Anita Gillette
A versatile Broadway and television character actress whose sharp timing and warmth lit up stages and screens for over six decades.
Born 1936 (age 90)·American actress and singer·Birthday: August 16·The Silent Generation
Biography
Anita Gillette's career is a masterclass in longevity and adaptability. The Baltimore native landed on Broadway in the 1960s, quickly becoming a reliable and sparkling presence in musicals and plays. She originated roles in shows like 'Carnival!' and 'Jimmy,' but perhaps her most famous stage turn was as a replacement for the lead in 'Chapter Two,' holding her own opposite Judd Hirsch. While theater was her first love, television audiences came to know her face intimately through hundreds of guest spots, from 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' to 'Law & Order,' often playing sophisticated, witty, or slightly eccentric women. In film, she brought a grounded humanity to mothers and neighbors, most notably in 'Moonstruck' and 'The Parent Trap' remake. Gillette never became a monolithic star; instead, she built a rich, enduring career as the ultimate professional, always making the material—and everyone around her—look better.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Anita was born in 1936, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anita Was Born
The biggest hits of 1936
#1 Movie
San Francisco
Best Picture
The Great Ziegfeld
Anita's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1936Born
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1941Started school
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1949Became a teenager
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1952Could drive
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1954Could vote
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Turned 21
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1966Turned 30
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 40
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 50
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 60
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 70
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 80
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Age 90 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role in 'Chapter Two' (1978).
- Originated the role of 'The Princess' in the Broadway musical 'Carnival!' (1961).
- Appeared in over 30 Broadway productions spanning from the 1950s to the 2010s.
- Had a recurring role as the mother of Sally and Harry on the hit TV series 'Mad About You'.
Did You Know?
She is a trained dancer and studied at the American Ballet Theatre school.
She performed a one-woman show, 'After All', showcasing stories and songs from her life and career.
She is the aunt of actor John Glover.
“The secret to a long career is to show up on time and know your lines.”
