Actress Susan Tyrrell, who was Oscar-nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role as a barfly in John Huston’s 1972 boxing movie Fat City, has died. Tyrrell was 67 and died June 16 in Austin, Texas, according to her web site. Cause of death was not reported. Born Susan Jillian Creamer, she was the daughter of a William Morris agent. Her sporadic, eclectic movie and TV career included roles in Andy Warhol’s Bad, John Waters’ Cry-Baby (in which she played Johnny Depp’s grandmother), Big Top Pee-Wee, Richard Elfman’s Forbidden Zone, Powder, I Never Promised You A Rose Garden and Islands In The Stream, plus appearances in TV series such as Wings, Starsky & Hutch, Kojak, Bonanza, Baretta and The Patty Duke Show as well as several others. In 2000 she was diagnosed with the rare blood disease essential thrombocytosis and lost both legs as a result but she continued to work periodically.


Loved her voice. Her narration of Ralph Bakshi’s Wizards is the best thing about the picture.
Amazing in Fat City. Pathetically fragile honest, needy and sexy. What more could you ask for? Great “gay coffee” urban legend.
Miss Su-Su, you will be missed…
Susan Tyrrell was truly one of a kind. Her powerhouse performance in Richard Elfman’s “Forbidden Zone” is something to see. She also sings her composed song “Witches Egg” scored by Danny Elfman. Coincidentally the film is playing Friday, June 21 at the Art Theatre in Long Beach at Midnight and Saturday, June 22 at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica at 7:30 with a Q & A. Director Richard Elfman is quoted as saying “We will miss you, Susu, and dedicate Friday’s show to you. I know, darling, that you will be watching, somewhere from the Sixth Dimension.” — Richard Elfman
Well said, Jack. Susan Tyrrell was… is…. Singular. In the late 80′s, I remember being genuinely thrilled that Susan Tyrrell was coming to audition for a film I was casting. To say that I fawned over her would be a generous understatement. As she started to audition, I was suddenly aware of a voice inside my head yelling “OH MY GOD SUSAN TYRRELL IS ON THE COUCH ACROSS FROM YOU AND YOU’RE READING WITH HER!” The other indelible memory is her response when I said something complimentary about her eclectic body of work: ” Oh, the career is a disaster.” Which somehow was resigned, feisty, melancholic, self-depreciating & funny, all at the same time.
A masterclass in film acting? Tyrell in ‘Fat City’. There’s not one vain – self conscious second of that work. Take a look at the bar clip on youtube – man, that’s how it’s done. God speed Miss Tyrell.
Characters she portrayed were usually quirky.
One of the few actresses out there that if you saw her on the screen you actually stopped to watch. She and her talent will be missed.
I was a young kid 18yrs old working as a “receptionist” at was then called the Vivian Beaumont theater where Susu was part of the company. She was like none other a true grit for sure feral to say the least. That kinda crazy projected across the footlights just mesmerizing. She would stop by after the shows and we would chat. She was pretty angry and disillusioned back then. Unfortunately I started dating the same guy she was unbeknownst to me and that ended the chats. she scared the shit outta me. She was just brilliant onstage a real raw talent.
Man she was good. She deserved a bigger, better career. She will be missed.