Estelle Parsons made her mark on television as Beverly Lorraine "Bev" Harris on the sitcom Roseanne.  Distinctly known for her shrill and appallingly whiny voice, she portrayed the overbearing mother of lead character Roseanne.  Throughout the show, she projected a generous mother who constantly shared her wealth by proving financial gifts to the family to help and bail them out.  Despite her good intentions, most members of the family often avoided her for being a nagger.  Although she was noted for being conservative and very traditional, as opposed to her daughter’s more liberal and feminist ideologies, she ironically turned out to be a lesbian towards the end of the series.  In the near future, she’ll be taking on several dramatic projects set for the big screen.

Awaiting for release this year is the film Salomaybe?, in which Estelle Parsons will be acting alongside Al Pacino, who serves as the director of the movie as well.  An attempt to re-interpret Oscar Wilde’s controversial work entitled Salome, the movie consists of an uncanny mix of documentary, fiction and improvisation, and explores themes of religion, politics and sexuality.

Additionally, she is part of the upcoming documentary film Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age, which is set for 2008, and Broadway: The Next Generation, which is for 2009.

Aside from Roseanne, Parsons also appeared on television shows like Touched by an Angel, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Frasier.  She also graced several tele-films and miniseries such as Empire Falls, Strip Search and The Love Letter, which further expanded her credentials.

At present, Estelle Parsons remains to be identified with her iconic and unforgettable role on the long-running sitcom Roseanne. She is remembered, not only for earning a TV Land Award nomination for Favorite Classic TV In-Law, but for hilariously giving life to the over-criticizing character that came out with a radical, twisted, and satirical ending.


-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
(Image courtesy of NY Times)