- published: 16 Aug 2010
- views: 13040
Beverlee McKinsey (August 9, 1935 – May 2, 2008) was an American actress. She is best known for her roles on two daytime serials. Her first known role was as Iris Wheeler on the soap opera Another World from 1972 to 1980. Subsequently, she portrayed the same role until November 1981 on the spin-off show Texas. Her other famous role was as the Baroness Alexandra Spaulding Von Halkein, on the soap opera Guiding Light, from 1984 to 1992. In 1994, she made a brief return to daytime, appearing in 6 episodes of General Hospital as Myrna Slaughter, a witness in Edward Quartermain's trial for the murder of Jack Boland.
Beverlee McKinsey was born Beverlee Magruder in McAlester, Oklahoma, on August 9, 1935. She was the daughter of Warren and Jewell Magruder of McAlester.
McKinsey graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1956 with a bachelor's degree in Drama. Her professional career began in the New York theater. She understudied the leading role of newlywed Corie in the original Broadway production of Barefoot in the Park and was given the opportunity to perform the role opposite Robert Redford several times. She also co-starred as Honey in the London production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, starring Uta Hagen and Arthur Hill. She started her career in Off-Broadway theater, often appearing alongside James Earl Jones and Doris Belack.
Guiding Light (known as The Guiding Light before 1975) is an American television soap opera that is listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-running drama in television in American history, broadcast on CBS for 57 years from June 30, 1952 until September 18, 2009, preceded by a 15-year broadcast on radio.Guiding Light is the longest running soap opera and the fifth longest running program in all of broadcast history; only the American country music radio program Grand Ole Opry (first broadcast in 1925), the BBC religious program The Daily Service (1928), the CBS religious program Music and the Spoken Word (1929), and the Norwegian children's radio program Lørdagsbarnetimen (first aired in 1924, cancelled in 2010) have been on the air longer.
Guiding Light was created by Irna Phillips, and began as an NBC Radio serial on January 25, 1937. On June 2, 1947, the series was transferred to CBS Radio, before starting on June 30, 1952, on CBS Television. It continued to be broadcast concomitantly on radio until June 29, 1956. The series was expanded from 15 minutes to a half-hour during 1968, and then to a full hour on November 7, 1977. The series broadcast its 15,000th CBS episode on September 6, 2006.
These final two scenes are the last time Beverlee Mckinsey ever graced our Television Screens as Alexandra Spaulding. These clips aired on 8-17-92 and Bev quit the show right after. The role of Alex was recast one year and one month later when Marj Dusay took over the role. The final scenes are very touching with Nick and Bev's last was when Alex goes to Vanessa and gives her all the keys to Spaulding and tells her she is in charge while she is gone. Bev created one of the most memorable powerful female roles ever on Daytime!
This is Beverlee McKinsey's final scene as Iris Wheeler. Iris has a tear filled goodbye with Vivien, as they discuss the past and how much they will miss each other. clip from episode #335
Coming to pay their respects after Lujack's death, Kyle and Billy find a less than receptive Alexandra. **As a side note, I think this really showcases the genius of Beverlee McKinsey. A whole range of emotions are bubbling beneath the surface and yet she never has to resort to histrionics to make her point.
I made this video in loving memory of Beverlee McKinsey, one of the greatest daytime actresses of all time , who sadly passed away on May 2, 2008. I wanted to put something together to honor her and say thanks for the hours of entertainment she brought her many fans over the years. This is the first time I have made a video like this and I hope you all enjoy it. I used one of my favorite songs to go with the video. "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.
This is from the film Bronco Billy, a tongue and cheek gem from Clint Eastwood from the early 80s. These are Beverlee McKinsey's scenes in the film. She played the role of the evil stepmother, Irene Lily.
Beverlee McKinsey's last scenes on Guiding Light as Alexandra Spaulding before she walked off the show for good.
Classic scenes of Beverlee McKinsey as Carl Chase, the sweet housewife who winds up dead.
This segment discusses the change in the soaps over the years. part 2 of 5. Michael Zaslow, Maureen Garret, Peter Simon, Beverlee Mckinsey, Director Jo Anne Sedwick and Jill Farren Phelps are interviewed.
Beverlee McKinsey guest stars in the 1965 epsiode of Seaway entitled "Shipment from Marseilles."
Beverlee McKinsey's last scenes as Alexandra Spaulding on Guiding Light!
Please watch: " Arrow, Flash, Legends crossover is spectacular says showrunner! INTERVIEW " ➨ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKRllEjYrFc -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- I'm not a big soap fan, as regular viewers and listeners to Mr. Media know. But the last time Kim Zimmer was on this show, in March 2010 -- along with her TV husband, Robert Newman -- she was a lot of fun. So I had to invite her back to talk about a book that she clearly invested a lot of personality and truth in. Subscribe to Mr. Media for FREE on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=MrMediaRadio For more interviews like this one: http://www.MrMedia.com What is Mr. Media® Interviews? The calm of Charlie Rose, the curiosity of Terry Gross and the unpredictability of Howard Stern! Since February 2007...
An interview with Scott McKinsey.