'Sixteen Candles' Mom Carlin Glynn Dies at 83

Carlin Glynn, the Tony-winning actress and singer best remembered by movie audiences for her performance as a forgetful mom in the John Hughes comedy "Sixteen Candles," died July 13 at 83, Variety reports.

Glynn, the mother of actress Mary Stuart Masterson, had battled cancer and dementia.

Masterson remembered her in a loving Instagram post adorned with images from her mom's life. She wrote, "On Thursday, July 13th, my mother, Carlin Glynn Masterson, passed away. I was with her. I will always be grateful for those last moments, no matter how hard. Death is like birth in the oddest way. From my first breath to her last. This thread is as fragile as it is strong."

She described Glynn as "the most graceful clumsy person you would ever meet. Strong, smart, silly, intuitive, kind, generous, passionate and a deep listener. She was devoted to my father and to the enormous circle of students and collaborators who were considered her chosen family."

"She never lost her sense of joy or wonder," she wrote, acknowledging that Glynn's health had gone downhill after her 80th birthday. "Rest in peace, mommy."

Glynn was born February 19, 1940, in Cleveland. She was a member of the Actors Studio, making her film debut in the classic "Three Days of the Condor" (1975).

She took time away from acting, returning to originate the role of Mona Stangley in the Broadway musical "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (1979). For her performance in the production, which had been adapted from a Playboy article by her husband Peter Masterson, she won the Tony for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical. The part was played by Dolly Parton in the 1982 film adaptation.

Her most famous movie appearance was as Brenda Baker in "Sixteen Candles," the 1984 John Hughes film that made Molly Ringwald an "It" girl of the '80s. She also made a strong impression as an overbearing daughter-in-law in "The Trip to Bountiful" (1985) opposite Oscar winner Geraldine Page and John Heard.

Other film work included "Resurrection" (1980), "Continental Divide" (1981), "The Escape Artist" (1982), "Gardens of Stone" (1987), and "Whiskey School" (2005), the latter directed by her husband.

On TV, she was a regular on the short-lived series "Mr. President" (1987), playing a first lady to George C. Scott's POTUS, and played Lady Bird Johnson in the 1991 miniseries "A Woman Named Jackie."

Her final appearance was on a 2006 episode of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent."

Glynn was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 60 years in 2018. She is survived by her daughters Mary Stuart and Alexandra, and her son Peter.