Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Anna Crouse, Grandmother of “Girls” star Zosia Mamet, Creator of TKTS Booth, Dies at 97

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Anna Crouse, widow of playwright Russel Crouse and mother of actress Lindsay Crouse, has died at age 99. So far only a couple of paid for obits have turned up in the New York Times. Amazing. Anyway, Anna Crouse was 23 years younger than her husband.

Russel Crouse wrote a bunch of hit plays with Harold Lindsay including “Life with Father.” They wrote the book for “The Sound of Music,” and won a Pulitzer for “State of the Union.” They also wrote the book for Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes.” Crouse died in 1966 at age 73.

The Crouses had two children–Lindsay, a formidable actress, and, Timothy, wrote the famous book “The Boys on the Bus” about traveling in an election year with presidential candidates.

Anna Crouse, to a younger generation, is the grandmother of Zosia Mamet, star of the TV show “Girls.” Zosia’s parents are Lindsay Crouse and playwright David Mamet.

But Anna Crouse is even better known for her work in the New York theater. She is considered the engine behind the TKTS half price ticket booth in Times Square. She gave years of service to TDF, the Theater Development Fund, serving as Chairwoman and a Trustee, all between 1968 and 1993. In the TDF’s paid obit, the current execs wrote: “it is fair to say that without her it would not have happened; her influence and support extended beyond TKTS to the entire fabric of the organization.”

No one thinks about the TKTS booth and how it changed New York life. You think it’s always been there; it hasn’t.

There’s a great obit on playbill.com. According to an article in the Times, Zosia Mamet is estranged from her mother. Too bad. Anna Crouse sounds like she was amazing. Rest in peace.

 

it is fair to say that without her it would not have happened; her influence and support extended beyond TKTS to the entire fabric of the organization. – See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nytimes/obituary.aspx?n=anna-crouse&pid=168850474#sthash.SKLXjFLW.dpuf
it is fair to say that without her it would not have happened; her influence and support extended beyond TKTS to the entire fabric of the organization. – See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nytimes/obituary.aspx?n=anna-crouse&pid=168850474#sthash.SKLXjFLW.dpuf
Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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