Mary Scheer
| Mary Scheer | |
|---|---|
| Born |
March 19, 1963 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress, comedian, producer |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Children | 2 |
Mary Scheer (born March 19, 1963) is an American actress, comedian, and producer. She is best known as one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv and for playing Freddie's mother, Marissa Benson, on iCarly. She also played Alice the Zookeeper on The Penguins of Madagascar. She plays Gladys on Disney Channel's TV series, "Bunk'd".
Career
She is known for playing crazy women in sitcoms and movies.
MADtv
Scheer was one of the original nine cast members of MADtv when the series debuted in 1995. She came to the show with a background in sketch comedy from her Groundling days. During her tenure, Scheer developed characters like chain smoker Mrs. Jewel Barone, Cabana Chat host Dixie Wetsworth, Connie Linder, Debbie Dander, Lily Don, and Mrs. Vigor (Killer Grandma).
Scheer also performed impressions of celebrities and public figures during her tenure on MADtv, some of which included U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, Demi Moore, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Griffin, Mary Tyler Moore, Melissa Joan Hart, Ashley Olsen, Candice Bergen, Fran Drescher, Shirley MacLaine, Emma Thompson, Frances Bavier, Irene Vernon, Ashley Judd and Barbara Feldon. Other impersonations include Barbra Streisand in the MADtv spoof video "Terms Of Imprisonment", where she portrays Streisand as an egomaniac who abuses her co-star, Whitney Houston and Gillian Anderson's Dana Scully in the "XXX Files" sketch. During the second season, Scheer became visibly pregnant and continued to perform on the show. After giving birth, Scheer finished the second and third seasons before leaving in 1998.
Characters
| Character | Sketch | Season of first appearance |
Catch phrase | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs. Jewel Barone | The Smoker | 1 | "Oh yeah, there it is." | She is a habitual smoker who seems to have a negative effect on everyone around her (physically and mentally) because of her smoking. |
| Dixie Wetsworth | Cabana Chat | 2 | "You like? I like." | She is an aging talk show host who has undergone several plastic surgeries. |
| Connie Linder | Joel & Connie | 1 | ||
| Debbie Dander | 1 | |||
| Lily Don | Joe & Lily Don | 1 | ||
| Mrs. Vigor | Killer Grandma | 1 |
Other projects
Besides MADtv, Scheer has appeared in several television shows. Her credits include Reno 911!, Primetime Glick, X-Chromosome, Free Ride, and Dropping Out. She had a recurring role on the Nickelodeon sitcom iCarly as Marissa Benson, the extremely overprotective mother of Nathan Kress's character Freddie Benson. The show ran from September 8, 2007 to November 23, 2012.
After leaving MADtv, she appeared in the films Elvira's Haunted Hills, The New Women Chump Change, and It Can Always Get Worse Kathy from 2001-05. She is most currently starring as Gladys, the grumpy, lonely camp director of Camp Kikiwaka in "Bunk'd".
Besides onscreen appearances, Scheer has become a voice actress, lending her voice to numerous commercials and several animated projects like Family Guy and King of the Hill. Scheer's voice also appears in the animated feature film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. Scheer performed all female voices in Spike TV's humorous game show MXC (she was credited as portraying Everygirl). In season four, she became MXC's supervising producer.
Scheer also appeared on the Jennette McCurdy web series What's Next for Sarah? as Sarah's therapist.
Filmography
Movies
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking | American Dubbing Team |
| 1989–97 | L.A. on $5 a Day | Homeless Woman |
| 1991 | The Chick's a Dick | Snapdragon |
| 1994 | It's Pat | Nurse |
| 1995 | Ding Dong | Doris Pritt |
| 1995 | Not of This Earth | Saleswoman |
| 1995 | The New Women | Nancy |
| 2000 | Chump Change | Agent #2 |
| 2005 | It Can Always Get Worse | Kathy |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Quantum Leap | Other Woman | |
| 1994 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Marcia Ramsden | |
| 1995 | Party of Five | Ms. Shaver | |
| 1995–98 | MADtv | Various characters | Sketch comedy series; credited in 66 episodes |
| 1995, 1998 | Seinfeld | Mrs. Smoth, Joan | |
| 1998–2005 | All That | Various | |
| 2000 | Dropping Out | Betty Brockton | |
| 2001 | Primetime Glick | Various Characters | |
| X-Chromosome | |||
| 2003 | Reno 911! | Tina the Daycare Owner | |
| 2006 | Free Ride | Louise | |
| 2007–12 | iCarly | Marissa Benson | Recurring role; 33 episodes |
| 2007 | Halfway Home | Alan's Wife | Episode: "Halfway Innocent" |
| The Suite Life of Zack & Cody | Ms. Laura Bird | Episode: "Summer Of Our Discontent" | |
| 2008 | iGo to Japan | Marissa Benson | TV movie; supporting role |
| 2009 | Hannah Montana | Norma | Episode: "Can't Get Home To You Girl" |
| 2010 | Good Luck Charlie | Patricia | Episode: "Teddy's Broken Heart Club Band" |
| 2011 | Victorious | Marissa Benson | Crossover TV movie: "iParty with Victorious"; supporting role |
| 2014 | Sam & Cat | Episode: "#TheKillerTunaJump:#Freddie #Jade #Robbie" (reprises iCarly role for episode) | |
| 2 Broke Girls | Lois | Episode: "And the Dumpster Sex" | |
| 2015–present | Bunk'd | Gladys | Recurring role; 10 episodes |
| 2016 | Life in Pieces | Marta Pigeon | Episode: "Hair Recital Rainbow Mom" |
Voice acting appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Lands of Lore: Guardians of Destiny | Various Characters | Video game |
| King of the Hill | Gracie | Animated comedy series | |
| 1999 | Family Guy | Ann Landers/Mary/Mother | |
| 2000 | Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker | Mrs. Drake | Animated action series |
| Hey Arnold! | Suzie Kokoshka | Animated children's series | |
| 2003 | MXC | Female voices ("Everygirl") | formerly Most Extreme Elimination Challenge |
| 2009–present | The Penguins of Madagascar | Alice the Zookeeper, Machine Voice, Female Doctor, additional voices | CGI animated series |
Web series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | What's Next for Sarah? | Sarah's therapist | also plays other characters |