{{short description|American actress}} {{Use American English|date=July 2020}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Camila Ashland | image =Camila Ashland (aka Camille Stanczewski), 1928.png | imagesize = | caption = Camila Ashland in 1928. | birth_date = {{birth date|1911|03|24}} | birth_place = [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]] | death_date = {{death date and age|2008|09|12|1911|03|24}} | death_place = [[California]] | birth_name = Camille Stanczewski | occupation = Actress, singer | spouse = James Vincent Russo | children = 3 }}
'''Camila Ashland''', also known by her married name '''Camila Ashland Russo''',<ref name="PSC">{{cite news|title=The Songs Must Go On at Desert Theatre League Awards|work=[[The Desert Sun]]|date=December 9, 2003|page= 28}}</ref> (born '''Camille Stanczewski''', March 24, 1911 – September 12, 2008) was an American actress who was best known for her work on the stage. A native of [[Chicago]], she began performing as a dancer in [[vaudeville]] as a child. After training as an actress at the [[School of the Art Institute of Chicago]], she moved to New York where had an active career on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] from the 1940s through the 1970s. She was nominated for a [[Tony Award]] for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in ''Black Comedy/White Lies'' in 1967. She was also active in American regional theatre.
As a screen actress, Ashland's career was initially negatively impacted when she put on the [[Hollywood blacklist]] in the 1950s after making a few television appearances. She later was able to resume work in American television and film beginning in the 1970s with some of her memorable parts including the roles of Minnie Du Val in ''[[Dark Shadows]]'' (1970), Alice Grant in ''[[General Hospital]]'' (1976-1977), and Ruby in the miniseries ''[[V (1983 miniseries)|V]]'' (1983) and its sequel ''[[V The Final Battle]]'' (1984). In her later life she lived in [[Palm Desert, California]] where she served as the founder and director of the Palm Desert Community Theatre. She continued to perform publicly as late as 2004 when she was in her 90s. She died in 2008 at the age of 97.
==Early life and education== The daughter of Walter Stanczewski and Louise Stanczewski (née Rybezynski), Camille J. Stanczewski was born in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]] on March 24, 1911.<ref>Camille Stanczewski in the ''Cook County, Illinois, U.S., Birth Certificates Index, 1871-1922'', FHL number 1288216</ref> As a child she performed as a dancer in [[vaudeville]].<ref name="Brenon"/> She graduated from [[Carl Schurz High School]] in Chicago in 1928.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Schurzone|publisher=Carl Schurz High School|date=June 1928|page=52}}</ref> After earning a [[Bachelor of Music]] degree, she trained as an actor at the [[Goodman Theatre]]'s School of Drama which was part of the [[School of the Art Institute of Chicago]].<ref name="Brenon"/><ref name="Marriage">{{cite news|title=Kenoshan Takes Chicago Girl as Bride Today|work=[[Kenosha News]]|date= July 8, 1939|page= 4}}</ref> In 1939 she married actor James Vincent Russo<ref name="Marriage"/> who later became a director for [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] shows.<ref name="HUSBIT"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/walter-russo-obituary?pid=1000000143878623&view=guestbook |title=Walter Russo obituary |date=October 31, 2016 |newspaper=[[The Desert Sun]] |access-date=October 13, 2018}}</ref> The Russos moved to New York after their marriage,<ref name="Marriage"/> and Camille continued her education there as a member of the [[Actors Studio]].<ref name="Brenon">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-desert-sun-actress-packs-plenty-of-p/196978144/|title=Actress Packs Plenty of Passion|first=Shirley|last= Brenon|work=[[ The Desert Sun]]|date= August 6, 1998| page= 11}}</ref>
==Early career== Camille first worked in New York City under her married name Camille Russo; directing the 1940 Tudor Players production of Dorrance Davis's ''Apron Strings''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tudor Comedy|work=[[New York Daily News]]|date= May 8, 1940|page= 53}}</ref> In New York she eventually adopted the stage name Camila Ashland and was publicly known by this name thereafter. As Camila Ashland she made her [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] debut as Parasha in [[Leo Birinski]]'s ''The Day Will Come'' at the [[Nederlander Theatre|Nathional Theatre]] in 1944.{{sfn|Mantle|1946|page=374}}
After this Ashland appeared as Kathi Hovach in the premiere of George Ross and Rose C. Feld's ''Sophie Halenczik'' at the [[The Playhouse on Rodney Square]] (PRS) in Wilmington in November 1944;<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusing Comedy Wins Applause|work=[[The Morning News]]|date=November 25, 1944|page= 9}}</ref> a role she repeated at the Locust Street Theatre in Philadelphia.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mme. Paxinou Opens In New Play Here|work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date= November 28, 1944|page= 20}}</ref> She returned to the PRS in 1946 as Bessie Clary in [[Vera Caspary]]'s ''Laura'' with a cast led by [[Miriam Hopkins]] and [[Tom Neal]].<ref>{{cite news|title=''Laura'' Exciting Mystery Drama|work=[[The Morning News]]|date= April 20, 1946|page= 15}}</ref> She next appeared in the Broadway production of ''[[Finian's Rainbow]]'' as a replacement cast member sometime during its 1947-1948 run.<ref name="replace">{{cite new|title=Camila Ashland|work=[[The Star-Ledger]]|date=July 2, 1951|page= 9}}</ref>
In 1950 Ashland portrayed Wilson in [[Rudolf Besier]]'s ''[[The Barretts of Wimpole Street]]'' at the Flatbush Theatre in [[Brooklyn]] with a cast led by [[Susan Peters]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Susan Peters in ''The Barretts of Wimpole Street''|work=[[Brooklyn Eagle]]|date= August 9, 1950|page= 12}}</ref> In July 1951 she replace actress [[Mary Finney]] as The Madam in Broadway musical ''[[Make a Wish (musical)|Make a Wish]]''.<ref name="replace"/> While not in the opening night cast,<ref>{{cite news|title=''The Rose Tattoo'' Affectionately Written and Admirably Staged|first=John|last=Chapman|work=[[New York Daily News]]|date=February 5, 1951|page= 57}}</ref> she portrayed Bessie in the original Broadway production of [[Tennessee Williams]]'s ''[[The Rose Tattoo]]'' in 1951.<ref name="Brenon"/><ref name="ROSE"/> When the show went on tour directly from New York to Philadelphia's Locust Street Theatre in November 1951 Ashland remained in that part.<ref name="ROSE">{{cite news|title=''The Rose Tattoo'' Opens On Locust Stage|first=Marion|last=Kelley|work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date= November 13, 195|page= 34}}</ref> Some of the other stops on ''The Rose Tattoo'' tour included performances at the [[Colonial Theatre (Boston)|Colonial Theatre, Boston]] (1951),<ref>{{cite news|title=The Stage: Tennessee Williams' Drama ''The Rose Tattoo'' at the Colonial|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|date= December 4, 1951|page= 50}}</ref> and the [[Orpheum Theater (St. Louis)|American Theater]] in St. Louis (1952).<ref>{{cite news|title=''Rose Tattoo'' Is Excellent, Play Brilliantly Staged|work=[[St. Louis Globe-Democrat]]|date= February 5, 1952| page= 9}}</ref>
In 1953 Ashland portrayed Aunt Cissy in the musical ''[[A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (musical)|A Tree Grows in Brooklyn]]'' at [[Music Circus]] after having previously performed there as Parthy in ''[[Show Boat]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=At Music Circus|work=[[The Morning Union]]|date= August 13, 1953|page= 19}}</ref> That same year she appeared at the Astor Theater in Syracuse, New York as Miss Preen in ''[[The Man Who Came to Dinner]]''<ref>{{cite news|title=Houston and Company Score in ''Man Who Came to Dinner'' |work=[[Syracuse Herald-Journal]]|date= October 7, 1953|page= 32}}</ref> and Aunt Queenie in ''[[Bell, Book and Candle (play)|Bell, Book and Candle]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=''Bell, Book, and Candle''|work=[[Syracuse Herald-Journal]]|date= November 4, 1953|page= 31}}</ref> In 1954 she portrayed the Queen of the Underworld in ''Chuck Wagon of America''; a show written and staged in [[Omaha]] for the official celebration of the centennial of the settlement of the state of [[Nebraska]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Centennial Role to TV Villainess|work=[[Evening World-Herald]]|date= August 9, 1954|page= 9}}</ref> In 1955 she portrayed Mrs. Mullin in [[Rodgers and Hammerstein]]'s ''[[Carousel (musical)|Carousel]]'' with the [[St. Louis Municipal Opera]].<ref>{{cite news|title=''Carousel'' Next in Festival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Works|work=[[St. Louis Globe-Democrat]]|date=July 24, 1955|page= 56}}</ref> Ashland first appeared on American television in the early 1950s as a guest actress in episodes of ''[[Armstrong Circle Theatre]]'', ''[[The Web (1950 TV series)|The Web]]'', and ''[[The Gabby Hayes Show]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nationally Known Stars on Flintorama|work=[[The Flint Journal]]|date= September 4, 1955|page= 6}}</ref> This was followed by an appearance on the tv series ''[[Danger (TV series)|Danger]]''.{{sfn| Cook| 1971|page=14}} After this performance her chances at a career in American television and film were severely hampered when she became a target of [[McCarthyism]] politics. While she herself was totally non-political, she was mistaken by the public for an actress similar in appearance, [[Madeline Lee (actress)|Madeline Lee]], who was already on the [[Hollywood blacklist]]. As a result of the confusion of identities a flood of anonymous angry phone calls were made after her appearance on the ''Danger'' program. Ashland was deeply confused by the reaction to her as she had never participated in politics.{{sfn| Cook| 1971|page=14}} She was placed on the blacklist, and did not work again on screen for almost 20 years.{{sfn| Cook| 1971|page=14}}
==Later career== In 1956 Ashland returned to Broadway as Jane Kaiser in Allen and Ruby Sully Boretz's ''The Hot Corner'' at the [[John Golden Theatre]].{{sfn|Kronenberger|1956|page=372}} Subsequent Broadway credits included Mrs. Ochs in [[Eugène Ionesco]]'s ''[[Rhinoceros (play)|Rhinoceros]]'' (1961, [[Longacre Theatre]]),{{sfn|Blum|1961|page=60}} Giulianna in [[Jack Richardson (writer)|Jack Richardson]]'s ''Lorenzo'' (1963, [[Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre|Plymouth Theatre]]),{{sfn|Hewes|1963|page=298}} and Claire Marshall in [[Henry Denker]]'s ''A Case of Libel'' (1963-1964, Longacre Theatre).{{sfn|Hewes|1964|page=308}} In 1967 she was nominated for the [[Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play]] for her performance as Miss Furnival in [[Peter Shaffer]]'s ''[[Black Comedy (play)|Black Comedy]]'' which was staged in a double bill with ''[[The White Liars]]'' under the title ''Black Comedy/White Lies'' at the [[Ethel Barrymore Theatre]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Tony Award Nominations - 1967 / Actress (Featured Role – Play) |url=https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/1967/category/actress-featured-role-play/show/any/ |publisher=[[Tony Awards]] |access-date=May 6, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Botto |first1=Louis |last2=Viagas |first2=Robert |title=At this theatre : 100 years of Broadway shows, stories and stars |date=2002 |page=285 |url=https://archive.org/details/atthistheatre10000bott/page/280/mode/2up?q=%22Peter+Shaffer%27s%22 |access-date=May 6, 2026 |chapter=Ethel Barrymore Theatre}}</ref>{{sfn| Morrow|1987|page=237}}
In 1968 Ashland portrayed Mrs. Leek in [[Nunnally Johnson]], [[Jule Styne]], and [[E. Y. Harburg|Yip Harburg]]'s musical ''[[Darling of the Day]]'' at Broadway's [[George Abbott Theatre]].{{sfn|Dietz|2014|page=440}} In April 1971 she replaced [[Eda Reiss Merin]] as Bertha in the Broadway revival of ''[[Hedda Gabler]]'' at the [[Playhouse Theatre (New York City)|Playhouse Theatre]].<ref>{{cite news|title=''Loves'' Leaps to Sunday Sked|work=[[New York Daily News]]|date= April 2, 1971|page= 66}}</ref> In 1972 she replaced Marcie Stringer as Emily Whitman in the original production of [[Stephen Sondheim]]'s ''[[Follies]]'' at the [[Winter Garden Theatre]] in which she performed the song "Rain on the Roof".{{sfn|Benjamin| Rosenblatt|2006|page=28}} Her final Broadway performances were in 1973 as Mrs. Sullivan in [[Jerry Livingston]]'s musical ''[[Molly (musical)|Molly]]'' at the [[Alvin Theatre]]{{sfn|Dietz|2015|page=176}} and both Sadie and Mrs. Wagstaff in the revival of [[Clare Boothe Luce]]'s ''[[The Women (play)|The Women]]'' at the [[46th Street Theatre]].{{sfn|Guernsey|1973|page=357}}
In 1971 Ashland appeared at the [[Miller Theater (Philadelphia)|Shubert Theater]] in Philadelphia as Helene in ''[[A Doll's House]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=''Doll's House'' Performed With Tension, Surprising Force|work=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|date= October 5, 1971|page= 26}}</ref> In 1974 she portrayed Mrs. Atkins in [[Eugene O'Neill]]'s ''[[Beyond the Horizon (play)|Beyond the Horizon]]'' at the [[McCarter Theatre]] in Princeton, New Jersey.{{sfn|Smith|2001|page=169}} In 1988 she starred as Miss Helen in the New Mexico Repertory Theatre's production of ''[[The Road to Mecca (play)|The Road to Mecca]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Rep Zooms on the ''Road to Mecca''|work=[[The Santa Fe New Mexican]]|date= February 19, 1988|page= 42}}</ref>
On television Ashland was known for her recurring role as Minnie Du Val in ''[[Dark Shadows]]'' (1970); which also included parts as Mrs. Hutchins and Mrs. Purdy during time jump segments in the story line.{{sfn|Pierson|Scott|2000|page=51}} She also starred on the [[soap opera]] ''[[General Hospital]]'' as Alice Grant from 1976–77,{{sfn|Waggett|1997|page=124}} and in the 1983 [[NBC]] miniseries ''[[V (1983 miniseries)|V]]''{{sfn|Marill|2005|page=383}} and its 1984 sequel, ''[[V (The Final Battle)|V: The Final Battle]]'', in which she played Ruby Engels.{{sfn|Marill|2005|page=384}} She made guest appearances on ''[[The Streets of San Francisco]]'' (1977, as Mary Johnson),{{sfn|Rosin|2011|page=225}} ''[[Taxi (TV series)|Taxi]]'' (1979, as Mrs. Sherman),{{sfn|Lovece|Franco|1996|page=143}} ''[[Skag]]'' (1980),{{sfn|Marill|2005|page=340}} ''[[Cheers]]'' (1985, as Drusilla Dimeglio),{{sfn|Andrews|Blythe|1987|page=192}} ''[[Hardcastle and McCormick]]'' (1986, as Myrtle),<ref>{{cite news|title=''Hardcastle and McCormick''|work=[[The Tyler Courier-Times]]|date= May 4, 1986|page= 10, section TV Showcase}}</ref> and ''[[The Munsters Today]]'' (1991, as Aunt Lucretia).<ref>{{cite news|title=The Munsters Today|work=[[Daily World]]|date= June 27, 1991|page=11}}</ref> Her final television appearance was in 1992 as Mrs. Hubbard in the ''[[Golden Girls]]'' episode "Questions and Answers" in which [[Betty White]]'s character Rose Nylund and her therapy dog help comfort Hubbard as she is dying.{{sfn| Colucci| 2016|p=303}}
Her big screen and television film credits include ''[[House of Dark Shadows]]'' (1970, Collinwood Party Guest), ''[[Sybil (1976 film)|Sybil]]'' (1976, as Cam), ''[[10 (1979 film)|10]]'' (1979), ''[[Any Which Way You Can]]'' (1980, as Hattie),{{sfn|Nash|Ross|1985|page=81}} ''[[Rape and Marriage: The Rideout Case]]'' (1980, as Jackie Godfrey),{{sfn|Marill|2005|page=302}} ''[[Amos (film)|Amos]]'' (1985, as Mildred Lasher),{{sfn|Pilato| 2013|page=76}} ''[[Surviving: A Family in Crisis]]'' (1985),{{sfn|Marill|2005|page=357}} and ''[[Second Serve]]'' (1986, as Mrs. Brady).{{sfn|Marill|2005|page=325}}
In her later career Ashland worked periodically in regional theatre in Southern California where she also lived.<ref name="PSC"/> She performed locally until as late as 2004.<ref>{{cite news|title=Desert Scene|work=[[The Desert Sun]]|date= January 11, 2004|page= 48}}</ref> She was also the founder and director of the Palm Desert Community Theatre, a [[community theatre]] organization that presented annual seasons of plays and musicals.<ref>{{cite news|title=Russo's Success Story Won't Play in Palm Dessert|work=[[The Desert Sun]]|date= January 23, 1988|page= 70}}</ref>
==Personal life== While living in New York, Ashland and her husband adopted two sons,<ref name="Brenon"/> Walter and Mario Russo.<ref name="HUSBIT"/> Their sons were adopted after the death of their daughter who died while still a baby.<ref name="Brenon"/> In 1974 the Russo family moved to [[Palm Desert, California]] due to health issues suffered by Camila's husband, James.<ref name="Brenon"/> He died in 1982.<ref name="HUSBIT">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-obituary-for-james/196979892/|title=James Russo, 68, Director of Broadway Shows, Dies|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=October 7, 1982}}</ref> Camila served as a board member of the Palm Desert branch of the [[English-Speaking Union]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Much Ado About Teens Interpreting Shakespeare's Work|first=Adam|last=Graham|work=[[The Desert Sun]]|date= February 11, 2002|page= 32}}</ref>
Camila Ashland Russo died in California on September 12, 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JTVZ-PPL |title=United States Social Security Death Index: Camile Ashland Russo |website=[[FamilySearch]] |access-date=November 1, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109045359/https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JTVZ-PPL |archive-date=January 9, 2017}}</ref> Her son Walter succeeded his mother as Artistic Director of the Palm Desert Community Theatre which he led for 17 years.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/walter-russo-obituary?pid=1000000143878623&view=guestbook |title=Walter Russo obituary |date=October 31, 2016 |newspaper=[[The Desert Sun]] |access-date=October 13, 2018}}</ref>
==References== ===Citations=== {{reflist}} ===Bibliography=== *{{cite book|title=The Official Cheers Scrapbook|first= Bart|last= Andrews|first2= Cheryl|last2= Blythe|year= 1987|publisher=[[Signet Books]]|isbn=9780451821607}} *{{cite book|title=Who sang what on Broadway, 1866-1996: Volume I, The Singers A-L|year=2006|last= Benjamin|first=Ruth|last2=Rosenblatt|first2= Arthur|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]|isbn=9780786415069}} *{{cite book|title=Daniel Blum's Theatre World: Season 1960-1961|publisher=[[Chilton Company]]|first=Daniel |last= Blum|year=1961}} *{{cite book|title=Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanai|first=Jim|last= Colucci|year= 2016|isbn=9780062422927|publisher=[[HarperCollins]]}} *{{cite book|title=The Nightmare Decade: The Life and Times of Senator Joe McCarthy|first=Fred J.|last= Cook|year= 1971|publisher=[[ Random House]]|isbn=9780394462707}} *{{cite book|first1=Dan|last1=Dietz|title=The Complete Book of 1960s Broadway Musicals|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield Publishers]]|year=2014|isbn=9781442230712|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6NBiAwAAQBAJ}} *{{cite book|first1=Dan|last1=Dietz|title=The Complete Book of 1970s Broadway Musicals|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield Publishers]]|year=2015|isbn=9781442251663|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=12NECgAAQBAJ}} *{{cite book|title=The Best Plays of 1972-1973|editor-last=Guernsey|editor-first=Otis L.|year=1973|publisher=[[ Dodd, Mead & Company]]|isbn= 9780396068785}} *{{cite book|title=The Best Plays of 1962-1963|editor-last=Hewes|editor-first=Henry|year=1963|publisher=[[ Dodd, Mead & Company]]}} *{{cite book|title=The Best Plays of 1963-1964|editor-last=Hewes|editor-first=Henry|year=1964|publisher=[[ Dodd, Mead & Company]]}} *{{cite book|title=The Best Plays of 1955-1956|editor-first= Louis|editor-last=Kronenberger |year=1956|publisher=[[ Dodd, Mead & Company]]}} *{{cite book|title=Taxi: The Official Fan's Guide|first=Frank|last= Lovece|first2=Jules|last2= Franco|year= 1996|isbn=9780806518015|publisher=[[ Carol Publishing Group]]}} *{{cite book|title=The Best Plays of 1944-1945 and the Year Book of the Drama in America|editor-first= Burns|editor-last= Mantle|year=1946|publisher=[[ Dodd, Mead & Company]]}} *{{cite book|title=Movies Made for Television, 1964-2004: 1964-1979|first=Alvin H.|last= Marill|year= 2005|publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]]|isbn= 9780810851740}} *{{cite book|title=The Tony Award Book: Four Decades of Great American Theater|first= Lee Alan|last= Morrow|year=1987|publisher=[[ Abbeville Press]]|isbn=9780896597716}} *{{cite book|year=1985|title=The Motion Picture Guide: 1927-1984|volume=I, A-B|last= Nash|first= Jay Robert|last2= Ross|first2= Stanley Ralph|publisher=Cinebooks, Inc.|isbn=0-933997-01-9}} *{{cite book|title=Dark Shadows Almanac|year=2000|publisher=[[Pomegranate Press]]|isbn=9780938817185|editor-first1=Jim |editor-last=Pierson|editor-first2=Kathryn Leigh|editor-last2= Scott}} *{{cite book|title=The Essential Elizabeth Montgomery: A Guide to Her Magical Performances|first=Herbie J.|last= Pilato|year= 2013|publisher=Taylor Trade Publishing|isbn= 9781589798250}} *{{cite book|year=2011|title=The Streets of San Francisco: A Quinn Martin TV Series|publisher= The Autumn Road Company|isbn=9781450790109|first=James|last= Rosin}} *{{cite book|title=Eugene O'Neill: An Annotated International Bibliography, 1973 through 1999|year=2001|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]|last= Smith|first= Madeline C.|isbn=9780786410361}} *{{cite book|title=The Soap Opera Encyclopedia|first= Gerard J.|last= Waggett|year= 1997|publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|isbn= 9780061011573}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0038997}} * {{IBDB name}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashland, Camila}} [[Category:1911 births]] [[Category:2008 deaths]] [[Category:20th-century American actresses]] [[Category:20th-century American singers]] [[Category:20th-century American women singers]] [[Category:21st-century American actresses]] [[Category:Actresses from Chicago]] [[Category:American film actresses]] [[Category:American stage actresses]] [[Category:American musical theatre actresses]] [[Category:American soap opera actresses]] [[Category:American television actresses]] [[Category:Hollywood blacklist]] [[Category:School of the Art Institute of Chicago alumni]]