Who did Carlin Glynn play in Sixteen Candles? Tony Award winner dies aged 83

Carlin Glynn recently died at the age of 83 (Image via MrsBarnesII/Twitter)

Singer and actress Carlin Glynn recently passed away from complications of cancer and dementia on July 13, 2023, at the age of 83. Glynn appeared as Molly Ringwald's mother in the comedy film, Sixteen Candles, released in 1984.

Glynn's daughter Mary Stuart Masterson revealed the news of her demise on Instagram by posting a few pictures of her mother and a stanza from a poem by Seamus Heaney.

In the caption, she wrote that she had a lot of memories with her mother over the years, adding:

"Death is like birth in the oddest way. From my first breath to her last. This thread is as fragile as it is strong."

Mary described her mother as a graceful and clumsy person. She added that her mother was "strong, smart, silly, intuitive, kind, generous, passionate and a deep listener." Addressing the last picture of the post, she wrote:

"The last photo is from her 80th birthday party, before the worst of dementia and cancer took their toll. She never lost her sense of joy or wonder. The silly guy pictured with her is my dear brother @seppisigh. Rest in peace, mommy."

Carlin Glynn had a long career in the film industry, right from her debut in the 70s

Carlin Glynn was born on February 19, 1940, and joined Lamar High School. This is also the same place where she met Peter Masterson and tied the knot in 1960. She spent her childhood in Center Point, Texas, and later came to New York. She started her career on stage with Waltz of the Toreadors.

Carlin Glynn played a variety of roles over the years (Image via ProRoe1972/Twitter)

She gained recognition for her performance in the musical, The Best Little Wh*rehouse in Texas. Her performance also contributed to making her a recipient of a Tony Award. The play ran for around 1,500 times and Glynn's performance was praised by Times, which lauded her singing skills in particular.

Carlin's first film as an actress was the 1975 political thriller Three Days of the Condor. The film received decent feedback and collected $41 million at the box office.

Glynn became a popular face with her appearance in the 1984 comedy film, Sixteen Candles. She went on to portray Jessie Mae in the drama film, The Trip to Beautiful, marking her husband's directorial debut. The film also won an award at the 1986 Academy Awards. It won various other accolades at the Golden Globe Awards, Mainichi Film Awards, and more.

She appeared alongside Peter and daughter Mary in Gardens of Stone, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Carlin Glynn also continued to appear in various other films like Continental Divide, Night Game, Whiskey School, and others.