Suzanne Shepherd

Born Sadie Gertrude Stern on October 31, 1934, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Suzanne Shepherd grew up in a tight‑knit Jewish family, the daughter of Dora Mendelson, a cook, and David Stern, a jukebox and vending‑machine distributor. At the age of thirteen she began using the name Suzanne, a choice that would later define a prolific career in both acting and directing. After graduating from Battin High School, she pursued higher education at Bennington College where she was introduced to the Meisner technique, eventually studying directly under Sanford Meisner and later becoming the first woman authorized to teach his program. In the early 1960s she co‑founded the influential Compass Players alongside Alan Alda and Alan Arkin, laying the groundwork for the improvisational comedy movement that would later blossom into The Second City. Her stage work extended beyond performance; as a theatre director she helmed productions in New York and regional venues, shaping the artistic direction of countless actors and playwrights. Shepherd’s screen presence is equally memorable: she portrayed the stubborn Aunt Tweedy in Mystic Pizza, the intimidating mother of Karen Hill in Goodfellas, and the beloved Mary DeAngelis, Carmela Soprano’s mother, on HBO’s iconic series The Sopranos. Additional film credits include the unnerving Mrs. Scarlini in Requiem for a Dream, the quirky Big Ethel in A Dirty Shame, and a recurring role as Lucille Abetemarco on Blue Bloods in both 2016 and 2018. Throughout a career that spanned from the 1960s until her death in 2023, Shepherd remained a steadfast advocate for the craft of acting, mentoring generations through Meisner workshops and her own directorial endeavors. Her personal life was marked by two marriages—first to actor‑director David Shepherd (1957‑1966) with whom she had a son and the celebrated artist Kate Shepherd, and later to Carroll Calkins (1996‑2006). Suzanne Shepherd passed away on November 17, 2023, in Manhattan after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney failure, leaving behind a legacy of artistic integrity and unforgettable performances.