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Mary Birdsong

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Mary Birdsong
Born
Mary Evans Birdsong

(1968-04-18) April 18, 1968 (age 56)
Florida, U.S.
Alma materNew York University (BFA)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • writer
  • singer
  • puppeteer
Years active1996–present

Mary Evans Birdsong (born April 18, 1968) is an American actress, comedian, writer, and singer. In addition to her work in theater and voice acting, she was a regular cast member on Reno 911! and appeared in the HBO series Succession.

Early life

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Birdsong was born in Florida and grew up on Long Beach Island, New Jersey,[1] one of five sisters. She graduated from Southern Regional High School in 1986.[2]

Birdsong is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts where she earned a BFA in acting.[3]

Career

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Film and television

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Birdsong made her on-screen debut in the 1996 TV film Live On Tape. She is best known as Deputy Cherisha Kimball on the comedy series Reno 911! (2005–2007, 2020–2022) and its two spin-off movies in 2007 and 2021. She is also known for playing Nancy McDonald in Rob Zombie's Halloween II and Kai Mitchell opposite George Clooney in the Alexander Payne film The Descendants. She appeared alongside Adrien Brody in the stoner comedy High School (2010), playing Mrs. Gordon, a high school dean's promiscuous wife. She has also made numerous cameos on film and television, including in the major productions Made of Honor and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, and the psychological thriller Buried. She is a former correspondent on The Daily Show and Crossballs.[4]

As a voice actress, she has appeared in animated series such as Goldie and Bear, Stroker and Hoop, Little Bill (as Dorado's mom in the episode "New Foods"), Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law, Tak & the Power of Juju, T.U.F.F. Puppy and Stroker and Hoop, as well as the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight, and animated film Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe.

Birdsong appeared in season 1 (2018) and season 4 (2023) of the HBO series Succession. She played Marianne Hirsch, the mother of fan favorite Greg Hirsch (played by Nicolas Braun), and niece of family patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox).

Broadway and live theater

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From July 2006 to January 2007, Birdsong performed in the Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me comedy musical, alongside Martin Short, Marc Shaiman, Nicole Parker, Brooks Ashmanskas, and Capathia Jenkins, winning a Theatre World Award for her performance.[5] On January 29, 2008, Birdsong joined the Broadway cast of the musical, Hairspray. She played the role of Velma Von Tussle, the bigoted, pushy stage mother and television producer. Birdsong left the production on April 6, 2008. She then performed her one-woman show 3 Days in the Tub: A Mama Drama in Los Angeles at Comedy Central Stage (September 2010) & the Fake Gallery (November 2010),[6] and in New York City at Joe's Pub (January 2011).[7] before going to San Francisco to play Mona Ramsey in ACT's adaptation of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City. She is also known for her Judy Garland impression.[1]

Together with author Justin Halpern (Shit My Dad Says) and comic Jen Kober (American Reunion), Birdsong performed as a member of the May 2012 cast of Don't Tell My Mother!, an LA-based comedy showcase.[8]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1996 Live on Tape Various Television film
1998 Above Freezing Esther
1999 Let It Snow Sneakered Businesswoman
Zoey's Zoo Mom Television film
2003 Replay Nicola
2005 Pizza Siobhan
2006 Le Chase Mary Long Short film
The Last Request Marlene
Beer League Rhonda Also known as Artie Lange's Beer League
2007 Reno 911!: Miami Deputy Cherisha Kimball
2008 Made of Honor Sharon at Bridal Shower
2009 Adventureland Francy
Halloween II Nancy McDonald
2010 Buried 411 Female Operator (voice) Credited as Mary Songbird
High School Mrs. Gordon
Killers Jackie Vallero
It's Kind of a Funny Story Bobby's Ex
2011 The Descendants Kai Mitchell
Angry White Man Maxine
2013 Where Does It Go from Here Mom Short film
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Gray Sister #1
2014 Manager Barbra Short film
Lucky Stiff Maid
2015 Park City Ticket Girl
Staten Island Summer Bianca Manicucci
Freeheld Carol Andree
Kids vs Monsters Maxine
2017 A Happening of Monumental Proportions Melissa Brickman
2019 Stormchaser Bonnie Blue Short film
2020 I Hate the Man in My Basement Lita Bronze
Flip the Switch Bonnie Blue Short film
American Reject Miriam
2021 Reno 911!: The Hunt for QAnon Deputy Cherisha Kimball Television film
Also producer
2022 Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe Reporter (voice)
Reno 911!: It's a Wonderful Heist Deputy Cherisha Kimball Television film
Also producer

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1999 Oh Yeah! Cartoons Mom (voice) Episode: "ChalkZone: Rapunzel / Zoey's Zoo: Lots of Ocelots / My Neighbor Was a Teenage Robot"
2000 Talk to Me Meredith Episode: "About Taking It Like a Man"
2000–2001 Welcome to New York Connie Main role; 14 episodes
2002 Late Friday Janet Lamé Episode: "#2.6"
2003 Little Bill Valencia (voice) Episode: "New Foods / Elephant Tricks"
Ed Lisa Barnes Episode: "Business as Usual"
2004–2022 Reno 911! Lisa the Masseuse

Cherisha Kimball

Guest (season 2)
Main role (season 3–5; 7–8)
75 episodes
2004 Crossballs: The Debate Show Various characters Recurring role; 15 episodes
Also writer
2005 Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law Chibo / Tana (voice) Episode: "Beyond the Valley of the Dinosaurs"
Stroker & Hoop Keith / various characters (voice) Recurring role; 8 episodes
2007 Tak and the Power of Juju Killjoy Juju (voice) Episode: "The Three Chiefs / The Party"
2010 Svetlana Madeline Episode: "Throw Mama Back on the Plane"
T.U.F.F. Puppy Snowflake (voice) Episode: "Chilly Dog / The Doomies"
2011 Mad Love Kelly Episode: "Baby, You Can Drive My Car"
Shake It Up Squitza Hessenheffer Episode: "Vatalihootsit It Up"
2012 Sherman's in Sanity Virginia Wahlroos Pfinger 2 episodes
2012–2016 The Middle Marlene Ludlow 3 episodes
2012–2013 Raising Hope Mayor Suzie Hellmann 2 episodes
2012 Perception Cheryl Corvis Episode: "Lovesick"
2012–2014 Crash & Bernstein Mel Bernstein (voice) Recurring role; 22 episodes
2013 Ben and Kate Deanne Episode: "Gone Fishin'"
2014 The Neighbors Justine Episode: "Oscar Party"
The Knick Fionnula Sears Episode: "Get the Rope"
Franklin & Bash Erica Boyd Episode: "Falcon's Nest"
2015 Olive and Mocha Liz Dimpfle Episode: "Rock n' Roll"
Review Shampoo Episode: "Curing Homosexuality, Mile High Club"
2015–2018 Goldie & Bear Mama Bear (voice) Recurring role; 11 episodes
2016 Lady Dynamite Jean Bart (voice) Episode: "Bisexual Because of Meth"
Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn Mrs. Gressle Episode: "The Tell-Tale Art"
Masters of Sex Maude Raines Episode: "Freefall"
Loosely Exactly Nicole Madison Episode: "Green Card"
Scream Queens Penelope Hotchkiss Episode: "Channel Pour Homme-icide"
2017 Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television Dorothy Montclair Episode: "Hungry for Justice"
2018; 2023 Succession Marianne Hirsch 3 episodes
2021 Tell Me Your Secrets Jane Tyler Episode: "I'm a Good Person"
Generation Mrs. Culpepper Recurring role; 4 episodes
2022–2023 Beavis and Butt-Head Various characters (voice) 6 episodes
2023 The Last Thing He Told Me Elenor McGovern 2 episodes

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2011 Gotham Awards Best Ensemble Performance (shared with the cast) The Descendants Nominated
2020 Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema Best Actress Featurette Stormchaser Nominated
2022 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Television Movie Reno 911!: The Hunt for QAnon Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b "Mary Birdsong". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  2. ^ Weaver, Donna. "TV / Long Beach Island Woman Finds Fame With Role On Reno 911!", The Press of Atlantic City, March 15, 2007. Accessed January 20, 2020. "Birdsong graduated from Southern Regional High School in 1986."
  3. ^ "Mary Birdsong". IMDb. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  4. ^ "The Wrap - 34 'Daily Show with Jon Stewart' Correspondents and Contributors". www.thewrap.com. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
  5. ^ "Awards Listings: Theatre World Awards 2007". Theatre Communications Group. Archived from the original on September 12, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
  6. ^ Miller, Callie (November 17, 2010). "Pencil This In: Mama Drama, Stoned Lit, Cake Boss Demo and Possible Film Annihilation". LAist.com. Archived from the original on November 6, 2017.
  7. ^ "Joe's Pub Announces Mary Birdsong's 3 Days in the Tub, Robi Hager & More". Broadway World. December 22, 2010.
  8. ^ Vilaro, Yira Melissa (2012-04-28). "Don't Tell My Mother! Some Funny Sh*t You Won't Wanna Keep Quiet About". Young & Pretty. Archived from the original on 2012-05-02. Retrieved 2012-05-30.
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