After the death of her much-beloved brother Matthew, Marilla relies heavily on her adopted daughter Anne to help her with household chores. However, when Anne is offered a teaching position at the exclusive Kingsport Ladies ‘College, she encourages her to accept the opportunity.

Despite Anne’s reservations about accepting the position, she follows Marilla’s counsel after she learns that neighbour Rachel Lynde will be moving in to help Marilla. Although she is not known for usually expressing her emotions, underneath Marilla has a wry sense of humor and a loving heart.

Dewhurst was born in Montreal, Quebec, but she was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

While Colleen was attending Milwaukee Downer College for Women, she entered a piece she wrote for a playwriting competition, after casting it, then recasting herself in it, then winning the prize, Colleen knew her calling.

Her breakthrough stage role, which made her a major success, came in 1974 after 27 years of acting, when she appeared in Eugene O'Neill's A Moon for the Misbegotten as "Josie Hogan". She interpreted many roles in O'Neill plays. She also received great acclaim for her appearance opposite her then-husband, George C. Scott, in a 1971 television adaptation of Arthur Miller's The Price, on the Hallmark Hall of Fame.

Over the course of her 45 year career, Dewhurst won two Tony Awards, two Obies and two Gemini Awards. In 1989 she won the Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in Hitting Home. She was nominated for an Emmy Award on twelve occasions, she won four.

Trivia: Ms. Dewhurst had a home on Prince Edward Island

Colleen Dewhurst June 3, 1924 – August 22, 1991

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