Mo Collins

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For the football player, see Mo Collins (American football).
Mo Collins
Born
Maureen Ann Collins

(1965-07-07) July 7, 1965 (age 58)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.[1]
Occupation(s)Actress, comedian
Years active1996–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2013)​

Maureen Ann Collins (born July 7, 1965)[1] is an American actress and comedian who was a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series Mad TV. Collins became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show.

She was a cast member from the 4th season (1998) through the 9th season (2004); she only appeared in fourteen episodes during season nine due to contractual reasons. She returned to Mad TV in the 10th season for one episode, and again when she made an appearance on the 300th episode doing her popular character Lorraine Swanson. Her best known role following her departure from Mad TV was as morning talk show host Joan Callamezzo on the sitcom Parks and Recreation.

The nickname Mo was first given to Collins by the football/drama coach of her junior high school whom she credits with introducing her to improv comedy.[2]

Career[edit]

Mad TV[edit]

Collins joined the cast of Mad TV at the beginning of season four and stayed until the end of season nine, though only appeared in 14 episodes during the ninth season. Her popular stint on the show led her to come back to guest star in 2005 during Season 10, in 2007 during the 300th episode on season 13, the final episode of season 14 in 2009 and the 20th anniversary reunion special in 2016.

Her most featured and arguably most popular characters were Doreen, the screechy-voiced mother of overgrown toddler Stuart (when Mo Collins left the show, Doreen was written off as being asleep after her latest alcoholic bender or never mentioned); the odd, annoying, confused middle-aged woman Lorraine, and the perpetually unlucky Trina.

Collins also did a multitude of celebrity impressions, including Pamela Anderson, Sandra Bullock, Barbara Bush, Bobbie Battista, Cher, Hillary Clinton, Courteney Cox, Paige Davis, Celine Dion, Melissa Etheridge, Judy Garland (as Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz), Jennifer Garner, Jenilee Harrison, Mary Hart, Teri Hatcher, Goldie Hawn, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Anne Heche, Catherine Hicks (as Annie from 7th Heaven), Paris Hilton, Kate Hudson, Allison Janney, Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie, Jenny Jones, Jane Kaczmarek (as Lois on a Malcolm in the Middle parody called Malcolm X in the Middle), Alex Kingston, Andrea Koppel, Jewel, Dina Lohan, Andie MacDowell, Madonna, Penny Marshall (as herself and as Laverne DeFazio from Laverne & Shirley), Audrey Meadows, Mary Tyler Moore (in several "modern-day spin" parodies of The Mary Tyler Moore Show), Alanis Morissette, Cynthia Nixon, Sharon Osbourne, Pink, Diane Sawyer, Maria Shriver, Shakira, Martha Stewart, Emily Strayer, Vonda Shepard, Sally Struthers, Concetta Tomei, Marisa Tomei, Shania Twain, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Tina Wesson.

Other work[edit]

  • She has performed her one-woman show, Mo vs. Mo, in various cities, including Los Angeles and Chicago.[3][4]
  • Collins played in the fourth Hollywood Home Game edition of the World Poker Tour for the weSPARK Cancer Support Center. She placed 4th and won $2,500.[5][6]
  • She performed with Streetmosphere at the (formerly named) Disney-MGM Studios in the Hollywood Public Works.[2]
  • She voices Jan Ors in the Star Wars: Dark Forces: The Collector's Trilogy audio drama.

Personal life[edit]

While attending St. Catherine University for visual arts, Collins was asked to leave in response to an act of graffiti she and her fellow art program friends had committed.[2]

Collins is in remission from a rare form of cancer known as gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). She was diagnosed in spring 2011 when she noticed an odd lump in her abdomen. Collins said, "I would have done nothing about it. I was 44, feeling healthy, everything was going great for me, but my fiancé, Alex said, ‘You need to get it checked out’". Collins learned she had a primary tumor in her duodenum and was able to find a doctor who knew enough about GIST to know that she needed to see a specialist.[7]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1996 Jingle All the Way Mother on Phone
2003 Detective Fiction Jennifer Hannan
2004 Jiminy Glick in Lalawood Sharon
2005 The 40-Year-Old Virgin Gina
2006 Danny Roane: First Time Director Deidra Fennigan
Puff, Puff, Pass Linda
2007 Cook Off! Van Rookle Farms Housewife
Knocked Up Female Doctor
Cougar Club Cindy Conrad
Carts Hilda
2009 Flying By Kate
2011 Division III: Football's Finest Georgia Anne Whistler
2014 Break Point Barry's Mom
2015 Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts Dispatch / Distinguished Woman Direct-to-video
2016 Dirty Grandpa Officer Finch
2017 McDick Molten Lava
2021 My Babysitter the Super Hero Kate Post-production

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1998–2016 Mad TV Various 155 episodes
2000 The Geena Davis Show Tammy Episode: "What I Like About You"
As Told by Ginger Nurse Episode: "Hello Stranger"
2000–2010 Family Guy Little Girl / Ms. Hobson / Kim Cattrall 4 episodes
2001 Just Shoot Me! Robin Episode: "The Gift Piggy"
Ally McBeal Flight Attendant Episode: "The Getaway"
Primetime Glick Various
2001–2003 Invader Zim Zita / RoboMom / Dib's Computer 13 episodes
2003 Less than Perfect Toni St. George Episode: "Claude the Terminator"
2004 Girlfriends Naisa Johnson Episode: "New York Unbound"
The Fairly OddParents Ma Speevak Episode: "Crash Nebula"
Six Feet Under Nancy Freymire Episode: "Can I Come Up Now?"
Fat Actress Female Prison Guard Episode: "Holy Lesbo Batman"
2004–2005 Arrested Development Starla 5 episodes
2005 Joey Ms. Lafferty Episode: "Joey and the ESL"
7th Heaven Ellen Episode: "Chicken Noodle Heads"
Higglytown Heroes Science Fair Judge Episode: "Kip Gets Swing Fever/Wayne's Pieces of Gold"
2005, 2017 Curb Your Enthusiasm The Nurse / Lisa Thompson 2 episodes
2005–2008 King of the Hill Ella / Melinda / Ms. Clark 4 episodes
2006–2007 Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide iTeacher 5 episodes
2007 Californication Victoria Episode: "Turn the Page"
2007 Frangela Dr. Judy Green Television film
2008 Pushing Daisies Sister Larue Episode: "Bad Habits"
2008 Chocolate News Cindy Chamberlain Episode #1.5
2008 According to Jim Emily 4 episodes
2008 David's Situation Celine Television film
2009 The Goode Family Checker / Lucy Episode: "Pilot"
2009 Modern Family Denise Episode: "En Garde"
2009–2020 Parks and Recreation Joan Callamezzo 20 episodes
2010–2011 Men of a Certain Age Laura 5 episodes
2011 Love Bites Nurse Sue Episode: "Too Much Information"
2011 Suburgatory Trish Shay Episode: "Thanksgiving"
2011 Chuck Colonel Caroline Haim Episode: "Chuck Versus the Santa Suit"
2012 The Life & Times of Tim Police Officer Episode: "Pudding Boy/The Celebrity Who Shall Remain Nameless"
2012 Phineas and Ferb Additional voices Episode: "The Mom Attractor/Cranius Maximus"
2012 Ave 43 Joy Maybower 5 episodes
2013 Pound Puppies Jen / Lenore / Pat 2 episodes
2014 The Greatest Event in Television History Ruth Episode: "Bosom Buddies"
2014 Sullivan & Son Lilly Episode: "Everybody Loved Frank"
2014–2015 Sheriff Callie's Wild West Various 30 episodes
2015 Other Space Helen Woolworth 2 episodes
2015 Pig Goat Banana Cricket Feral Ann / Sally Salad / Beautiful Woman Episode: "Gauntlet of Humiliation"
2015 Fresh Off the Boat Christa Episode: "The Big 1-2"
2015 Clash-A-Rama! Villager / Healer / Female Wallbreaker 4 episodes
2015–2021 F Is for Family Various 39 episodes
2016–2017 Lady Dynamite Susan 14 episodes
2017 Workaholics Bianca Toro Episode: "Bianca Toro"
2017 Cassandra French's Finishing School Judi 4 episodes
2017 Downward Dog Kim Episode: "Pilot"
2017 Ghosted Monica Yates Episode: "The Machine"
2017, 2019 The Stinky & Dirty Show Tractor-Sue 2 episodes
2017–2022 Puppy Dog Pals Various 29 episodes
2018 American Dad! Darlene McKinnon Episode: "The Census of the Lambs"
2018 Ghostwriter Publisher Episode: "Change Everything"
2018 Please Understand Me Maureen Episode: "Fred & Mo"
2018 Teachers Tanya Episode: "Step by Stepsister"
2018 Happy Together Alarm System Episode: "Home Insecurity"
2018–2020 Dream Corp LLC Patient 30 2 episodes
2018–2022 Fear the Walking Dead Sarah Rabinowitz 28 episodes
2020 Single Parents Lucy Cooper Episode: "The Angle-Man"
2020 Lorraine Lorraine 5 episodes
2020 Close Enough Jojo Episode: "Prank War/Cool Moms"
2023 Not Dead Yet Jane Marvel Episode: "Not a Tiger Yet"
2023 Grey's Anatomy Jessica's Mother Episode: "Training Day"
2024 Spidey and His Amazing Friends Poppy 2 episodes

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Mo Collins". AllMovie. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Logan Cummins (July 13, 2021). "The Lull Isn't a Bad Place to Be ft. Mo Collins". The Fast Friends Podcast (Podcast). Event occurs at 5:54; 7:33; 9:07. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  3. ^ "Comedy Central Stage at the Hudson". Comedy Central. June 2004. Archived from the original on June 6, 2004. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  4. ^ "SNL, MADtv acts among 110 performing at eighth annual Chicago Improv Festival now through May 1". | Reel Chicago - At the intersection of Chicago Advertising, Entertainment, Media and Production. 2005-04-22. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  5. ^ "WPT HOLLYWOOD HOME GAME IV".
  6. ^ "MO COLLINS". WPT. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  7. ^ Kristoff, Erin (April 1, 2013). "Who's laughing now? Actress Mo Collins uses humor in her battle with GIST". liferaftgroup.org. Archived from the original on September 22, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2014.

External links[edit]

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