{{Short description|American actress (1926–2011)}} {{Use American English|date=July 2020}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}} {{more citations needed|date=March 2013}} {{Infobox person | image = Doris Belack (1990).jpg | caption = Belack in 1990 | birth_date = {{Birth date|1926|2|26|mf=y}} | birth_place = [[New York City]], U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2011|10|4|1926|2|26|mf=y}} | death_place = New York City, U.S. | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1955–2011 | spouse = {{marriage|[[Philip Rose (theatrical producer)|Philip Rose]]|1946|2011|end=d.}} }}
'''Doris Belack''' (February 26, 1926 – October 4, 2011) was an American [[Character actor|character actress]] of stage, film and television.<ref name=":0">{{cite news| first=Paul| last=Vitello| title=Doris Belack, Judge on TV's 'Law & Order', Dies at 85| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/10/arts/television/doris-belack-judge-on-tvs-law-order-dies-at-85.html?hpw |quote=Doris Belack, a veteran stage, television and screen actress best known for her roles as a no-nonsense judge on "Law & Order" and as the peeved soap opera producer in "Tootsie" died on Tuesday in New York. She was 85.| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| date=October 9, 2011| access-date=October 10, 2011| url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011154651/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/10/arts/television/doris-belack-judge-on-tvs-law-order-dies-at-85.html?hpw |archive-date=October 11, 2011}}</ref>
== Early years == Born on February 26, 1926, Belack was the younger child of Russian Jewish immigrant parents, Isaac and Bertha Belack; she had an older sister.<ref name=":0" />
==Life and career== Belack began her acting career immediately after she graduated from high school when she began performing in a summer stock theater company.<ref name=":0" />
She was sometimes been misidentified as the first Bernice Fish, the wife of [[Abe Vigoda]]'s character Fish on ''[[Barney Miller]]''. She was actually only a one-episode replacement for actress [[Florence Stanley]], who played the role. Before that, Belack was seen mainly in soap operas. She originated the role of [[Anna Wolek|Anna Wolek Craig]] for nearly a decade on ''[[One Life to Live]]''. She also appeared in ''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]'' (three different roles over several years), ''[[The Doctors (1963 TV series)|The Doctors]]'' (1980, as psychiatrist Dr. Claudia Howard), and ''[[The Edge of Night]]'' (1981, as Beth Bryson). Later in the 1980s, she had the recurring role of Pine Valley's mayor on ''[[All My Children]]''.
She played the formidable soap-opera producer Rita Marshall in the 1982 comedy film ''[[Tootsie]]'', which starred [[Dustin Hoffman]]. Her other film credits included roles in ''[[Fast Forward (film)|Fast Forward]]'' (1985), ''[[Batteries Not Included]]'' (1987), ''[[Splash, Too]]'' (1988), ''[[She-Devil (1989 film)|She-Devil]]'' (1989), ''[[Opportunity Knocks (film)|Opportunity Knocks]]'' (1990), ''[[What About Bob?]]'' (1991), ''[[Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult|Naked Gun {{frac|33|1|3}}: The Final Insult]]'' (1994), ''[[Krippendorf's Tribe]]'' (1998), ''[[The Odd Couple II]]'' (1998), and ''[[Fail Safe (2000 film)|Fail Safe]]'' (2000).<ref name=variety>{{cite news| title=Actress Doris Belack dies at 85| url=https://variety.com/2011/film/news/actress-doris-belack-dies-at-85-1118044050/#!| newspaper=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]| date=October 6, 2011| access-date=September 11, 2020}}</ref>
Belack played the lead role in the short-lived television sitcom ''[[Baker's Dozen (TV series)|Baker's Dozen]]'' as Florence Baker, the no-nonsense captain of an undercover anti-crime unit of the [[NYPD]]. The show lasted a month on CBS. She guest starred on an episode of ''[[The Golden Girls]]'' in 1985 as Gloria, the sister of [[Bea Arthur]]'s character [[Dorothy Zbornak]]. From 1990 to 2001, Belack played tough, sharp-tongued Judge Margaret Barry, a recurring role on ''[[Law & Order]]'' and ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]''. She voiced Maureen McReary in ''[[Grand Theft Auto|Grand Theft Auto IV]]'' and provided the voices of Mrs. Dink and Mrs. Wingo in the Nickelodeon show ''[[Doug (TV series)|Doug]]''. Her last television appearance was on a 2003 episode of ''[[Sex and the City]]''.<ref name=variety/>
==Personal life and death== Her husband, producer [[Philip Rose (theatrical producer)|Philip Rose]], died on May 31, 2011, four months before her own death. They were married for 65 years and had no children.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1118038048| title=Philip Rose dies at age 89| newspaper=Variety| date=June 5, 2011| access-date=September 11, 2020}}</ref>
Belack died on October 4, 2011, in [[New York City]], aged 85.<ref name=":0" /> == Filmography == === Film === <!-- Rowspans allowed only for "Year" column per WP:FILMOGRAPHY --> {{Div col}} *''Looking Up'' (1977) - Libby Levine *''[[The Black Marble]]'' (1980) - Harried Woman *''[[Hanky Panky (1982 film)|Hanky Panky]]'' (1982) - Building Manager *''[[Tootsie]]'' (1982) - Rita Marshall *''[[Fast Forward (film)|Fast Forward]]'' (1985) - Mrs. Gilroy *''[[Batteries Not Included]]'' (1987) - Mrs. Thompson *''The Luckiest Man in the World'' (1989) - Mrs. Posner *''[[She-Devil (1989 film)|She-Devil]]'' (1989) - Paula *''[[Opportunity Knocks (film)|Opportunity Knocks]]'' (1990) - Mona *''[[What About Bob?]]'' (1991) - Dr. Catherine Tomsky *''{{sort|Naked|[[Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult|Naked Gun {{frac|33|1|3}}: The Final Insult]]}}'' (1994) - Dr. Roberts *''What's Your Sign?'' (1997) *''[[Krippendorf's Tribe]]'' (1998) - President Porter *''[[The Odd Couple II]]'' (1998) - Blanche Madison Povitch *''[[Doug's 1st Movie]]'' (1999) - Mayor Tippi Dink (voice) *''[[Prime (film)|Prime]]'' (2005) - Blanche *''[[Delirious (2006 film)|Delirious]]'' (2006) - Les's mother *''[[Arranged (film)|Arranged]]'' (2007) - Elona (final film role) {{div col end}} === Television === <!-- Rowspans allowed only for "Year" column per WP:FILMOGRAPHY --> {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+ {{Screen reader-only|Doris Belack' television credits}} <!-- [[WP:ACCESSIBILITY]] & [[MOS:TABLECAPTION]] --> |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1965 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|For|The People|nolink=1}}'' | {{sortname|The|Policewoman|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Episode:|"Any Benevolent Purpose"|nolink=1}} |- | 1968–1977 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|One|Life to Live}}'' | {{sortname|Anna|Wolek Craig #1 / Anna Wolek Craig / Anna Craig / Anna Wolek / Anna Craig Wolek|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|821|episodes (regular role)|nolink=1}} |- | 1975 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Barney|Miller}}'' | {{sortname|Bernice|Fish|nolink=1}} | {{sortname|Episode:|"Fish"|nolink=1}} |- | 1978 ! scope="row" | ''{{sort|On|[[On Our Own (1977 TV series)|On Our Own]]}}'' | {{Sort|Pressiosa|Nurse Pressiosa}} | {{sortname|Episode: "When a Body Meets a Body" |- | 1978 ! scope="row" | ''{{Sort|Tenant|The Last Tenant}}'' | {{sortname|Housekeeper||nolink=1}} | {{Sort|film|Television film}} |- | 1980 ! scope="row" | ''{{sort|Family|[[Family (1976 TV series)|Family]]}}'' | {{Sort|Derwin|Dr. Derwin}} | {{Sort|Breaks|Episode: "When the Bough Breaks"}} |- | 1980 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|The|Jilting of Granny Weatherall}}'' | {{sortname|Olive||nolink=1}} | {{Sort|film|Television film}} |- | 1980 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|When|the Whistle Blows}}'' | {{N/A}} | {{Sort|Pilot|Episode: "Pilot"}} |- | 1980 ! scope="row" | ''{{sort|Doctors|[[The Doctors (1963 TV series)|The Doctors]]}}'' | {{Sort|Howard|Dr. Claudia Howard}} | {{Sort|role|22 episodes (regular role)}} |- | 1981 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|We're|Fighting Back|nolink=1}}'' | {{Sort|Doctor|Doctor}} | {{Sort|film|Television film}} |- | 1982 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|The|Edge of Night}}'' | {{Sort|Bryson|Beth Bryson}} | {{Sort|role|41 episodes (regular role)}} |- | 1982 ! scope="row" | ''{{sort|Dozen|[[Baker's Dozen (TV series)|Baker's Dozen]]}}'' | {{Sort|Baker|Captain Florence Baker}} | {{Sort|episodes|6 episodes}} |- | 1983 ! scope="row" | ''{{Sort|Fall|The Cradle Will Fall}}'' | {{Sort|Burns|Edna Burns}} | {{Sort|film|Television film}} |- | 1983 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Sessions||nolink=1}}'' | {{N/A}} | {{Sort|film|Television film}} |- | 1984 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Emerald|Point N.A.S.}}'' | {{Sort|Frost|Nancy Frost}} | {{Sort|Uncredited|Uncredited}}<br />{{sortname|Episode:|"The Wedding"|nolink=1}} |- | 1984 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Family|Ties}}'' | {{Sort|Willis|Mrs. Willis}} | {{Sort|Smarts|Episode: "Fabric Smarts"}} |- | 1984 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|The|Cosby Show}}'' | {{Sort|Saleswoman|Saleswoman}} | {{Sort|Day|Episode: "Father's Day"}} |- | 1984–1985 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Remington|Steele}}'' | {{sortname|Rose|Myrtle / Rose|nolink=1}} | {{Sort|episodes|2 episodes}} |- | 1985 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Cagney|& Lacey}}'' | {{Sort|Harkins|Mrs. Harkins}} | {{Sort|Dream|Episode: "American Dream"}} |- | 1985 ! scope="row" | ''{{Sort|Affair|The Hearst and Davies Affair}}'' | {{sortname|Louella|Parsons}} | {{Sort|film|Television film}} |- | 1985 ! scope="row" | ''{{Sort|Rock|Off The Rack}}'' | {{N/A}} | {{Sort|Bribe|Episode: "Here Comes the Bribe"}} |- | 1985 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Scarecrow|and Mrs. King}}'' | {{Sort|Courtney|Mrs. Courtney}} | {{Sort|Mothers|Episode: "Vigilante Mothers"}} |- | 1985 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Hollywood|Beat}}'' | {{N/A}} | {{Sort|Pilot|Episode: "Pilot"}} |- | 1985 ! scope="row" | ''{{sort|Hometown|[[Hometown (American TV series)|Hometown]]}}'' | {{Sort|Bender|Alice Bender}} | {{Sort|Yen|Episode: "Mary's Yen"}} |- | 1985 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|The|Golden Girls}}'' | {{Sort|Petrillo|Gloria Petrillo}} | {{Sort|Battle|Episode: "The Custody Battle"}} |- | 1986 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Mr.|Belvedere}}'' | {{Sort|#2|Customer #2}} | {{Sort|Will|Episode: "The Will"}} |- | 1986 ! scope="row" | ''{{sort|Mary|[[Mary (1985 TV series)|Mary]]}}'' | {{Sort|Tucker|Norma Tucker}} | {{Sort|Jo|Episode: "Little Jo"}} |- | 1987 ! scope="row" | ''{{sort|Equalizer|[[The Equalizer (1985 TV series)|The Equalizer]]}}'' | {{sortname|Dorian||nolink=1}} | Episode: "[[The Equalizer (1985 TV series) season 2#ep34|High Performance]]" |- | 1987 ! scope="row" | ''{{Sort|Partners|Almost Partners}}'' | {{Sort|McCue|Anna McCue}} | {{Sort|film|Television film}} |- | 1988 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Hostage||nolink=1}}'' | {{sortname|Edna||nolink=1}} | {{Sort|film|Television film}} |- | 1988 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Splash, |Too|nolink=1}}'' | {{Sort|Needler|Lois Needler}} | {{Sort|film|Television film}} |- | 1988 ! scope="row" | ''{{sort|Boom|[[Baby Boom (American TV series)|Baby Boom]]}}'' | {{Sort|Elkman|Lois Elkman}} | {{Sort|Jo|Episode: "Little Jo"}} |- | 1989 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Anything|but Love}}'' | {{Sort|Gold|Dorothy Gold}} | {{Sort|Dearest|Episode: "Dorothy Dearest"}} |- | 1991 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Absolute|Strangers}}'' | {{sortname|Fran||nolink=1}} | {{Sort|film|Television film}} |- | 1991–1994 ! scope="row" | ''{{sort|Doug|[[Doug (TV series)|Doug]]}}'' | {{Sort|Valerine|Tippi Dink / Mrs. Wingo / Ruby Valentine}} | {{Sort|role|Voice role}}<br />{{Sort|role|52 episodes (regular role)}} |- | 1992 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Mathnet||}}'' | {{Sort|Rose|Broadway Annie Rose}} | {{Sort|Dummy|Episode: "The Case of the Smart Dummy"}} |- | 1992 ! scope="row" | ''{{sort|Hill|[[Laurie Hill (TV series)|Laurie Hill]]}}'' | {{Sort|Fielder|Beverly Fielder}} | {{sortname|10|episodes|nolink=1}} |- | 1993 ! scope="row" | ''{{Sort|Crisis|Lifestories: Families In Crisis}}'' | {{Sort|Cohen|Judge Cohen}} | {{Sort|Dummy|Episode: "The Case of the Smart Dummy"}} |- | 1993 ! scope="row" | ''{{sort|Album|[[Family Album (1993 TV series)|Family Album]]}}'' | {{Sort|Lerner|Lillian Lerner}} | {{Sort|episodes|6 episodes}} |- | 1994 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Picket|Fences}}'' | {{Sort|Ginsburg|Justice Ginsburg}} | {{Sort|Court|Episode: "May It Please the Court"}} |- | 1995 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Chicago|Hope}}'' | {{Sort|Taubler|Mrs. Taubler}} | {{Sort|Heartbreak|Episode: "Heartbreak"}} |- | 1995 ! scope="row" | ''{{sort|Sisters|[[Sisters (American TV series)|Sisters]]}}'' | {{Sort|Margolis|Shirley Nuesbaum / Naomi Margolis}} | {{Sort|episodes|2 episodes}} |- | 1998 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Touched|by an Angel}}'' | {{Sort|Weiss|Elaine Weiss}} | {{Sort|Elijah|Episode: "Elijah"}} |- | 2000 ! scope="row" | ''{{sort|Safe|[[Fail Safe (2000 film)|Fail Safe]]}}'' | {{Sort|Johnson|Mrs. Johnson}} | {{Sort|film|Television film}} |- | 2000–2001 ! scope="row" | ''{{sortname|Law & Order:|Special Victims Unit}}'' | {{Sort|Barry|Margaret Barry / Trial Judge Margaret Barry}} | {{sortname|3|episodes|nolink=1}} |}
==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [https://www.variety.com/article/VR1118044050 Doris Belack obituary in ''Variety''] *{{IMDb name|67497}} *{{IBDB name}} {{commons category}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Belack, Doris}} [[Category:1926 births]] [[Category:2011 deaths]] [[Category:American film actresses]] [[Category:American soap opera actresses]] [[Category:American stage actresses]] [[Category:American television actresses]] [[Category:American voice actresses]] [[Category:Actresses from New York City]] [[Category:Jewish American actresses]] [[Category:20th-century American actresses]] [[Category:21st-century American actresses]] [[Category:20th-century American Jews]] [[Category:21st-century American Jews]]