Nora Dunn

Last updated
Nora Dunn
Born (1952-04-29) April 29, 1952 (age 72)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Education School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Occupation(s)Actress, comedian
Years active1985–present
Spouses
Ray Hutcherson
​
​
(m. 1987;div. 1995)​
Sean McGarry
​
​
(m. 1998;div. 2000)​

Nora Dunn (born April 29, 1952) [1] is an American actress and comedian. She first garnered popularity during her tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1990. Following her departure from SNL, she played Dr. Reynolds in The Nanny from 1998 to 1999, and she had a recurring role as Muriel in Home Economics from 2021 to 2022.

Contents

Early life

Dunn was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Margaret (née East), a nurse, and John Dunn, a musician and poet. [2] She has two brothers, actor Kevin Dunn and Michael Dunn, a high school history teacher and football coach as well as one sister, Cathy Zimmerman. She was raised in a Catholic family, and has Irish, English, Scottish and German ancestry. [2] She attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. [3]

Career

Saturday Night Live

Dunn joined SNL in 1985 with the return of Lorne Michaels as executive producer. The 1985–1986 season proved to be a ratings disaster, and she was one of only five cast members who was not fired at its end (the others were newcomers Jon Lovitz, A. Whitney Brown, Dennis Miller and longtime featured player Al Franken).

Dunn's characters included half of "The Sweeney Sisters" lounge act alongside Jan Hooks, as well as talk show host Pat Stevens (which became a popular recurring role starting in the low-rated 1985–1986 season), melodramatic French hooker Babette, and film buff Ashley Ashley from the "Actors on Film" sketch from the 1985–1986 season. Her impressions included Ann Landers, Imelda Marcos, Liza Minnelli, Tyne Daly, Joan Baez, Martina Navratilova, and Cokie Roberts.

Dunn made headlines in 1990 when she, along with original musical guest Sinéad O'Connor, boycotted an episode that was hosted by comedian Andrew Dice Clay because they found his misogynistic humor offensive. Looking back on the incident ahead of SNL's 40th anniversary, she explained, "Lorne said, 'Andrew Dice Clay was a phenomenon worth examining.' And yeah, he was a phenomenon, but if you’re going to examine him, he shouldn’t be the host, you should write an article. We didn’t examine the hosts of "SNL." We supported them, we wrote for them, and we made them look good. Otherwise you'd never get a host. You're there to make them look good [...] My objection to Andrew Dice Clay was that his character was only about one thing: abusing women and laughing about abusing women. There was nothing else behind it. There was nothing else about it except to make him look harmless." [4]

Recurring characters on SNL

  • Ashley Ashley, a pretentious film critic from the recurring sketch, "Actors on Film" (her partner was Jimmy Chance, played by Robert Downey, Jr.)
  • Babette, a melodramatic French prostitute
  • Pat Stevens, a model turned talk show host
  • Denise Venetti, host of "Learning To Feel"
  • Dr. Norma Hoeffering, a lesbian psychiatrist who writes male-bashing self-help books
  • Liz Sweeney, one of two singing sisters (the other played by Jan Hooks)
  • Loose Chang, Ching Chang's (Dana Carvey) love interest
  • Mrs. Campbell, Wayne Campbell's (Mike Myers) mom

Celebrity impersonations

Other work

Dunn appeared in recurring roles on Sisters from 1993 to 1996 and The Nanny from 1998 to 1999, as well as a guest-starring role in a two-part episode of The X-Files in 1998. In the 8th episode of the 9th season of crime procedural drama Bones , she played author Tess Brown, a feuding rival of protagonist Temperance Brennan. In 2015 she appeared in the fourth season of New Girl . In 2009, Dunn played the sister-in-law of Frank Reynolds in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia .

Her film work includes Working Girl (1988), How I Got into College (1989), Miami Blues (1990), I Love Trouble (1994), Shake, Rattle and Rock! (1994), The Last Supper (1995), Three Kings (1999), What Planet Are You From? (2000), What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001), Zoolander (2001), Max Keeble's Big Move (2001), Bruce Almighty (2003), Runaway Jury (2003), The Hebrew Hammer (2003), Love for Rent (2005), Pineapple Express (2008), My Suicide (2009), LOL (2012), Entourage (2015) and The Lost Husband (2020).

In 2014, Dunn began appearing in a series of commercials for Clorox. She has also been a storytelling contributor to Chicago's Under the Gun Theater. [5]

Dunn directed the American Theater Company's production of Augusta in Chicago in 2008. [3]

Personal life

Dunn is a fan of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. [4]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1985–1990 Saturday Night Live Herself/Various88 episodes
1991 Get a Life IrmaEpisode: "Prisoner of Love"
1992 Civil Wars Madeline LobellEpisode: "The Old Man and the 'C'"
1993Basic Values: Sex, Shock & Censorship in the 90'sTV movie
1993–1996 Sisters Norma Lear24 episodes
1994 Shake, Rattle and Rock! MargoTV movie
1996 The Nanny Mrs. RichardsonEpisode: "The Bird's Nest"
1997 I Am Weasel Bearded Girl/Lady Fan #1Voice role

Episode: "Deep Sea Tour"

Cybill Dr. WalkerEpisode: "Regarding Henry"
Extreme Ghostbusters LilithVoice role

Episode: "A Temporary Insanity"

Everybody Loves Raymond HelenEpisode: "The Letter"
1998 George and Leo Dean Shirley MartinEpisode: "The Bongos"
Pinky and the Brain PreciousEpisode: "Brainwashed: Part 3 - Wash Harder"
The X-Files JoAnne Fletcher2 episodes
1998–1999 The Nanny Dr. Reynolds7 episodes
1998–2000 Histeria! Lydia Karaoke/Various26 episodes
1999 The Wild Thornberrys VariousVoice role

2 episodes

2000Chicken Soup for the SoulMrs. ShawEpisode: "The Mustang and the Tutor"
Futurama Morgan ProctorEpisode: "How Hermes Requisitioned His Groove Back"
2001 The Chronicle Dr. GorhamEpisode: "Only the Young Die Good"
Weakest Link HerselfContestant

Episodes: "Comedians Special"

Curb Your Enthusiasm CBS ExecutiveEpisode: "The Massage"
2002 The Outer Limits Laura SinclairEpisode: "Dark Child"
2003 Knee High P.I. MargeryTV movie
Just Shoot Me! NaomiEpisode: "Strange Bedfellows"
CSI: Miami Kidnap Executive RhondaEpisode: "Extreme"
2004 Wild Card SammieEpisode: "Slam Dunk Funk"
2005 See Arnold Run Arianna Huffington TV movie
LAX Episode: "Senator's Daughter"
Amber Frey: Witness for the Prosecution Gloria Allred TV movie
Stacked LynnEpisode: "Heavy Meddle"
2006 Law & Order Rosalie SchaffnerEpisode: "Home Sweet"
Three Moons Over Milford Michelle Graybar9 episodes
2006–2007 Shark Gretchen Curbow2 episodes
2006–2011 Entourage Dr. Marcus6 episodes
2007–2008 Boston Legal Attorney Cynthia Rhodes2 episodes
2008 Aliens in America Sandy ShermerEpisode: "Smutty Books"
Numbers Susan StoneEpisode: "Jack of All Trades"
2009 Criminal Minds LaurenEpisode: "Pleasure Is My Business"
Pushing Daisies Blanche RamoraEpisode: "Kerpulnk'"
Samantha Who? Cheryl HainstockEpisode: "The Dream Job"
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia DonnaEpisode: "The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention"
As Told by Ginger Coach Candace/PhilbertVoice role

2 episodes

2010 Private Practice Dr. Geraldine GinsbergEpisode: "Eyes Wide Open"
Psych Eve AsherEpisode: "In Plain Fright"
The Defenders Amber MaxEpisode: "Nevada v. Dennis"
2011 Harry's Law Judge Sandra KilliamEpisode: "Last Dance"
2012 Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 Joyce BermanEpisode: "Parent Trap"
2013 The Neighbors LindaEpisode: "The Gingerbread Man"
Franklin & Bash Judge ClemonsEpisode: "By the Numbers"
2013–2014 Bones Tess Brown2 episodes
2014 Hot in Cleveland Elizabeth/VictoriaEpisode: "Playmates"
Mulaney Patty MulaneyEpisode: "In the Name of the Mother, and the Son and the Holy Andre"
2014–2015 Sirens Bridget2 episodes
2015 Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce AmandaEpisode: "Rule #3: Don't Stand in the Doorway"
2015–2016 Best Friends Whenever Janet Smythe6 episodes
New Girl Louise Schmidt4 episodes
2016 Life in Pieces CarolEpisode: "CryTunes Divorce Tablet Ring"
*Loosely Exactly Nicole Nora McNabEpisode: "Danny Boom"
Grace and Frankie Dr. RossmoreEpisode: "The Wish"
2016–2022 Chicago Med Dr. Richardson10 episodes
2016–2017 Graves Laura Wolf2 episodes
2017 2 Broke Girls Teresa2 episodes
Chicago P.D. Dr. RichardsonEpisode: "Army of One"
Worst Cooks in America HerselfContestant - Third Place
2017–2019 How to Get Away with Murder Judge Lily Nanjani2 episodes
2018 The Librarians Janet HedgeEpisode: "And a Town Called Feud"
Detroiters SueEpisode: "Trevor"
The Boss Baby: Back in Business GigiVoice role

10 episodes

2019 Liza on Demand ClaudineEpisode: "Maximum Occupancy"
2021 The Big Leap Gina5 episodes
2021–2022 Home Economics Muriel11 episodes
2022 DMZ Oona2 episodes

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1988 Working Girl Ginny
1989 How I Got into College Francine Bauer
1990 Miami Blues Ellita Sanchez
1991 Stepping Out Pam
1992 Passion Fish Ti-Marie Robichaux
1993 Born Yesterday Cynthia Screiber
1994 I Love Trouble Lindy
1995 The Last Supper Sheriff Alice Stanley
1998 Bulworth Missy Berliner
Air Bud: Golden Receiver Natalya
The Thin Pink Line Sandy Delongpre
1999 Drop Dead Gorgeous Colleen Douglas
Three Kings Adriana Cruz
2000 What Planet Are You From? Madeline
2001 Heartbreakers Miss Madress
What's the Worst That Could Happen? Lutetia Fairbanks
Zoolander British Designer
Max Keeble's Big Move Lily Keeble
2002 Cherish Bell
Storm Watch Rose Chase
2003 Die, Mommie, Die! Shatzi Van Allen
The Hebrew Hammer Mrs. Carver
Bruce Almighty Ally Loman
Out of Time Dr. Donovan
Runaway Jury Stella Hulic
2004 November Dr. Fayn
Paper CutKatherine
Laws of Attraction Judge Abramovitz
2005 The Civilization of Maxwell Bright Mary Jane
Love for Rent Helen Bauman
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio Girl Group Member
2006 The Darwin Awards Mrs. Pearlman
Pucked Leona
Southland Tales Cyndi Pinziki
2008 Pineapple Express Shannon
2009 The Answer Man Terry Fraser
Archie's Final Project Gretchen Williams
It's Complicated Sally
2012 LOL Emily's Mom
3, 2, 1... Frankie Go Boom Mom (Karen)
The Guilt Trip Amy
2015 Entourage Dr. Marcus
A Light Beneath Their FeetDr. Krolly
2018 Dude Rosa
Canal Street Marge Sudermill
Tag Lina Malloy
The Oath Eleanor
2019Boy GeniusSelma Ally
2020 The Lost Husband Jean
2021 Together Together Adele
2022 The Hater Genie

References

  1. ↑ "Famous birthdays for April 29: Nora Dunn, Andre Agassi". United Press International . Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Davenport, Misha (April 11, 2008). "Artwork no laughing matter to Nora Dunn" . Chicago Sun-Times .
  3. 1 2 Jones, Chris (January 27, 2008). "Nora Dunn comes home". Chicago Tribune. pp.  Section 7 - 1, Section 7 - 11 . Retrieved March 1, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 Bolonik, Kera (April 8, 2015). "Nora Dunn: "SNL is a traumatic experience. It's something you have to survive"". Salon . Retrieved 2021-02-05.
  5. ↑ Helbig, Jack (December 19, 2015). "Based on a True Story". Chicago Reader . Retrieved 2021-02-05.
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