Veteran actress Priscilla Pointer, recognized for her roles in “Dallas” and “Carrie,” has passed away at the age of 100. She died on April 28, 2025, in an assisted-living facility in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Her son, David Irving, confirmed her death to USA TODAY on April 29.
Pointer’s career, spanning six decades in theater, film, and television, ended due to natural causes. Her daughter, Amy Irving, an Oscar-nominated actress, posted a tribute on Instagram featuring family photos over the years.
“Priscilla Pointer, acclaimed stage television and film actress, and mother of David, Katie, and Amy Irving, died peacefully in her sleep at the age of 100, hopefully to run off with her 2 adoring husbands and her many dogs,” Amy wrote. “She most definitely will be missed.”
Born on May 18, 1924, in New York City, to artists Augusta and Kenneth Pointer, she began her career in theater. Her early stage work included touring productions like “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Her first husband, Jules Irving, co-founded the San Francisco Actor’s Workshop with Herbert Blau after she met him during an army production of “Brother Rat” post-World War II.
Pointer debuted on television in 1954 with “The New Adventures of China Smith.” In the 1970s, she appeared in shows such as “McCloud,” “The Rockford Files,” and “Kojak.”
Her film career began in 1976 with “The Great Texas Dynamite Chase,” “Carrie,” and “Nickelodeon.” In “Carrie,” she played alongside her daughter Amy, portraying Sue’s mother.
Pointer’s film credits include “Looking for Mr. Goodbar,” “The Onion Field,” “Mommie Dearest,” and “Blue Velvet” (1986). She was often cast as mothers and authority figures.
In the early 1980s, Pointer gained recognition from her recurring role on “Dallas,” playing Rebecca Barnes Wentworth from 1981 to 1983.
Pointer collaborated frequently with family, appearing in seven films with her daughter Amy and working on projects directed by her son David Irving, including “Rumpelstiltskin” (1987).
Pointer married actor and director Jules Irving in 1947, and they had three children: Katie, David, and Amy. After Jules’ death in 1979, she married actor Robert Symonds. David is a professor at USC, and Amy pursued a successful acting career.
Pointer continued working in the 1990s and beyond, appearing in series like “The Flash,” “ER,” and “St. Elsewhere.” Her final credit was a voice role in “Sweet Nothing in My Ear” (2008).
Before her screen career, she was a respected stage actress and a member of the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center company.
Pointer’s ability to portray maternal figures made her a sought-after actress for such roles, playing the on-screen mother to characters by Diane Keaton, Sean Penn, Kyle MacLachlan, and Victoria Principal.
Her long career, spanning from early television to modern entertainment, reflects her resilience and talent. Pointer is survived by her three children, including David and Amy Irving, and several grandchildren.