Wikipedia
Mary Gross
Mary Martha Gross is an American voice actress, comedian, and actress known for her four-year stint on Saturday Night Live from 1981 to 1985. Her credits also include minor roles on Animaniacs, Boston Legal, That's So Raven, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and Six Feet Under.
Mary Gross | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mary Martha Gross |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, comedian, voice actress |
| Years active | 1980–2012 |
| Relatives | Michael Gross (brother) Ron Masak (cousin) |
Early life
Gross was born in Chicago the daughter of William Oscar Gross, a tool designer, and Virginia Ruth (née Cahill), a telephone operator.[1] She is the younger sister of actor Michael Gross, who starred in the 1980s sitcom Family Ties. The siblings were first cousins to actor Ron Masak.[citation needed]
Career
Early career
She is an alumna of the Second City comedy troupe. Before becoming part of the group she was a secretary with the American Dental Association.[2]
Saturday Night Live (1981–1985)
Gross joined SNL in 1981, during the show's 7th season following the show's disastrous sixth season, when the show was nearly canceled.[3] She became co-anchor of SNL's Weekend Update segment (renamed SNL Newsbreak) during her first season. She and the rest of the cast left in 1985 following executive producer Dick Ebersol's departure from the show.
Recurring characters
- Alfalfa, from SNL's recurring parody of The Little Rascals and skits regarding the murder of Eddie Murphy's Buckwheat character.[4]
- Siobhan Cahill, an Irish woman who reports on Irish events on Saturday Night News (Weekend Update's name when Brad Hall was cast as anchor). Coincidentally, Saturday Night Live would have Siobhan Fallon and Beth Cahill as cast members in the 1990s.
- Chi Chi, a Hispanic woman who hosts two fake public-access television cable TV shows (The Ghostbusters Show and Let's Watch TV) with her best friend, Consuela (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus)[5]
- Celeste, a repressed woman married to an equally repressed man (played by Tim Kazurinsky)[6]
Celebrity impersonations
- Ann Landers
- Brooke Shields
- Dr. Ruth Westheimer (Dr. Ruth)
- Nancy Reagan
- Paul Reubens (as Pee Wee Herman)
- Eleanor Roosevelt
- Geraldine Ferraro
- Harriet Nelson
- Irlene Mandrell
- Marilyn Monroe
- Mary Tyler Moore
- Jeane Dixon
- Mary Hart
- Lena Horne
- Margaret Thatcher
- Simone de Beauvoir
- Suzanne Somers
- Leslie Uggams
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Club Paradise | Jackie | |
| 1987 | Baby Boom | Charlotte Elkman | |
| 1988 | The Couch Trip | Vera Maitlin | |
| 1988 | Casual Sex? | Ilene | |
| 1988 | Big Business | Judy | |
| 1988 | Hot to Trot | Ms. French | |
| 1988 | Feds | Janis Zuckerman | |
| 1989 | Troop Beverly Hills | Annie Herman | |
| 1992 | There Goes the Neighborhood | Mrs. Bratesman | |
| 1993 | Public Enemy #2 | Marcey | |
| 1994 | The Santa Clause | Ms. Daniels | |
| 1998 | Practical Magic | Debbie | |
| 2001 | Tremors 3: Back to Perfection | Tourist mom | |
| 2002 | 40 Days and 40 Nights | Bev Sullivan | |
| 2003 | A Mighty Wind | Ma Klapper |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981–1985 | Saturday Night Live | Herself / Various | Cast member |
| 1985 | Tales of the Unexpected | woman on beach | "Scrimshaw" |
| 1986 | Amen | Nurse Kenningston | "After the Fall" |
| 1988 | Channel 99 | Fifi Kurtz | TV film |
| 1989 | The People Next Door | Abigail MacIntyre Kellogg | Main role |
| 1992 | Billy | Phoebe Trillman | Recurring role |
| 1992 | Murphy Brown | Chris Manheim | "He-Ho, He-Ho, It's Off to Lamaze We Go" |
| 1993 | Jack's Place | Rosemary | "Faithful Henry" |
| 1993–1997 | Animaniacs | Katie's Mom (voice) | Recurring role |
| 1994 | The Larry Sanders Show | Mary Gross | "Next Stop Bottom" |
| 1995 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Nell Newtrich | "Ultra Woman" |
| 1995 | The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat | Voices | Recurring role |
| 1997 | Something So Right | Polly | "Something About Cold Storage" |
| 1997 | The Jeff Foxworthy Show | Aunt Jane | "Twister of Fate" |
| 1997 | The Angry Beavers | Deer / Bird (voice) | "Beach Beavers A-Go-Go/Deranged Ranger" |
| 1997–2000 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Mrs. Quick | Recurring role |
| 1997–2002 | Hey Arnold! | School Nurse Shelley (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 1999 | Detention | Patsy Wickett (voice) | "Comedy of Terrors", "Little Miss Popular" |
| 2000 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Elise (voice) | "The Frog Princess" |
| 2000 | Jailbait | Patti Fisher | TV film |
| 2000 | Lost Cat | Nancy Mouse (voice) | TV film |
| 2001 | Providence | Martha Blankenship | "Love Story" |
| 2001 | Six Feet Under | Floral Instructor | "The Trip" |
| 2001 | Off Centre | Roberta Flack / Mrs. Platt | "Swing Time" |
| 2002 | Dharma & Greg | Mary | "This Diamond Ring" |
| 2002 | As Told by Ginger | Bobbie Lightfoot (voice) | "Family Therapy" |
| 2003 | A Minute with Stan Hooper | Harriet | "Stan Hooper Goes to Washington" |
| 2003 | Judging Amy | Marta | "Tricks of the Trade" |
| 2003 | According to Jim | Cynthia | "Paintball" |
| 2004 | All About the Andersons | Mrs. Dyer | "Get Out of Dodge... Ball" |
| 2004 | I'm with Her | Donna Kincade | "Winners & Losers & Whiners & Boozers: Part 2" |
| 2004 | Rock Me, Baby | Ginger | "Not-So-Grand Parents" |
| 2005 | Malcolm in the Middle | Evelyn | "Chad's Sleepover" |
| 2005 | Twins | Judy | "Sister's Keeper" |
| 2005 | That's So Raven | Miss Patterson | "Cake Fear" |
| 2006 | The New Adventures of Old Christine | Mrs. Orr | "Oh God, Yes" |
| 2007–08 | Boston Legal | Leigh Swift | Recurring role |
| 2008 | According to Jim | Lisa | "Cheryl Goes to Florida" |
| 2008 | General Hospital | Aunt Raylene | Recurring role |
| 2009 | Life | Maude Paxton | "Canyon Flowers" |
| 2009 | Californication | Principal Green | "Mr. Bad Example" |
| 2010 | In Gayle We Trust | Beth | "Gayle and the Salon" |
| 2011 | The Defenders | Judy Baker | "Nevada v. Doug the Mule" |
| 2011 | Hart of Dixie | Old Lady #3 | "Gumbo & Glory" "Parades & Pariahs" |
| 2012 | Pound Puppies | Mrs. Beasley (voice) | "Lucky Gets Adopted" |
| 2012 | Adopting Terror | Laura | TV film |
| 2012 | Raising Hope | Denise Jenkins | "What Up, Bro?" |
References
- ^ "Gross, Virginia Ruth". Chicago Tribune. March 22, 2005.
- ^ The Curious Case of Tim Kazurinsky, archived from the original on December 13, 2021, retrieved September 20, 2021
- ^ Doumanian's failed hires
- ^ SNL Archives | Character 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ SNL Archives | Character 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ SNL Archives | Character 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
External links
- Mary Gross at IMDb