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Mimi Kennedy

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Mimi Kennedy
Kennedy speaks at the National Election Integrity Conference in 2017.
Born
Mary Claire Kennedy

(1948-09-25) September 25, 1948 (age 76)
Rochester, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, writer
Years active1970–present
Spouse
Larry Dilg
​
(m. 1978)​
Children2

Mary Claire "Mimi" Kennedy (born September 25, 1948)[1] is an American actress, author and activist. Best known for her roles in television sitcoms, Kennedy co-starred in numerous short-lived sitcoms before her role as Ruth Sloan on Homefront (1991–93). She received wider recognition with her roles in the Chuck Lorre-created sitcoms Dharma & Greg (1997–2002) and Mom (2013–2021). For her performance in the latter, Kennedy received a nomination for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series. Kennedy has also appeared in various films, including Pump Up the Volume (1990), Erin Brockovich (2000), In the Loop (2009), Due Date (2010), Midnight in Paris (2011) and The Five-Year Engagement (2012).

Early life

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Kennedy was born in Rochester, New York, the daughter of Nancy Helen (née Colgan) and Daniel Gerald Kennedy.[2][3] She got her start in theater with the Rochester Community Players, appearing in Agatha Christie's Spider Web in October 1960 when she was 12 years old. She was raised in Rochester, where she graduated in 1966 from Our Lady of Mercy High School. In the 1970s, she was in the musical Rhinegold, featuring songs by her friend Jim Steinman. She attended Smith College.[1]

Career

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Kennedy was a member of the cast of The National Lampoon Show, directed by John Belushi, who also starred in it. She auditioned for Saturday Night Live, but lost to Jane Curtin.[4][5]

She appeared in the Broadway musical Grease and in 1977 landed a part in the short-lived variety series 3 Girls 3, with Debbie Allen and Ellen Foley.[6][7] She later played the role of Stockard Channing's sister in the short-lived Stockard Channing in Just Friends (1979), and she was a regular on The Big Show (1980). During the 1980s, she starred in a number of short-lived sitcoms, including The Two of Us (1981–82), Spencer (1984–85) and Family Man (1988). She also co-starred in the sitcom Joe's Life (1993).[7]

Kennedy made her dramatic turn with a supporting role in the critically acclaimed Homefront.[7] The series ran from 1991 to 1993. She later was a regular on Savannah (1996–97), playing the rich socialite step-mother of Shannon Sturges' character. After the series was canceled, she was cast in Pacific Palisades. This series also was canceled after a single season. In 1997, Kennedy returned to comedy roles playing Dharma's mother, Abby O'Neil, on the sitcom Dharma & Greg (1997-2002).

During the 2000s, Kennedy had many guest-starring roles on television, appearing on Grey's Anatomy, House, ER, Scandal, In Plain Sight, Drop Dead Diva and Veep. She also had a number of supporting film roles, appearing in Man in the Chair, In the Loop, Due Date, Midnight in Paris and The Five-Year Engagement. In 2013, Kennedy joined the cast of the sitcom Mom playing Marjorie, the twelve-step sponsor of the lead characters. She received a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination for her performance on the show.[8] She became a series regular on the second season.[9]

Early in 2022, Kennedy posted a video in which she and spouse Larry Dilg recall their friendships with Jim Steinman and, by extension, with Meatloaf. In the video, Kennedy shares details of her months touring with The National Lampoon Show.[10]

Personal life

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Kennedy is involved in several progressive activist causes, including Progressive Democrats of America for which she serves as chairperson of the board. She is a regular contributor to the LA Progressive.[11] Her mid-life memoir Taken to the Stage: The Education of an Actress was published by Smith & Kraus in 1996.[1] In 2023, Taken to the Stage: The Education of an Actress was reissued in paperback by Hollygreen Books, and as an audiobook read by the author on Audible.com.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1981 Thin Ice Arlene Television film
1986 Mr. Boogedy Eloise Davis Television film
1987 Bride of Boogedy Eloise Davis Television film
1987 Baby Girl Scott Jane
1989 Chances Are Sally
1989 Immediate Family Eli's Mom
1990 Pump Up the Volume Marla Hunter
1990 A Promise to Keep Annie Television film
1991 Sins of the Mother Karen Turner Television film
1992 Death Becomes Her Second Woman
1994 Flashfire Kate Cantrell
1997 Taken Judy Gold Short film
1997 Buddy Mrs. Bunny Bowman
1998 Reasons of the Heart Celia Barton
2000 Erin Brockovich Laura Ambrosino
2007 Man in the Chair Judy Kincaid Method Fest Independent Film Festival Award for Best Ensemble Cast
2008 A Single Woman Storyteller
2009 In the Loop Karen Clark
2009 The Three Gifts Rita Green Television film
2010 Due Date Sarah's Mom
2011 Life of Lemon Louise Phillips
2011 Midnight in Paris Helen Nominated — Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Ensemble Acting
2012 The Five-Year Engagement Carol Solomon
2013 Expecting Dr. Grayson
2013 In Sickness and in Health Carol
2014 Squatters Judge Janovich
2020 Eat Wheaties! Edna Straw
TBA Going Places Sue Filming

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1977 3 Girls 3 Self Regular
1978 Getting Married Jenny TV movie
1979 Family Karen Episode: "Going Straight"
1979 Just Friends Victoria Chasen 13 episodes
1979 Dance Fever Guest Judge 1 episode
1981 The Two of Us Nan Gallagher 20 episodes
1984 American Playhouse Sophisticated urbanite Episode: "Popular Neurotics"
1984 St. Elsewhere Lois Wegener 2 episodes
1984–1985 Spencer Doris Winger 13 episodes
1985 Robert Kennedy and His Times Pat Kennedy TV mini-series, 3 episodes
1985 Night Court Patty Douglas Episode: "Married Alive"
1986 The Twilight Zone Christie Copperfield Segment "Aqua Vita"
Episode: "What Are Friends For?/Aqua Vita"
1986 ABC Weekend Specials Mrs. Gridley Episode: "The Mouse and the Motorcycle"
1986 Tall Tales & Legends Ben's Mom Episode: "Davy Crockett"
1988 Family Man Andrea Tobin 7 episodes
1989 Tales from the Crypt Distraught Woman Episode: "The Man Who Was Death"
1989 Homeroom Miss Wagner 2 episodes
1990 Major Dad Cassandra Loomis Episode: "Standing Tall"
1991 Knots Landing Doris Episode: "Where There's a Will, There's a Way"
1991 Dinosaurs Glenda Molehill (voice) Episode: "Switched at Birth"
1991–1993 Homefront Ruth Sloan 42 episodes
1993 Second Chances Real Estate Agent
1993 Joe's Life Barbara Gennaro 11 episodes
1994 The George Carlin Show Judith Pellegrino 2 episodes
1995 Bless This House Mrs. Elkins Episode: "Pilot"
1995 ABC Afterschool Specials Elaine Marshall Episode: "Fast Forward"
1995 Baywatch Nights Paparazzi Agent Episode: "Pursuit"
1995 Partners Shana Episode: "City Hall"
1996 Dream On Hilaury Episode: "Second Time Aground"
1996 Homicide: Life on the Street Dr. Kate Wystan Episode: "I've Got a Secret"
1996 Once You Meet a Stranger Connie TV movie
1996–1997 Savannah Eleanor Alexander 22 episodes
1997 Cybill Gretchen Episode: "The Wedding"
1997 Pacific Palisades Amy Nichols 3 episodes
1997–2002 Dharma & Greg Abby O'Neil 119 episodes
2003 Wild Card Mimi Episode: "Mimi's Assets"
2004 Come to Papa Barb Episode: "The Crush"
2005 Strong Medicine Chancellor Eleanor Brubeck Episode: "Differentials"
2005 Cold Case Elena Bistrong - 1978, 2005 Episode: "Bad Night"
2005 Grey's Anatomy Verna Bradley Episode: "Bring the Pain"
2006 House Greta Sims Episode: "Failure to Communicate"
2006 The Young and the Restless Feather 3 episodes
2007 Medium Helen Fitzpatrick Episode: "Whatever Possessed You"
2007 ER Sergeant O'Malley Episode: "Officer Down"
2007 Cane Mary Episode: "One Man Is an Island"
2008 Ghost Whisperer Tracy Edmondson Episode: "Home But Not Alone"
2009 Rita Rocks Aunt Mavis Episode: "I Can't Make You Love Me"
2009 Private Practice Eleanor Bergin Episode: "The Parent Trap"
2010 No Ordinary Family Susan Volson Episode: "No Ordinary Mobster"
2011 Retired at 35 Carol Fabricant Episode: "Stuck in the Meddle"
2011 Criminal Minds Miss Rogers Episode: "Coda"
2011 Love Bites Gail Rouscher Episode: "Sky High"
2012 Scandal Sharon Marquette Episode: "Dirty Little Secrets"
2012 Best Friends Forever Marilyn Episode: "Put a Pin in It"
2012 In Plain Sight Joanna Stuber 3 episodes
2012 Drop Dead Diva Judge Isabella Alexander Episode: "Pick's & Pakes"
2012 Up All Night Sally Episode: "The Wedding"
2013 Anger Management Elaine Episode: "Charlie's Dad Starts to Lose It"
2013–2014 Veep Mary King 2 episodes
2013 Mistresses Dr. Susannah Ayers Episode: "I Choose You"
2013–21 Mom Marjorie Armstrong-Perugian Recurring (season 1); main cast (seasons 2–8)
148 episodes
2014 Switched at Birth Andrea Askowitz Episode: "You Will Not Escape"
2015 The Brink Susan Buckley 4 episodes
2022 The Goldbergs Charlotte Episode: "Grand Theft Scooter"
2022 Grace and Frankie Jody Episode: "The Horrible Family"
2022 In the Dark Gran 3 episodes

Awards and nominations

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Year Association Category Nominated work Result
1993 American Television Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Dramatic Series Homefront Nominated
1993 Viewers for Quality Television Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Drama Series Homefront Nominated
2007 Method Fest Best Ensemble Cast Man in the Chair Won
2011 Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Ensemble Cast Midnight in Paris Nominated
2014 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series Mom Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Mimi Kennedy". TVGuide.com. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  2. ^ Marriage announcement of Mimi Kennedy's parents, fultonhistory.com; accessed February 20, 2014.
  3. ^ Mimi Kennedy profile, filmreference.com; accessed February 17, 2014.
  4. ^ Simmons, Matty (2012). Fat, Drunk, and Stupid: The Inside Story Behind the Making of Animal House. St. Martin's Publishing Group. p. 28. ISBN 9781429942355. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  5. ^ Hill, Doug; Weingrad, Jeff (2011). Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live. Untreed Reads. ISBN 9781611872187. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  6. ^ O'Connor, John J. (March 30, 1977). "TV: It's Instant Stardom for '3 Girls 3'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c "Mimi Kennedy". Yahoo Movies Canada. Archived from the original on April 11, 2015. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  8. ^ "Critics' Choice TV Awards 2014: And the nominees are..." Entertainment Weekly's EW.com. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  9. ^ "CBS' 'Mom' Promotes Mimi Kennedy to Series Regular (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. April 25, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  10. ^ "Remembering Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman". YouTube. February 2, 2022.
  11. ^ "LA County VSAP System Primary 2020: Voter Self-Protection and Information". LA Progressive. February 2, 2020. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
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