MARCIA RODD

July 8, 1938 - December 27, 2025
Born in Lyons, Kan., and raised in Tulsa, Okla. and Wichita, Kan., Marcia studied drama at Northwestern University under the renowned teacher Alvina Krause. After early work with the Yale Repertory Theatre, she moved to New York City, where her career quickly took hold. This auspicious beginning had its inception when at age nine Marcia attended a local production of the musical Carousel. From that day she was literally stage-struck and devoted unceasing efforts to build and practice her talents. This included, as she neared graduation from high school, persuading her skeptical parents that theater was the only career for her and justified the higher out-of-state tuition at Northwestern. She was right: Among many other successes, in 1969, she made her Broadway mark by originating the role of Bobby in Neil Simon's Last of the Red-Hot Lovers, appearing opposite Linda Lavin, Doris Roberts and James Coco. She received a Tony Award nomination in 1973 for best actress in a musical for Shelter. Her later Broadway work included Herb Gardner's I'm Not Rappaport, in which she played Clara. She also starred in national tours of Fiddler on the Roof in 1989 and 1994 as Golde, opposite Theodore Bikel and Topol. Her film debut came in Alan Arkin's dark comedy Little Murders (1971), with Elliott Gould, and she earned praise for her performance in Jonathan Demme's Handle With Care (1977). On television, she appeared frequently from the 1970s onward, including roles in All in the Family, M*A*S*H, Murder She Wrote, and a recurring roles in Trapper John, M.D. and 21 Jump Street.
Marcia was predeceased by her parents, Charles and Rosetta Rodd, and her sister Barbara Ellis. She is survived by her devoted partner of 25 years, William Lewis; her brother, Stephen Rodd; her brother-in-law, Roger Ellis; her nieces Laurie Burke, Julie Eastlick and Farrell Kelly, and nephew Zachary Rodd. Marcia passed away peacefully, at age 87, on December 27, 2025.
We remember and love Marcia for her warmth, enthusiasm, intelligence, enduring devotion to the theater and wonderful presence in our lives.
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