Debra Mooney (born August 28, 1947) is an American character actress, best known for her role as Edna Harper on The WB drama series Everwood (2002–06). Mooney is also known for her recurring roles in Scandal, Grey's Anatomy and The Originals.

Debra Mooney
Born
Debra Vick

(1947-08-28) August 28, 1947 (age 76)
OccupationActress
Years active1975–present

Life and career edit

Mooney was born Debra Vick in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and grew up in Ellendale, North Dakota,[1] the daughter of Isabel (née Smith) and Henry M. Vick.[2] She was married to stage manager, producer, and director Porter Van Zandt until his death in 2012.[3][4]

Mooney is best known for her role as Edna Harper on The WB drama series Everwood. The series aired from 2002 to 2006.[4] She has appeared in many stage productions and played roles of over 80 films and TV shows. Her notable film credits include Chapter Two opposite Marsha Mason, and Tootsie, Dead Poets Society and Domestic Disturbance.

On television she also starred of short-lived series Dream Street, Davis Rules and Kirk. Mooney guest-starred as the oblivious plutocrat Meg Wellman on Roseanne. She also appeared in Seinfeld, ER, Everybody Loves Raymond, Grey's Anatomy, Bones and Weeds. From 2012 to 2013, she played the role of Supreme Court Justice Verna Thornton in the second season of ABC drama series Scandal created by Shonda Rhimes.[5]

In 2014, she had a recurring role in the Netflix comedy series, Arrested Development. That same year, she joined the cast of The CW series, The Originals in a recurring role as Werewolf Matriarch.[6] In 2016, she starred in the ABC drama pilot The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez, starring Gina Torres in a title role, with Eric Close, Melora Hardin, and Christina Pickles.[7]

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Title Role Notes
1979 Chapter Two Marilyn
1982 Tootsie Mrs. Mallory
1982 Supervisors Ms. Barnes Short
1986 Agent on Ice Mrs. Kirkpatrick
1989 Dead Poets Society Mrs. Anderson
1994 Schemes Ruby Video
1995 Napoleon Cat Voice (U.S. Dub)
2001 Domestic Disturbance Theresa
2010 The Last Godfather Sister Theresa
2016 Those Left Behind
2017 We Don't Belong Here Grandma

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
1976 Delvecchio Dr. Petrie Episodes: "The Silent Prey", "APB: Santa Claus"
1983 The Cradle Will Fall Vangie Lewis TV film
1985 ABC Afterschool Special Mrs. Anderson Episode: "Don't Touch"
1989 Dream Street Lillian DeBeau Main role
1990 Roseanne Mrs. Wellman Episodes: "Hair", "I'm Hungry", "Fender Bender", "Happy Birthday"
1990 Empty Nest Mrs. Bierman Episode: "The Tortoise & the Harry"
1991 L.A. Law Marsha Henderson Episode: "The Gods Must Be Lawyers"
1991 Tales from the Crypt Ellen Episode: "Easel Kill Ya"
1991–92 Davis Rules Mrs. Rush Main role
1992 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Nurse Petty Episode: "Ill Will"
1993 Flying Blind Joan Episode: "The Long Goodbye"
1993 Seinfeld Mrs. Sweedler Episode: "The Bris"
1993 Grace Under Fire Peg Episode: "Grace in the Middle"
1993–94 Murphy Brown Lee Larkin Episodes: "Trickster, We Hardly Knew Ye", "Anything But Cured"
1994 Breathing Lessons Mrs. Stuckey TV film
1994 Herman's Head Herman's Mother Episode: "Bedtime for Hermo"
1994 The George Carlin Show Rosemarie Episode: "George Destroys a Way of Life"
1994 One West Waikiki Sarah Gaines Episode: "Along Came a Spider"
1994–95 Something Wilder Mrs. Thornton Episodes: "Holy Water", "Hanging with Mr. Cooper"
1995 Northern Exposure Jane Stowe O'Connell Episode: "The Mommy's Curse"
1995 Step by Step Nurse Deckers Episode: "One Truck, Al Dente"
1995 Pig Sty Kasha Episode: "Mr. Nice Guy"
1995 Party of Five Gloria Metzler Episode: "Brother's Keeper"
1995 Mad About You Sister Dorothea Episode: "Mad Without You"
1995–96 Kirk Sally Main role
1996 Sisters Paulette Brown Episode: "Taking a Gamble"
1996 Touched by an Angel Mrs. Shaw Episode: "Flesh and Blood"
1996 Champs Prof. Carnovsky Episode: "To Be There or Not to Be There"
1996 Ellen Barbara Episode: "Not So Great Expectations"
1996 Boston Common Mrs. Taggert Episode: "Coming Clean"
1997 The Naked Truth Eleanor Episode: "He Ain't Famous, He's My Brother"
1997 Caroline in the City Eleanor Cassidy Episode: "Caroline and the Decanter"
1998 House Rules Mother Superior Episode: "Twisted Sister"
1998 Maggie Winters Idah Episode: "Suburban Myth"
1999 Silk Hope Violet TV film
1999, 2009 ER Leila Morgan, Barbara Feingold Episodes: "Rites of Spring", "Getting to Know You", "Love Is a Battlefield"
2000 Will & Grace Sister Robert Episode: "Sweet (and Sour) Charity"
2000 Just Shoot Me! Ellen Gelman Episode: "Blinded by the Right"
2001 Judging Amy Marjorie Landsdown Episode: "Adoption Day"
2000–2003 The Practice Judge P. Spindle Guest role (seasons 4–6, 8)
2002 Philly Brenda Pagano Episode: "Lies of Minelli"
2002–03 Everybody Loves Raymond Lee Episodes: "The Skit", "Thank You Notes", "Home from School"
2002–2006 Everwood Edna Harper Main role
2004 Joan of Arcadia Ruth Washington Episode: "Silence"
2006 The Mermaid Chair Kat TV film
2006 The Closer Elaine Donahue Episodes: "Serving the King: Parts 1 & 2"
2007 Psych Mrs. Lassiter Episode: "Poker? I Barely Know Her"
2007 Private Practice Sylvie Episode: "In Which Addison Has a Very Casual Get Together"
2007–08 Boston Legal Judge Patrice Webb Episodes: "Nuts", "The Good Lawyer", "The Bride Wore Blood", "Rescue Me"
2008 Pushing Daisies Callista Cod Episode: "Frescorts"
2008 Cold Case Betty Sue Baker Episode: "Pin Up Girl"
2009 Eleventh Hour Pete Hammer Episode: "Pinocchio"
2009–10, 2015–2021 Grey's Anatomy Evelyn Hunt Guest role (seasons 5, 7, 11–12, 14–18)
2010 Den Brother Allie Jacklitz TV film
2010 Hawthorne Maureen Episode: "No Exit"
2011 Bones Allison Rose Episode: "The Change in the Game"
2011 Weeds Shelby Keene Episodes: "Game-Played", "Synthetics"
2011 The Mentalist Lydia Bibb Episode: "Blood and Sand"
2012–13 The Neighbors Theresa Weaver Episodes: "Thanksgiving Is for the Bird-Kersees", "Thanksgiving Is No Schmuck Bait"
2012–13, 2017 Scandal Verna Thornton Recurring role (season 2), guest (season 6)
2013 Save Me Ruby Episode: "WWJD"
2013 Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret Caroline TV film
2013, 2018 Arrested Development Joan Bark Guest role (seasons 4–5)
2014 Parks and Recreation Rosie Demarco Episode: "Anniversaries"
2014 Intelligence Mary Vaughn Episode: "Being Human"
2014 Rake Dorothy Copely Episode: "Mammophile"
2015, 2017 The Originals Mary Dumas Recurring role (seasons 2 & 4), guest (season 3)
2016 Chance Dr. Myra Cohen Episodes: "Camera Obscura", "Fluid Management"
2016 The Death of Sofia Valdez Clara TV film
2017 This Is Us Mrs. Peabody Episode: "Moonshadow"
2020 Batwoman Mabel Cartwright Episode: "Off With Her Head"
2021 Grace and Frankie Judge Mcavoy Episode: "The Arraignment"
2022 Inventing Anna Judge Episodes: "Life of a VIP", “Cash on Delivery”, “Dangerously Close”

Theater edit

Year Title Role Notes
1975 The Farm
1977 Chapter Two Faye Medwick / Jennie Malone Replacement
1980 Talley's Folly Sally Talley Replacement
1985 The Odd Couple Mickey Replacement
1992 The Price Esther Franz
1998 Getting and Spending Mary Phillips

References edit

  1. ^ https://www.inforum.com/content/neighbors-tennessee-williams-impressed-u-m[dead link]
  2. ^ "Debra Mooney Film Reference biography". Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  3. ^ "PORTER VAN ZANDT's Obituary on New York Times". New York Times.
  4. ^ a b "Debra Mooney Biography - BuddyTV". Archived from the original on October 27, 2014. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  5. ^ "Scandal Exclusive: Everwood's Debra Mooney Lands Supreme Recurring Gig". TVLine. September 7, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  6. ^ "'The Originals' Season 2 — Debra Mooney Cast As Werewolf Mary". TVLine. October 24, 2014. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  7. ^ Petski, Denise (March 9, 2016). "Debra Mooney Joins 'The Death Of Eva Sofia Valdez'; 'Miranda's Rights' Adds Ruffin Prentiss".

External links edit