Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows Shop News Showtimes

Swoosie Kurtz

Highest Rated: 100% And the Band Played On (1993)

Lowest Rated: 24% Overboard (2018)

Birthday: Sep 6, 1944

Birthday:

Birthplace: Omaha, Nebraska, USA

The title of playwright Wendy Wasserstein's 1977 off-Broadway hit, "Uncommon Women and Others," accurately described the roles which brought original cast member Swoosie Kurtz several awards and universal renown as a character actress par excellence. In the years since she first caught theatergoers' attention with her quirky performance as a sex-obsessed Mount Holyoke graduate in Wasserstein's semi-autobiographical ensemble drama, Kurtz demonstrated her formidable range on stage, screen and television for decades to come. She made a memorable impression in a brief appearance as a world-weary prostitute in "The World According to Garp" (1982) before hitting the stage for a number of roles, including her Tony-winning performance in "The House of Blue Leaves" (1986). After several years bouncing around various mediums, Kurtz started making a name for herself as one of four "Sisters" (NBC, 1991-96) and in notable supporting roles in major features like "Liar Liar" (1997). Following rather thankless parts in "Bubble Boy" (2001) and "Rules of Attraction" (2002), she played a grieving mother confronting her daughter's killer in Broadway's "Frozen" (2004) before landing a regular series role as an ex-synchronized swimmer on "Pushing Daisies" (ABC, 2007-09) respectively. Even as she slummed by taking recurring roles in rather mediocre sitcoms like "Suddenly Susan" (NBC, 1996-2000) and "Still Standing"(CBS, 2002-06), Kurtz maintained her reputation as a critical darling and one of the finest character actresses working in the business.

Show Less Show More

Highest rated movies

100% 88% And the Band Played On
Watchlist
94% 83% Dangerous Liaisons
Watchlist
91% 50% The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom
Watchlist
87% 88% Slap Shot
Watchlist
83% 75% Liar Liar
Watchlist
81% 74% Citizen Ruth
Watchlist
79% 83% True Stories
Watchlist
71% 61% A Shock to the System
Watchlist
71% 78% The World According to Garp
Watchlist
70% 71% An Englishman in New York
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
24% 54% Overboard Grace (Character) $50.2M 2018
70% 71% An Englishman in New York Connie Clausen (Character) - 2009
No Score Yet 75% Living Proof Unknown (Character) - 2008
57% 57% Superman: Doomsday Unknown (Voice) - 2007
35% 40% Duplex Jean (Character) $9.7M 2003
44% 71% The Rules of Attraction Mrs .Jared (Character) $6.5M 2002
32% 48% Bubble Boy Mrs. Livingston (Character) $5.0M 2001
43% 51% Get Over It Beverly Landers (Character) $11.6M 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Wilde Girls Sierra Lambert (Character) - 2001
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes Binny Redwine (Character) - 2000
53% 80% Cruel Intentions Dr. Regina Greenbaum (Character) $38.6M 1999
No Score Yet 17% The White River Kid Mummy Weed (Character) - 1999
No Score Yet 100% My Own Country Hope Flanders (Character) - 1998
No Score Yet 33% Harvey Veta Simmons (Character) - 1998
25% 43% Outside Ozona Rosalee (Character) $7.4K 1998
83% 75% Liar Liar Dana Appleton (Character) $181.4M 1997
No Score Yet 27% Little Girls in Pretty Boxes Allison Bryant (Character) - 1997
81% 74% Citizen Ruth Diane (Character) $278.5K 1996
No Score Yet 92% A Promise to Carolyn Kay (Character) - 1996
No Score Yet 50% Storybook Queen Evilia (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Betrayed: A Story of Three Women Joan Bixler (Character) - 1995
No Score Yet 27% One Christmas Emily (Character) - 1994
62% 74% Reality Bites Charlane McGregor (Character) $20.0M 1994
100% 88% And the Band Played On Mrs. Johnstone (Character) - 1993
91% 50% The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom Marla Harper (Character) - 1993
No Score Yet No Score Yet Terror on Track 9 Marcia Hobbs (Character) - 1992
29% 50% Stanley & Iris Sharon (Character) $5.5M 1990
No Score Yet 60% The Image Joanne Winstow-Darvish (Character) - 1990
71% 61% A Shock to the System Leslie Marshall (Character) $2.0M 1990
57% 39% Bright Lights, Big City Megan (Character) $15.7M 1988
94% 83% Dangerous Liaisons Madame de Volanges (Character) $32.7M 1988
50% 41% Vice Versa Tina Brooks (Character) $12.2M 1988
No Score Yet 70% Baja Oklahoma Doris Steadman (Character) - 1988
79% 83% True Stories Miss Rollings (Character) $1.6M 1986
26% 50% Wildcats Verna McGrath (Character) $23.6M 1986
No Score Yet 41% Guilty Conscience Jackie Willis (Character) - 1985
64% 46% Against All Odds Edie (Character) - 1984
No Score Yet 55% A Caribbean Mystery Ruth Walter (Character) - 1983
71% 78% The World According to Garp The Hooker (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fifth of July Unknown (Character) - 1982
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Mating Season Roberta (Character) - 1980
No Score Yet No Score Yet Walking Through the Fire Caria (Character) - 1979
25% 23% Oliver's Story Gwen Simpson (Character) - 1978
No Score Yet 53% First Love Marsha (Character) - 1977
87% 88% Slap Shot Shirley Upton (Character) - 1977

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 55% Call Me Kat Sheila (Character) 2021-2023
82% 60% Bless the Harts Mee-Maw Edwards (Guest Voice) 2021
No Score Yet 75% Man With a Plan Bev (Guest Star) 2017-2020
71% 73% The Dangerous Book for Boys Tiffany (Character) 2018
No Score Yet No Score Yet Home & Family Guest 2018
89% 76% Lethal Weapon Ruthie (Guest Star) 2018
90% 87% Grace and Frankie Janet (Guest Star) 2016 2018
No Score Yet 63% Mike & Molly Joyce Flynn (Character) 2010-2016
No Score Yet 90% American Dad! Marylin Thacker (Guest Voice) 2006 2008 2010 2012-2014
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Talk Guest 2011 2013-2014
81% 88% Nurse Jackie Mrs. Scheinhorn (Guest Star) 2009 2011
90% 91% Chuck Unknown (Guest Star) 2010
11% No Score Yet Hank Unknown (Guest Star) 2009
52% 65% Heroes Unknown (Guest Star) 2009
96% 95% Pushing Daisies Lily Charles (Character) 2007-2009
78% 83% Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Judge Hilda Marsden (Guest Star) 2009
72% 89% Desperate Housewives Unknown (Guest Star) 2009
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Bonnie Hunt Show Guest 2008
No Score Yet No Score Yet Category 7: The End of the World Penny Hall (Character) 2005
No Score Yet No Score Yet Still Standing Unknown (Guest Star) 2005
86% 90% Lost Emily Locke (Guest Star) 2005
83% No Score Yet That's Life Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
36% No Score Yet The Fighting Fitzgeralds Unknown (Guest Star) 2001
44% No Score Yet Love & Money Effie Conklin (Character) 1999-2000
78% No Score Yet Armistead Maupin's More Tales of the City Unknown (Character) 1998
No Score Yet 85% ER Tina Marie Chambliss (Guest Star) 1998
No Score Yet No Score Yet Touched by an Angel Unknown (Guest Star) 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet Suddenly Susan Unknown (Guest Star) 1996-1997
11% No Score Yet Party Girl Unknown (Character) 1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sisters Alex Reed Halsey Barker (Character) 1991-1996
No Score Yet No Score Yet Hope & Gloria Unknown (Guest Star) 1995
No Score Yet No Score Yet Kojak Julie Di Nata (Guest Star) 1976