Mary Steenburgen
☼ Born on 8 December 1953, in Newport, Arkansas, USA
Biography
Mary Steenburgen is an Academy Award-winning American actress.
She was born in Newport, Arkansas, USA. Her mother, Nellie May (Wall) Steenburgen, was a school-board secretary, and her father, Maurice H. Steenburgen, was a freight-train conductor. Her surname comes from distant Dutch ancestry, and her roots also include English, Scottish, and Welsh.
Young Steenburgen was fond of arts and literature. Mary grew up tap-dancing her way through talent shows and school functions. She was active in her school drama class. After appearing in a number of high school plays, she enrolled at Hendrix College, a highly progressive Southern School located in Conway, Arkansas. Upon the recommendation of her drama professor, she left college in 1972 and moved to New York to study acting professionally. In the past several years, Mary Steenburgen has emerged as one of the most accomplished and sought-after screen actresses. Ever since Jack Nicholson discovered her and cast her as a sassy adventuress in his rollicking western, Goin' South (1978), her career has skyrocketed and she has won acclaim for exceptional performances in each of her diverse film roles. In Nicholas Meyer's Time After Time (1979), Steenburgen was afforded critical praise for her portrayal of a somewhat dippy but liberated young bank clerk in San Francisco who crosses paths, via time machine, with English author H.G. Wells (played by Malcolm McDowell, who later became her husband). In 1980 she shot to fame with her role as L
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ynda Dummar in Melvin and Howard (1980) for which she won Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Steenburgen again impressed audiences and critics alike with her stunning performance as the strong-willed turn-of-the-century mother in Ragtime (1981).
Steenburgen is a notable patron of arts. She is also an active supporter of humanitarian causes. She has two children from her previous marriage to actor Malcolm McDowell. Since 1995 she has been married to actor Ted Danson, and the couple is living in the Los Angeles area.
In the role of actor
Nightmare Alley (15/12/2021)
A drifter joins a carnival and becomes a skilled mentalist in Nightmare Alley. On the run from his past, Stan Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) comes across a travelling carnival and is given work by its proprietor Clem Hoately (Willem Dafoe). Working as part of a psychic act of Zeena (Toni Collette) and Pete Krumbein (David Strathairn), […]
Buddy (23/04/2019)
The relationship between six guide dogs on their owners are explored in Buddy. Even though guide dogs are a necessary need of their owners, the connection that develops between the two are often deeper than any other relationship in their lives. Filmmaker Heddy Honigmann follows six guide dogs and what what they mean to their […]
Gilbert (02/05/2017)
Take a peak into the private life of comedian Gilbert Gottfried in Gilbert. In his public persona as a standup comedian, Gilbert Gottfried is known for his squinty-eyed appearance and his very crude and politically incorrect jokes. However, at home Gottfried is a very shy and softspoken guy, who has been adjusting for the last decade […]
Four Christmases (06/12/2008)
Every year always adds at year one more holiday film to the large list that receive high rotation on TV at this film of the year. Of course, it’s a mixed bag, since for every Elf there is a Christmas with the Kranks. In the more high profile of the two holiday films opening this […]
Step Brothers (04/08/2008)
Earlier this year when I was talking about Semi-Pro, I stated that I thought Will Ferrel’s routine was getting old. After seeing Step Brothers, I still have yet to be convinced otherwise. Before I say anything else, I should state that I thought Step Brothers was an incredibly funny movie. However, it was also an […]