Lorna Thayer
- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- March 10, 1919 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Died
- June 4, 2005 (aged 86)
- Active Years
- 1950–1991 (42 Years)
- Total Credits
- 48 credits in database
Biography
Lorna Thayer was an American character actress born in Boston, Massachusetts. Her mother was silent screen actress Louise Gibney. Thayer appeared often in theatre and on television, and she played minor roles in the films The Lusty Men, Texas City, and Frankie and Johnny. In 1955, she appeared in The Beast with a Million Eyes alongside Paul Birch. She is most likely to be remembered and identified with her role in the 1970 film Five Easy Pieces, serving as Jack Nicholson's foil in a well-known sequence often referred to as the chicken salad scene or the chicken salad sandwich scene, in which her character as a waitress refuses to allow Nicholson's character to order a side of wheat toast.
Career overview
Lorna Thayer was an American character actress born in Boston to silent screen actress Louise Gibney. Throughout her career, she appeared frequently in theatre and on television. Her filmography includes roles in The Lusty Men, Texas City, and Frankie and Johnny. In 1955, she appeared in the film The Beast with a Million Eyes alongside Paul Birch.
Thayer is most widely recognized for her performance in the 1970 film Five Easy Pieces. In the movie, she played a waitress who engages in a confrontation with Jack Nicholson’s character regarding his request for a side of wheat toast. This sequence is frequently referred to as the chicken salad scene or the chicken salad sandwich scene. Thayer died on June 4, 2005, at the age of 86. Her professional credits include 48 known entries, and she was also known by the name Lorna Patri.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
48 titles- Frankie and Johnny (1991) as Flower Mart Vendor
- Nothing in Common (1986) as Auditioning Grandma
- Buddy Buddy (1981) as Lady
- The Aliens Are Coming (1980) as Waitress
- Flatbed Annie & Sweetie Pie: Lady Truckers (1979) as Hospital Receptionist
- CHiPs (1977)
- Revenge of the Cheerleaders (1976) as Lilly Downs
- Smoke In The Wind (1975) as Ma Mondier
- Alice Goodbody (1974) as Yvonne
- Rhinoceros (1974) as Restaurant Owner
- It Couldn't Happen to a Nicer Guy (1974) as Mrs. Gibbs
- The Dion Brothers (1974) as TV Interviewer (uncredited)
- Mrs. Sundance (1974) as Fanny Porter
- The Family Kovack (1974) as Thelma
- Cisco Pike (1972) as Swimming Lady
- Skyjacked (1972) as Weber's mother
- The Andromeda Strain (1971) as Woman (uncredited)
- Five Easy Pieces (1970) as Waitress
- Dr. Heidegger's Experiment (1969) as Widow Wycherly
- The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968) as Saloon Girl (uncredited)
- Garrison's Gorillas (1967)
- That Girl (1966)
- The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961)
- 87th Precinct (1961)
- The Tall Man (1960)
- Freckles (1960) as Alice Cooper
- The Detectives (1959)
- Johnny Ringo (1959) as Mrs. Haig
- Black Saddle (1959) as Belle Bronson
- Natchez (1958) as Belle
- Have Gun, Will Travel (1957)
- Playhouse 90 (1956) as Belle
- The Adventures of Jim Bowie (1956)
- The Women of Pitcairn Island (1956) as Mortua
- The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955)
- The Beast with a Million Eyes (1955) as Carol Kelley
- Women's Prison (1955)
- The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (1954)
- Medic (1954) as Lorraine Lockwood
- I Led Three Lives (1953)
- Letter to Loretta (1953) as Christine Markham
- Jennifer (1953) as Molly
- Cavalcade of America (1952) as Miss Holmes
- The Lusty Men (1952) as Grace Burgess
- Dragnet (1951)
- Boston Blackie (1951)
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) as Irene Williams
- Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Liza
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Lorna Thayer best known for?
Lorna Thayer is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Frankie and Johnny (1991), Nothing in Common (1986), Buddy Buddy (1981), Flatbed Annie & Sweetie Pie: Lady Truckers (1979).
When and where was Lorna Thayer born?
Lorna Thayer was born on March 10, 1919 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They passed away on June 4, 2005.
How many credits does Lorna Thayer have?
Lorna Thayer has 48 film and television credits listed on archytele, with work dated between 1950 and 1991.
What is Lorna Thayer's background in cinema and television?
Lorna Thayer was an American character actress born in Boston, Massachusetts. Her mother was silent screen actress Louise Gibney. Thayer appeared often in theatre and on television, and she played minor roles in the films The Lusty Men, Texas City, and Frankie and Johnny. In 1955, she appeared in The Beast with a Milli...
Lorna Thayer by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- Garrison's Gorillas (1967) — aged about 48
- 87th Precinct (1961) — aged about 42
- The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) — aged about 42
- Playhouse 90 (1956) as Belle — aged about 37
- Have Gun, Will Travel (1957) — aged about 38
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) as Irene Williams — aged about 32
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