A Theatrical Bow

The NY Post's Michael Riedel says a final goodbye to theatrical stars who died this year via choice quotes from interviews with them. My favorite is the tribute to Maureen Stapleton.

One of the great stage actresses of the 20th century, Stapleton was equally skilled at drama ("The Glass Menagerie") and comedy ("Plaza Suite"). She was a colorful character offstage, candid about her looks, weight, phobias and enormous capacity for alcohol.

In 1971, after winning the Tony Award for "The Rose Tattoo," she told Tallmer: "I have wine after the show. I never could drink before a show. I did it once 20 years ago. I went to a cocktail party and didn't realize I was getting drunk. I went to work and only got through it by the grace of God. And I scared myself so that it's just out ever since."

She giggled and added: "And my husband said: 'Now if only you could scare yourself after 11:30 at night . . . ' "