Priscilla Pointer, 'Dallas' and 'Carrie' actor and mom to Oscar nominee Amy Irving, dies at 100

Priscilla Pointer, a signifier histrion possibly champion known for roles successful the movie “Carrie” and TV’s “Dallas,” died Monday, her household confirmed. The parent of Oscar-nominated histrion Amy Irving, Pointer was 100 years old.

She “died peacefully successful her slumber astatine the property of 100, hopefully to tally disconnected with her 2 adoring husbands and her galore dogs,” the “Crossing Delancey” prima said Tuesday connected societal media. “She astir decidedly volition beryllium missed.”

For 44 episodes of CBS’ bid “Dallas,” Pointer played Rebecca Barnes Wentworth, Pamela and Cliff’s parent and the caput of a rival lipid family. In the 1976 movie “Carrie” she played Mrs. Snell, parent to Sue Snell, who was played by her girl Amy.

She was conscionable shy of her 101st birthday, according to a household connection obtained by The Times.

“Priscilla had a agelong acting career. She met her archetypal hubby Jules Irving successful Europe conscionable aft WWII successful an service accumulation of ‘Brother Rat,’” the connection said. “They returned to the U.S. and formed the Actor’s Workshop successful San Francisco. The institution yet took implicit the Vivian Beaumont Theater successful NYC.”

Pointer, who was calved successful New York City connected May 18, 1924, began her signifier vocation successful the metropolis the 1940s. She was was joined to Irving from 1947 until his decease successful 1979, moving retired westbound with him aft the war. They returned to New York City arsenic the San Francisco troupe was winding down and Irving served arsenic creator manager of Manhattan’s Lincoln Center from 1965 to 1972. The mates moved to Southern California aft helium retired, settling down successful Santa Monica.

After her archetypal hubby died, Pointer joined Robert Symonds. The 2 knew each different from San Francisco, and Symonds had moved to New York from California to enactment arsenic Irving’s subordinate manager astatine the Lincoln Center.

Symonds recalled gathering Pointer for the archetypal clip astatine the Actor’s Workshop successful San Francisco, wherever she was “sitting astatine a table typing a letter,” helium told The Times successful 1997. “I retrieve she was very, precise pretty.”

Former Times unit writer Daryl H. Miller dubbed Pointer a “natural beauty.”

“Whether hunkered connected the level petting a canine oregon sitting pertly connected a couch,” helium wrote, “she is regal yet casual, arresting yet homespun.”

Amy Irving told The Times successful 1997 that her parent and Symonds were “unbelievably well-suited” arsenic a couple. “I cognize my ma and dada were profoundly successful emotion with each other, but Mom and Bob person truthful overmuch successful common,” she said. “There’s specified harmony successful their lives, a truly bully balance. They spark each other.”

The couple’s associated projects included the 1984 Blake Edwards movie “Micki & Maude,” successful which they played Ann Reinking’s parents, and the 1993 South Coast Repertory production of “Morning’s astatine Seven,” successful which they played brother- and sister-in-law. “First Love” astatine the Odyssey Theater successful 2003 and the 2000 accumulation of Athol Fugard’s “Road to Mecca” astatine the Fountain Theatre successful Hollywood were besides twofer shows.

When Pointer and Symonds worked unneurotic connected the 1997 accumulation of “Fighting Over Beverly,” besides astatine the Fountain, they rehearsed astatine location and carpooled crossed municipality to the theater, but their characters weren’t expected to person seen each different successful 50 years.

“That truly requires acting,” Pointer told The Times, “because alternatively of having known him for 43 years, I person to unreal — and truthful does helium — that we haven’t seen each different since we were 18.”

“The unflappable Pointer sails supra the wide mayhem with a ladylike aplomb that makes her consequent affectional epiphany each the much moving,” The Times wrote astir Pointer’s show successful that show.

Amy Irving told The Times successful 2007, “I grew up watching my dada directing Mom and Bob successful the leads of plays, and the 3 of them were champion friends. That was wherever I began to make my passionateness for acting and larn however to bash it.”

Pointer went solo successful shows including “At Long Last Leo” astatine South Coast Repertory successful 1988 and the 1985 movie “The Falcon and the Snowman,” amassing adjacent to 100 movie and TV credits betwixt 1954 and 2014.

After Symonds died successful 2007 from complications of prostate cancer, Pointer kept performing, including a 2017 relation successful “Night and Dreams: A Schubert & Beckett Recital” astatine the Walt Disney Concert Hall, wherever she played 1 of the amusing aged ladies of Beckett’s “Come and Go.” The women each whispered thing astir another, past launched into “Lachen und Weinen,” Schubert’s opus astir laughter being a lover’s defence against tears.

Pointer is survived by her 3 children from her archetypal marriage, David, Katie and Amy, and galore grandchildren.

Times classical euphony professional Mark Swed and erstwhile Times unit writer Daryl H. Miller contributed to this report.