Louise Fletcher

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, to Episcopal minister Robert Fletcher and his wife Estelle, both of whom were deaf, 'Louise Fletcher' (qv) was introduced to performing at a young age by the aunt who taught her to speak. After graduating from the University of North Carolina, she took a trip out west with her roommates, finding herself in Los Angeles without enough money to return home. She took a temporary job as a receptionist and signed up for acting classes at night. Soon she was working regularly in television and film, but after marrying producer 'Jerry Bick' (qv) and having two sons, the actress took a long hiatus to raise her children.Returning to work in 1974 in 'Robert Altman' (qv)'s _Thieves Like Us (1974)_ (qv), Fletcher came to the attention of director 'Milos Forman' (qv), who was casting the difficult role of the nurse in _One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)_ (qv). She won the role -- and then the Academy Award -- portraying deadly, inflexible Nurse Ratched, who has since become a cultural icon. Numerous film roles followed, including co-starring turns with 'Peter Falk' (qv) in _The Cheap Detective (1978)_ (qv) and with 'Richard Burton' (qv) in _Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)_ (qv). Fletcher has appeared in a number of science fiction and horror classics such as _Firestarter (1984)_ (qv), _Brainstorm (1983)_ (qv), and _Flowers in the Attic (1987)_ (qv).Though she earned an Emmy Award nomination for her recurring role on _Picket Fences (1992)_ (qv), Fletcher is perhaps best known to recent television audiences as Kai Winn from _Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)_ (qv) and as Nora Bloom from the cult classic _VR.5 (1995)_ (qv).::GL <[email protected]>