Photo: Gage Skidmore / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Jessica Walter, born on January 31, 1941 in Brooklyn, New York, United States, was a stage actor, film actor and television actor. Death is recorded on March 24, 2021, at the age of 80. Jessica Walter was educated at High School of Performing Arts. Awards on record include Emmy Award, Actor Awards and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (1975). The listed height was 173 cm.
My Take
Jessica Walter had the rare gift of being terrifying and hilarious within the same career, often with the same arched eyebrow. Her obsessive fan in Play Misty for Me set a template for screen menace, and decades later her wickedly sardonic mothers on Arrested Development and Archer proved she could weaponize comedy just as sharply. More than 170 credits and an Emmy speak to relentless craft. What I admire is the precision: she never overplayed cruelty or comedy, she simply aimed it. She passed in 2021, but that voice and that withering stare remain unmistakable. A consummate, underrated professional.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Jessica Walter
- Name (Japanese)
- ジェシカ・ウォルター
- Reading
- じぇしか・うぉるたー
- Born
- January 31, 1941 – March 24, 2021
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Snake
- Origin
- Brooklyn, New York, United States
- Height
- 173 cm
- Occupation
- stage actor / film actor / television actor / voice actor / actor
2. Background
- High school
- High School of Performing Arts
Awards & achievements
- Emmy Award
- Actor Awards
- 1975 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Play Misty for Me | — |
4. Links
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-11
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Jessica Walter born?
Born January 31, 1941.
When did Jessica Walter die?
Died March 24, 2021, aged 80.
Where was Jessica Walter from?
Jessica Walter was from Brooklyn, New York, United States.
What did Jessica Walter do?
Jessica Walter worked as stage actor, film actor, television actor, voice actor, actor.
How tall was Jessica Walter?
Jessica Walter was 173 cm.
What was Jessica Walter known for?
Notable works include Play Misty for Me.
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