Helen Gallagher, a two-time Tony Award-winning actress and beloved soap opera star, passed away on November 24 at the age of 98. The news was confirmed by Playbill.
Born on July 19, 1926, in New York City, Gallagher had an incredible career that spanned decades on stage and screen. She was already a seasoned performer in Broadway musicals when she won her first Tony Award in 1952 for her role as Gladys Bumps in Pal Joey. The musical, set in Chicago, showcased her talents alongside stars Harold Lang and Vivienne Segal.
Gallagher became a familiar face in Golden Age Broadway productions. She appeared in major musicals like The Pajama Game, Mame, Finian’s Rainbow, and Sweet Charity. Her portrayal of Mickie in Sweet Charity earned her another Tony nomination. She later performed in revivals of classics like Guys and Dolls and Brigadoon.
In 1970, she secured her second Tony Award for her leading role as Lucille Early in No, No, Nanette. The show, which ran for more than two years, became one of her most celebrated performances. Afterward, she appeared in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing on Broadway.
Gallagher made her biggest impact on television when she joined the ABC soap opera Ryan’s Hope in 1975. Playing Maeve Ryan, the matriarch of an Irish-American family in New York City, Gallagher became a cornerstone of the show, which ran for 13 years. Her character, Maeve, owned Ryan’s Bar with her husband Johnny (played by Bernard Barrow) and raised five children. Maeve’s strong family values and her emotional renditions of the Irish ballad “Danny Boy” endeared her to viewers. Gallagher remained on the show until it ended in 1989, performing the song in its final episode.
Her portrayal of Maeve Ryan earned Gallagher three Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series, with wins in 1976, 1977, and 1988. She also received two additional nominations.
Gallagher appeared in other soap operas such as Another World, All My Children, and One Life to Live. On primetime television, she guest-starred in Law & Order and The Cosby Mysteries. She was also a frequent guest on shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Her film credits included Strangers When We Meet (1960) with Kirk Douglas and Kim Novak, and James Ivory’s Roseland (1977).
In addition to her acting career, Gallagher taught at the Herbert Berghof Studio in Manhattan, inspiring future generations of performers.
