Born in Marblehead, MA; educated at Connecticut College for Women (political science) and Boston University Law School. A childhood friend of Jack Lemmon. Former TV writer and producer who began appearing on stage in the late 1950s and established herself as a leading screen character actress in the following decade. Earned Tony® nominations as Best Actress in a Play for the following performances: The Seven Descents of Myrtle (1968); And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little (1971); and Miss Margarida's Way (1978). Parsons was memorable as the shrewish Blanche Barrow in Arthur Penn's BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967) and as the lesbian religious fanatic in RACHEL, RACHEL (1968). She played Mrs. Trueheart in Warren Beatty's DICK TRACY (1990). Other notable (non-nominated) screen credits include DON'T DRINK THE WATER (1969), I NEVER SANG FOR MY FATHER (1970), FOR PETE'S SAKE (1974), THE LEMON SISTERS (1990), and BOYS ON THE SIDE (1995), and LOOKING FOR RICHARD (1996). She currently serves as Artistic Director of the Actors' Studio and continues to perform frequently on television in both series and made-for-TV movies. She also earned a Featured Actress Tony nomination for Mornings at Seven (2002), which she announced was her final performance on the stage.  Supporting Actress 1967: BONNIE AND CLYDE  Nominated for Supporting Actress 1968: RACHEL, RACHEL 2 nominations, 1 Award