In 2001, Noreen Nash married actor James Whitmore who died in 2009. He received numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a Grammy Award, a Primetime Award, a Theatre World Award and a Tony Award, plus two Academy Award nominations.
In 2002, Whitmore played the role of the grandfather in the Disney Channel original film, A Ring of Endless Light. Also in 2002, Whitmore played a supporting role in The Majestic, a film that starred Josh Brolin’s father on the short-Lived NBC drama series, Mister Sterling, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award.
Each year, the Peterborough Player award the James Whitmore Award to an excellent intern at the theatre.
Whitmore was diagnosed with lung cancer in November 2008. He died from the disease at the age of 87 on February 6, 2009, at his Malibu, California home.