Quick Facts
Biography
Mary Margaret Gross (born March 25, 1953) is an American voice actress, comedian and actress, perhaps best known for her four-year stint on Saturday Night Live from 1981 to 1985. Her credits also include minor roles on Animaniacs, Boston Legal, That's So Raven and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. Gross's trademark is her soft, treacly voice.
Early life
Gross was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Virginia Ruth (née Cahill), a telephone operator, and William Oscar Gross, a tool designer. She is the younger sister of actor Michael Gross, who starred in the 1980s sitcom Family Ties.
Career
Early career
She is an alumna of the Second City comedy troupe.
Saturday Night Live (1981–1985)
Gross joined SNL in 1981, during the show's 7th season following the show's disastrous sixth season, when the show was almost canceled. Gross became co-anchor of SNL's Weekend Update segment during her first season.
Gross left in 1985 along with the rest of the cast, 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.
- 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, in the 1990s, SNL would have two short-lived castmembers who have a piece of this recurring character's name (Siobhan Fallon and Beth Cahill).
- 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)
- Celeste, a repressed wife married to an equally repressed man (played by Tim Kazurinsky)
Celebrity impersonations
- Ann Landers
- Brooke Shields
- Dr. Ruth Westheimer
- Eleanor Roosevelt
- Geraldine Ferraro
- Harriet Nelson
- Irlene Mandrell
- Jeane Dixon
- Lena Horne
- Leslie Uggams
- Margaret Thatcher
- Marilyn Monroe
- Mary Hart
- Mary Tyler Moore
- Nancy Reagan
- Paul Reubens (as Pee Wee Herman)
- Simone de Beauvoir
- Suzanne Somers
Film credits
- Club Paradise (1986) – Jackie
- Baby Boom (1987) – Charlotte Elkman
- The Couch Trip (1988) – Vera Maitlin
- Casual Sex? (1988) – Ilene
- Big Business (1988) – Judy
- Hot to Trot (1988) – Ms. French
- Feds (1988) – Janis Zuckerman
- Troop Beverly Hills (1989) – Annie Herman
- The Santa Clause (1994) – Miss Daniels
- Practical Magic (1998) – Debbie
- The Rugrats Movie (1998) - Woman Guest (voice)
- Tremors 3: Back to Perfection (2001) – Tourist Mom
TV credits
In late 2008, she assumed the short-term role of Aunt Raylene on the ABC daytime soap General Hospital.
- What a Cartoon! - Sally Episode: Tales of Worm Paranoia
- That's So Raven – Ms. "Pushover" Patterson Episode: Cake Fear
- Sabrina, the Teenage Witch – Mrs. Quick 1997-2000 (recurring role seasons 2-4, 21 Episodes)
- Animaniacs – Katie's Mom
- Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman - Cornelia "Nell" Newtrich
- As Told by Ginger – Bobby Lightfoot
- General Hospital – Aunt Raylene
- Boston Legal – Leigh Swift
- Californication – Principal Green Episode: Mr. Bad Example
- According to Jim – Cynthia Cookson Episode: Paintball/Episode: Cheryl Goes to Florida
- Jailbait (2000 film) (2000) – Patti Fisher (Russian article about the film: Малолетка (фильм, 2000))
- Dharma & Greg – Mary Episode: The Diamond Ring
- The New Adventures of Old Christine – Mrs. Orr Episode: Oh God, Yes
- General Hospital – Aunt Raylene, recurring
- Life – Maury Paxton Episode: Canyon Flowers
- Hart of Dixie – Old Lady #3, recurring
- Pound Puppies – Mrs. Beasley Episode: Lucky Gets Adopted
- Raising Hope – Denise Jenkins Episode: What Up, Bro?
- The Defenders – Judy Baker Episode: Nevada v. Doug the Mule