serious range. Columbus, Ohio produced somebody genuinely special here — a singer-actress who never settled for just one lane.
Overview
Beverly Heather D'Angelo (born November 15, 1951) is an American actress who starred as Ellen Griswold in the National Lampoon's Vacation films (1983–2015) and musician. She has appeared in over 60 films and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her role as Patsy Cline in Coal Miner's Daughter (1980), and for an Emmy Award for her role as Stella Kowalski in the TV film A Streetcar Named Desire (1984).
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Beverly D'Angelo
- Name (Japanese)
- ビヴァリー・ダンジェロ
- Reading
- びゔぁりー・だんじぇろ
- Born
- November 15, 1951 (age 74)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Rabbit
- Origin
- Columbus, Ohio, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- actor / singer / stage actor / television actor / film actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Whetstone High School
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1995 Theatre World Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Summer Camp | — | |
| Notable work | No Address | — |
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.