Sada Thompson, 81, the durable matriarch of stage and screen who won a Tony Award for her portraits of three sisters and their mother in the 1971 comedy “Twigs” and an Emmy Award for playing the eternally understanding mother in the television series “Family,” died Wednesday of a lung disease at Danbury (Conn.) Hospital, her agent said Sunday.
Thompson won wide acclaim during an illustrious career that spanned more than 60 years. A prolific actress, she made her mark in theater and film generally portraying the matriarchs in family dramas.
By far, her biggest Broadway success was “Twigs,” written by George Furth, in which she played three sisters — as well as their mother. She won a Tony and the New York Drama Critics Award that season.
In the late ’70s, she picked up an Emmy for her portrayal of the levelheaded Kate Lawrence in the ABC drama “Family,” which ran for five seasons. In 1991, she was nominated for an Emmy for her portrayal of Carla’s mother in the NBC comedy “Cheers.”
The Des Moines, Iowa, native said she loved a good character role.
“There’s always something more to be accomplished with a character,” she told the Associated Press in 1987. “Theater is a human experience. There’s nothing shellacked or finished off about it. I guess that’s why it always draws me back.”
