Mary Kay Place | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1947-09-23)September 23, 1947 (age 78) |
| Alma mater | University of Tulsa |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1973–present |
Mary Kay Place (born September 23, 1947)[1] is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Loretta Haggers on the television seriesMary Hartman, Mary Hartman, a role that won her the 1977Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Comedy Series. Her numerous film appearances includePrivate Benjamin (1980),The Big Chill (1983),Captain Ron (1992) andFrancis Ford Coppola's 1997 dramaThe Rainmaker. Place also recorded three studio albums forColumbia Records, one in the Haggers persona, which included the Top Tencountry music hit "Baby Boy". For her performance inDiane (2018), Place won theLos Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress[2] and theNational Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress.[3]
Place was born inTulsa, Oklahoma, the daughter of Gwendolyn Lucille (née Johnson) and Bradley Eugene Place.[4] She graduated fromNathan Hale High School and theUniversity of Tulsa, where her father was an art professor;[5] she was a member ofKappa Alpha Theta sorority[6] and received a speech degree.
Place moved to Hollywood with aspirations of becoming an actress and writer. She was hired forThe Tim Conway Comedy Hour in the 1970s as a production assistant to bothConway and producerNorman Lear. Conway gave Place her first on-camera break, while Lear saw to it that Place received her first writing credit on his subsequentAll in the Family. On the episode, she and actressPatty Weaver sang "If Communism Comes Knocking on Your Door, Don't Answer It."[7] She appeared in the third-season episode ofM*A*S*H titled "Springtime", for which she also received writing credits.
Lear then cast her in the role of would-becountry and western star Loretta Haggers on thesatirical soap operaMary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976–1977).[7][8] She won anEmmy Award for her work as Loretta, and was nominatedin 1977 for aGrammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female for the associated music albumTonite! At the Capri Lounge Loretta Haggers.[9] Place wrote two of the songs onTonite!: "Vitamin L" and "Baby Boy," both of which she sang on the television series as Loretta.
BothTonite! At the Capri Lounge Loretta Haggers and its follow upAimin' To Please featured A-list country and pop performers from the 1970s.Dolly Parton, on whom the Loretta character was loosely based, provided backing vocals as well as the song "All I Can Do" (which Parton also wrote).Emmylou Harris,Anne Murray andNicolette Larson sang backup as well.[7]Aimin' to Please's "Something to Brag About," a duet withWillie Nelson, earned the pair a place on the music charts in 1977.[7]
While working onMary Hartman, Mary Hartman, Place also wrote scripts for episodes of several TVsituation comedies, includingThe Mary Tyler Moore Show,Phyllis andM*A*S*H, usually in collaboration withLinda Bloodworth-Thomason (who would later createDesigning Women). She appeared in theM*A*S*H episode "Springtime," which she co-wrote with Bloodworth. She also made an appearance as a character named "Betty Sue" in the sitcomAll in the Family in the episode "Archie Goes Too Far".[8]
Place hostedSaturday Night Live in 1977 and also appeared as the musical guest (withWillie Nelson on the duet "Something to Brag About").
In the 1977 musical dramaNew York, New York, directed byMartin Scorsese, Place sings "Blue Moon" withRobert De Niro, whose character also accompanies her onsaxophone. It is included in the original motion picture soundtrack.
In the 1979Burt Reynolds romantic comedy,Starting Over, Place plays the first woman Reynolds dates after a divorce.[8]
In 1983, Place had a key role in theLawrence Kasdan ensemble pieceThe Big Chill as Meg, a single corporate attorney who wishes to be impregnated with her first child by one of her past college friends.[7]
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the actress appeared in a number of television films and a starring role in the 1992Kurt Russell andMartin Short comedyCaptain Ron.[8] 1994 saw her return to television in the recurring role of Camille Cherski onMy So-Called Life. In 1996, Place comically portrayed anevangelisticanti-abortion activist inAlexander Payne's debut feature filmCitizen Ruth. She had a strong dramatic role as Dot Black, mother of a terminally ill young man, inFrancis Ford Coppola's version of John Grisham'sThe Rainmaker in 1997.[7]
Place was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her work in the 1996 filmManny & Lo withScarlett Johansson andAleksa Palladino. She plays the matronly Elaine, who would love to have a child and works in a maternity shop, but never married and is past her child-bearing years.
She directed episodes of the HBO sitcomDream On, NBC'sFriends and the seriesBaby Boom. She provided at least two voices forFox's animated showKing of the Hill in an episode in which Peggy Hill competes in the Mrs. Heimlich County Pageant. She voiced both a competitor and the coordinator of the pageant.
She appeared as Mrs. Betty Dustin in the made for TV drama "For my daughter's honor" (a.k.a. "Indecent Seduction") in 1996 in which she plays a mom in her real life native Oklahoma whose daughter Amy (played by Nicholle Tom) is being sexually harassed by the school football coach. Place also appeared inBeing John Malkovich as the hard-of-hearing receptionist, Floris, and inGirl, Interrupted.[8] While not in any scenes together, this marked the third time that Mary Kay had done a film with one of her formerMy So-Called Life co-stars: first withClaire Danes inThe Rainmaker, second withBess Armstrong inPecker, then withJared Leto inInterrupted.
In 2000, the actress co-directedDon Henley's video for "Taking You Home". She had a small role in her second Lisa Krueger film,Committed.
She played theUnited States Surgeon General in a 2001 episode ofNBC'sThe West Wing. The character returned in the 2004 season.[8]
In the original PBS mini-seriesArmistead Maupin'sTales of the City, Place had a self-referential moment as a Maupin character during theMary Hartman era in which the series is set.[8] Laura Linney's character often watchedMary Hartman, Mary Hartman.Showtime picked up theTales franchise, but Place was not in the second installment. She did have a role in the third mini-series,Further Tales of the City (2001), which featured her in the role of "Prue Giroux."[7]
In 2002, Place had a sizable role in theReese Witherspoon filmSweet Home Alabama as Witherspoon's character's mother, Pearl Smooter. That same year she was inHuman Nature starringTim Robbins andPatricia Arquette andA Woman's a Helluva Thing withPenelope Ann Miller as well as withAlbert Brooks in the dark comedyMy First Mister. The story focuses on a developing relationship between an isolated, rebellious 18-year-old (Leelee Sobieski) and an engaging older man (Brooks). Place played Brooks' best friend. The film marked the directorial debut of actressChristine Lahti.
Place played a Mormon mother in the filmLatter Days (2003). From 2006 to 2011, she had a recurring role in HBO'sBig Love, playing Adaleen Grant, the mother of theChloë Sevigny character, Nicki.[7][8] She also had a recurring role on the HBO comedyBored to Death.[10]Lily Tomlin and Place did the pilot and 5 episodes of12 Miles of Bad Road fromHarry Thomason andLinda Bloodworth-Thomason, who wrote television scripts with Place in the 1970s.HBO chose not to air the series, and producers were seeking other networks to air it.[11]
In 2009, she served as the voice ofJulie Powell's mother in the filmJulie & Julia. In 2013, she appeared as Bryan's mother onThe New Normal.
In 2015, Place guest starred onThe Mentalist andLooking.[12] She also starred in the comedy-drama filmI'll See You in My Dreams directed byBrett Haley, oppositeBlythe Danner,[13] andThe Breakup Girl directed by Stacy Sherman.[14] She provided the voice ofAnne Hathaway's mother inThe Intern, directed byNancy Meyers.[15] Place also had a recurring role onGrace and Frankie oppositeJane Fonda andLily Tomlin.[16]
In 2016, Place starred in the comedy filmThe Hollars directed byJohn Krasinski[17] and the comedy-dramaYouth in Oregon directed byJoel David Moore.[18] Place also portrayed Maria Bamford's mother in the comedy seriesLady Dynamite which was cancelled after two seasons.[19]
In 2017, Place guest starred in an episode of the comedy seriesBlack-ish.[20] She also had a cameo voice appearance inDownsizing directed byAlexander Payne.[21] Place also had a recurring role on the comedy seriesImposters.[22]
In 2018, Place starred inState Like Sleep directed by Meredith Danluck[23] and appeared in an episode of the anthology dramaThe Romanoffs.[24] That same year, she starred in the drama filmDiane directed byKent Jones, and executive produced byMartin Scorsese.[25] The film marked Place's first lead role in a film, and was written specifically for her by Jones.[26] The film had its world premiere at theTribeca Film Festival on April 22, 2018.[27] Place's performance received rave reviews from critics.[28][29] The film was released on March 29, 2019, byIFC Films.[30] Place won theLos Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress andNational Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress for her performance.[31][32] Place received nominations forGotham Independent Film Award for Best Actress andIndependent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead.[33][34] Place also had a recurring role onShameless.[35]
In 2020, Place guest starred on the comedy-drama seriesAJ and the Queen,[36] and on Fox's9-1-1: Lone Star as Theresa Blake, the mother toLiv Tyler's character.[37] In 2021, Place played Millie in the musical dramaMusic, co-written and directed bySia.[38][39] She also starred in the musicalThe Prom based on theBroadway musical of the same title directed byRyan Murphy, forNetflix.[40]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Bound for Glory | Sue Ann | |
| 1977 | New York, New York | Bernice Bennett | |
| 1979 | More American Graffiti | Teensa | |
| Starting Over | Marie | ||
| 1980 | Private Benjamin | Pvt. Mary Lou Glass | |
| 1981 | Modern Problems | Lorraine | |
| 1982 | Waltz Across Texas | Kit Peabody | |
| 1983 | The Big Chill | Meg Jones | |
| Terms of Endearment | Doris | Voice | |
| 1985 | Smooth Talk | Katherine Wyatt | |
| Explorers | Mrs. Crandall | Uncredited | |
| 1988 | A New Life | Donna | |
| Portrait of a White Marriage | Joyce Harrison | ||
| 1990 | Bright Angel | Judy | |
| 1991 | Samantha | Marilyn | |
| 1992 | Captain Ron | Katherine Harvey | |
| 1994 | Teresa's Tattoo | Nora | |
| 1996 | Citizen Ruth | Gail Stoney | |
| Manny & Lo | Elaine | ||
| 1997 | Eye of God | Claire Spencer | |
| The Rainmaker | Dot Black | ||
| 1998 | Naturally Native | Madame Celeste | |
| How to Make the Cruelest Month | Mary Bryant | ||
| Pecker | Joyce | ||
| 1999 | Judgment Day: The Ellie Nesler Story | Jan Martinez | |
| Being John Malkovich | Floris | ||
| Girl, Interrupted | Barbara Gilcrest | ||
| 2000 | Committed | Psychiatrist | |
| 2001 | My First Mister | Patty | |
| Nailed | Fern Romano | ||
| Human Nature | Mrs. Bronfman | ||
| The Safety of Objects | Helen Christianson | ||
| 2002 | Sweet Home Alabama | Pearl Smooter | |
| 2003 | Latter Days | Sister Gladys Davis | |
| 2004 | Evergreen | Susan | |
| Killer Diller | Dr. Gwen Bradley | ||
| Silver City | Grace Seymour | ||
| 2005 | Lonesome Jim | Sally | |
| Nine Lives | Dr. Alma Wyatt | ||
| 2007 | Grace Is Gone | Woman at Funeral | |
| War Eagle, Arkansas | Jessie | ||
| Mama's Boy | Barbara | ||
| 2008 | City of Ember | Mrs. Murdo | |
| 2009 | Julie & Julia | Mrs. Foster | Voice |
| Youth in Revolt | Mrs. Saunders | ||
| It's Complicated | Joanne | ||
| 2010 | Shrek Forever After | Guard Witch | Voice |
| Leonie | Albiana Gilmour | ||
| 2012 | Smashed | Rochelle | |
| 2013 | Bad Milo! | Beatrice | |
| You're in Charge | Penny Guidry | ||
| 2014 | Miss Meadows | Mrs. Davenport | |
| Last Weekend | Jeannie | ||
| 2015 | I'll See You in My Dreams | Rona | |
| The Breakup Girl | Joan Baker | ||
| The Intern | Mrs. Ostin | Voice | |
| 2016 | The Hollars | Pam | |
| Youth in Oregon | Estelle Engersol | ||
| 2017 | Downsizing | Land's End Customer | Voice |
| 2018 | State Like Sleep | Elaine Grand | |
| Diane | Diane | ||
| 2020 | The Prom | Grandma Bea | |
| 2021 | Music | Millie | |
| 2022 | My Father's Dragon | Narrator | Voice |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | All in the Family | Betty Sue | Episode: "Archie Goes Too Far" |
| 1974 | M*A*S*H | Lt. Louise Simmons | Episode: "Springtime" |
| 1975 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Sally Jo Hotchkiss | Episode: "Murray in Love" |
| 1976 | The Cheerleaders | Margie | TV film |
| 1976–1977 | Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman | Loretta Haggers | Main role |
| 1977 | Saturday Night Live | Herself (host) | Episode: "Mary Kay Place/Willie Nelson" |
| 1977–1978 | Forever Fernwood | Loretta Haggers | TV series |
| 1980 | Act of Love | Becky Wiggins | TV film |
| 1984 | ABC Afterschool Special | Ellie Skinner | Episode: "Mom's on Strike" |
| For Love or Money | K.K | TV film | |
| 1985 | The History of White People in America | Joyce Harrison | TV film |
| 1986 | The Disney Sunday Movie | Prissy Thrash | Episode: "The Girl Who Spelled Freedom" |
| The History of White People in America: Volume II | Joyce Harrison | TV film | |
| 1989 | Out on the Edge | Sondra Evetts | TV film |
| 1990 | Thirtysomething | Patsy Klein | Episode: "Happy New Year" |
| Traitor in My House | Elizabeth Van Lew | TV film | |
| 1991 | Crazy from the Heart | Merrilee Playton | TV film |
| 1992 | Bed of Lies | Jean Daniel Murph | TV film |
| Just My Imagination | Shilda Hawk | TV film | |
| 1993 | Telling Secrets | Shelley Jefferson Carp | TV film |
| Tales of the City | Prue Giroux | TV miniseries | |
| 1994 | In the Line of Duty: The Price of Vengeance | Norma Williams | TV film |
| 1994–1995 | My So-Called Life | Camille Cherski | Recurring role |
| 1995 | Chicago Hope | Joanna Kenneally | Episode: "Freeze Outs" |
| 1996 | My Very Best Friend | Molly Butler | TV film |
| For My Daughter's Honor | Betty Ann Dustin | TV film | |
| 1997 | Love in Another Town | Sam | TV film |
| 1998 | Point Last Seen | Coreen Davis | TV film |
| 1998–2009 | King of the Hill | Various | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2000 | The Wild Thornberrys | Nancy Tucker | Voice, episode: "Birthday Quake" |
| 2001 | Further Tales of the City | Prue Giroux | TV miniseries |
| A Woman's a Helluva Thing | Cecilia Piloski | TV film | |
| Citizen Baines | Francesca Dunlop | Episode: "The Appraisal" | |
| Leap Years | Mrs. Greenway | Episode #1.18 | |
| 2001–2004 | The West Wing | Surgeon General Millicent Griffith | 3 episodes |
| 2002 | Undeclared | Mrs. Lindquist | Episode: "Parents' Weekend" |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Hope Garrett | Episode: "Vulnerable" | |
| 2004 | The Handler | Naomi Prince | Episode: "Acts of Congress" |
| 2005 | Jack & Bobby | Rev. Rindhart | Episode: "A Child of God" |
| 2006 | Numb3rs | Hester Stirling | Episode: "Protest" |
| 2006–2018 | Grey's Anatomy | Olive Warner | 3 episodes |
| 2006–2011 | Big Love | Adaleen Grant | Regular role |
| 2007 | The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman | Jeanette Woodman | 2 episodes |
| Saving Grace | Dorothy Edwina Talbert | Episode: "It's Better When I Can See You" | |
| 2008 | 12 Miles of Bad Road | C.Z. Shakespeare | Main role |
| Pushing Daisies | Annabelle Vandersloop | Episode: "The Legend of Merle McQuoddy" | |
| 2010 | Bored to Death | Kathryn Joiner | Recurring role |
| 2012 | The Life & Times of Tim | Dorothy | Voice, episode: "Action Packed Heist/Fall Foliage" |
| 2013 | Suburgatory | Gam Gam | Episode: "Blowtox and Burlap" |
| Californication | Faith's Mother | Episode: "Blind Faith" | |
| The New Normal | Colleen | 2 episodes | |
| A Country Christmas Story | Sarah | TV film | |
| Holidaze | Elaine Gerard | TV film | |
| 2014 | Rake | Judge Cunningham | Episode: "Jury Tamperer" |
| 2014–2015 | Getting On | Dr. Ann Killigrew | Recurring role |
| 2015 | The Mentalist | Mrs. Bittacker | Episode: "The Whites of His Eyes" |
| Looking | Sarah | Episode: "Looking for a Plot" | |
| Ellen More or Less | Virginia | TV film | |
| 2015–2016 | Grace and Frankie | Amanda | 3 episodes |
| 2016 | Family Guy | Farting Lady | Voice, episode: "The Heartbreak Dog" |
| 2016–2017 | Lady Dynamite | Marilyn Bamford | Main role |
| 2017 | Black-ish | Doctor Harris | Episode: "Good Dre Hunting" |
| 2017–2018 | Imposters | Marsha Bloom | 6 episodes |
| 2018 | The Romanoffs | Marilyn Hopkins | Episode: "Expectation" |
| 2019–2020 | Shameless | Aunt Oopie | 3 episodes |
| 2020 | AJ and the Queen | Hospital Administrator | Episode: "Baton Rouge" |
| 9-1-1: Lone Star | Theresa Blake | Recurring role |
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | The Shape of Things | Writer, TV special |
| 1973–1974 | M*A*S*H | Writer, 3 episodes |
| 1974 | Paper Moon | Writer, episode: "Gimme That Old Time Relation" |
| Friends and Lovers | Writer, episode: "The Groupie" | |
| 1975 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Writer, episode: "Mary's Delinquent" |
| Phyllis | Writer, episode: "So Lonely I Could Cry" | |
| 1988 | Baby Boom | Director, episode: "Stress" |
| 1994 | Dream On | Director, 2 episodes |
| 1995 | Friends | Director, episode: "The One with the List" |
| 1996 | Dream On | Director, episode: "Tenants, Anyone?" |
| Arliss | Director, episode: "The Company You Keep" | |
| 2007 | The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman | Director, 2 episodes |
| Year | Album | U.S. Country | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Tonite! At the Capri Lounge Loretta Haggers | 6 | Columbia |
| 1977 | Aimin' to Please | 40 | Columbia |
| 2011 | Almost Grown | — | Wounded Bird/Sony |
Note: Both of Place's albums just missed charting on the general popBillboard Hot 200 chart, her 1976 bubbled under in the ten runner-up slots at #202 and the 1977 at #203.
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Country | U.S. | Can. Country | |||
| 1976 | "Baby Boy" | 3 | 60 | 6 | Tonite! At the Capri Lounge Loretta Haggers (credited to "Mary Kay Place as Loretta Haggers") |
| 1977 | "Vitamin L" | 72 | — | — | |
| "Something to Brag About"(withWillie Nelson) | 9 | — | 15 | Aimin' to Please | |
| Preceded by | Saturday Night Live Host December 10, 1977 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
