Melinda Dillon, who appeared in 'A Christmas Story', 'Encounters of the Third Kind', dies at 83

Academy and Tony nominated actress Melinda Dillon, who played Mother Parker in 'A Christmas Story' , and appeared in "Magnolia" and "Encounters of the Third Kind", died on January 9. She was 83 years old.

His death was reported by the .

Dillon is famous for her role as Jillian Guiler in Steven Speilberg's "Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977 ), for which she earned an Oscar nomination for supporting actress. She received a second supporting actress nomination in 1982 for her role as Teresa in Sydney Pollack's "Absence of Malice" (1981). In 1977, she received a Golden Globe nomination for her acting debut in a film for Hal Ashby's "Bound for Glory" (1976).

The actor played the Parker family matriarch in Bob Clark's holiday classic "A Christmas Story" (1983) and went on to appear in "Harry and the Hendersons" (1987), "Captain America" ​​(1990) and "Nightbreaker" (1989). Her most recent appearances were in "Heartland" in 2007, and before that in Paul Thomas Anderson's "Magnolia" (1999) as Rose Gator.

Dillon's career began as a stage actor and improv comedian in "The Second City" of Chicago. In Edward Albee's 1962 original "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf," the actor played Honey and received a Tony nomination for Featured Actress in a Play. She also starred in "Paul Sill's Story Theatre" and "You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running".

"The April Fools" in 1969 was his first feature film. On television, his portfolio includes episodes of "Bonanza" (1969), "The Twilight Zone" (1985) and "Law & Order: SVU" (2005).

Born October 13, 1939, in Hope, Ark., the actor grew up in Cullman, Ala. , and spent four years in Germany before graduating from high school in Chicago. She graduated from the Goodman School of Drama at the Art Institute of Chicago (now located at DePaul University). Dillon married actor Richard Libertini and the two divorced in 1978.

Dillon is survived by his son Richard Libertini Jr.

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