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Candice Bergen

Acting

Born May 9, 1946 · Beverly Hills, California, USA

Also known as Candice Patricia Bergen · Candy Bergen · Olga Mallsnerd

Biography

Candice Patricia Bergen (born May 9, 1946) is an American actress and former fashion model. She won five Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for her portrayal of the title character on the CBS sitcom Murphy Brown (1988–1998, 2018-2019). She is also known for her role as Shirley Schmidt on the ABC drama Boston Legal (2005–2008). In films, Bergen was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Starting Over (1979), and for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Gandhi (1982). Bergen began her career as a fashion model and appeared on the cover of Vogue before she made her screen debut in the film The Group (1966). She starred in The Sand Pebbles (1966), Soldier Blue (1970), Carnal Knowledge (1971), and The Wind and the Lion (1975). She made her Broadway debut in the 1984 play Hurlyburly and starred in the revivals of The Best Man (2012) and Love Letters (2014). From 2002 to 2004, she appeared in three episodes of the HBO series Sex and the City. Her other film roles include Miss Congeniality (2000), Sweet Home Alabama (2002), The Women (2008), Bride Wars (2009), Book Club (2018) and Let Them All Talk (2020).

Awards & recognition

  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 1995
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 1994
  • Golden Globe AwardBest Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy · 1992
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 1992
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 1990
Show all 33 awards →
  • Golden Globe AwardBest Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy · 1989
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 1989
  • Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year · 1979
  • Golden Raspberry AwardWorst Supporting Actress · 2009 · nominated
  • Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series · 2009 · nominated
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series · 2008 · nominated
  • Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series · 2008 · nominated
  • Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series · 2007 · nominated
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series · 2006 · nominated
  • Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series · 2006 · nominated
  • Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series · 2006 · nominated
  • Satellite AwardBest Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy · 2005 · nominated
  • Teen Choice AwardBest Villain · 2003 · nominated
  • TCA Career Achievement Award · 1998 · nominated
  • Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series · 1996 · nominated
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 1995 · nominated
  • Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series · 1995 · nominated
  • Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series · 1995 · nominated
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 1994 · nominated
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 1993 · nominated
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 1992 · nominated
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 1991 · nominated
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 1990 · nominated
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series · 1989 · nominated
  • BAFTA AwardBest Actress in a Supporting Role · 1983 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Supporting Actress · 1980 · nominated
  • Golden Globe AwardBest Supporting Actress – Motion Picture · 1979 · nominated
  • Golden Globe AwardNew Star of the Year – Actress · 1966 · nominated

Filmography50+ titles

House

2004as Arlene Cuddy

BoJack Horseman

2014as The Closer (voice)

Seinfeld

1989as Murphy Brown

Law & Order: Trial by Jury

2005as Amanda Anderlee

The Muppet Show

1976as Self - Special Guest Star

Boston Legal

2004as Shirley Schmidt

Shrinking

2023as Constance

Gandhi

1982as Margaret Bourke-White

Inequality for All

2013as Murphy Brown (archive footage)

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962as Self

Family Guy

1999as Gloria Ironbox (voice)

Sex and the City

1998as Enid Mead

And Just Like That...

2021as Enid Frick

Law & Order

1990as Judge Amanda Anderlee

American Masters

1986as Self

Lorne

2026as Self

The Sand Pebbles

1966as Shirley Eckert

Belushi

2020as Self (archive footage)

The Conners

2018as Barb

Sesame Street Jam: A Musical Celebration

1993as Self (segment "Monster in the Mirror")

What's My Line?

1950as Self - Mystery Guest

Battle Creek

2015as Constance (Russ' mom)

Will & Grace

1998as Candice Bergen

Saturday Night Live

1975as Self - Host

Mary & Tim

1996as Mary Horton

Soldier Blue

1970as Kathy Maribel Lee, 'Cresta'

The Dick Cavett Show

1968as Self - Guest

2010: The Year We Make Contact

1984as SAL 9000 (voice)

Carnal Knowledge

1971as Susan

Alan Pakula: Going for Truth

2019as Self

The Meyerowitz Stories

2017as Julia Meyerowitz

Sex and the City

2008as Enid Frick

Miss Congeniality

2000as Kathy Morningside

Bite the Bullet

1975as Miss Jones

The Wind and the Lion

1975as Eden Pedecaris

The Kelly Clarkson Show

2019as Self - Guest

Sweet Home Alabama

2002as Mayor Kate Hennings

Murphy Brown

1988as Murphy Brown

Starting Over

1979as Jessica Potter

Book Club: The Next Chapter

2023as Sharon

Book Club

2018as Sharon

Bride Wars

2009as Marion St. Claire

Home Again

2017as Lillian Stewart

Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's

2013as Self

The Hunting Party

1971as Melissa Ruger

The Capote Tapes

2019as Self (archive footage)

The Michael J. Fox Show

2013as Beth Henry

The Domino Principle

1977as Ellie

Footsteps

2003as Daisy Lowendahl

11 Harrowhouse

1974as Maren Shirell