- Mimi Kennedy
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Mimi Kennedy Born Mary Claire Kennedy
September 25, 1948
Rochester, New YorkSpouse Larry Dilg Mimi Kennedy (born September 25, 1948)[1] is an American actress, author and activist.
Contents
Early life
Kennedy was born Mary Claire Kennedy in Rochester, New York, the daughter of Nancy Helen (née Colgan) and Daniel Gerald Kennedy.[2] 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. Mimi was raised in the Browncroft neighborhood of Rochester, NY. She was a 1966 graduate of Our Lady of Mercy High School. In the 1970s she was in a musical production called Rhinegold, featuring songs by her friend Jim Steinman.
Career
Kennedy made her television debut in March 1977 in the short-lived television variety series 3 Girls 3, with Debbie Allen and Ellen Foley as the other two "girls". Her most notable television roles, however, were as Dharma's mother, Abby O'Neil, on the series Dharma & Greg and as Ruth Sloan on Homefront. She also appeared in the Broadway and road companies of the show Grease. In March and April 2009, she was seen at the Cleveland Play House in Ohio as the newspaper columnist Ann Landers in the stage play "The Lady with All the Answers" by David Rambo. Kennedy is involved in several progressive activist causes, including Progressive Democrats of America for which she serves as Chairperson of the Board. Her mid-life memoir, Taken To The Stage; The Education of an Actress, was published by Smith&Kraus in 1996 with praise from advice columnist Abigail VanBuren and playwright Wendy Wasserstein, who called it "one of the great theatrical memoirs."
Personal life
Kennedy has two children, Cisco and Molly, and a husband, Larry Dilg. Coincidentally, "Larry" was also the name of her fictional life partner on Dharma & Greg. Mimi also met her real husband Larry in college. Mimi went to the sister college of Larry's, where they were both matched up in a computer dating service.
Kennedy is a signatory to the 9/11 Truth Statement. She is the national chairwoman of Progressive Democrats of America and was a charter member of Artists United to Win Without War, and a leading supporter of Dennis Kucinich’s anti-war presidential campaign in 2004. She has worked on human rights, environmental and labour issues.
She is friends with Lynn Marie Latham and Bernard Lechowick, and has worked with them on three different series.
Filmography
- Chances Are (1989) .... Sally
- Immediate Family (1989) .... Eli's Mom
- Pump Up the Volume (1990) .... Marla Hunter
- Death Becomes Her (1992) .... Woman #2
- Flashfire (1993) .... Kate Cantrell
- Reasons of the Heart (1996) .... Celia Barton
- Buddy (1997) .... Mrs. Bunny Bowman
- Erin Brockovich (2000) .... Laura Ambrosino
- In The Loop (2009) .... Karen Clark
- The Three Gifts (2009) .... Rita Green
- Midnight in Paris (2011) .... Helen
Television credits
- 3 Girls 3 (1977) TV Series (unknown episodes)
- Getting Married (1978) (TV) .... Jenny
- Stockard Channing in Just Friends (1979) TV Series .... Victoria (unknown episodes)
- Family .... Karen (1 episode, 1979)
- The Big Show (1980) TV Series .... Herself (unknown episodes, 1980)
- Battle of the Network Stars XI (1981) (TV) .... Herself - CBS Team Contestant
- Thin Ice (1981) (TV) .... Arlene
- The Two of Us (1981) TV Series .... Nan Gallagher
- The Tonight Show .... Herself (1 episode, 1982)
- I've Had It Up to Here ... (1982)
- Popular Neurotics ... (1984)
- Spencer (1984) TV Series .... Doris Winger (unknown episodes)
- St. Elsewhere .... Lois Wegener (2 episodes, 1984)
- Robert Kennedy & His Times (1985) (mini) TV Series .... Pat Kennedy
- Night Court .... Patty Douglas (1 episode, 1985)
- Tall Tales and Legends .... Ben's Mom (1 episode, 1985)
- ABC Weekend Specials .... Mrs. Gridley (2 episodes, 1986–1990)
- Mr. Boogedy (1986) (TV) .... Eloise Davis
- The Twilight Zone .... Christie Copperfield (1 episode, 1986)
- Bride of Boogedy (1987) (TV) .... Eloise Davis
- Baby Girl Scott (1987) (TV) .... Jane
- Family Man (1988) TV Series .... Andrea Tobin
- Tales from the Crypt .... Distraught Woman (1 episode, 1989)
- Major Dad .... Cassandra Loomis (1 episode, 1990)
- A Promise to Keep (1990) (TV) .... Annie
- Sins of the Mother (1991) (TV) .... Karen
- Knots Landing .... Doris (1 episode, 1991)
- Dinosaurs .... Glenda Molehill (1 episode, 1991)
- Homefront .... Ruth Sloan (41 episodes, 1991–1993)
- Joe's Life (1993) TV Series .... Barb (unknown episodes)
- Second Chances .... Real Estate Agent (1 episode, 1993)
- The George Carlin Show .... Judith (1 episode, 1994)
- Bless This House .... Mrs. Elkins (1 episode, 1995)
- ABC Afterschool Specials .... Elaine Marshall (1 episode, 1995)
- Baywatch Nights (1 episode, 1995)
- Partners .... Shana (1 episode, 1995)
- Savannah (1996) TV Series .... Eleanor Alexander Burton (unknown episodes)
- Dream On (1 episode, 1996)
- Homicide: Life on the Street .... Dr. Kate Wystan (1 episode, 1996)
- Once You Meet a Stranger (1996) (TV) .... Connie
- Cybill .... Gretchen (1 episode, 1997)
- Dharma & Greg .... Abby O'Neil (119 episodes, 1997–2002)
- Pacific Palisades .... Amy Nichols (3 episodes, 1997)
- Hollywood Squares .... Guest Appearance (2 episodes, 2001)
- Whammy! The All New Press Your Luck .... Herself (1 episode, 2002)
- Politically Incorrect .... Herself (1 episode, 2002)
- Pyramid .... Herself (2 episodes, 2002–2003)
- Wild Card .... Mimi (1 episode, 2003)
- Come to Papa .... Barb (1 episode, 2004)
- Happy Birthday Oscar Wilde (2004) (TV) .... Herself
- Cold Case .... Elena - 1978, 2005 (1 episode, 2005)
- Grey's Anatomy .... Verna Bradley (1 episode, 2005)
- House .... Greta (1 episode, 2006)
- The Young and the Restless .... Feather (2 episodes, 2006)
- Man in the Chair (2007) .... Mom
- Medium .... Helen (1 episode, 2007)
- Outspoken: Los Angeles (2007) (post-production) .... Herself
- ER (2007) .... Chicago Police Officer
- Rita Rocks .... Aunt Mavis
- Private Practice .... Eleanor (1 episode, 2010)
- No Ordinary Family .... Susan Volson (1 episode, 2010)
Screenwriting credits
- Knots Landing (1979) TV Series (Story Editor)
References
External links
Categories:- 1948 births
- Actors from New York
- American film actors
- American television actors
- Living people
- People from Rochester, New York
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