Towers, Constance 1934-

PERSONAL

Born May 20, 1934, in Whitefish, MT; daughter of Harry J. and Ardath L. (maiden name, Reynolds) Towers; married Eugene C. McGrath (divorced); married John Gavin (an actor and former U.S. ambassador to Mexico), September 8, 1974; children: (first marriage) Michael Ford, Maureen; (second marriage) Cristina, Maria. Education: Studied music at the Juilliard School; trained for the theatre at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts with David Le Grant, Nina Foxh, Carl Pitzer, Lyn Masters, David Craig, and Carlos Noble. Avocational Interests: Cello, needlepoint, swimming, painting, tennis, reading.

Addresses:

Agent—Stone Manners Agency, 8091 Selma Ave., Los Angeles, CA, 90046.

Career:

Actress and singer.

Awards, Honors:

Special Fan Award nomination, America's favorite villian, Daytime Emmy Awards, 2002, for General Hospital.

CREDITS

Stage Appearances:

Sarah Brown, Guys and Dolls, Civic Light Opera Company, Los Angeles, 1960.

Title role, Anya, Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City, 1965.

Julie, Showboat, New York State Theatre, New York City, 1966.

Julie Jordan, Carousel, City Center Theatre, New York City, 1966.

Maria Rainer, The Sound of Music, 1967, later Jones Beach Marina Theatre, Wantagh, NY, 1971, also Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, PA, 1973, then Jones Beach Marina, 1980.

Marie, Dumas and Son, Civic Light Opera, Los Angeles, 1967.

Anna Leonowens, The King and I, City Center Theatre, 1968, later Jones Beach Marina, 1972, then State Fair Music Hall, Dallas, TX, 1973, later Uris Theatre, New York City, 1977-79.

Vivian Whitney, The Engagement Baby, Helen Hayes Theatre, New York City, 1970.

Kitty Fremont, Ari, Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City, 1971.

Agnes, I Do! I Do!, Chateau de Ville, Saugus, MA, 1972.

Eliza Doolittle, My Fair Lady, Indianapolis, IN, 1973.

Title role, Mame, Springfield, MO, 1973.

Eleanor Hilliard, The Desperate Hours, Arlington Park, IL, 1973.

Oh Coward!, Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, CT, 1974.

Rodgers and Hart, Westwood, CA, then Detroit Civic Light Opera, Detroit, MI, 1975.

The Speed of Darkness, Belasco Theatre, New York City, 1991.

Something Wonderful, McCallum Theatre, Palm Springs, CA, 1998.

Also appeared in Follies and Steel Magnolias.

Major Tours:

Camelot, U.S. cities, 1962.

Oh Coward!, U.S. cities, 1974.

Anna Leonowens, The King and I, U.S. cities, 1976.

Film Appearances:

Nancy Willows, Bring Your Smile Along, Columbia, 1955.

Hannah Hunter, The Horse Soldiers, United Artists, 1959.

Mary Beecher, Sergeant Rutledge (also known as Captain Buffalo), Warner Bros., 1960.

Cathy, Shock Corridor, Allied Artists, 1963.

Peg Burke, Fate Is the Hunter, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1964.

Kelly, The Naked Kiss (also known as The Iron Kiss), Allied Artists, 1964.

Muffy, Sylvester, Columbia, 1985.

Jessie Granger, Fast Forward, Columbia, 1985.

Mrs. Henderson, The Nutt House (also known as The Nutty Nut), Triboro Entertainment Group, 1992.

Louisa, The Next Karate Kid, Columbia, 1994.

Academy principal, Thunder in Paradise 3, Vidmark Entertainment, 1995.

Mrs. Blaisedale, The Relic, Paramount, 1997.

Sandra Bradford, A Perfect Murder (also known as Dial M for Murder), Warner Bros., 1998.

Television Appearances; Series:

Marian Hiller, Love Is a Many Splendored Thing, CBS, 1971-1972.

Clarissa McCandless, Capitol, CBS, 1982-87.

Camilla, 2000 Malibu Road, CBS, 1992.

Audrey North, The Young and the Restless, CBS, 1996.

Helena Cassadine, a recurring role, General Hospital, ABC, 1997-2002, 2004—.

Madame Julianna Deschanel, Sunset Beach, NBC, 1997.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Toast of the Town (archive footage), 1940.

The Ed Sullivan Show (also known as Toast of the Town), CBS, 1957.

Doris Woodley, "Beef a la Murder," State Trooper, 1957.

"Overdose of Lead," Mike Hammer (also known as Mickey Spillane's "Mike Hammer"), 1958.

Laura, "Sink or Swim," Adventures in Paradise, 1960.

Beth Woodfield, "Knight of the Sun," Zane Grey Theater, CBS, 1961.

Jonny Baker, "The Case of the Missing Melody," Perry Mason, CBS, 1961.

Esther Metcalfe, "The Case of the Prankish Professor," Perry Mason, CBS, 1963.

Joanne Pennington, "The Case of the Tragic Trophy," Perry Mason, CBS, 1964.

Laura James, "The Duplicate Man," The Outer Limits, 1964.

Louise Menke, "Exit from a Plane in Flight," Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (also known as The Chrysler Theater and Universal Star Time), 1965.

Leona Devore, "The Case of the Laughing Lady," Perry Mason, CBS, 1965.

The Bell Telephone Hour, 1966.

Mrs. Thorncrest, "Death's Name Is Sam," Hawaii Five-O (also known as McGarrett), CBS, 1975.

"In Hot Weather, the Crime Rate Soars," Lanigan's Rabbi, 1977.

The Mike Douglas Show, 1977.

Shirley Forbush, "Hit Man/The Swimmer," Fantasy Island, 1979.

"The Big Cheese," The Rockford Files, NBC, 1979.

Maggie Dunphy, "Perfect Husband/The Volcano," Fantasy Island, 1981.

Margaret, Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1986.

Charlotte Kelsey, "Rohner vs. Gradinger," L.A. Law, 1987.

Charlotte Kelsey, "Full Marital Jacket," L.A. Law, 1987.

Francine Leyland, "Ma Dalton," MacGyver, ABC, 1988.

Teresa Chandler, "Bood Red," Midnight Caller, 1989.

Louise Pollard, "The Mistress," Designing Women, 1990.

Alice Windemere, "The Suspect," Matlock, 1991.

Maggie James, "Sea of Flames," Baywatch, 1992.

"Das Boat House," Civil Wars, 1992.

Ambassador Taxco, "The Forsaken," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, syndicated, 1993.

Cavanna, "Deadly Lessons: Part 1," Thunder in Paradise, 1994.

Cavanna, "Deadly Lessons: Part 2," Thunder in Paradise, 1994.

Clarice, Frasier, NBC, 1994.

Karen Krane, "Ask the Dust," Silk Stalkings, USA Network, 1994.

Boaty Fairbanks, High Society, CBS, 1995.

Barbara, "Caroline and the Folks," Caroline in the City, NBC, 1995.

"Yul Brynner: The Man Who Was King," Biography, Arts and Entertainment, 1995.

Kelly, Kelly, 1998.

Candice Whitman/Cromwell, "Syd in Wonderland," Providence, NBC, 2000.

Deb Mason, "Riding the Lightning," Criminal Minds, CBS, 2006.

Also appeared in The Bob Hope Show, NBC; The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, NBC; The Home Show, ABC; Hour Magazine, syndicated; The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, CBS.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Margot Perot, On Wings of Eagles, NBC, 1986.

Sidney Sheldon's "Memories of Midnight" (also known as Memories of Midnight), 1991.

Sidney Sheldon's "The Sands of Time" (also known as The Sands of Time), syndicated, 1992.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Kate Shane, The Loner, ABC, 1988.

Television Appearances; Movies:

Felicia Post, The Renegade, 1960.

Sassie Taggert, Things That Go Bump in the Night (also known as ABC Saturday Mystery, Amanda Vanderbilt, and Christine Cromwell), ABC, 1989.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Rock Hudson: The E! True Hollywood Story, E! Entertainment Television, 1999.

Appeared in Once in Her Life.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

Frankie Laine: An American Dreamer, Omni, 2006.

Audio Books:

Forgiving, Audio Literature, 1991.

Conquering Stress in Daily Life, 1991.

Bygones/Forgiving/Morning Glory by LyVryle Spencer, Dove, 1992.

The Girl Who Heard Dragons, Audio Literature, 2001.

The White Dragon, Audio Literature, 2002.

The Planet Pirates: Generation Warriors/Sassinak/The Death of Sleep, Audio Literature, 2002.

Choice Cuts: A Savory Selection of Food Writing from Around the World and Throughout History, New Millenium, 2003.

Also read The Endearment: Limited.