Mary Gross (born March 25, 1953) See also: is an American actress and comedian known for her four-year stint on Saturday Night Live from 1981 to 1985 and her recurring role as Sabrina Spellman (Melissa Joan Hart)'s favorite teacher, Mrs. Quick in Sabrina, the Teenage Witch from 1997 to 2000. Her credits also include roles on Animaniacs, Boston Legal, That's So Raven and Six Feet Under.
Early life Gross was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1953. She is the youngest of three children born to William Oscar Gross, a tool designer, and Virginia Ruth (née Cahill), a telephone operator (the eldest being actor Michael Gross). She attended Madonna High School—an all-girls Catholic school, since demolished—and Loyola University, where she majored in English. While in high school, Gross made her performing debut—singing, in character, as France's Louis XIV, to the tune of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's "I Feel Pretty"—alongside fellow Madonna alumna Marilu Henner. Gross worked for five years as a secretary for the American Dental Association.
Career
Early career Gross answered an ad for a comedy workshop for the Reification Company, where she went to learn about writing comedy sketches. While there, she ended up performing and soon began performing in local productions. In 1979, she joined the Second City comedy troupe.
Saturday Night Live (1981–1985) Gross joined Saturday Night Live in 1981, during the show's seventh season, which was retooled extensively after the sixth season proved a critical failure. She became co-anchor with Brian Doyle-Murray of the Weekend Update segment (renamed SNL Newsbreak) during her first season. She and the rest of the cast left in 1985 following executive producer Dick Ebersol's departure from the show at the end of the tenth season.
Recurring characters Alfalfa, from SNLs recurring parody of The Little Rascals and skits regarding the murder of Eddie Murphy's Buckwheat character.SNL Archives | 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, Saturday Night Live would have Siobhan Fallon and Beth Cahill as cast members in the 1991-92 seventeenth season. 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)SNL Archives | Character Celeste, a repressed woman married to an equally repressed man (played by Tim Kazurinsky)SNL Archives | Character
Celebrity impersonations Ann Landers Brooke Shields Ruth Westheimer Nancy Reagan Paul Reubens (as Pee-wee Herman) Eleanor Roosevelt Geraldine Ferraro Harriet Nelson Irlene Mandrell Marilyn Monroe Mary Tyler Moore Jeane Dixon Mary Hart Lena Horne Lisa Coleman Margaret Thatcher Melissa Gilbert Simone de Beauvoir Suzanne Somers Leslie Uggams
Personal life Gross has never married, but as of June 1982, Chicago-based photographer Jay King was referred to as "her longtime boyfriend" in a profile/interview of Gross penned by Chicago Sun-Times writer Michael Davis. Duration aside, their relationship was also reported that year by the Chicago Tribunes Jon Anderson and several years later by researcher-author Mary Unterbrinker.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes1986Club ParadiseJackie1987Baby BoomCharlotte Elkman1988Vera MaitlinCasual Sex?IleneBig BusinessJudyHot to TrotMs. FrenchFedsJanis Zuckerman1989Troop Beverly HillsAnnie Herman1992There Goes the NeighborhoodMrs. Bratesman1993Public Enemy #2Marcey1994Ms. Daniels1998Practical MagicDebbie2001Tremors 3: Back to PerfectionTourist Mom200240 Days and 40 NightsBev Sullivan2003Ma Klapper
Television Year Title Role Notes1981–1985Saturday Night LiveHerself / VariousCast member1985Tales of the UnexpectedWoman on beachEpisode: "Scrimshaw"1986AmenNurse KenningstonEpisode: "After the Fall"1988Channel 99Fifi KurtzTV film1989Abigail MacIntyre KelloggMain role1992BillyPhoebe TrillmanRecurring roleMurphy BrownChris ManheimEpisode: "He-Ho, He-Ho, It's Off to Lamaze We Go"1993Jack's PlaceRosemaryEpisode: "Faithful Henry"1993–1997AnimaniacsKatie's MomVoice, recurring role A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.1994Mary GrossEpisode: "Next Stop Bottom"1995Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanNell NewtrichEpisode: "Ultra Woman"VoicesRecurring role1997Something So RightPollyEpisode: "Something About Cold Storage"Aunt JaneEpisode: "Twister of Fate"Deer / BirdVoice, episode: "Deranged Ranger"1997–2000Sabrina the Teenage WitchMrs. QuickRecurring role1997–2002Hey Arnold!School Nurse ShelleyVoice, 3 episodes1999DetentionPatsy WickettVoice, 2 episodes2000Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildEliseVoice, episode: "The Frog Princess"JailbaitPatti FisherTV filmLost CatNancy MouseVoice, TV filmWhat a Cartoon!Nancy MouseVoice, episode: "Lost Cat"2001ProvidenceMartha BlankenshipEpisode: "Love Story" Six Feet UnderFloral InstructorEpisode: "The Trip"Off CentreRoberta Flack / Mrs. PlattEpisode: "Swing Time"2002Dharma & GregMaryEpisode: "This Diamond Ring"As Told by GingerBobbie LightfootVoice, episode: "Family Therapy"2003HarrietEpisode: "Stan Hooper Goes to Washington"Judging AmyMartaEpisode: "Tricks of the Trade"According to JimCynthiaEpisode: "Paintball"2004All About the AndersonsMrs. DyerEpisode: "Get Out of Dodge... Ball"I'm with HerDonna KincadeEpisode: "Winners & Losers & Whiners & Boozers: Part 2"Rock Me, BabyGingerEpisode: "Not-So-Grand Parents"2005Malcolm in the MiddleEvelynEpisode: "Chad's Sleepover"TwinsJudyEpisode: "Sister's Keeper"That's So RavenMiss PattersonEpisode: "Cake Fear"2006Mrs. OrrEpisode: "Oh God, Yes"2007–2008Boston LegalLeigh SwiftRecurring role2008According to JimLisaEpisode: "Cheryl Goes to Florida"General HospitalAunt RayleneRecurring role2009LifeMaude PaxtonEpisode: "Canyon Flowers"CalifornicationPrincipal GreenEpisode: "Mr. Bad Example" 2010In Gayle We TrustBethEpisode: "Gayle and the Salon"2011Judy BakerEpisode: "Nevada v. Doug the Mule"Hart of DixieOld Lady #32 episodes2012Pound PuppiesMrs. BeasleyVoice, episode: "Lucky Gets Adopted"Adopting TerrorLauraTV filmRaising HopeDenise JenkinsEpisode: "What Up, Bro?"
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