Kathy Greenwood

Last updated

Kathy Greenwood
Born
Kathryn Greenwood

(1962-03-21) March 21, 1962 (age 63)
Occupation(s)Actress, comedian
Years active1987–present
SpouseJohn Dolin
Children2
AwardsCanadian Comedy Award for Best Female Improviser

Kathryn Greenwood (born March 21, 1962) is a Canadian actress and comedian. She appeared on the American version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? numerous times, and played Grace Bailey on the Canadian television drama series Wind at My Back . [2]

Contents

Life and career

Greenwood was born in Scarborough, Ontario to Edwin Greenwood. [3] From an early age she wanted to be a performer and went to school at Agincourt Collegiate Institute. There she performed in school plays and concerts. After graduation in 1980, Greenwood spent the next two years studying acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. [4]

In 1987, she returned to Toronto, and worked in a small night club act called A Wedge of Night. She spent five years with the Toronto branch of The Second City comedy troupe [5] as a writer and a performer. Two of her shows won Dora Mavor Moore awards [6] in 1988 and 1992.

Shortly afterwards, she and her friends Jonathan Wilson and Ed Sahely developed what she called their "Second City" spin-off, Not to Be Repeated , in which the three improvised an entire situation comedy in front of a live audience, based solely on ideas and suggestions from the audience. [7] She also appeared with Shirley Douglas and Kiefer Sutherland in The Glass Menagerie at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in spring 1997. [8] Other notable appearances in Canada include This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Royal Canadian Air Farce .

In 1996, Greenwood began regular work on Canadian television on the family drama series Wind at My Back . She worked for five years, full-time, playing Grace Bailey, a junior radio M.C. in the small town of New Bedford, Ontario, during the Great Depression. Her portrayal of Grace Bailey was nominated for a Gemini Award for Best Performance By an Actress in a Continuing Leading Role. In 1999, Kathy was cast as Denise Stanton in the TV movie Switching Goals , starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Later that same year, Greenwood commuted to Los Angeles to appear on such shows as The Drew Carey Show , the updated version of Hollywood Squares , [9] and the American version of the improvisation game show Whose Line Is It Anyway? .

Marriage and family

Greenwood is married to television writer John Dolin; they have two daughters: Phoebe and Josephine. Phoebe was born in 2000, while Josephine was born in 2001.

Current projects

Greenwood is part of the sketch comedy troupe Women Fully Clothed, [10] [11] featuring what Eugene Levy calls "the five funniest women in Canada." The group saw success in Canada and appeared in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1992 This Is My Life Young Matron
1994 New Nightmare Nurse in Hospital Room with Heather
1995 House [12] Kathy
1996 Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy Ginny Hurdicure
1999 Switching Goals Dr. Denise Stanton
2003Flip PhoneKatieShort film
2005 The Man Flight Attendant
Anne: Journey to Green GablesMavis (voice)Video
Heidi Aunt Dete (voice)
2014 Get Santa Miscellaneous crew (Accountant)
2015 Poltergeist Realtor
2016 My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Marge
Unless Willow Halliday
2021 8-Bit Christmas Mrs. Hugo
The Exchange Mrs. Fleming
2023 World's Best Ms. Sage
The King Tide Charlotte
EXmas Jeannie

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1992 This Hour Has 22 Minutes Writer
1993 Street Legal Jacky KeplerEpisode: "Believe the Children"
Maniac Mansion AllanahEpisode: "Love Letters"
Women on Trial: The Lawrencia Bembenek StorySylvia BonnerTV movie
1994 Hostage for a Day SWAT One
Squawk Box
RoboCop: The Series DirectorEpisode: "Midnight Minus One"
1995 Goosebumps Ms. WalkerEpisode: "The Phantom of the Auditorium"
1996 The High Life JudyEpisode: "Bowling"
1996–2001 Wind at My Back Grace Bailey Mainwairing and Gams O'MalleyMain role
1997 Once a Thief MargoEpisode: "Trial Marriage"
1998Stories from My Childhood(voice)2 episodes
History Bites Various2 episodes
1999 George and Martha Frieda
The Wonderful World of Disney Denise StantonEpisode: "Switching Goals"
Switching Goals Denise Stanton [13] TV movie
2000The 2000 Canadian Comedy AwardsSelf (Pretty Funny Female Improv)TV special
The Pooch and the Pauper Kim CorbettTV film
The Drew Carey Show KathrynEpisode: "Drew Live II"
2000–2007 Whose Line Is It Anyway? Self
2001The Broad SideVarious roles
This Sitcom Is...Not to Be Repeated
I Was a Rat Lucasta UtensilMiniseries
Hollywood Squares SelfEpisode: January 25, 2001
2002Kids in the Hall: Tour of DutyDocumentary
Moville Mysteries Mrs. CalienteEpisode: "The Day Rico Became Smart"
Royal Canadian Air Farce Senior Citizen #3/Dr. StilwartEpisode: "10.9"
2003 Open Mike with Mike Bullard GuestEpisode: February 20, 2003
Royal Canadian Air Farce VariousEpisode: "Best of #3"
2003–2005 JoJo's Circus Dr. Seltzer (voice)Recurring role
2004 XPM Laura Macdonald
Wonderfalls RonnieEpisode: "Wax Lion"
The Wrong Coast Debbie Sue Ashanti-MelendezMiniseries
Listen MissyVarious
This Hour Has 22 Minutes Various3 episodes
2005Distinguished ArtistsSelfEpisode: "Women Fully Clothed"
Queer as Folk LilaEpisode: "5.2"
Maple Shorts! Sela Salmon (voice)Episode: "Eat My Shorts"
2006 Getting Along Famously Sister Gregory "Sister Song" PechiccinoEpisode: "Sister Song"
Captain Flamingo Milo's Mom (voice)
2007Women Fully Clothed: All Dressed Up and Places to GoSelfDocumentary
The Jane Show Whitney JohnsonEpisode: "The House of Jane"
2009 The Rick Mercer Report GuestEpisode: "#7.1"
The Dating GuyValerie (voice)Episode: "Really Bad Lieutenant"
2010CBC Winnipeg Comedy FestivalSelfDocumentary
Self/WriterEpisode: "Savings and Groans"
2011 The Ron James Show SelfEpisode: "#3.3"
Justin TimeCleopatraEpisode: "Brave Sir Justin & Cleopatra's Cat"
2012 Frenemies Lisa LoganTV movie
I, Martin Short, Goes Home Mother
2012–2013 Sidekick Cindy Struction (voice)2 episodes
2013 Satisfaction BonnieEpisode: "Mo Money, Mo Problems"
2013–2014 The Rick Mercer Report Rick's Wife13 episodes
2014 Working the Engels Grace van der HoovenEpisode: "The Crazy Family"
Saving Hope Rita BrownEpisode: "Stand By Me"
The Stanley Dynamic Officer VickyEpisode: "The Stanley Crime"
2015 Remedy Marg HendricksonEpisode: "Life in Technicolor"
2017 Man Seeking Woman PicklepopEpisode: "Popcorn"
Taken Too FarGabyTV movie
2019 Cavendish RuthMain role
2020Unlocking ChristmasMaggie MatthewsTV movie
2021 Ghosts Margaret FarnsbyEpisode: "Dinner Party"
2023–2024 So Help Me Todd Patty2 episodes
"Ruby and the Well"Val3 episodes

Awards/Nominations

Awards
YearAwardCategoryProductionResult
1992 Dora Mavor Moore Award Outstanding New Revue or MusicalThe Second CityWon
1996 Gemini Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading RoleWind at My BackNominated
1998Dora Mavor Moore AwardOutstanding New Revue or MusicalThe Second CityWon
2000 Canadian Comedy Award Best Female Improviser
2005Best Sketch TroupeWomen Fully ClothedNominated

References

  1. Kathryn Greenwood's bio at www.northernstars.ca
  2. Kathy Greenwood's bio at www.cbc.ca
  3. "Edwin Greenwood Obituary". Legacy.com . Humphrey Funeral Home A.W. Miles. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
  4. "Kathryn Greenwood fully clothed", by Rick Wharton, www.pembrokeobserver.com
  5. "More bladder-busting laughs from Women Fully Clothed quartet", by Brad Wheeler, www.theglobeandmail.com
  6. "Female comics hit the road" by Bruce DeMara at www.thestar.com
  7. "AAC MOW tells story of ALS victim Jenifer Estess/This sitcom is…virtual" by Kathy Barthel at playbackonline.ca
  8. The Glass Menagerie Review, by Mira Friedlander, variety.com
  9. "Kathryn Greenwood" by Michele Sponagle at www.theglobeandmail.com
  10. "Older and Hotter and hitting the stage" by Susan Pigg at www.thestar.com
  11. "The comedy of everyday life" by Robert Crew at www.thestar.com
  12. "Ontario Scene" by Pamela Cuthbert at playbackonline.ca
  13. Switching Goals Review by Laura Fries at variety.com