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
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
Film and television
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
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
Film
| 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
| 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
| 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
- ^ a b "Mary Birdsong". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
- ^ 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."
- ^ "Mary Birdsong". IMDb. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
- ^ "The Wrap - 34 'Daily Show with Jon Stewart' Correspondents and Contributors". www.thewrap.com. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 2019-02-21.
- ^ "Awards Listings: Theatre World Awards 2007". Theatre Communications Group. Archived from the original on September 12, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Joe's Pub Announces Mary Birdsong's 3 Days in the Tub, Robi Hager & More". Broadway World. December 22, 2010.
- ^ 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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