Swoosie Kurtz

Swoosie Kurtz was born in Nebraska in 1944 in USA. She is an only child of Frank Kurtz and Author Margo. Her father was working like a colonel in US Air Force and he was moving around too often during her schooling years and she has lived in 8 states.  While studying at University of Southern California, she took drama and afterwards, she went to London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art that was collected by the Triple Crown of Broadways.  She appeared in many movies and TV shows and she got different Emmy with nominations for Golden Globe.  She got an Emmy for guest appearance in Carol and Company, a comedy series of Carol Burnett.

The name Swoosie comes from Swoose which means half goose and half swan.  It was the name of a bomber of a type of B-17D which was piloted by her father in the World War II. The same aircraft had also carried a future president, Lyndon Johnson to Australia for the Port Moresby in New Guinea when he rode like a Navy observer of the B-26 Raid at Lae.  It is now under National Air and Space Museum ownership and it is in Washington.  In the year 1962, she appeared together with her father in To Tell the Truth game show. Col Kurtz had been one of the contestants while the Swoosie who was 18 years come towards the end so that she can identify the father through handing him the uniform jacket.

Swoosie Kurtz made her first play at Broadway in the Ah, Wilderness and she got five nomination for Tony awards and she won two for the movie Fifth of July in the year 1981. She played The House of Blue Leaves in the year 1986. She got other nomination for Heartbreak House for 2007, Tartuffe or 1988 and Frozen for 2004.

For her television work, she had been named for Eight Emmy Award Nomination and she got one win for the Carol and Company of the year 1990. She got other credits for television by playing Sisters, Pushing Daisies and Huff on NBC drama. She played Mike and Molly on the CBS sitcom. She played in different films like Liar Liar, Citizen Ruth, Stanly and Iris, Dangerous Liaisons and Wildcats.

Swoosie Kurtz first appearance on TV was when she was 17years and it was on The Donna Reed Show in its fourth edition.

She played Sisters, a NBC drama from 1991 until 1996 which was her longest role in the television shows. She was starring like a wealthy divorcee called Alex Reed Halsey. For this role, she was given two Emmy Award Nominations and she starred at the ABC television series called Lily Charles and Pushing Daisies.

When asked if she would change her name, Swoosie Kurtz said that it has been her advantage to have a unique name which is unforgettable and she is the only one with the name. Kurtz did not marry and she did not get any child, however, she said that she had abortion in 1960s.  She has written a memoir about her life under the name Part Swan, Part Goose and she talks most about her career  and her 99- year old mother.

Last Modified: Apr 8, 2020

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