Oscar winner Louise Fletcher who played Nurse Ratched in 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' dies at 88
Louise Fletcher, an Oscar winner, passed away at the age of 88. Although they did not provide a cause of death, the actress' family did confirm to Deadline that she died quietly at her home in Montdurausse, France.
She is most known for her role as Nurse Ratched in the 1975 Milo Forman film 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest', which also starred Jack Nicholson. It is widely regarded as one of the best movies ever filmed. She won the Best Actress Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA Award for her performance as Nurse Ratched at the 48th Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles in March 1976.
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The Reverend Robert Capers Fletcher and his wife Estelle, who were both deaf and worked with the deaf and hard-of-hearing, had four children in total, with Fletcher being their second. The native of Birmingham, Alabama, grew up very religious. She along with her siblings, who all had normal hearing capacity, were taught how to speak English by their aunt. Fletcher later went on to express interest in acting as a child. She finally made her professional debut in 1958, landing four distinct television guest appearances in the shows 'Yancy Derringer', 'Flight', 'Playhouse 90', and 'Bat Masterson'. With 1963's 'A Gathering of Eagles', which also starred Rock Hudson, Rod Taylor, Mary Peach, and Barry Sullivan, Fletcher made her film debut.
Then followed the criminal drama 'Thieves Like Us', which also starred Keith Carradine, Shelley Duvall, John Schuck, Bert Remsen, and Tom Skerritt. But after that she would not earn another film part for almost 11 years. Milo Forman was drawn to her 'Thieves Like Us' performance, and as a result, she was offered the character of Nurse Ratched in 'One Who Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest'. The psychological comedic drama won the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Leading Actor, Best Leading Actress, and Best Screenplay out of nine nominations. It was a critical and commercial success.
Fletcher's use of sign language during her acceptance speech for Best Actress is still remembered as one of the most unforgettable moments in Academy Awards history. She continued to work steadily in both cinema and television over the years. Her recurrent role as the Bajoran religious figure Kai Winn Adami in the popular series 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' is really when most viewers first became familiar with her (1993-1999). Jerry Bick, a movie producer, and Fletcher were wed from 1959 until their divorce in 1977. According to Deadline, she is survived by her sons John and Andrew Bick, granddaughter Emilee Kaya Bick, sisters Roberta Ray and Edward Ray, as well as 10 nieces and nephews.