Marla Lukofsky (born July 3) is a Canadian-American stand-up comedian, actress, singer, writer and keynote speaker. She is one of the pioneers of stand-up comedy in Canada and has performed in every major city in North America, the UK and the first female comedian to headline in Bermuda.
Lukofsky has appeared in a variety of TV shows including An Evening at the Improv with Elliott Gould, The Palace TV Variety Series with Jack Jones and The Alan Thicke Show as well as starring in feature films such as Honeymoon with Nathalie Baye and John Shea and Zero Patience.
Lukofsky was a regular radio columnist on The Vicki Gabereau Show and CBC's 'Basic Black' with host Arthur Black and became the regular last word columnist on CBC's national TV news show Midday with Keith Morrison and Valerie Pringle completing 100 segments. She has voiced in many cartoon series, including the Care Bears TV series and movies, Alf Tales, Super Mario Bros., Pecola, Rupert the Bear and Fugget About It.
Early life Lukofsky was born in Toronto, Ontario to Ruth and Louis Lukofsky and has two sisters.
Career Lukofsky started her career in 1973 as a funny folk singer at the famed Riverboat in Toronto and performed at every folk club in Toronto. In 1975, she became a regular at a new comedy club called 'The Improv' with Gene Taylor, along with other regulars, including Rick Moranis and Martin Short.
By 1978, Lukofsky became a regular headliner at Mark Breslin's Yuk Yuk's comedy chain and toured Canada – sharing the bill with Jim Carrey and Howie Mandel. She was briefly a member of Toronto's The Second City touring company but preferred the nightclub circuit and returned to the road.
For three consecutive years, 1985–1987, the PROCAN Music Awards had Lukofsky and John Roberts, host their awards event. In 1990, Lukofsky moved to Los Angeles and played a variety of nightclubs, sharing the bill with comedian Sherri Shepherd at West Hollywood's 'The Rose Tattoo' Cabaret and other establishments.
In 2015, Lukofsky began singing jazz in Toronto, combining her comedy skills with her vocal talents and in 2016 was featured in the TD Toronto Jazz Festival.
Television YearTitleRole Notes1984 The Get Along GangBingo Beaver (voice) - Pilot1985MiddayLast Word Columnist100 episodes1985Care Bears Playful Heart Monkey / Patti Johnson (voices)Uncredited1986 The Care Bears Family Good Luck Bear / Playful Heart Monkey (voices)Series regular1986 The Magical World of Disney: Young Again Suzanne guest star1989 The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! voice actorSeries regular1987 The Magic School Bus voice actor1987Starcom: The U.S. Space Force voice actor role of LiannaSeries guest1987 The Sylvanian Families voice actor role of Tracy, Prissy Thistlethorn, Willow, JerrySeries various guest voices1988-1989ALF Tales voice actorSeries regular1989 The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! voice actorSeries regular1981Rubber Face starring Jim CarreyDonna CherryCo-star1989 The Twilight Zone revised versionPrincipal role1990T. and T. starring Mr. TBrendaco-star1987Seeing Thingsvarious co-starring roles1995RupertPhoebe (Voice)2001-2002Doc Meribeth Weatherbeaterguest star, 1 episode2001-2002PecolaSeries regular voice actor2004Care Bears: Forever Friends Playful Heart Monkey, Good Luck Bear (voice)2010-2011Scaredy Squirrel Voice actor Series regular2012Fugget About ItRosalie (voice)Series guest
Movies YearTitleRoleNotes1985 Honeymoon Sally Co-star1985 The Care Bears Movie Good Luck Bear / Playful Heart Monkey (voices) Co-star1986 The Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation Playful Heart Monkey (voice) Co-star1987 The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland Good Luck Bear (voice) Co-star1993 Zero Patience African Green Monkey Co-star
References
Stand-up becomes inspirational: Marla Lukofsky by Diane Flacks, Toronto Star . Marla [sic] Lukofsky: Mini Mistress of Mirth by Andrew Clark,Eye Weekly . Breast cancer survivor tells her story through laughter by Lisa Queen, www.insidetoronto.com North York Mirror 10.03.08 . Comic reinvents herself as jazz singer by Ruth Schweitzer, The Canadian Jewish News Battling cancer with humour by Ted Woloshyn, Toronto Sun .
External links
Marla Lukofsky at VoiceChasers.com Marla Lukofsky website