Connie Sawyer, who was the oldest working actor in SAG-AFTRA, died January 21 at the age of 105. Her death was confirmed to the New York Times by her daughter Lisa Dudley.
Prior to an extensive film career, Ms. Sawyer made her Broadway debut in 1948’s Hilarities. She went on to understudy Shirley Booth in The Time of the Cuckoo in 1952 before her breakout performance in 1957’s A Hole in the Head. Frank Sinatra subsequently produced and starred in a film adaptation, bringing Sawyer on to reprise her role, marking her motion picture debut.
Ms. Sawyer went on to appear in bit roles in dozens of additional films, including True Grit, Nights in White Satin, Far From Home, Dumb and Dumber, and Something’s Gotta Give. She recently appeared on Showtime’s Ray Donovan.
In addition to Dudley, Ms. Sawyer is survived by another daughter, Julie Watkins, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
