Marcia Rodd, a beloved actress and Broadway star, passed away on December 27, her family announced in an online obituary. She was 87.
“We remember and love Marcia for her warmth, enthusiasm, intelligence, enduring devotion to the theater, and wonderful presence in our lives,” Rodd’s obituary read.
Rodd is survived by her partner of 25 years, William Lewis as well as her brother Stephen, her brother-in-law Roger, several nieces, and a nephew.
Marcia Rodd’s Legacy
Rodd studied drama at Northwestern University before doing some early work at the Yale Repertory Theatre. From there, she moved to New York City, where her career truly began.
She made her Broadway debut in 1964, filling in on the musical “Oh, What a Lovely War,” following an appearance in the off-Broadway musical “The Mad Show” in 1966 and “Your Own Thing” in 1968. Rodd then appeared in the Broadway comedy “Love in E Flat” in 1967 before landing her biggest role yet. From 1969 to 1971, Rodd starred in Neil Simon’s “The Last of the Red Hot Lovers” on Broadway. She also received a Tony nomination for her portrayal of Maud in the musical “Shelter” in 1973.
Later in life, she came back to her first love, appearing in “I’m Not Rappaport” on Broadway as well as touring with “Fiddler on the Roof.”
As for film, she appeared in the comedy “Little Murders” opposite Elliott Gould. She went on to make numerous other appearances, including in “Handle With Care” (1977) and “Last Embrace” (1979). Modd also did some work in television, even playing as Maude Findlay’s daughter, Carol Traynor, in an episode of “All in the Family.” This served as the pilot for the spin-off series “Maude,” but she was replaced by Adrienne Barbeau.
She went on to star in ABC’s “13 Queens Boulevard,” as well as making appearances on “The New Dick Van Dyke Show” (1971), “M*A*S*H” (1978), “Night Court” (1984), “Murder She Wrote” (1986), “21 Jump Street” (1987-89), “The Young and the Restless” (2017), and “Grey’s Anatomy (2020), just to name a few.
A 1973 Review Of Marcia Rodd
GettyIn a 1973 review of the musical “Shelter,” Clive Barnes praised Rodd for her performance.
“The cast is also perfectly right for the musical. Marcia Rodd is attractively distraught as the mixed‐up and deserted wife. Her band‐box prettiness has a depth to it, and her acting and singing both prove equally charming. She even pouts nicely,” Barnes wrote in the New York Times.
