Mary Steenburgen

71 · Born: Feb 8, 1953

Personal Details

Official Socials

Height 5' 8"

Born Feb 8, 1953 Newport, Arkansas, USA

Spouse

Ted Danson
( Oct 7, 1995 to Apr 19, 2024 )
Malcolm McDowell
( Sep 29, 1980 to Oct 1, 1990 )

Parents

Nellie May Steenburgen (Wall)
Maurice H. Steenburgen

Biography

Mary Nell Steenburgen (born February 8, 1953) is an American actress. She was most successful for playing the role of Lynda Dummar in Jonathan Demme's Melvin and Howard, which earned her an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.

Career

acting

2023

Book Club: The Next Chapter

Book Club: The Next Chapter as Carol

2022

Mr. Mayor as Adriana

2021

Nightmare Alley

Nightmare Alley as Mrs. Kimball

Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas

Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas as Maggie Clarke

2020

Happiest Season

Happiest Season as Tipper

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist as Maggie Clarke

2019

Antiquities as Dr. Margot

Flannery as Flannery O'Connor (voice)

2018

Book Club as Carol

Katie Says Goodbye

Katie Says Goodbye as Maybelle

The Conners as Marcy Bellinger

2017

The Discovery as Interviewer

I Do... Until I Don't

I Do... Until I Don't as Cybil Burger

The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea as Julia Mureaux

2016

Dean as Carol

2015

7 Days in Hell as Louisa Poole

A Walk in the Woods

A Walk in the Woods as Jeannie

Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow

Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow as Aunt Cly

Togetherness as Linda

The Last Man on Earth

The Last Man on Earth as Gail Klosterman

2014

Song One as Karen Ellis

2013

Last Vegas as Diana Boyle

Brahmin Bulls as Helen West

2012

Outlaw Country as Anastasia Lee

2011

The Help as Elain Stein

Wilfred as Catherine Newman

2010

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story as Mrs. Yankovic

Dirty Girl as Peggy

2009

The Open Road as Katherine

The Proposal as Grace Paxton

In the Electric Mist

In the Electric Mist as Bootsie Robicheaux

Did You Hear About the Morgans?

Did You Hear About the Morgans? as Emma Wheeler

2008

Step Brothers as Nancy Huff

American Outrage

American Outrage as Narrator

Four Christmases

Four Christmases as Marilyn

2007

Numb as Dr. Cheryl Blaine

Nobel Son as Sarah Michaelson

The Brave One as Carol

Elvis and Anabelle

Elvis and Anabelle as Geneva Leigh

2006

The Dead Girl as Beverley, Leah's Mother

2005

Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School

Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School as Marienne Hotchkiss

2004

It Must Be Love

It Must Be Love

2003

Casa de los babys

Casa de los babys as Gayle

Hope Springs as Joanie Fisher

Elf as Emily

Joan of Arcadia

Joan of Arcadia as Helen Girardi

2002

Living with the Dead

Living with the Dead as Detective Karen Condrin

Sunshine State as Francine Pinkney

Wish You Were Dead

Wish You Were Dead as Sally Rider

2001

The Trumpet of the Swan

The Trumpet of the Swan as Mother (voice)

Life as a House

Life as a House as Colleen Beck

Nobody's Baby as Estelle

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Grace Rinato

2000

Picnic as Rosemary Sydney

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Curb Your Enthusiasm as Mary Steenburgen

1999

Noah's Ark as Naamah

1998

About Sarah as Sarah Elizabeth McCaffrey

1996

Gulliver's Travels

Gulliver's Travels as Mary Gulliver

Ink as Kate Montgomery

1995

The Grass Harp as Sister Ida

Powder as Jessie Caldwell

Nixon as Hannah Nixon

1994

Pontiac Moon as Katherine Bellamy

It Runs in the Family

It Runs in the Family as Mrs. Parker (Mother)

Clifford as Sarah Davis

1993

What's Eating Gilbert Grape

What's Eating Gilbert Grape as Betty Carver

Philadelphia as Belinda Conine

1991

The Butcher's Wife

The Butcher's Wife as Stella Keefover

Back to the Future

Back to the Future as Clara Clayton (voice)

1990

Back to the Future Part III

Back to the Future Part III as Clara Clayton

1989

Miss Firecracker

Miss Firecracker as Elaine Rutledge

Parenthood as Karen Buckman

1988

The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank

The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank as Miep Gies

1987

The Whales of August

The Whales of August as Young Sarah

Dead of Winter as Julie Rose / Katie McGovern / Evelyn

1985

One Magic Christmas

One Magic Christmas as Ginny Grainger

Tender Is the Night

Tender Is the Night as Nicole Warren Diver

1983

Romantic Comedy

Romantic Comedy as Phoebe Craddock

Cross Creek as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Faerie Tale Theatre

Faerie Tale Theatre as Little Red Riding Hood a.k.a. Mary

Faerie Tale Theatre

Faerie Tale Theatre as Mary / Little Red Riding Hood

1982

A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy

A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy as Adrian

1981

Ragtime as Mother

1980

Melvin and Howard

Melvin and Howard as Lynda Dummar

1979

Time After Time

Time After Time as Amy Robbins

1978

Goin' South as Julia Tate

appearances

2010

Tales from the Future

Tales from the Future

2009

2006

O Lucky Malcolm!

O Lucky Malcolm!

1990

The Secrets of the Back to the Future Trilogy

The Secrets of the Back to the Future Trilogy