Mary Walsh (actress)

Mary Cynthia Walsh Template:Postnom<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (born May 13, 1952) is a Canadian actress, comedian, and writer.<ref name=canenc>"Mary Walsh". The Canadian Encyclopedia, January 1, 2012.</ref> She is known for her work on CODCO and This Hour Has 22 Minutes.

Early life

Walsh was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, the daughter of Mary and Leo Walsh. Leo was a merchant marine turned firefighter on commercial vessels. She is the seventh of eight children, and is of Irish ancestry.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She is a past member of Girl Guides of Canada.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Walsh studied theatre in Toronto at Ryerson University but dropped out to work with the CODCO comedy troupe on a series of stage shows, which eventually evolved into a sketch comedy series.<ref name=early>Template:Cite web</ref> The CODCO series ran from 1988 to 1993 on CBC Television.

This Hour Has 22 Minutes

In 1992, she began to work with former co-star Rick Mercer and former CODCO co-stars Cathy Jones and Greg Thomey to create a new television series called This Hour Has 22 Minutes.<ref name=early /> The show was a parody of the nightly news, and poked fun at Canadian and international politics. 22 Minutes received strong ratings during its earlier seasons and Walsh's character Marg Delahunty became famous for buttonholing politicians and submitting them to satirical interviews.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Usually Marg Delahunty would recite a scripted piece intended to humiliate the politician, often by providing criticism and "grandmotherly" advice. Sometimes Marg appeared as "Marg, Princess Warrior", a parody of the title character of Xena: Warrior Princess portrayed by Lucy Lawless. Walsh is also noted for her comical segment chronicling the Canadian Auto Workers Union's tense blockade of the Volvo Halifax Assembly plant in 1998. In 2007, she revived Marg Delahunty for the Royal Canadian Air Farce's 300th episode. On October 24, 2011, Walsh was once again in the spotlight as she reprised the role of Marg Delahunty conducting an ambush interview of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford at his home. Ford's reaction and alleged verbal abuse directed at a 911 operator made national headlines.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She also reprised Marg, Princess Warrior for an episode of the 25th season of 22 Minutes in December 2017. Marg was reprised again for National Canadian Film Day on April 16, 2025 to "Fight in the 2025 Trade War"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2020, Walsh reprised her longtime 22 Minutes character of Miss Eulalia in the CBC Gem web series Broad Appeal: Living with E's,<ref>Eric Volmers, "Mary Walsh and Cathy Jones will not go gentle into old age in web series as Mrs. Eulalia and Mrs. Enid". Calgary Herald, March 31, 2021.</ref> for which she received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Lead Performance in a Web Program or Series at the 10th Canadian Screen Awards in 2022.<ref>Brent Furdyk, "2022 Canadian Screen Award Nominees Announced, ‘Sort Of’ & ‘Scarborough’ Lead The Pack" Template:Webarchive. ET Canada, February 15, 2022.</ref>

Other work

Walsh's other television work included the short-run sitcoms Dooley Gardens (1999); Hatching, Matching and Dispatching (2006);<ref name=early /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a guest starring role as Miranda Cahill on the CBC television series Republic of Doyle.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She currently has a recurring role on CBC's Little Dog.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She created the CBC program Mary Walsh: Open Book, a talk show about books and literature, in 2003.<ref name=early /> Walsh revived the Fury family from Hatching, Matching, and Dispatching by writing and starring in A Christmas Fury<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> in 2017.

Besides TV acting, she has worked on movies such as Mambo Italiano,<ref name=early /> Geraldine's Fortune,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Rain, Drizzle and Fog,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Buried on Sunday, The Divine Ryans, Young Triffie, Violet,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and The Grand Seduction.Template:Citation needed<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2004 saw Walsh host a segment on the CBC documentary series The Greatest Canadian, in which she championed the case for Sir Frederick Banting (the Nobel prize-winning discoverer of insulin) as the greatest Canadian who ever lived.<ref name="early" />

In June 2007, she hosted the Pride Toronto Gala & Awards ceremony.

On December 15, 2007, Walsh made national news with a story about her upcoming special, Nudity, Sexuality, Violence and Coarse Language, in which a large group of people who went and stripped naked standing next to St. John's Harbour in −11 °C (12 °F) weather to be filmed as a part of the show's closing. Walsh herself did not go nude.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2017, Walsh published her debut novel, Crying for the Moon.<ref>"Mary Walsh adds new novel to creative resume". The Vancouver Sun, May 3, 2017.</ref>

Directing

Walsh made her feature directorial debut with the 2007 movie Young Triffie.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She was the first Newfoundlander in six years to have a film in general release across Canada.

Personal life

Walsh has battled alcoholism.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Toronto Star reported that the end of CODCO coincided with the end of Walsh's active alcoholism, with Walsh stating "which was a damn good thing because I could have never done This Hour Has 22 Minutes if I'd been drinking."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Honours

Performing arts

She won Best Supporting Actress at the Atlantic Film Festival in 1992 for her performance in Mike Jones' Secret Nation.<ref name=canenc/>

On November 4, 2006, Walsh and Ed MacDonald picked up a Gemini Award for the best writing in a comedy or variety program for their work in Hatching, Matching and Dispatching.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

She has won 18 Gemini Awards.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards in 2021, for the film Happy Place.<ref>Zach Harper, "'Schitt's Creek' and 'Kim's Convenience' win big at 2021 Canadian Screen Awards". Hello! Canada, May 21, 2021.</ref>

Walsh received a Governor General's Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts, in 2012.<ref name="GG">Template:Cite news</ref>

At the 2025 Atlantic International Film Festival, she won the Joan Orenstein & David Renton Award for Outstanding Performance in Acting, for her performance in Dancing on the Elephant.<ref>Andrew Tracy, "Sk+te’kmujue’katik, Little Lorraine top award winners at AIFF". Playback, September 15, 2025.</ref>

Charity and activism

A sufferer of macular degeneration,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> she has served from time to time as a spokesperson for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB).

In 1993, Walsh was chosen to deliver the prestigious Graham Spry lecture which was broadcast nationally on CBC Radio.<ref name=canenc/>

In 1994, Walsh addressed the United Nations Global Conference on Development in New York. She has also served as a spokesperson for Oxfam, Canada's human rights campaign, and in 2010 received Oxfam's Spirit of Change Award, in recognition of her years of dedication to eradicating poverty and ensuring public services for all.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On May 29, 1998, Mary Walsh received an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Trent University.<ref>Trentu.ca</ref>

McGill University honoured Walsh with an honorary doctorate during the November 2008 convocation ceremony.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her speech to the class of 2008 focused on political satire.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

National Honours

Mary Walsh was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada on 27 April 2000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This gave her the Post Nominal Letters "CM" for Life. She was awarded the Canadian Version of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She was awarded the Canadian Version of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Filmography

Film

Film
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1976	Dolly Cake	N/A	Short film Writer
1983	Stations
1986	The Adventure of Faustus Bidgood	Heady Nolan	Production manager Casting director
1992	Buried on Sunday	2nd Biker
	Secret Nation	Oona Vokey
1998	Extraordinary Visitor	Marietta
1998	Rain Drizzle and Fog	Herself	Documentary
1999	New Waterford Girl	Cookie Pottie
	The Divine Ryans	Aunt Phil Ryans
2000	Violet	Violet O'Brien
2001	The Frank Truth	Herself	Documentary
	Tommy... A Family Portrait	Herself	Documentary
2003	Behind the Red Door	Anna
	Mambo Italiano	Lina Paventi
2004	Geraldine's Fortune	Rose Owens
2005	Bailey's Billion$	N/A	Co-writer
2007	Young Triffie	Aunt Millie Bishop	Also known as:Young Triffie's Been Made Away With Director Producer
2009	Crackie	Bride
	Grown Up Movie Star	Receptionist
2010	Poor No More	Herself/host
2012	Imaginary Heroine		Short film Writer
2013	The Grand Seduction	Vera
	Incident at Elysian Fields	Yvonne	Short film
2014	How to Be Deadly	Dot Power
2015	Closet Monster	Allison
2016	The Inn Of Olde	Sadie	Short Film
2019	Radical		Short film
	Apocalyptic Rant	Marg Delahunty	Short film
2020	Happy Place	Mildred
2021	Dad and the Fridge Box	N/A	Writer Producer
2023	Sweetland	Queenie
2024	Deaner '89	May
2025	Dancing on the Elephant	Edna

Television

Television
Year	Title	Role	Notes
1974	Cod on a Stick	Various
1975	Peep Show	Various	Part of CODCO
1978	The Root Seller	Various	6 episodes Writer - 6 episodes
1980	Up at Ours	Verna Ball	Miniseries
1980-1983	Wonderful Grand Band	Various
1986–1989	CODCO	Various	35 episodes Writer - 35 episodes Producer - 21 episodes
1992	The Boys of St. Vincent: 15 Years Later	Lenora Pardy	Miniseries
1993–2013	This Hour Has 22 Minutes	Various	122 Episodes
1995-1997	The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon	Willomena / Princess	3 episodes
1996	Genie Awards	Herself/host	TV special
1997	The New Adventures of Robin Hood	Police Guard #1	Season 2 episode 9: "Outlaw Express"
	Major Crime	Patty Reckles	TV movie
1998	Emily of New Moon	Miss Pick	Season 2 episode 6: "By the Rivers of Babylon"
1998–1999	The Rosie O'Donnell Show	N/A	Writer - 193 Episodes
1999	Lexx	Heedia	Season 2 episode 13: "Twilight"
	Dooley Gardens	Marilyn Benoit	7 Episodes
	Life and Times	Herself	Season 4 episode 1: "Mary Walsh: Princess Warrior
2000	Our Daily Bread	Edna Barkhouse	TV movie
2002	The Joke's on Us: 50 Years of CBC Satire	Herself	Documentary
	Bleacher Bums	Rose	TV movie
	Random Passage	Mrs. Armstrong	Miniseries
2003	The Strategic Humour Initiative	Herself/co-host
2003-2004	Mary Walsh: Open Book	Host	Writer Producer
2004	The Greatest Canadian	Herself	Advocate for Sir Frederick Banting
2005–2006	Hatching, Matching and Dispatching	Mamie Lou Furey	Writer Producer
2006	The Wind in the Willows	Washerwoman	TV movie
2007	Who Do you Think You Are?	Herself	Episode 7: "Mary Walsh"
2008	Sophie	Sarah Sloane	Season 1 episode 12: "Read the Signs"
	Gossip	Carolyn Johnson Wright	TV movie
	The Quality of Life	Katherine Greenborne	TV movie
2009	Murdoch Mysteries	Sally Smoot	Season 2 episode 6: "Shades of Grey"
2010	Great Canadian Books	Herself	2 episodes
2010–2014	Republic of Doyle	Miranda Cahill	2 episodes
2012	Little Mosque on the Prairie	Mayor Glenda Beckford	Season 6 episode 8: "Finders Weepers"
2014–2016	Sensitive Skin	Sarah Thorn	2 episodes
2015	Rookie Blue	Odelle	Season 6 episode 3: "Uprising"
2016	Slasher	Verna McBride	Season 1: The Executioner Episode 1: "An Eye for an Eye"
2017	A Christmas Fury	Mamie Lou Fur	TV movie Writer
2018	Little Dog	Tucker	12 episodes
2020	Hudson & Rex	Vicky Gumble	Season 2 episode 13: "In Pod We Trust"
	Canada's Drag Race	Herself/Guest Host	Season 1 episode 5: "Snatch Game"
2020–2021	Broad Appeal: Living with E's	Miss Eulalia
2021–present	The Missus Downstairs	The Missus	Writer Producer Director
2024	Resident Alien	Patty Baker	2 episodes

Bibliography

Crying for the Moon: A Novel (April 18, 2017 HarperCollins, Template:ISBN)

External links

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