Beverly D'Angelo
A chameleonic actress who stole scenes as the hilariously beleaguered vacationing mom and delivered searing dramatic turns with equal ease.
Born 1951 (age 75)·American actress·Birthday: November 15·Baby Boomers
Biography
Beverly D'Angelo's path to acting was anything but direct; she began as an animator for the cartoon 'Rocket Robin Hood' and sang in a rock band before catching the performing bug. Her breakthrough came as the free-spirited Sheila in the film adaptation of the musical 'Hair,' a role that showcased her singing voice and magnetic presence. She then proved her dramatic depth with a Golden Globe-nominated portrayal of country legend Patsy Cline in 'Coal Miner's Daughter,' mastering the vocals herself. For a generation, however, she is indelibly etched as Ellen Griswold, the eye-rolling, endlessly patient heart of the 'National Lampoon's Vacation' series, a performance that turned a supporting role into a comic archetype. D'Angelo has consistently zigzagged between comedy and drama, from the raw intensity of 'American History X' to guest spots on 'Entourage,' building a career defined by fearless versatility and an unmistakable, smoky voice.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Beverly was born in 1951, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Beverly Was Born
The biggest hits of 1951
#1 Movie
Quo Vadis
Best Picture
An American in Paris
#1 TV Show
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts
Beverly's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1951Born
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1956Started school
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1964Became a teenager
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Could drive
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1969Could vote
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Turned 21
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1981Turned 30
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 40
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 50
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 60
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 70
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 75 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of Patsy Cline in 'Coal Miner's Daughter.'
- Nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance as Stella Kowalski in a television adaptation of 'A Streetcar Named Desire.'
- Starred as the matriarch Ellen Griswold across five 'National Lampoon's Vacation' films over three decades.
- Performed all her own singing as Patsy Cline, including the complex vocals for 'Crazy.'
Did You Know?
She is a trained mezzo-soprano and initially pursued a career as a vocalist before acting.
She worked as an animator early in her career, contributing to the opening sequence of 'The New Adventures of Superman.'
She has two children with actor Al Pacino, born in 2001 via in vitro fertilization.
She provided the singing voice for the character of Katrina in the animated film 'The Last Halloween.'
““I think the best comedy comes from a place of truth.””
