Barbara Hershey

Barbara Hershey (born Barbara Lynn Herzstein; February 5, 1948) is an American actress. In a career spanning more than 50 years, she has played a variety of roles on television and in cinema in several genres, including westerns and comedies. She began acting at age 17 in 1965 but did not achieve much critical acclaim until the latter half of the 1980s. By that time, the Chicago Tribune referred to her as "one of America's finest actresses". Hershey won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries/TV Film for her role in A Killing in a Small Town (1990). She received Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mary Magdalene in The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and for her role in The Portrait of a Lady (1996). For the latter film, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and won the Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress. She has won two Best Actress awards at the Cannes Film Festival for her roles in Shy People (1987) and A World Apart (1988). She was featured in Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), for which she was nominated for the British Academy Film Award for Best Supporting Actress and Garry Marshall's melodrama Beaches (1988), and she earned a second British Academy Film Award nomination for Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan (2010). Description above from the Wikipedia article Barbara Hershey, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Insidious (2011)

IntenseBoringDarkMysterious

A family discovers that dark spirits have invaded their home after their son inexplicably falls into an endless sleep. When they reach out to a professional for help, they learn things are a lot more personal than they thought.  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Wan
CAST:  Patrick Wilson  •  Rose Byrne  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Leigh Whannell

A family discovers that dark spirits have invaded their home after their son inexplicably falls into an endless sleep. When they reach out to a professional for help, they learn things are a lot more personal than they thought.  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Wan
CAST:  Patrick Wilson  •  Rose Byrne  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Leigh Whannell

A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998)

This fictionalized story, based on the family life of writer James Jones, is an emotional slice-of-life story. Jones is portrayed here portrayed as Bill Willis, a former war hero turned author who combats alcoholism and is starting to experience health problems. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Ivory
CAST:  Kris Kristofferson  •  Leelee Sobieski  •  Jane Birkin  •  Barbara Hershey

This fictionalized story, based on the family life of writer James Jones, is an emotional slice-of-life story. Jones is portrayed here portrayed as Bill Willis, a former war hero turned author who combats alcoholism and is starting to experience health problems. ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  James Ivory
CAST:  Kris Kristofferson  •  Leelee Sobieski  •  Jane Birkin  •  Barbara Hershey

A World Apart (1988)

A White enclave in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the 1960s. Molly Roth, 13 years old, is the daughter of leftist parents, and she must piece together what's happening around her when her father disappears one night, barely evading arrest, and, not long after, her ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Chris Menges
CAST:  Jodhi May  •  Jeroen Krabbé  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Tim Roth

A White enclave in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the 1960s. Molly Roth, 13 years old, is the daughter of leftist parents, and she must piece together what's happening around her when her father disappears one night, barely evading arrest, and, not long after, her ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Chris Menges
CAST:  Jodhi May  •  Jeroen Krabbé  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Tim Roth

Beaches (1988)

A privileged rich debutante and a cynical struggling entertainer share a turbulent, but strong childhood friendship over the years.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Garry Marshall
CAST:  Bette Midler  •  Barbara Hershey  •  John Heard  •  Spalding Gray

A privileged rich debutante and a cynical struggling entertainer share a turbulent, but strong childhood friendship over the years.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Garry Marshall
CAST:  Bette Midler  •  Barbara Hershey  •  John Heard  •  Spalding Gray

Boxcar Bertha (1972)

"Boxcar" Bertha Thompson, a transient woman in Arkansas during the violence-filled Depression of the early '30s, meets up with rabble-rousing union man "Big" Bill Shelly and the two team up to fight the corrupt railroad establishment.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Martin Scorsese
CAST:  Barbara Hershey  •  David Carradine  •  Barry Primus  •  Bernie Casey

"Boxcar" Bertha Thompson, a transient woman in Arkansas during the violence-filled Depression of the early '30s, meets up with rabble-rousing union man "Big" Bill Shelly and the two team up to fight the corrupt railroad establishment.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Martin Scorsese
CAST:  Barbara Hershey  •  David Carradine  •  Barry Primus  •  Bernie Casey

Falling Down (1993)

Thought provokingGrippingThrilling

An ordinary man frustrated with the various flaws he sees in society begins to psychotically and violently lash out against them.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Joel Schumacher
CAST:  Michael Douglas  •  Robert Duvall  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Tuesday Weld

An ordinary man frustrated with the various flaws he sees in society begins to psychotically and violently lash out against them.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Joel Schumacher
CAST:  Michael Douglas  •  Robert Duvall  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Tuesday Weld

Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)

Between two Thanksgivings, Hannah's husband falls in love with her sister Lee, while her hypochondriac ex-husband rekindles his relationship with her sister Holly.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Woody Allen
CAST:  Mia Farrow  •  Carrie Fisher  •  Michael Caine  •  Barbara Hershey

Between two Thanksgivings, Hannah's husband falls in love with her sister Lee, while her hypochondriac ex-husband rekindles his relationship with her sister Holly.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Woody Allen
CAST:  Mia Farrow  •  Carrie Fisher  •  Michael Caine  •  Barbara Hershey

Hoosiers (1986)

Failed college coach Norman Dale gets a chance at redemption when he is hired to coach a high school basketball team in a tiny Indiana town. After a teacher persuades star player Jimmy Chitwood to quit and focus on his long-neglected studies, Dale struggles to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  David Anspaugh
CAST:  Gene Hackman  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Dennis Hopper  •  Sheb Wooley

Failed college coach Norman Dale gets a chance at redemption when he is hired to coach a high school basketball team in a tiny Indiana town. After a teacher persuades star player Jimmy Chitwood to quit and focus on his long-neglected studies, Dale struggles to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  David Anspaugh
CAST:  Gene Hackman  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Dennis Hopper  •  Sheb Wooley

Lantana (2001)

ComplexDarkMysterious

Plagued with grief over the murder of her daughter, Valerie Somers suspects that her husband John is cheating on her. When Valerie disappears, Detective Leon Zat attempts to solve the mystery of her absence. A complex web of love, sex and deceit emerges -- drawing ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ray Lawrence
CAST:  Anthony LaPaglia  •  Rachael Blake  •  Kerry Armstrong  •  Geoffrey Rush

Plagued with grief over the murder of her daughter, Valerie Somers suspects that her husband John is cheating on her. When Valerie disappears, Detective Leon Zat attempts to solve the mystery of her absence. A complex web of love, sex and deceit emerges -- drawing ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Ray Lawrence
CAST:  Anthony LaPaglia  •  Rachael Blake  •  Kerry Armstrong  •  Geoffrey Rush

Riding the Bullet (2004)

In 1969, while studying at the University of Maine, artist Alan Parker becomes obsessed with death. Believing he is losing his girlfriend, he tries to commit suicide on his birthday but his friends manage to stop him. He receives news that his mother has had a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mick Garris
CAST:  Jonathan Jackson  •  David Arquette  •  Cliff Robertson  •  Barbara Hershey

In 1969, while studying at the University of Maine, artist Alan Parker becomes obsessed with death. Believing he is losing his girlfriend, he tries to commit suicide on his birthday but his friends manage to stop him. He receives news that his mother has had a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mick Garris
CAST:  Jonathan Jackson  •  David Arquette  •  Cliff Robertson  •  Barbara Hershey

Shy People (1987)

New York journalist visits her distant cousin for the first time to write an article about her hard life in the bayous of Louisiana. Journalist's wild drug addicted daughter just adds to tensions between two families' cultures.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Andrei Konchalovsky
CAST:  Jill Clayburgh  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Martha Plimpton  •  Merritt Butrick

New York journalist visits her distant cousin for the first time to write an article about her hard life in the bayous of Louisiana. Journalist's wild drug addicted daughter just adds to tensions between two families' cultures.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Andrei Konchalovsky
CAST:  Jill Clayburgh  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Martha Plimpton  •  Merritt Butrick

The Entity (1982)

Carla Moran, a hard-working single mother, is raped in her bedroom by someone — or something — that she cannot see. Despite skeptical psychiatrists, she is repeatedly attacked by this invisible force. Could this be a case of hysteria or something more horrific?  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sidney J. Furie
CAST:  Barbara Hershey  •  Ron Silver  •  David Labiosa  •  George Coe

Carla Moran, a hard-working single mother, is raped in her bedroom by someone — or something — that she cannot see. Despite skeptical psychiatrists, she is repeatedly attacked by this invisible force. Could this be a case of hysteria or something more horrific?  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sidney J. Furie
CAST:  Barbara Hershey  •  Ron Silver  •  David Labiosa  •  George Coe

The Public Eye (1992)

A crime photographer gets involved in a conspiracy.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Howard Franklin
CAST:  Joe Pesci  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Richard Riehle  •  Stanley Tucci

A crime photographer gets involved in a conspiracy.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Howard Franklin
CAST:  Joe Pesci  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Richard Riehle  •  Stanley Tucci

The Right Stuff (1983)

EpicFast pacedAdventurous

A chronicle of the original Mercury astronauts in the formation of America's space program: Alan Shepherd, the first American in space; Gus Grissom, the benighted astronaut for whom nothing works out as planned; John Glenn, the straight-arrow 'boy scout' of the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Philip Kaufman
CAST:  Sam Shepard  •  Scott Glenn  •  Ed Harris  •  Dennis Quaid

A chronicle of the original Mercury astronauts in the formation of America's space program: Alan Shepherd, the first American in space; Gus Grissom, the benighted astronaut for whom nothing works out as planned; John Glenn, the straight-arrow 'boy scout' of the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Philip Kaufman
CAST:  Sam Shepard  •  Scott Glenn  •  Ed Harris  •  Dennis Quaid

The Sinister Saga of Making The Stunt Man (2000)

In 1980, The Stunt Man, starring Peter O'Toole and Steve Railsback, became one of the most acclaimed motion pictures of the decade -- an odd mixture of black humor and riveting suspense. But the strange history of the film's embattled development, production and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Richard Rush
CAST:  Richard Rush  •  Peter O'Toole  •  Steve Railsback  •  Barbara Hershey

In 1980, The Stunt Man, starring Peter O'Toole and Steve Railsback, became one of the most acclaimed motion pictures of the decade -- an odd mixture of black humor and riveting suspense. But the strange history of the film's embattled development, production and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Richard Rush
CAST:  Richard Rush  •  Peter O'Toole  •  Steve Railsback  •  Barbara Hershey

The Stunt Man (1980)

A fugitive stumbles onto a movie set just when they need a new stunt man, takes the job as a way to hide out and falls for the leading lady while facing off with his manipulative director.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Richard Rush
CAST:  Peter O'Toole  •  Steve Railsback  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Allen Garfield

A fugitive stumbles onto a movie set just when they need a new stunt man, takes the job as a way to hide out and falls for the leading lady while facing off with his manipulative director.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Richard Rush
CAST:  Peter O'Toole  •  Steve Railsback  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Allen Garfield

Tin Men (1987)

SmartFunnyClever

A minor car accident drives two rival aluminum-siding salesmen to the ridiculous extremes of man versus man in 1963 Baltimore.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Barry Levinson
CAST:  Richard Dreyfuss  •  Danny DeVito  •  Barbara Hershey  •  John Mahoney

A minor car accident drives two rival aluminum-siding salesmen to the ridiculous extremes of man versus man in 1963 Baltimore.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Barry Levinson
CAST:  Richard Dreyfuss  •  Danny DeVito  •  Barbara Hershey  •  John Mahoney

Diamonds (1975)

Charles Hodgson is a British aristocrat who decides to become a thief as a way of getting at his twin brother, Earl, a security expert who has built a supposedly impregnable vault in Tel Aviv, which holds a cache of diamonds. For the caper, Charles enlists Archie, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Menahem Golan
CAST:  Robert Shaw  •  Richard Roundtree  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Shelley Winters

Charles Hodgson is a British aristocrat who decides to become a thief as a way of getting at his twin brother, Earl, a security expert who has built a supposedly impregnable vault in Tel Aviv, which holds a cache of diamonds. For the caper, Charles enlists Archie, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Menahem Golan
CAST:  Robert Shaw  •  Richard Roundtree  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Shelley Winters

Last of the Dogmen (1995)

A Montana bounty hunter is sent into the wilderness to track three escaped prisoners. Instead he sees something that puzzles him. Later with a female Native Indian history professor, he returns to find some answers.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tab Murphy
CAST:  Tom Berenger  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Kurtwood Smith  •  Steve Reevis

A Montana bounty hunter is sent into the wilderness to track three escaped prisoners. Instead he sees something that puzzles him. Later with a female Native Indian history professor, he returns to find some answers.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Tab Murphy
CAST:  Tom Berenger  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Kurtwood Smith  •  Steve Reevis

The Portrait of a Lady (1996)

Ms. Isabel Archer isn't afraid to challenge societal norms. Impressed by her free spirit, her kindhearted cousin writes her into his fatally ill father's will. Suddenly rich and independent, Isabelle ventures into the world, along the way befriending a cynical ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jane Campion
CAST:  Nicole Kidman  •  John Malkovich  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Mary-Louise Parker

Ms. Isabel Archer isn't afraid to challenge societal norms. Impressed by her free spirit, her kindhearted cousin writes her into his fatally ill father's will. Suddenly rich and independent, Isabelle ventures into the world, along the way befriending a cynical ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Jane Campion
CAST:  Nicole Kidman  •  John Malkovich  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Mary-Louise Parker
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