Lorna Thayer

Acting

Lorna Thayer

Born
Died
(aged 86)
Birthplace
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Credits
48 titles

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Lorna Thayer (10 March 1919 - June 4, 2005) was an American character actress.

Thayer was born in Boston, the daughter of silent screen actress Louise Gibney. She appeared often in theatre and on television. In 1955 she played in The Beast with a Million Eyes with Paul Birch. She played minor roles in the films The Lusty Men, Texas City and Frankie and Johnny.

It was her role in the iconic 1970 film Five Easy Pieces as the waitress who refuses to allow Jack Nicholson's character to order a side of wheat toast that she is most likely to be remembered for and identified with. The scene has come to be known as the "chicken salad scene".

She died at the Motion Picture and Television Fund Retirement Home in Woodland Hills, California aged 86, after battling Alzheimer's disease for five years.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Lorna Thayer, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Signature work

Known For

Acting credits 48

YearTitleRole
1991 Frankie and Johnny Film Flower Mart Vendor
1986 Nothing in Common Film Auditioning Grandma
1981 Buddy Buddy Film Lady
1980 The Aliens Are Coming Film Waitress
1979 Flatbed Annie & Sweetie Pie: Lady Truckers Film Hospital Receptionist
1977 CHiPs TV (1 ep)
1976 Revenge of the Cheerleaders Film Lilly Downs
1975 Smoke In The Wind Film Ma Mondier
1974 Alice Goodbody Film Yvonne
1974 It Couldn't Happen to a Nicer Guy Film Mrs. Gibbs
1974 The Dion Brothers Film TV Interviewer (uncredited)
1974 The Family Kovack Film Thelma
1974 Rhinoceros Film Restaurant Owner
1974 Mrs. Sundance Film Fanny Porter
1972 Skyjacked Film Weber's mother
1972 Cisco Pike Film Swimming Lady
1971 The Andromeda Strain Film Woman (uncredited)
1970 Five Easy Pieces Film Waitress
1969 Dr. Heidegger's Experiment Film Widow Wycherly
1968 The Shakiest Gun in the West Film Saloon Girl (uncredited)
1967 Garrison's Gorillas TV (1 ep)
1966 That Girl TV (1 ep)
1961 The Dick Van Dyke Show TV (1 ep)
1961 87th Precinct TV (1 ep)
1960 Freckles Film Alice Cooper
1960 The Tall Man TV (1 ep)
1959 The Detectives TV (1 ep)
1959 Johnny Ringo TV Mrs. Haig (1 ep)
1959 Black Saddle TV Belle Bronson (1 ep)
1958 Natchez Film Belle
1957 Have Gun, Will Travel TV (4 ep)
1956 The Women of Pitcairn Island Film Mortua
1956 Playhouse 90 TV Belle (1 ep)
1956 The Adventures of Jim Bowie TV Mrs. Williams (3 ep)
1955 The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp TV (2 ep)
1955 The Beast with a Million Eyes Film Carol Kelley
1955 Women's Prison Film
1954 The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin TV (1 ep)
1954 Medic TV Lorraine Lockwood (1 ep)
1953 Jennifer Film Molly
1953 Letter to Loretta TV Christine Markham (1 ep)
1953 I Led Three Lives TV (1 ep)
1952 The Lusty Men Film Grace Burgess
1952 Cavalcade of America TV Miss Holmes (1 ep)
1951 Dragnet TV (2 ep)
1951 Schlitz Playhouse of Stars TV Irene Williams (1 ep)
1951 Boston Blackie TV (1 ep)
1950 Lux Video Theatre TV Liza (1 ep)
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