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Marcia Strassman

Highest Rated: 76% Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)

Lowest Rated: 17% Another Stakeout (1993)

Birthday: Apr 28, 1948

Birthplace: New York, New York, USA

To music lovers, Marcia Strassman may be best known as the teen pop artist who recorded the 1967 single "The Flower Children." To fans of the small screen, she's likely remembered as Julie Kotter, the even-tempered wife of Gabe Kaplan on "Welcome Back, Kotter" (ABC 1975-79). And to cineastes the world over, she holds a special place as harried mother Diane Szalinski in the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids movies. Marcia Strassman was born on April 28, 1948, in New York City, and raised in Passaic, New Jersey. She found her way onto the stage by age 15, joining the Off Broadway production of "Best Foot Forward" in 1963, and onto television just one year later. Strassman kicked off her small screen career with a recurring role on "The Patty Duke Show" (ABC 1963-66), appearing as various characters in three episodes through the first and second seasons of the kooky family sitcom. While it wouldn't be for a number of years that Strassman would find true success in acting, the late '60s did usher of the multi-talented young woman into the music scene. In '67, Strassman pioneered her solo career with the single "The Flower Children," successful on the West Coast but an unremarkable performer nationwide. Her numbers to follow, "The Groovy World of Jack & Jill" and "Stargazer," were likewise unsuccessful, leading Strassman to leave the music industry behind in favor of acting. It didn't take long before Strassman began to earn roles of note. She made her film debut with a small role in "Changes" (1969). In 1972, she enjoyed a six-episode stint through the first season of "M*A*S*H" (CBS 1972-1983), playing Army Nurse Margie Cutler. The character acted both as an partner in crime to the mischievous Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) and Trapper McIntyre (Pernell Roberts), and an occasional object of their affections. Like the men, she served as a foil (and nuisance) for the hardnosed characters Hot Lips Houlihan and Frank Burns. Strassman's short-lived turn on "M*A*SH" gave way to a number of one-off appearances on various sitcoms and TV dramas throughout the early '70s. Her first true hit, however, would come three years after her final episode as Cutler. In 1975, Strassman costarred in the pilot episode of "Welcome Back, Kotter" (ABC 1975-79), playing the wife and impossibly patient sounding board of high school teacher Gabe Kotter, the role occupied by series creator Gabe Kaplan. Her run on "Welcome Back, Kotter" lasted the duration of the series' lifespan despite a good deal of rumored turmoil on set. Contemporaneous publications would detail reports of enmity between Strassman and Kaplan (one that, allegedly, split the "Sweathog" actors by alignments of loyalty). Backstage chaos aside, the sitcom would prove to be Strassman's most successful endeavor for many years following its cancelation in 1979. She did continue to pursue projects, notably the TV movie "Brave New World" (NBC 1980) and the little seen romantic comedy 'Soup for One' (1980), but wouldn't find veritable commercial success again for another decade. In 1984, Strassman married Robert Collector, himself a budding writer/director who'd go on to create films like "Red Heat" (1985) and "Believe in Me" (2005). The two had one child, Elizabeth, and divorced in '89. That same year, Strassman landed what would prove to be a favorite among family audiences: "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" (1989). Strassman starred as the put upon wife of Rick Moranis' zany scientist character, and the mother of the children who Moranis inadvertently shrinks with his latest invention. The box office hit sparked a like-themed sequel three years later: "Honey, I Blew Up the Kid" (1992), in which Strassman and Moranis reprised their roles. Strassman would continue to work throughout the 1990s and 2000s, though would never quite land another high-profile part, relegated instead to one-off guest appearances and occasional recurring roles on television shows. In 2007, Strassman was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, a disease that ultimately took her life on October 24, 2014.

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Highest rated movies

76% 54% Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
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38% 24% Honey, I Blew Up the Kid
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20% 45% The Aviator
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17% 28% Another Stakeout
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41% Fast Getaway
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Brave New World
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23% Reeker
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0% Looking for Mr. Right
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60% Earth Minus Zero
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Journey From Darkness
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Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet 0% Looking for Mr. Right Opal (Character) - 2014
No Score Yet 23% Reeker Rose (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet 86% The Movie Hero Blake's Mom (Character) - 2003
No Score Yet 17% Gale Force Kim Nelson (Character) - 2002
No Score Yet 60% Earth Minus Zero Debbie Heller (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul Play Dr. Trish George (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet 40% Family Reunion: A Relative Nightmare Margaret McKenna (Character) - 1995
17% 28% Another Stakeout Pam O'Hara (Character) $20.1M 1993
38% 24% Honey, I Blew Up the Kid Diane Szalinski (Character) $58.7M 1992
No Score Yet 31% And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird! Sarah Carson (Character) $402.5K 1991
No Score Yet 41% Fast Getaway Lorraine (Character) - 1991
76% 54% Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Diane Szalinski (Character) $130.2M 1989
No Score Yet No Score Yet Haunted by Her Past Rita Kamen (Character) - 1987
20% 45% The Aviator Rose Stiller (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Shadow Chasers Stella Pence (Character) - 1985
No Score Yet No Score Yet Soup for One Maria (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet Brave New World Lenina Disney (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Love Boat II Pat McFarland (Character) - 1977
No Score Yet No Score Yet Brenda Starr Kentucky Smith (Character) - 1976
No Score Yet No Score Yet Journey From Darkness Nancy (Character) - 1975
No Score Yet No Score Yet Changes Kristine (Character) - 1969

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 83% Tremors: The Series Unknown (Character) 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet Providence Unknown (Guest Star) 2002
20% No Score Yet Odd Man Out Unknown (Guest Star) 1999
No Score Yet No Score Yet Baywatch Rena Jaffe, Jordan's Mother (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet 93% Rugrats Miss Appleby (Guest Voice) 1997
No Score Yet 89% Murder, She Wrote Terry Garman Holbert (Guest Star) 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Touched by an Angel Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Booker Alicia Rudd (Character) 1989-1990
No Score Yet No Score Yet I Married Dora Unknown (Guest Star) 1987
No Score Yet 82% Amazing Stories Unknown (Character) 1987
68% No Score Yet E/R Unknown (Character) 1984
No Score Yet 95% Magnum, P.I. Dr. Karen Harmon (Guest Star) 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Rockford Files Whitney Cox (Character),
Unknown (Guest Star)
1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Welcome Back, Kotter Julie Kotter (Character) 1975-1979
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fantasy Island Unknown (Guest Star) 1978
No Score Yet No Score Yet Police Story Jacqueline (Character) 1974
No Score Yet 87% M*A*S*H Nurse Margie Cutler (Guest Star) 1972-1973
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Paul Lynde Show Karen (Guest Star) 1972