Bernadette Peters is an American actress, singer, and children’s book author. Over a career spanning more than six decades, she has starred in musical theatre, television and film, performed in solo concerts and released recordings.
Peters began her career in the theater, appearing in the original Broadway productions of Fiddler on the Roof (1964) and Merrily We Roll Along (1970). She won her first Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in Dames at Sea (1966).
Peters went on to star in a number of other successful Broadway musicals, including A Chorus Line (1975), Song and Dance (1979), Annie Get Your Gun (1983), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979), and Gypsy (2003). She won her second Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in Song and Dance.
Peters has also had a successful career in television and film. She starred in the television musicals Cinderella (1997) and Annie (1999), and she has appeared in films such as Silent Movie (1976), Pennies from Heaven (1981), and The Jerk (1979).
Peters is a gifted singer and actress, and she is known for her versatile voice and her ability to tackle a wide range of musical styles. She is also a talented comedienne, and she is often praised for her wit and her ability to connect with audiences.
Bernadette Peters 2023
Beginning in 2023, Peters plays the recurring role of Roslyn in the Apple TV+ comedy series High Desert.
Bernadette Peters Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Ace Eli and Rodger of the Skies | Allison | |
| 1974 | The Longest Yard | Miss Toot | |
| 1976 | W.C. Fields and Me | Melody | |
| Silent Movie | Vilma Kaplan | ||
| Vigilante Force | Little Dee | ||
| 1979 | The Jerk | Marie | |
| 1981 | Tulips | Rutanya Wallace | |
| Pennies from Heaven | Eileen | ||
| Heartbeeps | Aqua | ||
| 1982 | Annie | Lily St. Regis | |
| 1989 | Slaves of New York | Eleanor | |
| Pink Cadillac | Lou Ann McGuinn | ||
| Dragon and Slippers | Guinevere | Voice | |
| 1990 | Alice | Muse | |
| 1991 | Impromptu | Marie D’Agoult | |
| 1997 | Anastasia | Sophie | Voice |
| Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas | Angelique | Voice | |
| 1998 | Barney’s Great Adventure | Singer, title song | |
| 1999 | Snow Days | Elise Ellis | original title Let It Snow |
| Wakko’s Wish | Rita | Voice | |
| 2003 | It Runs in the Family | Rebecca Gromberg | |
| The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration | Sue | Voice | |
| 2007 | Come le formiche | Mary Ann | AKA Wine and Kisses |
| 2011 | Coming Up Roses | Diane | Released in 2012 |
| 2014 | Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return | Glinda | Voice |
| 2016 | 10 Little Rubber Ducks | Narrator | Voice |
| 2020 | The Broken Hearts Gallery | Eva Woolf | |
| 2021 | Tick, Tick… Boom! | “Sunday” Legend | Cameo |
Television
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969–70 | The Kraft Music Hall | Herself | 4 episodes |
| 1969–78 1991 |
The Carol Burnett Show | 11 episodes | |
| 1970 | Bing Crosby – Cooling It | Herself | TV special |
| George M! | Josie Cohan | Television film | |
| 1971 | Paradise Lost | Libby | |
| The Ed Sullivan Show | Herself–singer | Television appearance | |
| 1972 | Once Upon a Mattress | Lady Larken | Television film |
| 1973 | Love American Style | Nellie | Episode: “Love and the Hoodwinked Honey” |
| Break Up | Herself | Music comedy special for ABC | |
| 1975 | Maude | Kathy Griffith | Episode: “Rumpus in the Rumpus Room” |
| All in the Family | Linda Galloway | Episode: “Gloria Suspects Mike” | |
| 1976 | Bing Crosby’s White Christmas Special | Herself | TV special |
| McCoy | Brenda Brooks | Episode: “In Again Out Again” | |
| McCloud | B.B. Murchison | Episode: “The Day New York Turned Blue” | |
| Tony Orlando and Dawn | Herself | ||
| 1976–77 | All’s Fair | Charley Drake | 24 episodes |
| 1977 | The Muppet Show | Herself | Episode: “Bernadette Peters” |
| 1978 | The Islander | Trudy Engles | Television film |
| 1980 | The Tim Conway Show | Herself | Episode #1.6 |
| The Martian Chronicles | Genevieve Seltzer | Miniseries | |
| 1981 | Saturday Night Live | Herself (host) | Episode: “Bernadette Peters/Billy Joel/The Go-Go’s” |
| 1983 | Faerie Tale Theatre | Sleeping Beauty Princess Debbie |
Episode: “Sleeping Beauty” |
| 1986 | Sunday in the Park with George | Dot / Marie | Television film |
| 1987 | Diana Ross: Red Hot Rhythm & Blues | Herself | TV special |
| 1988 | David | Marie Rothenberg | Television film |
| 1990 | Fall from Grace | Tammy Faye Bakker | |
| The Last Best Year | Jane Murray | ||
| Carol & Company | Kate Benton | Episode: “The Jingle Belles” | |
| 1991 | Into the Woods | The Witch | Television film |
| 1992 | The Last Mile | The Soprano | TV short |
| 1993–96 | Animaniacs | Rita | Voice, 16 episodes |
| 1994 | The Larry Sanders Show | Bernadette Peters | Episode: “Montana” |
| 1995 | A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim | Herself | A&E Stage |
| 1997 | The Odyssey | Circe | Miniseries |
| Cinderella | Cinderella’s Stepmother | Television film | |
| What the Deaf Man Heard | Helen Ayers | ||
| Holiday in Your Heart | Faith Shawn | ||
| 1998 | The Closer | Victoria Sherwood | Episode: “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” |
| 2000 | Inside the Actors Studio | Herself | Episode #7.2 |
| 2001 | Frasier | Rachel | Voice, episode: “Sliding Frasiers” |
| Ally McBeal | Cassandra Lewis | 2 episodes | |
| 2002 | Bobbie’s Girl | Bailey Lewis | Television film |
| 2003 | Prince Charming | Margo / Titania | |
| 2005 | Adopted | Sarah Leaf | Unsold ABC pilot |
| 2006 | Will & Grace | Gin | Episode: “Whatever Happened to Baby Gin?” |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Stella Danquiss | Episode: “Choreographed” | |
| 2007 | Boston Legal | Judge Marianna Folger | Episode: “Guantanamo By The Bay” |
| 2008 | Grey’s Anatomy | Sarabeth Breyers | Episode: “Dream a Little Dream of Me” |
| Living Proof | Barbara Bradfield | Television film | |
| 2009 | Ugly Betty | Jodie Papadakis | 5 episodes |
| 2012–13 | Smash | Leigh Conroy | 6 episodes |
| 2014–18 | Mozart in the Jungle | Gloria Windsor | 35 episodes |
| 2014 | Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce | Annie | Episode: “Rule #21: Leave Childishness to the Children” |
| 2017–18 | The Good Fight | Lenore Rindell | 9 episodes |
| 2020 | Katy Keene | Ms. Freesia | 3 episodes |
| Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Celebration | Herself | TV special | |
| 2020–21 | Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist | Deb | 3 episodes |
| 2021 | Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas | Deb | Television film |
| 2023 | High Desert | Rosalyn / Ginger | 8 episodes |
Bernadette Peters Nominations
Theatre
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Dames at Sea | Won |
| Theatre World Award | George M! | Honoree | ||
| 1971 | Tony Award | Best Featured Actress in a Musical | On the Town | Nominated |
| 1974 | Tony Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Mack and Mabel | Nominated |
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Nominated | ||
| 1984 | Tony Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Sunday in the Park with George | Nominated |
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Nominated | ||
| 1986 | Tony Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Song and Dance | Won |
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Won | ||
| Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Won | ||
| 1987 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Into the Woods | Nominated |
| 1993 | Tony Award | Best Actress in a Musical | The Goodbye Girl | Nominated |
| Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Nominated | ||
| 1999 | Tony Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Annie Get Your Gun | Won |
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Won | ||
| Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Won | ||
| 2003 | Tony Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Gypsy | Nominated |
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Nominated | ||
| Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Citation | ||
| 2011 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Follies | Nominated |
| 2018 | Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Hello, Dolly! | Citation |
Music
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Grammy Award | Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album | I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight | Nominated |
| 1998 | Sondheim Etc.- Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall | Nominated | ||
| 2003 | Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers and Hammerstein | Nominated | ||
| 2013 | Best Musical Theater Album | Follies: The New Broadway Cast Recording | Nominated |
Film
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Golden Globe Award | Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture | Silent Movie | Nominated |
| 1981 | Golden Globe Award | Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy | Pennies from Heaven | Won |
Television
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Golden Globe Award | Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy | All’s Fair | Nominated |
| 1978 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Continuing or Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Variety or Music Program | The Muppet Show | Nominated |
| 2001 | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | Ally McBeal | Nominated | |
| 2003 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Special | Bobbie’s Girl | Nominated |
| 2021 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist | Nominated |
Bernadette Instagram
Peters is active on Instagram. Her handle is @officialbernadettepeters. She has over 100,000 followers and she regularly posts updates about her life and career. She also uses Instagram to promote her upcoming projects.