Constance Towers Orchestrations, bulk bulk

Collection context

Summary

Abstract:
This collection contains Constance Towers' sheet music from productions throughout her career.
Extent:
10 Linear Feet
Language:
English and English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Series number, Box and Folder number, Constance Towers Orchestrations, MS 130, Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.

Background

Biographical / historical:

Constance Towers was born on May 20, 1933 in Whitefish, Montana. She was in the first grade when discovered by talent scouts who were in Montana looking for child actors for radio programs and Constance worked as a child voice actress in radio programs broadcast throughout the Pacific Northwest for the next three years. At the age of 11 Constance turned down a contract offer from Paramount Pictures because her heart was set on becoming an opera singer. The Towers family relocated to New York City when Constance was a teenager and she attended Julliard School of Music as well as the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Constance made her film debut in 1955 with a supporting role in Bring Your Smile Along and then took a supporting role in Over-Exposed in 1956. Her first lead role was opposite John Wayne in The Horse Soldiers in 1959. From 1955 to 1965 Constance took several film, television, and stage roles. In 1960 she took the role of Sarah in Guys and Dolls. During this period she was also singing on the nightclub circuit and signing on The Ed Sullivan Show, Tonight with Jack Paar, and Perry Mason. In 1965 she made her Broadway debut playing the title role in the musical Anya. From this point on her career was primarily focused on theater with occasional film and television roles. Constance preformed on Broadway in the following musicals: Anya, Ari, and The King and I. Her vibrant off-Broadway career includes Carousel, The Sound of Music, Follies, Dumas and Sun, and more. Constance guest-starred on many prime-time television shows throughout her career but her most well-known role is that of evil matriarch Helena Cassadine on daytime television's General Hospital.

In 1959 Constance married Eugene McCrath. Together they had two children before they divorced in 1966. In 1974 Constance married actor and former ambassador the Mexico John Gavin. She is active in multiple charities: the Children's Bureau of California, the National Health Foundation, the Red Cross, the Blue Ribbon of Los Angeles, and Project Connie. Project Connie is an adoption placement agency for Mexican and Salvadoran children.

Film Credits:

1955: Bring Your Smile Along

1956:Over-Exposed

1959: The Horse Soldiers

1960: Sergeant Rutledge 1963: Shock Corridor

1964: Fate is the Hunter

1964: The Naked Kiss

1974: Once in Her Life

1985: Fast Forward

1985: Sylvester

1991: Memories of Midnight

1992: The Nutt House

1992: The Sands of Time

1994: The Next Karate Kid

1995: Thunder in Paradise 3

1997: The Relic

1998: A Perfect Murder

2008: The Awakening of Spring

2013: A Fuller Life

2015: Aghape

2017: The Storyteller

Television Credits:

1952: Tales of Tomorrow (Episode: "Seeing-Eye Surgeon)

1957: State Trooper (Episode: "Beef ala Murder")

1957: Mike Hammer (Episode: "Overdose of Lead")

1957-1958: The Bob Cummings Show (Episodes: "Bob Gives Psychology Lessons" and "Bob's Forgotten Fiancรฉe)

1961-1965: Perry Mason (5 episodes)

1971-1972: Love is a Many Splendored Thing (Series regular)

1975: Hawaii Five-O (Episode: "Death's Name is Sam")

1977: Lanigan's Rabbi (Episode: "In Hot Weather, the Crime Rate Soars")

1979: The Rockford Files (Episode: "The Big Cheese")

1979-1981: Fantasy Island (Episodes: "Hit Man/The Swimmer" and "The Perfect Husband/ Volcano")

1982-1987: Capitol (Series regular)

1986: On Wings of Eagles (miniseries)

1987: Murder, She Wrote (Episode: "Murder, She Spoke"

1987-1988: L.A. Law (Episodes: "Rohner vs. Gradinger" and "Full Marital Jacket")

1988: The Lone (Pilot episode)

1989: MacGyver (Episode: "Ma Dalton"

1989: Midnight Caller (Episode: "Blood Red")

1990: Designing Women (Episode: "The Mistress")

1991: Matlock (Episode: "The Suspect")

1992: Baywatch (Episode: "Sea of Flames")

1992: 2000 Malibu Road (6 episodes)

1992: Civil Wars (Episode: "Das Boat House")

1993: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Episode: "The Forsaken")

1994: Frasier (Episode: "Slow Tango in South Seattle")

1994: Thunder in Paradise (Episode: "Deadly Lessons: Part 1" and "Deadly Lessons: Part 2)

1994: Silk Stalkings (Episode: "Ask the Dust")

1995: Caroline in the City (Episode: Caroline and the Folks")

1995: High Society (Episode: "Tomb with a View")

1996: The Young and the Restless (Recurring role)

1997: Sunset Beach (9 episodes)

1997-2007: General Hospital (Series Regular)

1998: Kelly Kelly (Episode: "The Kilt Show")

2000: Providence (Episode: "Syd in Wonderland")

2006: Criminal Minds (Episode: Riding the Lighting)

2007: The 4400 (Episode: "Audrey Parker's Come and Gone")

2009-2013: General Hospital (Recurring guest star)

2009: Cold Case (Episode: "Libertyville")

2013: 1600 Penn (Episode: "So You Don't Want to Dance")

2014-2017: General Hospital (Recurring guest star)

2014: Men at Work (Episode: "Suburban Gibbs")

2016: 11.22.63 (Episode: "Day in Question")

Stage Credits:

1960: Guys and Dolls (Civic Light Opera Company: Los Angeles, California)

1965: Anya (Ziegfeld Theatre: New York, New York)

1966: Show Boat (New York State Theatre: New York, New York)

1966: Carousel (City Center Theatre: New York, New York)

1967: The Sound of Music

1967: Dumas and Son (Los Angeles Civic Light Opera: Los Angeles, California)

1970: The Engagement Baby (Helen Hayes Theatre: New York, New York)

1971: Ari (Mark Hellinger Theatre: New York, New York)

1972: I do! I do! (Chateau de Ville: Saugus, Massachusetts)

1973: My Fair Lady (Indianapolis, Indiana)

1973: Mame (Springfield, Missouri)

1973: The Desperate Hours (Arlington Park, Illinois)

1977-1979: The King and I (Uris Theatre: New York, New York)

1995: Follies (Theatre Under the Stars: Houston and 5th Avenue Theatre: Seattle)

Acquisition information:
Gift of Ambassador John A. Gavin and Constance M. Towers. Accession number: 2017.11
Arrangement:

This collection has been arranged alphabetically by song title.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open to research under the terms of use of the Department of Archives and Special Collections, Loyola Marymount University.

Terms of access:

Materials in the Department of Archives and Special Collections may be subject to copyright. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, Loyola Marymount University does not claim ownership of the copyright of any materials in its collections. The user or publisher must secure permission to publish from the copyright owner. Loyola Marymount University does not assume any responsibility for infringement of copyright or of publication rights held by the original author or artists or his/her heirs, assigns, or executors.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Series number, Box and Folder number, Constance Towers Orchestrations, MS 130, Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.

Location of this collection:
1 LMU Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90045-2659, US
Contact:
(310) 338-5710