Mary Scheer (born March 19, 1963)[3] is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter and producer, who is best known for her work throughout television. She had recurring roles as Marissa Benson on the Nickelodeon sitcom iCarly, and as Gladys on the Disney Channel series Bunk'd. She voiced Alice the Zookeeper on DreamWorks animated series The Penguins of Madagascar, was part of the original cast on the sketch comedy show Mad TV, voiced every female character on Most Extreme Elimination Challenge and appeared in GEICO commercials.[4]
Mary Scheer | |
|---|---|
 Scheer in 2022 | |
| Born | March 19, 1963 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.[1] |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, comedian, producer, writer |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Spouse |
Bob Bush (m. 1992) |
| Children | 2[2] |
Career
editShe is known for playing comedic characters in sitcoms, movies, and cartoons.
Mad TV
editScheer was one of the original nine cast members of Mad TV 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 Mad TV, some of which included U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, Demi Moore, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Griffin, Mary Tyler Moore, Ashley Olsen, Candice Bergen, Fran Drescher, Shirley MacLaine, Emma Thompson, Sherry Stringfield, Frances Bavier, Irene Vernon, Ashley Judd, Geri Halliwell and Barbara Feldon. Other impersonations include Barbra Streisand in the Mad TV 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. Towards the end of the second season, Scheer became pregnant and was visibly pregnant at the beginning of the third season and continued to perform on the show. After giving birth, Scheer finished the third season before leaving in 1998.
Characters
edit| 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
editBesides Mad TV, 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. She also reprised the same role for the iCarly reboot on Paramount+.
After leaving Mad TV, she appeared in the films Elvira's Haunted Hills, The New Women Chump Change, and It Can Always Get Worse Kathy from 2001 to 2005. She also starred as Gladys, the grumpy, lonely camp director of Camp Kikiwaka in the first 2 seasons of 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.[5]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking | American Dubbing Team | |
| 1989 | L.A. on $5 a Day | Homeless woman | [3] |
| 1991 | The Chick's a Dick | Snapdragon | [3] |
| 1994 | It's Pat | Nurse | [3] |
| 1995 | Ding Dong | Doris Pritt | [3] |
| Not of This Earth | Saleswoman | ||
| 2000 | Chump Change | Agent #2 | [3] |
| 2001 | The New Women | Nancy | [3] |
| Elvira's Haunted Hills | Lady Ema Hellsubus | ||
| 2005 | It Can Always Get Worse | Kathy | [3] |
| 2019 | Between Two Ferns: The Movie | Frannie Scheindlin |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Quantum Leap | Other Woman | Episode: "Dr. Ruth - April 25, 1985" |
| 1994 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Marcia Ramsden | |
| 1995 | Party of Five | Ms. Shaver | |
| 1995–1998 | Mad TV | Various characters | Sketch comedy series; credited in 66 episodes |
| 1995, 1998 | Seinfeld | Mrs. Smoth, Joan | 2 episodes |
| 1998–2005 | All That | Various | |
| 2000 | Dropping Out | Betty Brockton | [3] |
| 2001 | Primetime Glick | Various Characters | |
| X-Chromosome | |||
| 2003 | Reno 911! | Tina the Daycare Owner | |
| 2006 | Free Ride | Aunt Louise | |
| 2007–2012 | iCarly | Marissa Benson | Recurring role; 28 episodes |
| 2007 | Halfway Home | Alan's Wife | Episode: "Halfway Innocent" |
| The Suite Life of Zack & Cody | Ms. Laura Bird | Episode: "Summer Of Our Discontent" | |
| 2009 | Hannah Montana | Norma | Episode: "Can't Get Home To You Girl" |
| 2010 | Good Luck Charlie | Patricia | Episode: "Teddy's Broken Heart Club Band" |
| Nick Swardson's Pretend Time | Paula | Episode: "The Leather Swingset with the Monkey and the Gun" | |
| 2014 | Sam & Cat | Marissa Benson | Episode: "#TheKillerTunaJump: #Freddie #Jade #Robbie" |
| 2 Broke Girls | Lois | Episode: "And the Dumpster Sex" | |
| 2015–2017 | Bunk'd | Gladys | Recurring role; 13 episodes |
| 2016 | Life in Pieces | Marta Pigeon | Episode: "Hair Recital Rainbow Mom" |
| 2017 | Julie's Greenroom | Groundlings Theater Director | Episode: "Morning at the Improv" |
| 2021–2023 | iCarly | Marissa Benson | Recurring role |
Voice acting appearances
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Freakazoid! | Sandra Danger | Episode: "Toby Danger in Doomsday Bet" |
| 1997 | Lands of Lore: Guardians of Destiny | Various Characters | Video game |
| 1997–2002 | King of the Hill | Ms. Bittner, Bank Teller, Gracie | 2 episodes |
| 1999 | Family Guy | Ann Landers, Mary, Mother | |
| 2000 | Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker | Mrs. Drake[3] | |
| 2000 | Hey Arnold! | Suzie Kokoshka | |
| 2002 | Invader Zim | Yoa | |
| 2003–2007 | MXC | Female voices ("Everygirl") | Formerly Most Extreme Elimination Challenge; also producer |
| 2009–2015 | The Penguins of Madagascar | Alice the Zookeeper, Machine Voice, Female Doctor, additional voices | |
| 2020 | Twin Mirror | Tara | Video game |
Web series
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | What's Next for Sarah? | Sarah's therapist | Also plays other characters |
Personal life
editScheer married her husband Bob Bush on October 10, 1992.[6] Together they have two children, a daughter Abigail (b. October 1, 1997) who is a theatre actor and opera singer[7][8][9] and a son Nate (b. June 15, 2002).[10][11]
References
edit- ^ Frankhouse, Mark (22 September 2022). "The Voice Actress Who Did All Women's Voices On MXC Is From Michigan". 1077 WRKR.
- ^ "Happy Birthday to my creative, fun-to-be-around smart son Nate!". instagram.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Riggs, Thomas, ed. (2009). "Scheer, Mary 1963–". Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television. 91. Detroit, MI: Gale: 248–249.
- ^ LoBrutto, Vincent (2018). TV in the USA: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas [3 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 81. ISBN 9781440829734. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
- ^ "What's Next for Sarah? - Aired Order - All Seasons". thetvdb.com.
- ^ "Married 30 years today to this funny, kind, smart, and very patient man. I'm the ostentatious old bird on the left…send Pearls!!". facebook.com.
- ^ "My amazing daughter Abby enjoying her new career with the fantastic San Francisco Opera! #SFO #musicians #opera #paramount-plus #SFCM #LACHSA". instagram.com.
- ^ "Abigail Bush". www.operasj.org.
- ^ "I'm 26 today, here's to another year 🥰🤩 - - - - - - #singer #operasinger #operasingersofinstagram #sanfrancisco #musician". facebook.com.
- ^ "My amazing kids hiking to the top of Tamalpais in Mill Valley! #muirwoods #hiking #trailmixitup #proudmom #naturelover #treehuggingismandatory #operasanjose #pocketopera #sanfrancisco". instagram.com.
- ^ "My amazing son Nate is 19 today! Having so much fun hiking through life with my smart funny adventurer Send him some birthday wishes!". instagram.com.