# Glenne Headly
**Glenne Headly** (March 13, 1955 – June 8, 2017) was an American actress known for her comedic film work, above all as the con artist's mark-turned-trickster in *Dirty Rotten Scoundrels* (1988), and for a stage career rooted in Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where she was an ensemble member from 1979 to 2005[1](https://www.steppenwolf.org/people/glenne-headly). Her best-known film roles were in *Dirty Rotten Scoundrels*, Warren Beatty's *Dick Tracy* (1990), and *Mr. Holland's Opus* (1995), and she received two Emmy Award nominations, for the miniseries *Lonesome Dove* and the television film *Bastard Out of Carolina*[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/glenne-headly).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1955, New London, Connecticut[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/glenne-headly) |
| Died | June 8, 2017, Santa Monica, California, aged 62, of complications from a pulmonary embolism[3](https://time.com/4813780/glenne-headly-cause-of-death-pulmonary-embolism/) |
| Theater | Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble member, 1979–2005; four Joseph Jefferson Awards[1](https://www.steppenwolf.org/people/glenne-headly) |
| New York awards | Theatre World Award, 1984, for *The Philanthropist*; Drama Desk Award, 1985, for ensemble acting in *Balm in Gilead*[4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/glenne-headly-44676) |
| Emmy nominations | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Special: 1989 as Elmira in *Lonesome Dove* (CBS); 1997 as Ruth in *Bastard Out of Carolina* (SHO)[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/glenne-headly) |
| Signature films | *Dirty Rotten Scoundrels* (1988), *Dick Tracy* (1990, as Tess Trueheart), *Mr. Holland's Opus* (1995)[5](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-me-glenne-headly-obituary-20170609-story.html) |
| Marriages | John Malkovich, 1982–1988; Byron McCulloch, 1993–2017, one son, Stirling[4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/glenne-headly-44676) |
## Early life and training
Glenne Aimee Headly was born in [New London, Connecticut](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-london-connecticut), and grew up largely in New York City, where she attended the High School of Performing Arts[6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/glenne-headly-versatile-actress-who-starred-in-dirty-rotten-scoundrels-dies-at-62/2017/06/09/67b188e8-4d26-11e7-9669-250d0b15f83b_story.html). She had studied dance as a girl, taking ballet at the Joffrey Ballet School and modern dance at the Martha Graham School[7](https://playbill.com/article/stage-and-screen-veteran-glenne-headly-dies-at-62). Rather than enroll in an American drama program, she attended the American College of Switzerland in Leysin, majoring in literature and art history[6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/glenne-headly-versatile-actress-who-starred-in-dirty-rotten-scoundrels-dies-at-62/2017/06/09/67b188e8-4d26-11e7-9669-250d0b15f83b_story.html) • [8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/glenne-headly/).
## Steppenwolf and the stage
When acting work in New York failed to materialize, Headly moved to Chicago, where she joined the young [Steppenwolf Theatre Company](https://www.edgepedia.org/steppenwolf-theatre-company) in 1979, appearing alongside emerging performers including [Gary Sinise](https://www.edgepedia.org/gary-sinise), Laurie Metcalf, Terry Kinney, and [John Malkovich](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-malkovich)[9](https://chicago.suntimes.com/2017/6/10/18363780/actress-steppenwolf-alum-glenne-headly-dies-at-62). She also worked in the company's costume department[10](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jun/12/glenne-headly-obituary).
**Chicago and New York recognition.** At Steppenwolf she won four Joseph Jefferson Awards, the Chicago-area theater honor, for *Say Goodnight, Gracie*; *Balm in Gilead*; *The Miss Firecracker Contest*; and *Coyote Ugly*[1](https://www.steppenwolf.org/people/glenne-headly). Steppenwolf's New York productions brought her wider notice: she received a Theatre World Award in 1984 for *The Philanthropist* and, in 1985, a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Acting for *Balm in Gilead*[4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/glenne-headly-44676). In 1985 she starred as Raina Petkoff in the Broadway revival of [George Bernard Shaw](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-bernard-shaw)'s *Arms and the Man*, directed by Malkovich, opposite [Kevin Kline](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-kline) and Raúl Juliá; New York Times critic Frank Rich described her portrayal as "innocently commanding"[6](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/glenne-headly-versatile-actress-who-starred-in-dirty-rotten-scoundrels-dies-at-62/2017/06/09/67b188e8-4d26-11e7-9669-250d0b15f83b_story.html).
Although she remained on the Steppenwolf ensemble roster until 2005, she did not act with the company after the 1980 production of *Absent Friends*[7](https://playbill.com/article/stage-and-screen-veteran-glenne-headly-dies-at-62). Later stage work included *Aunt Dan and Lemon* at London's Almeida Theatre, the one-woman play *My Brilliant Divorce* in Galway, the Los Angeles production of *The Jacksonian*, and her final Broadway appearance in *Fish in the Dark* (2015), where she first replaced [Rita Wilson](https://www.edgepedia.org/rita-wilson) and then played the role full time opposite [Jason Alexander](https://www.edgepedia.org/jason-alexander) for the run's final seven weeks[11](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/glenne-headly/) • [7](https://playbill.com/article/stage-and-screen-veteran-glenne-headly-dies-at-62).
## Film breakthrough
Headly's first screen roles were small parts in [Woody Allen](https://www.edgepedia.org/woody-allen)'s *The Purple Rose of Cairo* (1985), the drama *Eleni* (1985), and the science-fiction comedy *Making Mr Right* (1987)[10](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jun/12/glenne-headly-obituary). Her profile rose sharply with *Dirty Rotten Scoundrels* (1988), directed by [Frank Oz](https://www.edgepedia.org/frank-oz), in which she played the seemingly naive heiress targeted by two con men played by [Michael Caine](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-caine) and Steve Martin. She helped devise the film's revised ending, in which her character turns the tables on both swindlers[10](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jun/12/glenne-headly-obituary).
Her high, breathy voice and comic mannerisms drew frequent comparisons to [Judy Holliday](https://www.edgepedia.org/judy-holliday), a likeness she embraced by playing Holliday's original stage role of Billie Dawn in a 1988 production of *Born Yesterday*; Caine, her *Dirty Rotten Scoundrels* co-star, said she had "a Judy Holliday quality" but "can do so much more"[10](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jun/12/glenne-headly-obituary).
Through the 1990s she carried major supporting roles in a run of Hollywood films: Tess Trueheart in Beatty's *Dick Tracy* (1990), a woman suspected of murdering her abusive husband in Alan Rudolph's *Mortal Thoughts* (1991), a detective in *Getting Even with Dad* (1994), the wife of [Richard Dreyfuss](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-dreyfuss)'s title character in *Mr. Holland's Opus* (1995), and a reunion with [Steve Martin](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-martin) in *Sgt. Bilko* (1996)[10](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jun/12/glenne-headly-obituary) • [5](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-me-glenne-headly-obituary-20170609-story.html). Later film work included *Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen* (2004), *The Namesake* (2006), *The Joneses* (2009), [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://www.edgepedia.org/joseph-gordon-levitt)'s *Don Jon* (2013), *Strange Weather* (2016), and *The Circle* (2017), and by one count she appeared in more than 25 films[8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/glenne-headly/) • [3](https://time.com/4813780/glenne-headly-cause-of-death-pulmonary-embolism/).
## Television
Headly's television career was anchored by two Emmy-nominated performances, both for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Special: Elmira in CBS's *Lonesome Dove* (1989) and Ruth in Showtime's *Bastard Out of Carolina*, a child-abuse drama directed by Anjelica Huston[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/glenne-headly) • [10](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jun/12/glenne-headly-obituary). Other credits included the live adaptation *On Golden Pond* opposite Christopher Plummer and Julie Andrews, a recurring role as Tony Shalhoub's ex-wife on *Monk*, and guest and recurring parts on *ER*, *Frasier*, *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit*, *Grey's Anatomy*, *Psych*, *Parks and Recreation*, and *The League*[2](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/glenne-headly) • [8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/glenne-headly/). In 2016 she played a lawyer in HBO's limited series *The Night Of*, an adaptation of the BBC series *Criminal Justice*[10](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jun/12/glenne-headly-obituary).
## Personal life and death
Headly met John Malkovich at Steppenwolf; they married in 1982 and divorced in 1988[4](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/glenne-headly-44676). In 1993 she married Byron McCulloch, with whom she had a son, Stirling[3](https://time.com/4813780/glenne-headly-cause-of-death-pulmonary-embolism/).
She died on June 8, 2017, in Santa Monica, California, at age 62, from complications of a pulmonary embolism[3](https://time.com/4813780/glenne-headly-cause-of-death-pulmonary-embolism/). At the time of her death she was in production on the Hulu comedy series *Future Man*, which had not yet been released[7](https://playbill.com/article/stage-and-screen-veteran-glenne-headly-dies-at-62).
## References
1. [Glenne Headly, Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble profile](https://www.steppenwolf.org/people/glenne-headly)
2. [Glenne Headly, Emmy Awards and Nominations, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/glenne-headly)
3. [Glenne Headly Died From Pulmonary Embolism Complications, Husband Says, TIME (June 10, 2017)](https://time.com/4813780/glenne-headly-cause-of-death-pulmonary-embolism/)
4. [Glenne Headly, Broadway Cast & Staff, IBDB](https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/glenne-headly-44676)
5. [Actress Glenne Headly, 'Lonesome Dove' and 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' star, dies at 62, Los Angeles Times (June 9, 2017)](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-me-glenne-headly-obituary-20170609-story.html)
6. [Glenne Headly, versatile actress who starred in 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,' dies at 62, The Washington Post (June 9, 2017)](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/glenne-headly-versatile-actress-who-starred-in-dirty-rotten-scoundrels-dies-at-62/2017/06/09/67b188e8-4d26-11e7-9669-250d0b15f83b_story.html)
7. [Stage and Screen Veteran Glenne Headly Dies at 62, Playbill (June 9, 2017)](https://playbill.com/article/stage-and-screen-veteran-glenne-headly-dies-at-62)
8. [Glenne Headly, TV Insider biography](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/glenne-headly/)
9. [Actress, Steppenwolf alum Glenne Headly dies at 62, Chicago Sun-Times (June 10, 2017)](https://chicago.suntimes.com/2017/6/10/18363780/actress-steppenwolf-alum-glenne-headly-dies-at-62)
10. [Glenne Headly obituary, The Guardian (June 12, 2017)](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jun/12/glenne-headly-obituary)
11. [Glenne Headly, Geffen Playhouse artist page](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/glenne-headly/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames He to H*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license