Bibi Osterwald, 83; Versatile Actress Had a 50-Year Career

Bibi Osterwald, 83, a stage, film and TV actress who often played brash characters in a career that spanned more than 50 years, died Jan. 2 of a lung ailment in a Burbank hospital.

On Broadway in the 1950s, Osterwald appeared in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” “Bus Stop,” “Look Homeward Angel” and “The Golden Apple,” for which she received an Outer Critics Circle Award in 1954.

From 1964 to 1971, she was an understudy for the title role in “Hello Dolly” on Broadway for such actresses as Carol Channing and Ginger Rogers. Osterwald played the part 122 times.

In the early days of television, she performed on everything from the “Hallmark Hall of Fame” to “The Red Buttons Show.” She later guest-starred on “All in the Family,” “The Love Boat” and “Falcon Crest” and appeared frequently on several soap operas.

Her film credits include “The World of Henry Orient,” “Parrish” and “As Good as It Gets.”