Megan Cavanagh (born November 8, 1960) is an American actress.
Megan Cavanagh | |
|---|---|
 Cavanagh, at top center, pictured with the New Age Vaudeville theater group. | |
| Born | November 8, 1960 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1984–present |
Early life and education
editCavanagh was born November 8, 1960, in Chicago, the daughter of Jim and Rita. Raised in River Forest along with her four siblings, Cavanagh went to Oak Park and River Forest High School, graduating at 16 in 1977. She attended Rosary College in River Forest (now Dominican University), graduating in January 1982.[1]
Career
editFilm
editCavanagh made her film debut in Penny Marshall's A League of Their Own (1992), co-starring with Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna, Rosie O'Donnell and Lori Petty. Film critic Vincent Canby of The New York Times praised the film, writing: "A League of Their Own is one of the year's most cheerful, most relaxed, most easily enjoyable comedies. It's a serious film that's lighter than air, a very funny movie that manages to score a few points for feminism in passing."[2] He went on to list Cavanagh as among "the excellent supporting players" of the movie,[2] as did film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum of the Chicago Reader.[3]
Following her silver screen debut, Cavanagh was cast in supporting roles in two Mel Brooks comedies, as Broomhilde in Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) and as Essie in Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995). Other films include supporting roles in For Richer or Poorer (1997), starring Tim Allen, Kirstie Alley, and Jay O. Sanders, and Disney's That Darn Cat (1997) starring Christina Ricci and Doug E. Doug.
She voiced Judy Neutron and Sasha Vortex in the 2001 Oscar-nominated animated feature Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.
TV
editCavanagh was featured in the short-lived second season of Bob (1993), and appeared in the recurring role of Trudy McHale (from 1998-99), who marries Al Borland in the series' finale of the sitcom Home Improvement (1991-99) starring Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson and Earl Hindman.
Openly lesbian,[4] Cavanagh starred in Exes and Ohs (2007), a lesbian comedy on Logo TV.
She reprised the role of Judy Neutron in The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius and several TV movies including The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour, Jimmy Neutron: Win, Lose and Kaboom, The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour 2: When Nerds Collide and The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour 3: The Jerkinators. She also voiced Slog in Tak and the Power of Juju and Hilary Higgenbottom in The Mighty B!.
She appears in one episode of the American sitcom Friends as Luisa the ex-classmate of Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Monica (Courteney Cox) who works for animal control.
Cavanagh makes an appearance in the fourth episode of the third season of Will & Grace ("Girl Trouble") as Terry.
Stage
editCavanagh returned to the stage in 2004 as Earth Mother in Menopause: The Musical. Theater critic Patricia Reardon wrote: "...you won't find a funnier, more satisfying way to spend an evening than with the four rollicking ladies of Menopause[:] The Musical."[5]
In 2009, Cavanagh portrayed the medium Madame Arcati in High Spirits, a musical with book, lyrics, and music by Hugh Martin and Timothy Gray, based on the play Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward. 42nd Street Moon's production was staged at the Eureka Theater (215 Jackson St.) in San Francisco, which was well-received.[6] San Francisco theater critic Chad Jones wrote: "On Broadway, [Angela] Lansbury is said to be divine in the role, but 42nd Street Moon has a real secret weapon here: Megan Cavanagh...Cavanagh is hilarious and heartfelt."[7]
Chicago
editCavanagh was an original member (1984–1987) of the professional theatre troupe New Age Vaudeville (formerly the Comedy Cabaret) founded by Richard O'Donnell and Amy McKenzie. An Actor's Equity (AEA) theatre troupe, the Comedy Cabaret landed a summer residence at Peninsula Players in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, where it developed works for a predominantly tourist trade and then relocated to their winter home in Chicago at CrossCurrents. Throughout her tenure, Megan Cavanagh (who thus earned her Actors' Equity union card) starred in numerous productions including the cult-hits An Evening with Elmore & Gwendolyn Putts - The Neighbors Next Door and The TV Dinner Hour (the latter featured IO Theater founder Del Close). Rick Kogan of the Chicago Tribune hailed both productions as "Among the most polished and clever productions of the season, a pair of devilishly inventive and challenging shows that won over critics and audiences".[8]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | A League of Their Own | Marla Hooch | Penny Marshall | |
| 1993 | Robin Hood: Men in Tights | Broomhilde | Mel Brooks | |
| 1994 | Junior | Willow | Ivan Reitman | |
| I Love Trouble | Mrs. Delores Beekman | Charles Shyer | ||
| 1995 | Dracula: Dead and Loving It | Essie | Mel Brooks | |
| Ripple | Gail | Jonathan Segal | Short | |
| 1997 | That Darn Cat | Lu | Bob Spiers | |
| For Richer or Poorer | Levinia Yoder | Bryan Spicer | ||
| 1998 | Meet the Deedles | Mo | Steve Boyum | |
| The Thin Pink Line | Mrs. Ledbetter | Joe Dietl & Michael Irpino | ||
| Ted | Girl Next Door | Gary Ellenberg | ||
| Runaway Rocketboy! | Judy Neutron/VOX (voices) | John A. Davis | Short | |
| 1999 | A Walk in the Park | Nurse | Alan Berger | |
| 2000 | Thumbtanic | The Servant / Rich Woman / The Wife (voices) | Todd Portugal | Short |
| 2001 | Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius | Judy Neutron/VOX (voices) | John A. Davis | |
| Three Shots | Megan | Gene Wolande | Short | |
| 2002 | Bug | Meter Maid | Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi | |
| The Ten Rules | Chris One | Lee Friedlander | Short | |
| The Blair Thumb | Stressy | Todd Portugal | Short | |
| The Godthumb | Bea / Conceited / Old Italian Woman | David Bourla | Short | |
| 2003 | Wasabi Tuna | Megan | Lee Friedlander | |
| Give or Take an Inch | Virginia | Lee Friedlander | Short | |
| 2004 | Raising Genius | Charlene Hobbs | Linda Voorhees & Bess Wiley | |
| 2005 | Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous | Shirley | John Pasquin | |
| Getting to Know You | Samantha | Liz Lachman | Short | |
| 2007 | Big Stan | Parole Board | Rob Schneider | |
| 2008 | The Last Page | Crazy Jennifer | Kevin Acevedo | Short |
| 2012 | Scrooge & Marley | Ghost of Christmas Present | Richard Knight Jr. & Peter Neville | |
| 2014 | Girltrash: All Night Long | Officer Margie | Alexandra Kondracke | |
| 2015 | The Birthday | Masked Woman #2 | Brenna Malloy | Short |
| 2018 | Freelancers Anonymous | June | Sonia Sebastián | |
| 2019 | Thumb Wars Episode IX: The Thighs of Skywalker | General Bunhead | Steve Oedekerk | |
| TBA | The Adventures of Pinocchio | Additional Voices | Viktor Lakisov |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Condition: Critical | Helene | Jerrold Freedman | TV movie |
| 1993 | Murder of Innocence | Bonnie Stevens | Tom McLoughlin | TV movie |
| A League of Their Own | Marla Hooch | Ted Bessell, Tom Hanks | 6 episodes | |
| Bob | Chris Szelinski | Michael Zinberg | 8 episodes | |
| 1994 | Tales from the Crypt | Sister Mary What's Her Name | Roland Mesa | Episode: "Operation Friendship" |
| 1995 | Friends | Luisa Gianetti | Peter Bonerz | Episode: "The One Where the Monkey Gets Away" |
| Brotherly Love | Lotus | Terry Hughes | Episode: "The Comic Con" | |
| 1996 | Roseanne | Party Guest | Gail Mancuso | Episode: "Becky Houser, M.D. |
| 1996–1997 | The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest | Julia / Kelly (voices) | Davis Doi | 6 episodes |
| 1997 | ER | Darlene | Richard Thorpe | Episode: "Obstruction of Justice" |
| Life's Work | Officer Colleen McManus | Michael Lessac | Episode: "Ride Along" | |
| 1998 | Maggie | Yoli | Michael Zinberg | Episode: "Just Shoot Him" |
| 1998–1999 | Home Improvement | Trudy McHale | Andrew Tsao, Peter Bonerz | 5 episodes |
| 1999 | Thumb Wars | Fighter Pilot #2 (voice) | Steve Oedekerk | TV Short |
| Smart Guy | Coach Frayda | Joe Regalbuto | Episode: "I Was a Teenage Sports Wife" | |
| 2000 | Will & Grace | Terry | James Burrows | Episode: "Girl Trouble" |
| The Expendables | Prison Warden | Janet Meyers | TV movie | |
| 2000–2001 | Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius shorts | Judy Neutron/VOX (voices) | John A. Davis | 4 episodes |
| 2002 | The West Wing | Voting Shortcut | Lesli Linka Glatter | Episode: "Election Night" |
| The Bold and the Beautiful | Caller #2 | Michael Stich | 1 episode | |
| Boston Public | Arlene Sanford | Episode: "Chapter Forty-Six" | ||
| 2002–2006 | The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius | Judy Neutron/VOX (voices) | John A. Davis, Keith Alcorn | 43 episodes |
| 2003 | John Doe | Madeline | Bryan Spicer | Episode: "Family Man" |
| Just Shoot Me! | Marjorie | Pamela Fryman | Episode: "My Fair Finchy" | |
| 2004 | Win, Lose and Kaboom | Judy Neutron/Mrs. Vortex (voices) | Mike Gasaway | TV movie |
| 2004–2006 | The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour | Judy Neutron (voice) | Butch Hartman | TV Mini-Series |
| 2004 | Attack of the Twonkies | Judy Neutron (voice) | Keith Alcorn | TV movie |
| 2007–2008 | Tak and the Power of Juju | Slog (voice) | Jim Schumann, Heiko Von Drengenberg | 6 episodes |
| 2007–2011 | Exes and Ohs | Chris | Gary Harvey, James Genn | 14 episodes |
| 2008–2010 | The Mighty B! | Hilary Higgenbottom (voice) | Larry Leichliter, Erik Wiese | 9 episodes |
| 2009 | Back at the Barnyard | Brunhilda (voice) | Todd Grimes & T.J. Sullivan | Episode: "Pig Amok/Sun Cow" |
| 2013–2014 | Winx Club | Queen Luna (voice) | Iginio Straffi | 6 episodes |
| 2015 | Harvard Court | Juliet | Alexis J. Estevez | Episode: "The Keys" |
| 2019 | Drunk History | Penny Marshall | Derek Waters | Episode: "Baseball" |
| 2020 | The Loud House | Stern Fan/Hockey Fan (voices) | Episode: "On Thin Ice/Room and Hoard" | |
| 2022 | Cars on the Road | Mae Pillar-Durev / Bella Cadavre (voices) | 2 episodes |
Video games
edit| Year | Title | Role | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius | Judy Neutron/VOX/Benny | Mark Bradshaw | |
| 2002 | Jimmy Neutron vs. Jimmy Negatron | Judy Neutron/VOX | Mark Bradshaw | |
| 2004 | EverQuest II | Feodra Iceslayer / Blacksmith Hegrenn / Gretta Steinbeard | James D. Mortellaro | |
| The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius: Attack of the Twonkies | Judy Neutron | |||
| 2012 | Hitman: Absolution | Additional voices | Tore Blystad & Peter Fleckenstein | |
| 2013 | Star Trek | Additional voices |
References
edit- ^ "'League's' memorable Marla continues to affect viewers". Chicago Tribune. July 4, 2013. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
- ^ a b Canby, Vincent (July 1, 1992). "For the Girls of Summer, Pop Flies and Charm School". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- ^ Rosenbaum, Jonathan (July 1992). "A League of Their Own". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
- ^ Heidemann, Jason A. (October 11, 2007), "Ex and the city", Time Out Chicago, archived from the original on December 28, 2007
- ^ Reardon, Patricia (21 August 2010). "Menopause The Musical - 'Smashing'". Stark Insider. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ^ Guthmann, Edward (March 17, 2009). "Stage work a refreshing role for Megan Cavanagh". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ^ Jones, Chad. "Spirits are blithe in Moon's 'High Spirits'". Theatre Dogs. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ^ Kogan, Rick (May 3, 1987), "Vaudeville Troupe Takes Leave of City", Chicago Tribune
