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Laura Esterman is an American actress, known for portraying Ruby the Galactic Gumshoe in contemporary radio dramas, and for her Drama Desk Award and Obie Award winning performance in the 1992 original stage production of Scott McPherson's Marvin's Room.
In 1972, Esterman played the Madonna Vampyra in the ZBS Foundation radio play The Fourth Tower of Inverness, the first in the long-running Jack Flanders series. Esterman returned to ZBS in 1982 to star as the title character in the first Ruby the Galactic Gumshoe serial, and has reprised the role many times in the decades to come, most recently Ruby 15: Creatures of the Light in 2025. Many of her Ruby appearances are credited to a stage name, "Blanche Blackwell". Esterman also returned as the Madonna Vampyra in the 2000 sequel, Return to Inverness.
Esterman has also worked in television and film. Her television credits include Remington Steele, St. Elsewhere, The Facts of Life, L.A. Law, Family Ties, Law & Order, Third Watch and among others. Her movie credits include Alone in the Dark, Ironweed, Awakenings, The Doors, Addams Family Values, The Confession and Arranged among others.
| + !Year !Title !Role !Notes | |||
| 1982 | Alone in the Dark | Woman Voyager | |
| 1987 | Ironweed | Nora | |
| 1988 | Me and Him | Bag Lady | |
| 1990 | Awakenings | Lolly | |
| 1991 | The Doors | New York Journalist | |
| 1993 | Addams Family Values | Cousin Ophelia | |
| 1999 | The Confession | Sarah's Cousin | |
| 2000 | Chinese Coffee | Actor in play / Messenger | |
| 2001 | Suspended Animation | Vanessa Boulette | |
| 2004 | From Other Worlds | Psychiatrist | |
| 2007 | Arranged | Judit | |
| 2011 | The Green | Mrs. Heller | |
| 2017 | Can Hitler Happen Here? | Miriam Kohen | |
| 2018 | Human Affairs | Journalist |
| 1970 | NET Playhouse | Mary Magdalene | Episode: "Generation of Leaves: Jesus - A Passion Play for Americans" |
| 1980 | Another World | Felice Carpenter | Episode #1.4124 |
| 1984 | Remington Steele | Miss Conover | Episode: "A Pocketful of Steele" |
| 1985 | St. Elsewhere | Psychiatrist | Episode: "Cheers" |
| 1985 | The Facts of Life | Ms. Resnick | Episode: "Into the Frying Pan" |
| 1985 | Children of the Night | Arlene | Television film |
| 1987 | L.A. Law | Gloria Rheinhold | Episode: "Fifty Ways to Floss Your Lover" |
| 1987 | Family Ties | Waitress | Episode: "Matchmaker" |
| 1995, 1999 | Law & Order | Evelyn Walcoff / Florence Cooley | 2 episodes |
| 2000 | Third Watch | Marge | Episode: "Alone in a Crowd" |
| 2000 | Mrs. Sandomir | Episode: "Noncompliance" | |
| 2009 | Life on Mars | Sue Moyer | Episode: "Home Is Where You Hang Your Holster" |
| 2009 | Elderly Landlady | Episode: "Identity Crisis" | |
| 2011 | Mildred Pierce | Mrs. Kramer | 3 episodes |
| 2020 | I Know This Much Is True | Ruth Rood | |
| 2021 | The Blacklist | Ada Rosenberg | Episode: "The Avenging Angel (No. 49)" |
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