Scottish-born actress Lois de Banzie plays First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt alongside co-star Edward Herrmann's President Roosevelt in "Annie." Per De Banzie's IMDb profile, she got her first break as a television actor in 1957 by appearing in an episode of "Perry Mason." From there, she enjoyed a productive period of her career in the 1980s, with small roles in movies like "Tootsie," "Sudden Impact," and "Mass Appeal." This led to the actress popping up in hit '90s movies, including "Arachnophobia," "Addams Family Values," and "Sister Act."
However, de Banzie was more prominent as a supporting player in many television shows. IMDb reminds us that, among her numerous onscreen credits, she appeared on "Cheers," "Home Improvement," "Taxi," Steven Spielberg's "Amazing Stories," and "Murder, She Wrote." Her turn in "Amazing Stories" was especially memorable, starring as Mark Hamill's mother in the 1986 episode "Gather Ye Acorns" (per IMDb).
De Banzie was also visible on Broadway. She established herself in the theater with her performance as Mrs. Prynne in 1978's "Da," and then went on to earn a Tony nomination and a Drama Desk Award for 1980's "Morning's At Seven" (via Playbill). Her passing is a very recent one. In April, de Banzie died at the age of 90 in Greenbrae, California, per The Hollywood Reporter).
