Mariclare Catherine Costello (February 3, 1936 – April 17, 2026) was an American actress. She was a lifetime member of The Actors Studio. Costello's most notable role was that of Rosemary Hunter Fordwick on the television series The Waltons, from 1972 to 1977. In 1977, after her role on The Waltons, she played matriarch Maggie Fitzpatrick on the short-lived drama show The Fitzpatricks.
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Early years
Costello was born in Peoria, Illinois, on February 3, 1936, the daughter of Dallas and Margaret Costello. She was named outstanding Catholic actress of the year while she was an undergraduate at Clarke College. She also was awarded during her years in Catholic University's Graduate School of Drama. Her Clarke education included a semester at the University of Vienna in addition to tours of European countries.
Career
Costello appeared in the off-Broadway play The Hostage. Her Broadway credits included After The Fall (1964), But For Whom Charlie (1964), The Changeling (1964), Tartuffe (1965), Danton's Death (1965), The Country Wife (1965), Lovers and Other Strangers (1968), A Patriot for Me (1969), and Harvey (1970).
She portrayed a hippie-vampire in the 1971 cult horror film Let's Scare Jessica to Death.
After her acting career, she was an acting professor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Personal life and death
Costello was married to actor Allan Arbus until his death in 2013. The couple had one child. She died in Brooklyn, New York on April 17, 2026, at the age of 90.