Beverly D’Angelo

Beverly D’Angelo is an accomplished actress recognized for her versatile roles across film, television, and stage, notably portraying Ellen Griswold in the ‘National Lampoon’s Vacation’ series. After earning a Golden Globe nomination for her compelling portrayal of Patsy Cline in the 1980 biopic Coal Miner’s Daughter, Beverly D’Angelo achieved widespread recognition as Ellen Griswold in the iconic National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983). Prior to her film career, D’Angelo cultivated a diverse artistic background, including work as an animator/cartoonist at Hanna-Barbera Productions, followed by a rock singing career in Canada where she performed as a session vocalist and joined rockabilly legend Ronnie Hawkins’ band, The Hawks. Her acting journey began on stage, touring Canada with the Charlottetown Festival repertory company as Ophelia in Kronborg: 1582, which eventually reached Broadway as Rockabye Hamlet in 1976, where her performance garnered critical acclaim.

In the realm of television, D’Angelo maintained a steady presence with notable recurring roles. She appeared as defense attorney Rebecca Balthus in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit from 1999 through 2022, and as talent agent Barbara ‘Babs’ Miller in HBO’s acclaimed series Entourage between 2005 and 2011. Demonstrating her continued connection to her iconic musical role, D’Angelo lent her voice to narrate a biographical film for The Patsy Cline Museum in 2017. Most recently, D’Angelo returned to the big screen with a role as Gertrude in the holiday action-comedy Violent Night (2022), further underscoring her enduring ability to deliver memorable performances across diverse genres and mediums, maintaining a consistent presence in independent films and major productions.