Catherine O'Hara Biography

Catherine Anne O'Hara (born March 4, 1954) is a Canadian-American actress, writer and comedian. She is well known for her comedy work on SCTV and her roles in the films After Hours, Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, and also in the mockumentary films written and directed by Christopher Guest, including Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration.

Early life

O'Hara was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Born into a large family of Irish descent, she was raised Roman Catholic. She attended Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute, where she first met Robin Duke, who went on to her own comedy career.

Career

Catherine started her comedy career in 1974 as a cast member of The Second City in her native Toronto. She was an understudy for Gilda Radner until Radner left for Saturday Night Live. Two years later, this theatre troupe created the sketch comedy show SCTV, for which O'Hara became a regular performer. Her memorable characterizations on the show included Las Vegas scorcher Lola Heatherton, buzzer-happy game show contestant Margaret Meehan, raunchy nightclub comedian Dusty Towne, soap opera seductress Sue Ellen, and stage actress Sue Bopper Simpson.

In the late 1970s, O'Hara also provided voice-overs for a number of cartoons, which would continue throughout her career. During a short time in the early 1980s when SCTV was in between network deals, she was hired to replace Ann Risley when Saturday Night Live was being retooled in 1981. However, she quit the show without ever appearing on air, choosing to go back to SCTV when the show signed on with NBC. Her SNL position was then given to fellow Canadian Robin Duke, who had also replaced O'Hara for a season on SCTV.

O'Hara began her career on television, apart from SCTV, in the mid-Seventies. She has appeared in the 1976 television film The Rimshots, the children's television series Coming Up Rosie for a year, and television specials, such as Witch's Night Out and Intergalactic Thanksgiving. But it was her performances on SCTV that earned her fame in Canada, which is why she returned to the show, not only as an actress, but as a writer for both SCTV and SCTV Network 90, which earned her an Emmy Award for outstanding writing and two Emmy Award nominations. She also has written for SCTV Channel. O'Hara has appeared in a number of television series and television films, and continues to work in television. During the Nineties, she made guest appearances on Tales from the Crypt, Oh Baby, Morton & Hayes and The Larry Sanders Show. She served as actress and director on Dream On and The Outer Limits, the revival of the Sixties series of the same name. In the past decade, O'Hara has guest-starred on top-rated television series including Six Feet Under and Curb Your Enthusiasm. In May 2008, it was announced that she had signed on to star in the upcoming ABC dramedy Good Behavior. Her role on the 2010 television film Temple Grandin earned her three award nominations: a Primetime Emmy Award, a Satellite Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

O'Hara has also had a successful career in film. She made her feature debut in the 1980 film Double Negative, which also starred her SCTV co-stars John Candy, Eugene Levy, and Joe Flaherty. Throughout the Eighties and Nineties, O'Hara appeared in many supporting roles, including Martin Scorsese's After Hours and Heartburn, with Meryl Streep. She had more notable roles in Beetlejuice, the blockbuster hit Home Alone and its sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. In 1992, O'Hara worked alongside Jeff Daniels in the comedy There Goes the Neighborhood. O'Hara continued to appear in many films during the Nineties and the beginning of the twenty-first century. She received roles in four of Christopher Guest's mockumentary films, three of which earned her awards and nominations: Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration. Her role in 1999's The Life Before This won her a Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. She also appeared in episodes 6, 10 and 11 on the tenth and final series of the UK Whose Line is it anyway? In 2006, she starred with Christina Ricci in the fantasy feature Penelope. O'Hara has served as a voice artist in a number of animated movies, including The Nightmare Before Christmas, Chicken Little, Over the Hedge, Monster House, Brother Bear 2, and Frankenweenie.

On June 9, 2007, O'Hara was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. On February 28, 2010, she spoke at the Closing Ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

Celebrities impersonated on SCTV

• Liv Ullmann
• Katharine Hepburn
• Joan Crawford
• Diane Keaton
• Joey Heatherton
• Lola Falana
• Elizabeth Taylor
• Brooke Shields
• Morgan Fairchild
• Barbara Billingsley
• Maggie Smith

• Phyllis George
• Charlotte Rampling
• Monica Vitti
• Jane Pauley
• Rona Barrett
• Tammy Faye Bakker
• Angie Dickinson
• Dorothy Kilgallen
• Jessica Savitch
• Linda Blair

• Rusty Warren
• Gilda Radner
• Dinah Shore
• Joan Sutherland
• Jane Fonda
• Joan Embery
• Candice Bergen
• Meryl Streep
• Karen Black
• Lucille Ball

Personal life

A naturalized U.S. citizen, O'Hara married production designer Bo Welch in 1992, with whom she has two sons, Matthew (b. 1994) and Luke (b. 1997). She is the sister of critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Mary Margaret O'Hara, though she is a singer-songwriter in her own right, having written and performed songs in Guest's film A Mighty Wind.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1980	Double Negative	Judith	Also known as Deadly Companion
1980	Nothing Personal	Audrey
1983	Rock & Rule	Aunt Edith	Voice
1985	After Hours	Gail
1986	Heartburn	Betty
1988	Beetlejuice	Deila Deetz
1990	Little Vegas	Lexie
1990	Dick Tracy	Texie Garcia
1990	Betsy's Wedding	Gloria Henner
1990	Home Alone	Kate McCallister
1992	There Goes the Neighborhood	Jessica Lodge	Also known as - Paydirt
1992	Home Alone 2: Lost in New York	Kate McCallister
1993	The Nightmare Before Christmas	Sally & Shock	Voice
1994	The Paper	Susan
1994	Wyatt Earp	Allie Earp
1994	A Simple Twist of Fate	April Simon
1995	Tall Tale	Calamity Jane
1996	Waiting for Guffman	Sheila Albertson
1996	The Last of the High Kings	Cathleen
1997	Pippi Longstocking	Mrs. Prysselius	Voice
1998	Home Fries	Beatrice Lever
1999	The Life Before This	Sheena	Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
1999	Bartok the Magnificent	Ludmilla	Voice; direct to video
2000	Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big		Voice; short film
2000	Best in Show	Cookie Fleck	American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Canadian Comedy Award for Film - Pretty Funny Female Performance Nominated "? Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress " Motion Picture
2001	Speaking of Sex	Connie Barker
2002	Orange County	Cindy Beugler
2003	A Mighty Wind	Mickey Crabbe	Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast Seattle Film Critics Award for Best Music Nominated "? Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Nominated "? Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress " Motion Picture
2004	Surviving Christmas	Christine Valco
2004	Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events	Justice Strauss
2005	Game 6	Lillian Rogan
2005	Chicken Little	Tina	Voice
2006	Over the Hedge	Penny	Voice
2006	Monster House	Mom	Voice
2006	Brother Bear 2	Kata	Voice; direct-to-Video
2006	Penelope	Jessica Wilhern
2006	For Your Consideration	Marilyn Hack	Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress New York Film Critics Online Award for Best Supporting Actress (tied with Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls) Nominated "? Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated "? Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated "? Chlotrudis Award for Best Cast Nominated "? Gotham Award for Best Ensemble Cast Nominated "? Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead Nominated "? New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress (3rd place)
2006	Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses	Rowena	Voice; direct-to-video
2009	Away We Go	Gloria Farlander
2009	Where the Wild Things Are	Judith	Voice
2010	Killers	Mrs. Koenfeldt
2010	Winx Club 3D: Magical Adventure	Roxy
2011	Un monstre à Paris	Madame Carlotta	Voice
2011	Fortune		Pre-Production
2012	Frankenweenie	Susan Frankenstein Gym Teacher Weird Girl	Voice
2013	A.C.O.D.	Melissa
2013	The Right Kind of Wrong	Tess	Post-prduction
2013	Rememory	Carolyn	Filming
	The Shadow King	Miss Fern	Pre-production

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1976	The Rimshots		Television film
1976–1977	Coming Up Rosie	Myrna Wallbacker
1978	Witch's Night Out	Malicious	Voice; television film/television special
1976–1979	SCTV	Various	50 episodes
1979	Intergalactic Thanksgiving	Ma Spademinder	Voice; television short
1980	You've Come a Long Way, Katie		Mini-series
1980	Easter Fever	Scarlett O'Hare	Voice
1980	From Cleveland	Various	Television film
1981	The Steve Allen Comedy Hour	Various	1 episode
1981–1982	SCTV Network 90	Various	27 episodes
1984	The New Show	Various	3 episodes
1983–1984	SCTV Channel	Various	5 episodes
1985	The Last Polka	Lemon Twin	Television film
1985	George Burns Comedy Week		Episode: "The Dynamite Girl"
1986	Dave Thomas: The Incredible Time Travels of Henry Osgood	Marie Antoinette	Television film
1987	Really Weird Tales	Theresa Sharpe	Segment: "I'll Die Loving"
1987	Trying Times	Rebecca	Episode: "Get a Job"
1988	The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley	Miss Malone	13 episodes
1989	I, Martin Short, Goes Hollywood	Nancy Mae	Television film
1989	Andrea Martin... Together Again	Dee Lee Jane Kitten Holly Faun Marcie	Television film
1990	The Dave Thomas Comedy Show		1 episode
1990	Dream On	Irma	Episode: "555-HELL"
1991	Morton & Hayes	Amelia Von Astor Mimi Von Astor	Episode: "Daffy Dicks"
1991-1992	Saturday Night Live	Host	Episode: 16.17(Musical Guest R.E.M) 18.5(Musical Guest 10,000 Maniacs)
1992	The Larry Sanders Show	Herself	Episode: "Talk Show"
1993	The Hidden Room	Laurel Brody	Episode: "The First Battle"
1994	Tales from the Crypt	Gearldine Ferrett	Episode: "Let the Punishment Fit the Crime"
1997	The Outer Limits	Becka Paulson	Episode: "The Revelations of 'Becka Paulson" Nominated "? Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role in a Dramatic Series
1997	Hope	Muriel Macswain	Television film
1998	Whose Line Is It Anyway?	Herself	Improv comedy game show. Episodes six, ten and eleven of series ten.
1999	Oh Baby	Roberta Hunter	Episode: "Discrimination"
1999	Late Last Night	Shrink	Television film
2000	MADtv	Woman on Blind Date	1 episode
2001	Committed	Liz Larsen
2002	Bram & Alice	Ms. O'Connor	Episode: "Pilot"
2003	Odd Job Jack	Claudia Johnson	Episode: "Broke & Broker"
2004	The Wool Cap	Gloria	Television film
2003–2005	Six Feet Under	Carol Ward	4 episodes
2008	Good Behavior	Jackie West	Television film
2009	Curb Your Enthusiasm	Bam Bam	Episode: "Funkhouser's Crazy Sister"
2009	Made in Hollywood	Herself	Episode: #5.4
2010	Temple Grandin	Aunt Ann	Television film Nominated "? Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie Nominated "? Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress " Series, Miniseries or Television Film Nominated "? Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie
2011	Producing Parker	Irene Kovak	Guest role, 1 episode.
2009–present	Glenn Martin, DDS	Jackie Martin	38 episodes
2012	30 Rock	Mrs. Parcell	Guest role
2012	Leslie	Leslie	Episodes: "New York, 1995 - Part 1"; "New York, 1995 - Part 2"
2012–2013	Jake and the Never Land Pirates	Miss Jacques	Voice role
2013	To My Future Assistant	Magda	Television film

Director

Year	Title	Notes
1991	Dream On	Episode: "And Your Little Dog, Too"
1998	The Outer Limits	Episode: "Glyphic"

Writer

Year	Title	Notes
1976–1979	SCTV	52 episodes
1980	From Cleveland	Television film
1981–1982	SCTV Network 90	28 episodes Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Show (SCTV Network 90) Nominated "? Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program (SCTV Network 90)
1983–1984	SCTV Channel	3 episodes
1987	Really Weird Tales	Television film; segment: "I'll Die Loving You"
1988	The Best of SCTV
1989	Andrea Martin... Together Again	Television film; special material

Awards and nominations

Wins

• 1982 " Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Show (SCTV Network 90) *(episode: Moral Majority Show)
• 1995 " Gemini Awards: Earle Grey Award
• 2000 " Genie Awards for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (The Life Before This)
• 2001 " American Comedy Awards for Funniest Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (Best in Show)
• 2001 " Canadian Comedy Awards for Pretty Funny Female Performance in Film (Best in Show)
• 2003 " Seattle Film Critics Awards for Best Music (A Mighty Wind)
• 2004 " Florida Film Critics Circle Awards for Best Ensemble Cast (A Mighty Wind)
• 2006 " National Board of Review for Best Supporting Actress (For Your Consideration)
• 2007 " Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards for Best Supporting Actress (For Your Consideration)

Nominations

• 1982 " Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program (SCTV Network 90) *(episodes: Cycle Two, Show Two and Christmas Show)
• 1983 " Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program (SCTV Network 90) *(episode: The Christmas Show)
• 1998 " Gemini Awards for Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role in a Dramatic Series (The Outer Limits)
• 2001 " Satellite Awards: Golden Satellite for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Comedy or Musical (Best in Show)
• 2004 " Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards for Best Ensemble Acting (A Mighty Wind)
• 2004 " Satellite Awards: Golden Satellite for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Comedy or Musical (A Mighty Wind)
• 2006 " Gotham Awards for Best Ensemble Cast (For Your Consideration)
• 2007 " Independent Spirit Awards for Best Female Lead (For Your Consideration)
• 2007 " Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards: Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress (For Your Consideration)
• 2007 " Chlotrudis Awards for Best Supporting Actress (For Your Consideration)
• 2010 " Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie (Temple Grandin)
• 2010 " Satellite Awards for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Temple Grandin)
• 2011 " Screen Actors Guild Awards: Actor Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries (Temple Grandin)