Are there any actresses that always play strange or weird characters that you've noticed in films?
Two spring to my mind...
Siobhan Fallon: She's the weird one who played Edgar's wife in "Men In Black". She was also the bus driver in Forrest Gump. I always see her in the strangest roles. Maybe it's the way she talks. I was shocked to find out that she's only 2 years older than me! She's 31. She looks like she's pushing 45 or so. And I haven't the foggiest as to how to pronounce her first name.
Another is Lin Shaye.
You might remember her as the nasty landlady in "Kingpin" or the horrible mom in "Detroit Rock City". She always seems to take odd little roles where she's either a total b***h or the most disgusting person in the movie like in "There's Something About Mary".
I'm sure both of these women are very nice people, they just choose extremely odd roles!
Any other really weird actresses you can think of?
Post Edited (10-30-03 20:14)
Edie McClurg she has a voice that induces the same up the spine reaction as nails on a chalk board.
I remember the first time of seen Edie McClurg was on the David Letterman show. I believe it was when Letterman had his daytime show. She is truely an odd lady. In fact bizarre. Geezer can you name any films that she has done?
She has been in a lot of movies and tv shows. I guess my favorite is when she was working the car rental counter in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Steve Martin comes back in after he finds the car he rented is missing and she is gabbing on the phone and ignoring him. He starts ranting F *** this and F*** that , then asks her what she is going to do about it and she says calmly "You're F***ed "
Edie McClurg was Mr. Rooney's secretary on "Ferris Bueller".
And who could forget her as the wife with the purple hair in "Natural Born Killers"!
Is McClurg her real name?
I have no idea. By the way, she also played Herb Tarlick's wife on WKRP in Cincinnati.
trek geezer do you remember when David Letterman had his show when he first started on network television in the early 80's? I forget how long it lasted, but I remember it was canceled and he was brought back after acouple years at night. Even then I think he was just filling in for Carson. Edie McClurg was one of his early regular guest.
I really don't remember Letterman being on during the day , but since I was usually at work I would never have seen it. In fact I just saw something on tv recently and the mentioned his day time show and it surprised me. He has always had his cast of wierdos. I think some of them followed him over to CBS.
Chris Elliot and Larry "bud" Mellman were good ones.
What was the name of the show Chris Elliot did on Fox ? He was like the world's oldest paperboy or something like that. I believe he and Brian Doyle Murray were supposed to be brothers.
It was called "GET A LIFE". Unfortunately I didn't have a chance to see even one episode.
I liked when did the "man under the stairs" and CABIN BOY was a fun film. Letterman did a cameo. I used to be such a fan of Letterman, but the hours are just to late at night to ever get back into what he was or is doing.
Are you sure you're not thinking of John Waters-regular Edith Massey? Even if not, she's definitely a bizarre actress!
Karen Black always seems to play a weirdo.
>Edie McClurg was Mr. Rooney's secretary on "Ferris Bueller".
Edie McClurg was Bonnie Brindle, the annoying next door neighbor on Small Wonder. "Hiiii-Yeee"
The "Siobhan" is pronounced "Shevaun"; it's the Irish version of the name. 31 or 45 or what, I think she has a nice nose, which is a big saving grace.
I definitely wouldn't let Elina Lowensohn babysit for me. She *may * be a very warm sweet person in real life, but I don't think I want to chance it.
Nancy Parsons - Miss Balbricker in the Porkies movies.
Zelda Rubenstein - Tangina from Poltergeist
I just love Nancy Parsons -- she also has a great great part as Rory Calhoun's daughter in "Motel Hell" (It takes all kinds of critters to make farmer (someone's) fritters).
I spent the better part of an afternoon once with Edie McClurg when I was recording the radio version of "Wizard of Oz" -- she plays Mrs. Stork. Very nice & funny in person. Had an enormous handbag that resembled a giant skunk -- zipper down its back. We mostly chatted about the project at hand -- didn't ask her for any John Candy stories, though "Planes/Trains" is really an excellent screen comedy -- saw it again just recently on latenight.
My new favorite weird actress is that one whose name I forget who has most recently been seen as the publicist-without-a-brain in "A Mighty Wind". She's done lots of oddball stuff, usually with an ethnic bent.
I'm having the worst time with names tonight!: I'm thinking of a British character actress who specialized in these bug-eyed villager eccentrics -- last seen as one of the little old ladies in Brooks' "The Producers", but a bit player in countless Universal & MGM films -- damn! She looks a bit like Maggie Smith, & was famously frightened by the Frankenstein monster in Ghost of(?). Did this stuttering chicken bit when frightened. Oh, well . . .
peter johnson
Ammanda Plummer.
Selma Blair. I heart her, but she's weird as all hell.
Birdsweat! I know exactly who you mean - she manifested a Scottish accent, IIRC. Cannot remember her name, though.
peter johnson wrote:
> My new favorite weird actress is that one whose name I forget
> who has most recently been seen as the
> publicist-without-a-brain in "A Mighty Wind".
Jennifer Coolidge. Seeing her in A Mighty Wind, it's hard to believe she was also Stifler's mom in the American Pie movies.
Neville wrote:
> Ammanda Plummer.
>
No argument there! Don't get me wrong, I think Amanda is cool but sometimes I wonder how much she has in common with the characters she plays.
Britney Murphy seems to like playing weirdos.
Alice Krige
And that one with the ice-blue eyes - I could never tell where she was looking. A Kirstie Alley look-a-like. But spookier.
>And that one with the ice-blue eyes
Meg Foster
How can no one mention Shawnee Smith!!!
I must have seen CARRIE about 12 times. The other day, I bought the DVD and realized, for the first time, that a very young Edie McClurg plays the part of Helen!