Swoosie Kurtz
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| Swoosie Kurtz | |
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Kurtz at the 2009 premiere of PoliWood
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| Born | September 6, 1944 Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1968–present |
Kurtz made her Broadway debut in the 1975 revival of Ah, Wilderness. She has received five Tony Award nominations, winning two, for Fifth of July in 1981 and The House of Blue Leaves in 1986. Her other nominations were for Tartuffe in 1988, Frozen in 2004 and Heartbreak House in 2007.
For her television work, she has received eight Emmy Award nominations, with one win for Carol and Company in 1990. Other television credits include the NBC drama Sisters (1991-1996), Huff (2004-2006), Pushing Daisies (2007-2009) and since 2010, the hit CBS sitcom Mike & Molly. Her films include, Wildcats (1986), Dangerous Liaisons (1988), Stanley and Iris (1990), Citizen Ruth (1996) and Liar Liar (1997).
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Early life
Kurtz was born in Omaha, Nebraska, the only child of author Margaret "Margo" (née Rogers) and Air Force Colonel Frank Allen Kurtz, Jr., a much-decorated WWII American bomber pilot.[1][2][3] She got her unique first name "Swoosie" (which rhymes with Lucy, rather than woozy) from her father. It is derived from the sole surviving example of the early Boeing B-17D Flying Fortress bomber, named "The Swoose" or simply "Swoose"—half swan, half goose—which her father piloted, breaking all Pacific records[4] during World War II.[5] As a military brat, Kurtz moved frequently. Kurtz attended the University of Southern California where she majored in drama. She then attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.[citation needed]Career
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John Guare and Kurtz at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.
From 1991 to 1996, Kurtz had her longest-running television role, starring as wealthy divorcee Alex Reed Halsey on the NBC drama Sisters, a role that earned her two more Emmy Award nominations. She also starred in the ABC television series Pushing Daisies as Lily Charles.
In recent years, Kurtz has guest-starred on the hit shows ER and Lost and Desperate Housewives and has also had recurring roles as Valerie on the drama That's Life, as Judy's mother Helen on the sitcom Still Standing, as Madeleine Sullivan on the Showtime drama series Huff, and most recently as part of a lesbian married couple with Blythe Danner in the TV drama Nurse Jackie. In 2010, Kurtz began starring in the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly as Joyce Flynn.
Although her main focus has been television, Kurtz has starred in several major Hollywood films including the Agatha Christie drama Caribbean Mystery in 1983, Dangerous Liaisons in 1988, its 1999 remake Cruel Intentions, as a lesbian activist in the acclaimed indie film Citizen Ruth, and perhaps most notably, alongside Jim Carrey in 1997's Liar Liar.
Filmography
| Film | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes | |
| 1968 | The Firebugs | Ann | ||
| 1970 | The Effect of Gamma Rays | Tillie/Janice Vickery | ||
| 1977 | Slap Shot | Shirley Upton | ||
| 1977 | First Love | Marsha | ||
| 1978 | Oliver's Story | Gwen Simpson | ||
| 1979 | Walking Through the Fire | Caria | TV movie | |
| 1980 | Marriage is Alive and Well | Jane Tremont | TV movie | |
| 1980 | The Mating Season | Roberta | TV movie | |
| 1982 | The World According to Garp | The Hooker | ||
| 1983 | A Caribbean Mystery | Ruth Walter | ||
| 1984 | Against All Odds | Edie | ||
| 1985 | Guilty Conscience | Jackie Willis | TV movie | |
| 1985 | A Time to Live | Patricia | TV movie | |
| 1986 | Wildcats | Verna McGrath | ||
| 1986 | True Stories | Miss Rollings | ||
| 1988 | Baja Oklahoma | Doris Steadman | Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | |
| 1988 | Vice Versa | Tina Brooks / Turk | ||
| 1988 | Bright Lights, Big City | Megan | ||
| 1988 | Dangerous Liaisons | Madame de Volanges | ||
| 1990 | The Image | Joanne Winstow-Darvish | Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie | |
| 1990 | Stanley & Iris | Sharon | ||
| 1990 | A Shock to the System | Leslie Marshall | ||
| 1991 | Walking the Dog | Unknown | Short | |
| 1991 | Terror on Track 9 | Marcia Hobbs | TV movie | |
| 1993 | The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader- Murdering Mom |
Marla Harper | TV movie | |
| 1993 | And the Band Played On | Mrs. Johnstone | CableACE Award for Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie |
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| 1994 | Reality Bites | Charlane McGregor | ||
| 1994 | One Christmas | Emily | TV movie | |
| 1995 | Betrayed: A Story of Three Women | Joan Bixler | TV movie | |
| 1996 | Citizen Ruth' | Diane Siegler | ||
| 1996 | A Promise to Carolyn | Kay | TV movie | |
| 1996 | Harvey | Veta Simmons | TV movie | |
| 1996 | Storybook | Queen Evilia | ||
| 1997 | Little Girls in Pretty Boxes | Allison Bryant | TV movie | |
| 1997 | Liar Liar | Dana Appleton | ||
| 1998 | My Own Country | Hope Flanders | TV movie | |
| 1998 | Outside Ozona | Rosalee | ||
| 1999 | Cruel Intentions | Dr. Greenbaum | ||
| 1999 | The White River Kid | Mummy Weed | ||
| 2001 | Get Over It | Beverly Landers | ||
| 2001 | Bubble Boy | Mrs. Livingston | ||
| 2001 | The Wilde Girls | Sierra Lambert | TV movie | |
| 2002 | The Rules of Attraction | Mrs. Jared | ||
| 2003 | Duplex | Jean | aka Our House | |
| 2004 | Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes | Binny Redwine | ||
| 2005 | True | Unknown | TV movie | |
| 2005 | Category 7: The End of the World | Penny Hall | TV movie | |
| 2005 | Nadine in Date Land | Unknown | TV movie | |
| 2007 | Superman: Doomsday | Martha Kent (voice) | ||
| 2008 | Living Proof | Elizabeth | TV movie | |
| 2009 | An Englishman in New York | Connie Clausen | ||
| Television | ||||
| 1962 | The Donna Reed Show | Mimi | Episode: "The Golden Trap" | |
| 1971 | As the World Turns | Ellie Bradley [6] | Unknown episodes | |
| 1976 | Kojak | Julie Di Nata | Episode: "Black Thorn" | |
| 1978 | Mary | Skit characters | Unknown episodes | |
| 1979 | Uncommon Women and Others | Rita Altabel | Unknown episodes | |
| 1981–83 | Love, Sidney | Laurie Morgan | 44 episodes Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (1982, 1983) |
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| 1987 | American Playhouse | Bananas Shaughnessy / Gwen Landis | 2 episodes | |
| 1987 | Trying Times | Wanda | Episode: "The Visit" | |
| 1990 | Carol & Company | Laurie | Episode: "Reunion" Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series |
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| 1995 | Hope and Gloria | Herself | Episode: "How to Get an Ed in Business" | |
| 1995 | The Magic School Bus | Dorothy Ann's Mom / NASA Woman (voice) | Episode: "Out of This World" | |
| 1991–96 | Sisters | Alexandra 'Alex' Reed Halsey Barker | 127 episodes Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series (1995) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (1993, 1994) |
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| 1996 | Party Girl | Judy Burkhard | 3 episodes | |
| 1997 | Touched by an Angel | Libby King | Episode: "Charades" | |
| 1996–97 | Suddenly Susan | Liz Miller Keane | 3 episodes | |
| 1998 | ER | Tina Marie Chambliss | Episode: "Suffer the Little Children" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series |
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| 1998 | More Tales of the City | Betty Borg Ramsey | 3 episodes | |
| 1999–00 | Love & Money | Effie Conklin | 13 episodes | |
| 2000 | The Outer Limits | Justice Kendall Woods | Episode: "Final Appeal" | |
| 2001 | The Fighting Fitzgeralds | Unknown | Episode: "When Irish Eyes Are Smilin'" | |
| 2001–02 | That's Life | Valerie Wilkinson | 4 episodes | |
| 2002 | Street Time | Victoria Van Kleek | Episode: "The Truth Hurts... Bad" | |
| 2003 | The Wild Thornberrys | Michelle Naidell (voice) | Episode: "The Wild Snob-berry" | |
| 2005 | Lost | Emily Annabeth Locke | Episode: "Deus Ex Machina" | |
| 2005–present | American Dad! | Betty Smith | Recurring role | |
| 2005 | Still Standing | Helen Michaels | 2 episodes | |
| 2004–06 | Huff | Madeleine Sullivan | 8 episodes Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (2005, 2006) |
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| 2007–09 | Pushing Daisies | Lily Charles | 22 episodes | |
| 2009 | Desperate Housewives | Jessie | Episode: "The Story of Lucy and Jessie" | |
| 2009 | Heroes | Millie Houston | 2 episodes | |
| 2009 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Judge Hilda Marsden | Episode: "Crush" | |
| 2009 | Rita Rocks | Marilyn | 4 episodes | |
| 2010 | Chuck | Laura Turner | Episode: "Chuck Versus the Role Models" | |
| 2009–11 | Nurse Jackie | Mrs. Scheinhorn | 2 episodes | |
| 2010–present | Mike & Molly | Joyce Flynn | Main Cast | |
Theatre credits
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | The Firebugs | Ann | Martinique Theatre July 1, 1968 – July 7, 1968 |
| 1970 | The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds | Janice Vickery | Mercer Arts Center April 07, 1970 – May 14, 1972 |
| 1975 | Ah, Wilderness! | Muriel McComber | Circle in the Square Theatre September 18, 1975 – November 23, 1975 |
| 1976 | Children | Jane | Stage 73 October 20, 1976 |
| 1977 | Uncommon Women and Others | Rita Altabel | Marymount Manhattan Theatre November 17, 1977 – December 4, 1977 |
| 1977 | Tartuffe | Mariane | Circle in the Square Theatre September 25, 1977 – November 20, 1977 |
| 1978 | A History of the American Film | Bette | ANTA Playhouse March 30, 1978 – April 16, 1978 |
| 1979 | Wine Untouched | Unknown | Harold Clurman Theater June 18, 1979 – June 28, 1979 |
| 1980 | Fifth of July | Gwen Landis | New Apollo Theatre November 5, 1980 – January 24, 1982 |
| 1985 | The Beach House | Annie | Circle Repertory Company December 19, 1985 – February 2, 1986 |
| 1986 | The House of Blue Leaves | Bananas Shaughnessy | Vivian Beaumont Theater April 29, 1986 – March 15, 1987 |
| 1989 | Love Letters | Melissa Gardner (replacement) | Edison Theatre November 14, 1989 – November 19, 1989 |
| 1991 | Lips Together, Teeth Apart | Sally Truman | New York City Center May 28, 1991 – January 5, 1992 |
| 1999 | The Mineola Twins | Myrna/Myra | Laura Pels Theatre February 18, 1999 – May 30, 1999 |
| 1999 | The Vagina Monologues | Unknown | Westside Theatre October 03, 1999 – January 26, 2003 |
| 2002 | The Guys | Unknown | The Flea Theater January 17, 2002 – December 20, 2002 |
| 2002 | Imaginary Friends | Lillian Hellman | Ethel Barrymore Theatre December 12, 2002 – February 16, 2003 |
| 2003 | Intrigue with Faye | Woman | Acorn Theater June 11, 2003 – July 16, 2003 |
| 2004 | Frozen | Nancy | Circle in the Square Theatre May 4, 2004 – August 22, 2004 |
| 2006 | Heartbreak House | Hesione Hushabye | American Airlines Theatre October 11, 2006 – December 17, 2006 |
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