Mary Gross

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Mary Gross
Born (1953-03-25) March 25, 1953 (age 72)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Education Loyola University Chicago
Occupation(s)Actress, comedian, voice actress
Years active1980–2012
Relatives Michael Gross (brother)
Ron Masak (cousin)

Mary Gross (born March 25, 1953) [1] is an American voice actress, comedian, and actress known for her four-year stint on Saturday Night Live from 1981 to 1985 and her recurring role as Sabrina's favorite teacher, Mrs. Quick in Sabrina, the Teenage Witch from 1997 to 2000. Her credits also include roles on Animaniacs , Boston Legal , That's So Raven , and Six Feet Under .

Contents

Early life

Gross was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1953. [2] She is the youngest of three children born to William Oscar Gross, a tool designer, and Virginia Ruth (née Cahill), a telephone operator (the eldest being actor Michael Gross). [3] [4] She attended Madonna High School—an all-girls Catholic school, since demolished [3] —and Loyola University, where she majored in English. [5] [6] While in high school, Gross made her performing debut—singing, in character, as France's Louis XIV, to the tune of Bernstein and Sondheim's "I Feel Pretty"—alongside fellow Madonna alumna Marilu Henner. [3] [5] [7] Gross worked for five years as a secretary for the American Dental Association. [6]

Career

Early career

Gross answered an ad for a comedy workshop for the Reification Company, where she went to learn about writing comedy sketches. While there, she ended up performing and soon began performing in local productions. [8] In 1979, she joined the Second City comedy troupe. [5]

Saturday Night Live (1981–1985)

Gross joined SNL in 1981, during the show's seventh season, which was retooled extensively after the sixth season proved a critical failure. [9] 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. [10]
  • 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 1991-92 season.
  • 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) [11]
  • Celeste, a repressed woman married to an equally repressed man (played by Tim Kazurinsky) [12]

Celebrity impersonations

Personal life

Gross has never married, but as of June 1982, Chicago-based photographer Jay King was referred to as "her longtime boyfriend" in a profile/interview of Gross penned by Chicago Sun-Times writer Michael Davis. [5] Duration aside, their relationship was also reported that year by the Chicago Tribune 's Jon Anderson and several years later by researcher-author Mary Unterbrinker. [7] [13]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
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
1993Public Enemy #2Marcey
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

YearTitleRoleNotes
1981–1985 Saturday Night Live Herself / VariousCast member
1985 Tales of the Unexpected Woman on beachEpisode: "Scrimshaw"
1986 Amen Nurse KenningstonEpisode: "After the Fall"
1988Channel 99Fifi KurtzTV film
1989 The People Next Door Abigail MacIntyre KelloggMain role
1992 Billy Phoebe TrillmanRecurring role
1992 Murphy Brown Chris ManheimEpisode: "He-Ho, He-Ho, It's Off to Lamaze We Go"
1993 Jack's Place RosemaryEpisode: "Faithful Henry"
1993–1997 Animaniacs Katie's MomVoice, recurring role [14]
1994 The Larry Sanders Show Mary GrossEpisode: "Next Stop Bottom"
1995 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Nell NewtrichEpisode: "Ultra Woman"
1995 The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat VoicesRecurring role
1997 Something So Right PollyEpisode: "Something About Cold Storage"
1997 The Jeff Foxworthy Show Aunt JaneEpisode: "Twister of Fate"
1997 The Angry Beavers Deer / BirdVoice, episode: "Deranged Ranger"
1997–2000 Sabrina the Teenage Witch Mrs. QuickRecurring role
1997–2002 Hey Arnold! School Nurse ShelleyVoice, 3 episodes [14]
1999 Detention Patsy WickettVoice, 2 episodes [14]
2000 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child EliseVoice, episode: "The Frog Princess"
2000JailbaitPatti FisherTV film
2000Lost CatNancy MouseVoice, TV film
2000 What a Cartoon! Nancy MouseVoice, episode: "Lost Cat" [14]
2001 Providence Martha BlankenshipEpisode: "Love Story"
2001 Six Feet Under Floral InstructorEpisode: "The Trip"
2001 Off Centre Roberta Flack / Mrs. PlattEpisode: "Swing Time"
2002 Dharma & Greg MaryEpisode: "This Diamond Ring"
2002 As Told by Ginger Bobbie LightfootVoice, episode: "Family Therapy"
2003 A Minute with Stan Hooper HarrietEpisode: "Stan Hooper Goes to Washington"
2003 Judging Amy MartaEpisode: "Tricks of the Trade"
2003 According to Jim CynthiaEpisode: "Paintball"
2004 All About the Andersons Mrs. DyerEpisode: "Get Out of Dodge... Ball"
2004 I'm with Her Donna KincadeEpisode: "Winners & Losers & Whiners & Boozers: Part 2"
2004 Rock Me, Baby GingerEpisode: "Not-So-Grand Parents"
2005 Malcolm in the Middle EvelynEpisode: "Chad's Sleepover"
2005 Twins JudyEpisode: "Sister's Keeper"
2005 That's So Raven Miss PattersonEpisode: "Cake Fear"
2006 The New Adventures of Old Christine Mrs. OrrEpisode: "Oh God, Yes"
2007–08 Boston Legal Leigh SwiftRecurring role
2008 According to Jim LisaEpisode: "Cheryl Goes to Florida"
2008 General Hospital Aunt RayleneRecurring role
2009 Life Maude PaxtonEpisode: "Canyon Flowers"
2009 Californication Principal GreenEpisode: "Mr. Bad Example"
2010 In Gayle We Trust BethEpisode: "Gayle and the Salon"
2011 The Defenders Judy BakerEpisode: "Nevada v. Doug the Mule"
2011 Hart of Dixie Old Lady #32 episodes
2012 Pound Puppies Mrs. BeasleyVoice, episode: "Lucky Gets Adopted" [14]
2012 Adopting Terror LauraTV film
2012 Raising Hope Denise JenkinsEpisode: "What Up, Bro?"

References

  1. ↑ "Celebrity Birthdays". Asheville Citizen-Times. March 25, 2023. p. 5C. ProQuest   2792347897. Actor Paul Michael Glaser is 80. Musician Elton John is 76. Actor Bonnie Bedelia is 75. Actor-comedian Mary Gross is 70. Actor James McDaniel ('NYPD Blue') is 65. See also:
    • "Today in History: Today's Birthdays". Daily Breeze. March 25, 2003. p. B5. ProQuest   338554978. Actor Paul Michael Glaser is 60. Singer Elton John is 56. Actress Bonnie Bedelia is 55. Singer Nick Lowe is 54. Actress-comedian Mary Gross is 50. Actor James McDaniel is 45.
  2. ↑ Unterbrink, Mary (1987). Funny women : American comediennes, 1860-1985. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 170. ISBN   9780899502267.
  3. 1 2 3 Caro, Mark (March 17, 2011). "Hollwood's fickle; family ties endure". Chicago Tribune. p. 3. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Virginia Ruth Gross". Chicago Tribune. March 22, 2005. pp. 2–6. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Davis, Michael (June 10, 1982). "'Saturday Night Live' Mary Gross on a roll". The Jersey Journal. p. 32. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  6. 1 2 Meade, Peter (November 5, 1982). "Mary: not cut out to be cut up". Baraboo News Republic. p. 21. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  7. 1 2 Anderson, Jon (March 11, 1982). "Mary Gross: Another Second City Ex Succeeds on 'SNL'". Chicago Tribune. p. 35. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  8. ↑ Unterbrink, Mary (1987). Funny women : American comediennes, 1860-1985. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. pp. 170–171. ISBN   9780899502267.
  9. ↑ "SNL and The Curse of the Transitional Season". Splitsider. October 13, 2010. Archived from the original on January 20, 2018. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  10. ↑ SNL Archives | Character Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ↑ SNL Archives | Character Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ SNL Archives | Character Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ↑ Unterbrink, Mary (1987). Funny Women: American Comediennes, 1860-1985. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 173. ISBN   978-0-89950-226-7.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mary Gross (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved October 19, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
Media offices
Preceded by Weekend Update anchor
with Brian Doyle-Murray
1981		Succeeded by
Brian Doyle-Murray as solo anchor
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