To the general moviegoing audience, Kathy Bates seemed to materialize from nowhere, giving an Academy Award- winning performance as a psychotic literary fan-turned-kidnapper in the screen adaptation of Stephen King's "Misery" in 1990. Unbeknownst to those outside theater circles, Bates had already enjoyed an over 20-plus year career as a Tony Award-winning actress on Broadway. Even more impressive, she was over 40 when she first made a dent in Hollywood; a town with a poor track record with dramatic powerhouses past society’s idea of “a woman’s prime” – nevermind if plus-sized too. But this
Feature film debut in bit role as a singer auditioning in Milos Forman's "Taking Off"; also wrote song "And Even Horses Had Wings" she performed in film; credited as Bobo Bates
1973
Stage debut as a duck in "Virginia Folk Tales" at Wayside Children's Theatre in Middletown, VA
1976
Off-Broadway debut as Joanne, one of the Texas Southern belles. in the three-character drama "Vanities"
