Kathryn Greenwood (born March 21, 1962) is a Canadian actress and comedian. She appeared on the American version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? numerous times, and played Grace Bailey on the Canadian television drama series Wind at My Back.[2]
Kathy Greenwood | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kathryn Greenwood March 21, 1962 |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, comedian |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Spouse | John Dolin |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Canadian Comedy Award for Best Female Improviser |
Life and career
editGreenwood was born in Scarborough, Ontario. From an early age she wanted to be a performer and went to school at Agincourt Collegiate Institute. There she performed in school plays and concerts. After graduation in 1980, Greenwood spent the next two years studying acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.[3]
In 1987, she returned to Toronto, and worked in a small night club act called A Wedge of Night. She spent five years with the Toronto branch of The Second City comedy troupe[4] as a writer and a performer. Two of her shows won Dora Mavor Moore awards[5] in 1988 and 1992.
Shortly afterwards, she and her friends Jonathan Wilson and Ed Sahely developed what she called their "Second City" spin-off, Not to Be Repeated, in which the three improvised an entire situation comedy in front of a live audience, based solely on ideas and suggestions from the audience.[6] She also appeared with Shirley Douglas and Kiefer Sutherland in The Glass Menagerie at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in spring 1997.[7] Other notable appearances in Canada include This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Royal Canadian Air Farce.
In 1996, Greenwood began regular work on Canadian television on the family drama series Wind at My Back. She worked for five years, full-time, playing Grace Bailey, a junior radio M.C. in the small town of New Bedford, Ontario, during the Great Depression. Her portrayal of Grace Bailey was nominated for a Gemini Award for Best Performance By an Actress in a Continuing Leading Role. In 1999, Kathy was cast as Denise Stanton in the TV movie Switching Goals, starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Later that same year, Greenwood commuted to Los Angeles to appear on such shows as The Drew Carey Show, the updated version of Hollywood Squares,[8] and the American version of the improvisation game show Whose Line Is It Anyway?.
Marriage and family
editGreenwood is married to television writer John Dolin; they have two daughters: Phoebe and Josephine. Phoebe was born in 2000, while Josephine was born in 2001.
Current projects
editGreenwood is part of the sketch comedy troupe Women Fully Clothed,[9][10] featuring what Eugene Levy calls "the five funniest women in Canada." The group saw success in Canada and appeared in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | This Is My Life | Young Matron | |
| 1994 | New Nightmare | Nurse in Hospital Room with Heather | |
| 1995 | House[11] | Kathy | |
| 1996 | Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy | Ginny Hurdicure | |
| 1999 | Switching Goals | Dr. Denise Stanton | |
| 2003 | Flip Phone | Katie | Short film |
| 2005 | The Man | Flight Attendant | |
| Anne: Journey to Green Gables | Mavis (voice) | Video | |
| Heidi | Aunt Dete (voice) | ||
| 2014 | Get Santa | Miscellaneous crew (Accountant) | |
| 2015 | Poltergeist | Realtor | |
| 2016 | My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 | Marge | |
| Unless | Willow Halliday | ||
| 2021 | 8-Bit Christmas | Mrs. Hugo | |
| The Exchange | Mrs. Fleming | ||
| 2023 | World's Best | Ms. Sage | |
| The King Tide | Charlotte | ||
| EXmas | Jeannie |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | This Hour Has 22 Minutes | Writer | |
| 1993 | Street Legal | Jacky Kepler | Episode: "Believe the Children" |
| Maniac Mansion | Allanah | Episode: "Love Letters" | |
| Women on Trial: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story | Sylvia Bonner | TV movie | |
| 1994 | Hostage for a Day | SWAT One | |
| Squawk Box | |||
| RoboCop: The Series | Director | Episode: "Midnight Minus One" | |
| 1995 | Goosebumps | Ms. Walker | Episode: "The Phantom of the Auditorium" |
| 1996 | The High Life | Judy | Episode: "Bowling" |
| 1996–2001 | Wind at My Back | Grace Bailey Mainwairing and Gams O'Malley | Main role |
| 1997 | Once a Thief | Margo | Episode: "Trial Marriage" |
| 1998 | Stories from My Childhood | (voice) | 2 episodes |
| History Bites | Various | 2 episodes | |
| 1999 | George and Martha | Frieda | |
| The Wonderful World of Disney | Denise Stanton | Episode: "Switching Goals" | |
| Switching Goals | Denise Stanton[12] | TV movie | |
| 2000 | The 2000 Canadian Comedy Awards | Self (Pretty Funny Female Improv) | TV special |
| The Pooch and the Pauper | Kim Corbett | TV film | |
| The Drew Carey Show | Kathryn | Episode: "Drew Live II" | |
| 2000–2007 | Whose Line Is It Anyway? | Self | |
| 2001 | The Broad Side | Various roles | |
| This Sitcom Is...Not to Be Repeated | |||
| I Was a Rat | Lucasta Utensil | Miniseries | |
| Hollywood Squares | Self | Episode: January 25, 2001 | |
| 2002 | Kids in the Hall: Tour of Duty | Documentary | |
| Moville Mysteries | Mrs. Caliente | Episode: "The Day Rico Became Smart" | |
| Royal Canadian Air Farce | Senior Citizen #3/Dr. Stilwart | Episode: "10.9" | |
| 2003 | Open Mike with Mike Bullard | Guest | Episode: February 20, 2003 |
| Royal Canadian Air Farce | Various | Episode: "Best of #3" | |
| 2003–2005 | JoJo's Circus | Dr. Seltzer (voice) | Recurring role |
| 2004 | XPM | Laura Macdonald | |
| Wonderfalls | Ronnie | Episode: "Wax Lion" | |
| The Wrong Coast | Debbie Sue Ashanti-Melendez | Miniseries | |
| Listen Missy | Various | ||
| This Hour Has 22 Minutes | Various | 3 episodes | |
| 2005 | Distinguished Artists | Self | Episode: "Women Fully Clothed" |
| Queer as Folk | Lila | Episode: "5.2" | |
| Maple Shorts! | Sela Salmon (voice) | Episode: "Eat My Shorts" | |
| 2006 | Getting Along Famously | Sister Gregory "Sister Song" Pechiccino | Episode: "Sister Song" |
| Captain Flamingo | Milo's Mom (voice) | ||
| 2007 | Women Fully Clothed: All Dressed Up and Places to Go | Self | Documentary |
| The Jane Show | Whitney Johnson | Episode: "The House of Jane" | |
| 2009 | The Rick Mercer Report | Guest | Episode: "#7.1" |
| The Dating Guy | Valerie (voice) | Episode: "Really Bad Lieutenant" | |
| 2010 | CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival | Self | Documentary |
| Self/Writer | Episode: "Savings and Groans" | ||
| 2011 | The Ron James Show | Self | Episode: "#3.3" |
| Justin Time | Cleopatra | Episode: "Brave Sir Justin & Cleopatra's Cat" | |
| 2012 | Frenemies | Lisa Logan | TV movie |
| I, Martin Short, Goes Home | Mother | ||
| 2012–2013 | Sidekick | Cindy Struction (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Satisfaction | Bonnie | Episode: "Mo Money, Mo Problems" |
| 2013–2014 | The Rick Mercer Report | Rick's Wife | 13 episodes |
| 2014 | Working the Engels | Grace van der Hooven | Episode: "The Crazy Family" |
| Saving Hope | Rita Brown | Episode: "Stand By Me" | |
| The Stanley Dynamic | Officer Vicky | Episode: "The Stanley Crime" | |
| 2015 | Remedy | Marg Hendrickson | Episode: "Life in Technicolor" |
| 2017 | Man Seeking Woman | Picklepop | Episode: "Popcorn" |
| Taken Too Far | Gaby | TV movie | |
| 2019 | Cavendish | Ruth | Main role |
| 2020 | Unlocking Christmas | Maggie Matthews | TV movie |
| 2021 | Ghosts | Margaret Farnsby | Episode: "Dinner Party" |
| 2023–2024 | So Help Me Todd | Patty | 2 episodes |
| "Ruby and the Well" | Val | 3 episodes |
Awards/Nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Production | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Dora Mavor Moore Award | Outstanding New Revue or Musical | The Second City | Won |
| 1996 | Gemini | Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Role | Wind at My Back | Nominated |
| 1998 | Dora Mavor Moore Award | Outstanding New Revue or Musical | The Second City | Won |
| 2000 | Canadian Comedy Award | Best Female Improviser | ||
| 2005 | Best Sketch Troupe | Women Fully Clothed | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ Kathryn Greenwood's bio at www.northernstars.ca
- ^ Kathy Greenwood's bio at www.cbc.ca
- ^ "Kathryn Greenwood fully clothed", by Rick Wharton, www.pembrokeobserver.com
- ^ "More bladder-busting laughs from Women Fully Clothed quartet", by Brad Wheeler, www.theglobeandmail.com
- ^ "Female comics hit the road" by Bruce DeMara at www.thestar.com
- ^ "AAC MOW tells story of ALS victim Jenifer Estess/This sitcom is…virtual" by Kathy Barthel at playbackonline.ca
- ^ The Glass Menagerie Review, by Mira Friedlander, variety.com
- ^ "Kathryn Greenwood" by Michele Sponagle at www.theglobeandmail.com
- ^ "Older and Hotter and hitting the stage" by Susan Pigg at www.thestar.com
- ^ "The comedy of everyday life" by Robert Crew at www.thestar.com
- ^ "Ontario Scene" by Pamela Cuthbert at playbackonline.ca
- ^ Switching Goals Review by Laura Fries at variety.com