Priscilla Pointer, the distinguished character actress who immortalized the role of Amy Irving's mother in Brian De Palma's horror masterpiece "Carrie," has passed away at the ripe age of 100. Her son, the writer-director David Irving, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Pointer breathed her last on Monday at an assisted living facility in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Notably, Pointer shared the screen with her daughter in six additional films following their unforgettable collaboration in "Carrie."
Pointer's illustrious career also saw her portray Diane Keaton's mother in "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" (1977), Sean Penn's mother in "The Falcon and the Snowman" (1985), and Kyle MacLachlan's mother in "Blue Velvet" (1986). On television, she captivated audiences as Rebecca Barnes Wentworth, the mother of Victoria Principal's character, in CBS's "Dallas" during the early 1980s.
Furthermore, Pointer's bond with Irving extended beyond the realm of cinema, as they co-starred in films such as "Honeysuckle Rose" (1980), "The Competition" (1980), Blake Edwards' "Micki + Maude" (1984), "Rumpelstiltskin" (1987) – directed by their son – "A Show of Force" (1990), and "Carried Away" (1996).
In the 1960s and 1970s, Pointer graced the Broadway stage with the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center, under the guidance of her late first husband, Jules Irving, and Herbert Blau. Alongside Blau's wife, actress Beatrice Manley, they co-founded the San Francisco Actor's Workshop in a Divisidero Street loft in 1952. Recalling those days in a 1994 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Irving shared, "Instead of hiring babysitters, Mama would seat us in the front row, where she could keep an eye on us from the stage. My father was an extraordinary artistic director, and the Actor's Workshop was a special place that valued the art above money and fame. When I ventured into the real world, I found it quite disillusioning."
After Jules Irving's untimely demise from a heart attack in 1979, at the age of 54, Pointer found love again two years later, tying the knot with Robert Symonds, an actor and Jules' producing companion. Their professional journey had begun decades earlier at the Actor’s Workshop in their twenties, where they frequently shared the stage and screen, notably in films such as "Micki + Maude" and "Inferno" (1999). Tragically, Symonds passed away in 2007.
Pointer's tenure on the iconic TV series "Dallas" came to a close in 1983, during the show's sixth season. Her character met a fatal end when the Wentworth jet she was traveling in collided mid-air with another aircraft.
Born in New York on May 18, 1924, Pointer hailed from a family of artists – her parents, Augusta and Kenneth, were both deeply rooted in the creative world. During her time at the Actor’s Workshop, Pointer wore many hats, from answering phones to starring in plays like Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" and Harold Pinter's "The Birthday Party." Her Broadway breakthrough arrived in 1965 with a revival of "Danton's Death."
Her filmography boasts an impressive array of titles, including "Nickelodeon" (1976), "The Onion Field" (1979), "Mommie Dearest" (1981), her son's "Good-bye Cruel World" (1983), "From the Hip" (1987), and "A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors" (1987).
On television, Pointer's versatility shone through in various roles across shows like "The High Chaparral," "The Name of the Game," "The Rockford Files," "Police Woman," "Barnaby Jones," and "Family." She also made a recurring appearance as a judge in "L.A. Law."
Amy Irving, the esteemed actress and former wife of Steven Spielberg, garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Barbra Streisand's "Yentl" (1983). Her cinematic debut came in the horror film "Carrie" (1976).
On Instagram, Amy pens a heartfelt tribute to her mother, who passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 100. She jests that her mother has now reunited with her two beloved husbands and countless dogs in the afterlife. Pointer's absence will undoubtedly be felt deeply.
Among those left to mourn are Pointer's daughter, Katie Irving, a singer who contributed two songs to "Carrie"; Amy's husband, the documentarian Kenneth Bowser; and eight grandchildren.
