Melinda Dillon Biography

Fast Facts

• Nominated for a Saturn Award for both "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "Harry and the Hendersons․"
• Won a 1963 Theatre World Award for her role in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
• Studied acting at the Goodman Theater School before honing her skills under the instruction of Lee Strasberg
• After transitioning to film in 1969, she would go on to be best known for her roles as Jillian Guiler in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and as Mother Parker in "A Christmas Story․"
• Initially known as a comedic actress, she would make her stage debut in 1962 with the Broadway production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
• Played a mother in many of her roles
• Worked on the 1968 presidential campaign for Sen․ Eugene McCarthy