name	Julie Kavner
birth name	Julie Deborah Kavner
birth date	September 07, 1950
birth place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
occupation	ActressComedienneVoice artist
years active	1974–present }}

Julie Deborah Kavner (born September 7, 1950) is an American film and television actress, comedian and voice artist. Noted for her role as Marge Simpson on the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', she also voices other characters for the show, including Patty and Selma Bouvier.

Born in Los Angeles, Kavner grew up in Southern California, attending Beverly Hills High School and later San Diego State University. Known for her improvisation and distinctive "honeyed gravel voice," Kavner was cast in her first professional acting role as Brenda Morgenstern in ''Rhoda'' in 1974. She received a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award in 1978 and several more award nominations for playing the character. Following ''Rhoda'', Kavner was cast in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', which debuted in 1987. ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' included a series of animated shorts about a dysfunctional family. Voices were needed for the shorts, so the producers decided to ask Kavner to voice Marge. The shorts would eventually be spun off into ''The Simpsons''.

Kavner has been described as "nearly reclusive"; part of her contract says that she will never have to promote ''The Simpsons'' on video. For her work as Marge, Kavner received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance in 1992 and an Annie Award nomination for her performance as the character in ''The Simpsons Movie''.

Typically cast as a "woman who is supportive, sympathetic or self-effacingly funny," Kavner grew to dislike playing such roles. In 1992, she starred in ''This Is My Life'', her first leading role in a feature film. Kavner has also appeared in live-action roles in seven films written by Woody Allen, and in the Adam Sandler comedy ''Click''.

Early life

Kavner was born in Los Angeles, California on September 7, 1950, the second daughter of Rose, a family counselor, and David Kavner, a furniture manufacturer. She decided to pursue a career in acting because, "There was nothing else I wanted to do, ever." She attended Beverly Hills High School, which she later admitted she hated. She was "something of a loner" in high school and unsuccessfully tried out for several plays. John Ingle, formerly the chairman of the Beverly Hills High School art department, later commented that Kavner was "excellent at improvisation but she wasn't an ingenue and not that castable at that age."

After graduating from high school, Kavner attended San Diego State University and majored in Drama. Kavner was cast in several productions at the University, such as a role as Charlotte Corday in ''Marat/Sade''. She became known for her improvisation and ability to do both comedy and drama. She graduated in 1971 and got a day job as a typist at the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture.

Career

Early career

In 1973 Kavner auditioned for a role as one of Rhoda Morgenstern's sisters in ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show''. David Davis, producer of the show, had convinced her to audition for the part, but decided to cast another actress instead. A year later, Rhoda Morgenstern became the leading character in a spin-off called ''Rhoda''. Kavner was cast in her first professional acting role as Brenda Morgenstern, sister of the eponymous character. ''Rhoda'' debuted on CBS on September 9, 1974 and was cancelled in December 1978. She received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for playing Brenda, and won the award in 1978. She also received four Golden Globe Award nominations. In 1975, she received Daytime Emmy Award nomination for her starring role in the daytime special ''The Girl Who Couldn't Lose''.

Following ''Rhoda'', Kavner had a guest appearance on ''Taxi'' appeared in the 1985 comedy ''Bad Medicine'' and the 1987 film ''Surrender'', both of which were box office failures. She appeared in the television movies ''Revenge of the Stepford Wives'', ''No Other Love'' and ''A Fine Romance'', and shot a television pilot. She also starred in several stage plays, including a play called ''It Had to be You'' at a dinner theater in Canada, ''Particular Friendships'' in New York in 1981, and ''Two for the Seesaw'', directed by Burt Reynolds. Woody Allen first saw Kavner one night while he was watching ''Rhoda'' in the 1970s. He thought that she was remarkable and later offered her a role in his 1986 film ''Hannah and Her Sisters''. Kavner agreed, and credits Allen and the film with rejuvenating her career.

Kavner was then cast as a sidekick to Tracey Ullman in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', which debuted on Fox in 1987. Kavner described the show as, "like being back in school, a chance to play a wide variety of characters, some really vicious people, to not rest on laurels, to not play it safe." Kavner commented, "What I do is not mimicry or an impersonation, but more of an assimilation. [On ''The Tracey Ullman Show''] we did a lot of looking at people to find out who to base our characters on. We did our homework on our lunch hour." She received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Best Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program.

''The Simpsons''

Kavner became most famous for her role as Marge Simpson on the animated television show ''The Simpsons'', a show that continues to the present. ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' included a series of animated shorts about the dysfunctional Simpson family. Voices were needed for the shorts, so the producers decided to ask Kavner and fellow cast member Dan Castellaneta to voice Marge and Homer rather than hire more actors. Kavner has what Hilary de Vries of ''The New York Times'' described as a "honeyed gravel voice". Kavner says her distinctive voice is due to "a bump on [her] vocal cords." Marge's raspy voice is only slightly different from Kavner's.

Although Marge is her most famous character, Kavner's favorite characters to voice are her sisters Patty and Selma Bouvier because "they're really funny and sad at the same time." Series creator Matt Groening instructed Kavner to voice the duo as characters who "suck the life out of everything." Both have similar raspy voices, but Patty's voice is more masculine and has a lower register, while Selma's voice is a little sweeter. Kavner also provides the voices of every other female member of the Bouvier family, including Marge's mother Jacqueline.

Part of Kavner's contract says that she will never have to promote ''The Simpsons'' on video and she rarely performs Marge's voice in public because she believes it "destroys the illusion. People feel these are real people." Kavner takes recording sessions seriously and feels that voice acting is, "a little more limiting than live acting. And I have nothing to do with my character's movement." Nancy Cartwright, who voices Bart Simpson, said in her book ''My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy'' that Kavner is "a workhorse of an actor" with "extraordinary professionalism and quiet work ethic," and notes that she is rarely late for recording sessions.

Until 1998, Kavner was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing to cast new voices. However, the dispute was soon resolved and she received $125,000 per episode until 2004 when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode. The issue was resolved a month later, and Kavner earned $250,000 per episode. After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.

At the 44th Primetime Emmy Awards, Kavner received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for voicing Marge in the season three episode "I Married Marge". In 2004, Kavner and Dan Castellaneta won a Young Artist Award for "Most Popular Mom & Dad in a TV Series". For her performance in ''The Simpsons Movie'', Kavner was nominated for "Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature" at the 2007 Annie Awards, but lost to Ian Holm from ''Ratatouille''. Kavner's emotional performance in the movie got positive reviews and one critic said she "gave what must be the most heartfelt performance ever to find its way into a movie based on an irreverent cartoon." Some scenes in the movie, such as Marge's emotional video message to Homer, were recorded over one hundred times, leaving Kavner exhausted.

Further career

Many of Kavner's roles have been described by ''New York Times'' writer Hilary de Vries as a "woman who is supportive, sympathetic or self-effacingly funny." Kavner grew to despise playing such roles, saying "If it smacks of Brenda Morgenstern, I won't take the job." She had a supporting role as Eleanor Costello, a nurse who befriends Robin Williams' character in the Academy Award nominated film ''Awakenings''. Kavner interviewed several nurses in preparation for the role and Penny Marshall, the director of the film, described Kavner as "a low-maintenance actor [...] You never have to worry about giving [her] back-story for her characters." In 1992, Kavner starred in ''This Is My Life'', her first leading role in a feature film. Kavner played Dottie Ingels, an aspiring stand-up comedian who starts neglecting her family when her career begins to take off. Kavner described Dottie as "really selfish" but admitted, "I liked the role for that very reason." Kavner had been asked to play a character with a smaller role in the film, but Joe Roth, at the time the chairman of 20th Century Fox, suggested that they cast a lesser known actress in the lead role. Nora Ephron, the writer of ''This Is My Life'' said Kavner, "has so little vanity that it is almost shocking. Not only does she have no demands as an actress—'How big is my trailer, what's in my refrigerator?'—but she will do anything for the character if it makes sense to her."

Kavner has frequently appeared in Woody Allen films, having roles in ''Hannah and Her Sisters'' (1986), ''Radio Days'' (1987), ''New York Stories'' (1989), ''Alice'' (1990), ''Shadows and Fog'' (1991), the television movie ''Don't Drink the Water'' (1994) and ''Deconstructing Harry'' (1997). Allen described her as "a naturally funny person. When she does a scene you listen to her and look at her and the prism through which it's all filtered is funny." Kavner believes he is "a true film-maker, one that has something to say, continually experimenting on different themes within his own film- making," adding that "anything [Allen] ever does, I always want to do, [...] I don't even have to read it."

She has done voice-over work in films such as ''The Lion King 1½'', ''Dr. Dolittle'' and an uncredited role as an announcer in ''A Walk on the Moon''. Her most recent live-action film was a role of the mother of Adam Sandler's character in ''Click''. She has also worked with Tracey Ullman in the HBO sketch comedy series ''Tracey Takes On...''.

Personal life

Kavner leads a private, "nearly reclusive" life, "discreet and guarded beyond the usual reticent star routine." She rarely makes public appearances and refuses to allow herself to be photographed at work. Her partner is retired producer David Davis; they have lived together since 1976. In a 1992 interview with ''The New York Times'', Kavner said she was considering retiring, "except for doing three days a year for [Woody Allen]," but felt that if she did retire, she would receive a script she wanted "to do more than life itself".

Filmography

Films

! Year	! Film	! Role	! Notes
1982	''National Lampoon Goes to the Movies''	Mrs. Falcone
1985		Cookie Katz
1986	''Hannah and Her Sisters''	Gail
	''Radio Days''	Mother
	Ronnie
1989	''New York Stories''	Treva
	''Awakenings''	Eleanor Costello
	Decorator
1991	''Shadows and Fog''	Alma
1992		Dottie Ingels
1994	''I'll Do Anything''	Nan Mulhanney
1995	''Forget Paris''	Lucy
1997	''Deconstructing Harry''	GraceHarry's character
1998		Female pigeon
	''Judy Berlin''	Marie
''A Walk on the Moon''	P.A. Announcer
''Story of a Bad Boy''	Elaine
2001		Furry animal
	''Barn Red''	Unnamed character
''The Lion King 1½''	Ma	Direct-to-DVD release
''Behind the Legend: Timon''	Ma	Direct-to-DVD release; uncredited
2006		Trudy Newman
2007	''The Simpsons Movie''	Marge Simpson

Television

! Year	! Show	! Role	! Notes
1974–1978	''Rhoda''	Brenda Morgenstern	Appeared in all 110 episodes;Won one Primetime Emmy Award; nominated for three moreNominated for four Golden Globes
	''The ABC Afternoon Playbreak''	Jane Darwin	Episode 3.4: "The Girl Who Couldn't Lose"
	Margot Weiss Goldman	TV film
''Petrocelli''	Unnamed character	Episode 2.6: "To See No Evil"
1976	''Bert D'Angelo/Superstar''	Unnamed character	Episode 1.4: "The Brown Horse Connection"
1977		Alice	Episode 1.11: "Housewarming"
1979	''No Other Love''	Janet Michaels	TV film
	''Revenge of the Stepford Wives''	Megan Brady	TV film
	Monica Banta Douglas	Episode 3.2: "Tony's Sister and Jim"
1983	''A Fine Romance''	Laura Prescott	TV film
1987–1989	''The Tracey Ullman Show''	Various characters	Nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards
1989-present	''The Simpsons''	Marge SimpsonPatty and Selma BouvierAdditional voices	Longest-running role;Won Primetime Emmy Award
	''Sibs''	Unnamed character	Episode 1.13: "Honey, I Shrunk My Head"
''To the Moon, Alice''	Sitcom Producer	TV film
	''Birdland''	Madeline Diamond	Episode 1.5: "Grand Delusion"
	Marion Hollander	TV film
1996	''Jake's Women''	Karen	TV film
1996–1999	''Tracey Takes On...''	Various characters	Appeared in numerous episodes

Video games

''The Simpsons'' (1991) - Marge Simpson

''The Simpsons Cartoon Studio'' (1996) - Marge Simpson

''Virtual Springfield'' (1997) - Marge Simpson, Patty and Selma Bouvier

''Simpsons Bowling'' (1999) - Marge Simpson, Patty and Selma Bouvier

''The Simpsons Wrestling'' (2001) - Marge Simpson

''The Simpsons Road Rage'' (2001) - Marge Simpson

''The Simpsons Skateboarding'' (2002) - Marge Simpson

''The Simpsons Hit & Run'' (2003) - Marge Simpson, Patty and Selma Bouvier

''The Simpsons Game'' (2007) - Marge Simpson, Patty and Selma Bouvier

Awards

Year	Award	Category	Role	Series/film	Result
1975	Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series	Brenda Morgenstern	''Rhoda''
1975	Golden Globe Award	Best Supporting Actress – Television	Brenda Morgenstern	''Rhoda''
1975	Daytime Emmy Award	Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Special	Jane Darwin	''The Girl Who Couldn't Lose''
1976	Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series	Brenda Morgenstern	''Rhoda''
1976	Golden Globe Award	Best Supporting Actress – Television	Brenda Morgenstern	''Rhoda''
1977	Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series	Brenda Morgenstern	''Rhoda''
1977	Golden Globe Award	Best Supporting Actress – Television	Brenda Morgenstern	''Rhoda''
1978	Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series	Brenda Morgenstern	''Rhoda''
1978	Golden Globe Award	Best Television Actress in a Supporting Role	Brenda Morgenstern	''Rhoda''
1987	Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program	Various	''The Tracey Ullman Show''
1988	Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program	Various	''The Tracey Ullman Show''
1989	Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program	Various	''The Tracey Ullman Show''
1990	Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program	Various	''The Tracey Ullman Show''
1992	Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Voice-Over Performance	Marge Simpson	''The Simpsons''
2004	Young Artist Award	Most Popular Mom & Pop in a Television Series	Marge Simpson	''The Simpsons''
2008	Annie Award	Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production	Marge Simpson	''The Simpsons Movie''

References

External links

Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:American voice actors Category:Actors from Los Angeles, California Category:Emmy Award winners Category:San Diego State University alumni Category:Women comedians

cs:Julie Kavnerová da:Julie Kavner de:Julie Kavner es:Julie Kavner fr:Julie Kavner ko:줄리 캐브너 id:Julie Kavner it:Julie Kavner he:ג'ולי קאוונר ms:Julie Kavner ja:ジュリー・カブナー no:Julie Kavner pt:Julie Kavner ru:Кавнер, Джулия simple:Julie Kavner sr:Џули Кавнер sh:Julie Kavner fi:Julie Kavner sv:Julie Kavner tl:Julie Kavner tr:Julie Kavner zh:朱莉·凯夫纳

name	Tracey Ullman
birth date	December 30, 1959
birth place	Slough, Buckinghamshire (now Berkshire), England, UK
birth name	Trace Ullman
nationality	British / American
spouse	Allan McKeown (1983–present; 2 children)
notable work	Various in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' Rosalie Boca in ''I Love You To Death'' Eden Brent in ''Bullets Over Broadway'' Various in ''Tracey Takes On...'' Frenchy in ''Small Time Crooks'' Sylvia Stickles in ''A Dirty Shame'' Various in ''Tracey Ullman's State of the Union''
genre	Comedy, sketch-comedy, social commentary, satire, character comedy
active	1980–present
Signature	Tracey Ullman Autograph.gif

}}

Tracey Ullman (born 30 December 1959) is a British stage and television actress, comedienne, singer, dancer, screenwriter and author.

Her early appearances were on British TV sketch comedy shows ''A Kick Up the Eighties'' (with Rik Mayall and Miriam Margolyes) and ''Three of a Kind'' (with Lenny Henry and David Copperfield). After a brief but high-profile singing career, she appeared as Candice Valentine in ''Girls On Top'' with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.

She emigrated from the UK to the US and created her own network television series, ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', from 1987 until 1990, from which ''The Simpsons'' was spun off in 1989. She later produced programs for HBO, including ''Tracey Takes On...'' (1996–1999), for which she has won numerous awards. She has also appeared in several feature films. Ullman's most recent sketch comedy series, ''Tracey Ullman's State of the Union'', ran from 2008 to 2010 on Showtime.

Early life

Ullman was born Trace Ullman in Slough, Buckinghamshire (now in Berkshire), the daughter of Dorin and Antony Ullman, a solicitor. Ullman later recalled, "My real name is Trace Ullman, but I added the 'y.' My mother said it was spelled the American way, but I don't think she can spell! I always wanted a middle name. My mum used to tell me it was Mary but I never believed her. I looked on my birth certificate and I didn't have one, just Trace Ullman." Ullman's mother was British and her father was a Polish soldier evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940, subsequently working as a furniture salesman and travel agent. When she was six, Ullman's father died of a heart attack while reading her a bedtime story. He was 50 years old. In an effort to cheer up her family, Tracey recounts putting on shows in her mother's bedroom, performing alongside her older sister, Patti. That first show was entitled ''The Patti Ullman Show''. "I was a spin-off!" recalled Ullman. In her nightly performances she mimicked anyone and everyone, including neighbours, family members, friends, even celebrities. Soon after, Ullman's mother remarried.

At the age of 12, a headmaster saw Ullman's future potential, and recommended her to the Italia Conti Academy stage school. Although the school gave Ullman her first taste of the stage, she does not look back on it fondly.

At the age of 16, Ullman began finding jobs as a dancer, and soon landed a role in ''Gigi'' in Berlin. Upon returning to England, she joined the "Second Generation" dance troupe. She also began appearing in variety shows.

The exposure led to her casting in numerous West End musicals, including ''Grease'', and ''The Rocky Horror Show''. During this time Ullman was cast in a play at London's Royal Court Theatre for an improvised play about club acts. Entering the competition, Ullman created the character Beverly, a born-again Christian chanteuse. The performance was a big hit and she won the "Best Newcomer Award". The BBC became interested and offered her the chance to star in her own show. In 1983, Ullman took part in the workshops for Andrew Lloyd-Webber's upcoming musical, ''Starlight Express'', playing the part of Pearl.

Music career

In 1983, Ullman succeeded as a singer on the punk label Stiff Records, although her style was more comic romantic than punk. She had six songs in the UK Top 100 in less than two years. Her 1983 debut album, ''You Broke My Heart in 17 Places'', featured her first hit single, "Breakaway" (famous for her performance with a hairbrush as a microphone); the international hit cover version of label-mate Kirsty MacColl's "They Don't Know" went to #2 in the UK, and #8 in the U.S. MacColl sang backing vocals on Ullman's version. It would later become the theme song to Ullman's later television series, ''Tracey Takes On...''.

Follow-up singles, a cover of Doris Day's "Move Over Darling", which reached #8 in the UK, and the cover of Madness' "My Girl", which Ullman changed to "My Guy's Mad at Me", were released. (The "My Guy" video featured the British Labour Party politician Neil Kinnock, at the time the Leader of the Opposition)

Ullman's songs were over-the-top evocations of 1960s and 1970s pop music with a 1980s edge, "somewhere between Minnie Mouse and The Supremes" as Britain's ''Melody Maker'' put it, or "retro before retro was cool", as a retrospective reviewer wrote in 2002. Her career received another boost when the video for "They Don't Know" featured a cameo from Paul McCartney; at the time Ullman was filming a minor role in McCartney's film ''Give My Regards to Broad Street''. Ullman released her second and last album, ''You Caught Me Out'', in 1984.

Her final hit, "Sunglasses" (1984), featured comedian Adrian Edmondson in its music video. During this time, she also appeared as a guest VJ on MTV in the United States.

In her HBO stand-up special, ''Tracey Ullman: Live and Exposed'', Ullman recreated her music career, recounting how she entered the business, and why she left it. Performances of many of her hit singles were also performed in front of an audience for the performance. In October 2006, Ullman took part in the BBC Four documentary series, ''If It Ain't Stiff'', a mini-series dedicated to the history of the label. A new "remastered" version of ''...17 Places'' was released in 2007.

Television career

Early years

Along with her stint in the music world, Ullman began working in television. Between 1981 and 1984 she starred in sketch comedies ''A Kick Up the Eighties'' and ''Three of a Kind'' for the BBC. In 1985, she donned a blond wig and took the role of a promiscuous gold digger named "Candice Valentine" on the ITV sitcom ''Girls On Top''. She left after one season, due to being pregnant and giving birth to her first child in 1986.

At this point, US television beckoned, and renowned television producer James L. Brooks came calling. The two had discussed working together previously, but it was not until 1987 that they created ''The Tracey Ullman Show''. Ullman played a variety of characters, completely unrecognizable with the help of makeup, prosthetics, and padding. The show was the first commercial hit for then unknown Fox channel. Paula Abdul served as the show's choreographer. The then-unknown Abdul even used her early music recordings for the series' strenuous dance numbers.

''The Tracey Ullman Show'' earned four Emmys and spawned ''The Simpsons'', which was featured in simple cartoon shorts (created by cartoonist Matt Groening at the behest of ''Ullman Show'' producer James L. Brooks). Ullman provided the voice of Emily Winthrop, a British dog trainer on ''The Simpsons'' episode "Bart's Dog Gets an F" (1991). In 1992 Ullman filed a lawsuit against Twentieth Century Fox in Los Angeles Superior Court over profits from the later half hour incarnation of ''The Simpsons''. She wanted a share of ''The Simpsons'' merchandising and gross profits and believed she was entitled to $2.5 million of the estimated $50 million Fox made in 1992. The Fox network had paid her $58,000 in royalties for ''The Simpsons'' as well as $3 million for the 3½ seasons her show was on the air. As Ullman had continued her professional relationship with former producer Brooks, only the studio and not Brooks was named in the suit. Brooks was allowed to videotape his testimony as he was in the middle of filming ''I'll Do Anything'', in which Ullman appeared. Eventually the courts ruled in favor of the network.

HBO

Ullman returned to television in 1993, but this time in cable television. Two specials were created allowing Ullman to bring life to a host of new characters. The first, ''Tracey Ullman: A Class Act'', took a humorous jab at the British class system, and co-starred Monty Python alumnus Michael Palin. For the second, ''Tracey Ullman Takes On New York'', Ullman decided to take on a more American subject, New York City. Both specials drew praise and awards. HBO became interested in doing a ''Tracey Takes On...'' series, and Ullman and her husband, Allan McKeown, set up production in Los Angeles in 1995.

''Tracey Takes On...'' premiered 24 January 1996, on HBO. Each episode would focus on a topic for Ullman to "take on" and examine. The series would have two to three long sketches, and many small interview-styled bits, with her many characters commenting on that week's topic. Unlike the Fox show, ''Tracey Takes On...'' was shot on location, not filmed in front of a live audience. Making the switch to a cable-produced series enabled Ullman free rein to do and say as she pleased.

A kiss with ''Tracey Ullman Show'' alum Julie Kavner kicked off the series' first episode. Ullman portrayed characters, both male and female, made up of many ethnicities. This included an Asian donut shop owner, a (male) cab driver from the Middle East, and an African-American airport security guard. The series went on to win eight Emmys, numerous CableACE Awards, and a host of other media awards, and was critically acclaimed. In 1997, it won the Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series Emmy Award category for the episode ''Vegas''. In 1998 the series was published in book form, ''Tracey Takes On...''. The series was also awarded GLAAD awards for its portrayal of gay and lesbian characters. ''Tracey Takes On...'' completed its four-season run in 1999.

Oxygen stint

In 2001, Ullman took a break from her character-based series and created a chat show for Oxygen, ''Tracey Ullman's Visible Panty Lines''. The show's main focus was fashion. Ullman had developed her own clothing website a few years prior. Interviewees included Arianna Huffington and Charlize Theron. The series lasted for two seasons, and ended in 2002.

Return to HBO

A ''Takes On...'' spin-off pilot was produced in 2003, ''Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales''. ''Tales'' spotlighted just one of Ullman's most popular characters, Ruby Romaine. The pilot aired, but no series was ever commissioned.

Tracey returned to HBO in the summer of 2005, with her autobiographical one-woman stage show, ''Tracey Ullman: Live and Exposed''. The show garnered another Emmy nomination.

Showtime

Upon her naturalization in the United States, it was announced in April 2007 that she would be making the move from her 14-year working relationship with cable network, HBO, to the rival, Showtime. Ullman was to create a brand new series for the network, that would be inspired in part by her recently gained naturalisation. The series would focus on America, "the good, the bad, and the absolutely ridiculous", which also served as the series tag line.

Ullman credits senior programmer, Robert Greenblatt, as a big influence in her decision for the move, and the network's budding roster of hit shows. Greenblatt was a young development director during her ''Tracey Ullman Show'' days, and was enthusiastic to get her over to Showtime. Five episodes were ordered for the first season.

For the first time since the early years of her career at the BBC, Ullman was not only creating a new lineup of original characters, but rather, also impersonating famous ones. ''Tracey Ullman's State of the Union'' debuted on 30 March 2008.

The critical response to "State of the Union" was overwhelmingly positive. One critic pointed out a change in Ullman's humour:

Ullman has commented that the United States is, "now able to laugh at itself more," embracing more satiric humor, rather than deeming it "unpatriotic". Now that she's an official citizen, Ullman joked that she, "won't end up in Guantánamo Bay," for speaking her mind.

Ullman hoped to continue the series after season one. Showtime announced that it had greenlighted a second season for 2009. It was commissioned for a third run for 2010.

Other notable work

Ullman was the modern-day cartoon voice of Little Lulu. She also had a recurring role as an unconventional psychotherapist in ''Ally McBeal'', a role that won her an American Comedy Award.

Ullman co-starred with Carol Burnett in the television adaptation of ''Once Upon a Mattress''. Ullman played Princess Winnifred, a role originally made famous by Burnett on Broadway, who took on the role of the evil Queen.

Film career

Along with her television work, Ullman has featured in many films throughout her career. Her first theatrical film was a small role in Paul McCartney's 1984 film ''Give My Regards to Broad Street''. This was followed by a supporting role in the 1985 Meryl Streep drama Plenty which gained Ullman international acclaim for her comic and dramatic performance.

After the cancellation of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' in 1990, she made her starring debut alongside Kevin Kline, River Phoenix and Joan Plowright in ''I Love You to Death''. Ullman has also appeared in lead and supporting roles in ''Robin Hood: Men in Tights'', Nancy Savoca's ''Household Saints'', ''Bullets Over Broadway'', ''Small Time Crooks'', ''A Dirty Shame'', and ''Tim Burton's Corpse Bride''.

Ullman portrayed Mother Nature in the 2007 romantic-comedy film, ''I Could Never Be Your Woman'', starring Michelle Pfeiffer. Ullman acted as creative consultant on the 2006 Dreamworks feature, ''Flushed Away''.

Ullman signed on to voice along with such actors as Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Kline, William H. Macy, Stanley Tucci, Christopher Lloyd, Sigourney Weaver, and Emma Watson in the computer-animated ''The Tale of Despereaux''.

Stock footage of Ullman was used in the movie ''The Queen'' with Helen Mirren. The footage was used without her permission.

Personal life

Ullman married producer Allan McKeown on 27 December 1983; they have two children, Mabel Ellen McKeown (born 1986) and John Albert Victor McKeown (born 1991). Mabel McKeown works for Harriet Harman in a job funded by the Labour Party. She unsuccessfully ran as Labour's candidate in the by-election in Cremorne in Kensington and Chelsea Council in 2010. She once contributed to The Huffington Post. She has also campaigned for Labour in her native country.

Ullman became an American citizen in December 2006 and now holds dual citizenship of the United States and the United Kingdom. In 2006, Ullman topped the list for the "Wealthiest British Comedians", with an estimated wealth of £75 million.

Filmography

''Mackenzie'' (1980) TV Series – Lisa MacKenzie

''Three of a Kind'' (1981) TV Series

''Happy Since I Met You'' (1981) (TV) – Karen

''A Kick Up the Eighties'' (1981) TV Series – Various Roles

''Give My Regards to Broad Street'' (1984) – Sandra

''Plenty'' (1985) – Alice Park

''"Girls On Top"'' (1985) TV Series – Candice Valentine

''Jumpin' Jack Flash'' (1986) – Fiona

''The Tracey Ullman Show'' (1987-1990) – TV Series

''I, Martin Short, Goes Hollywood'' (1989) (TV) – Tina Wise

''I Love You to Death'' (1990) – Rosalie Boca

''Tracey Ullman: A Class Act'' (1992) (TV) – Various

''Death Becomes Her'' (1992) – Toni (scenes deleted)

''Happily Ever After'' (1993) (voice) – Thunderella and Moonbeam

''Robin Hood: Men in Tights'' (1993) – Latrine

''Household Saints'' (1993) – Catherine Falconetti

''Tracey Ullman Takes On New York'' (1993) (TV) – Various characters

''I'll Do Anything'' (1994) – Beth Hobbs

''Bullets Over Broadway'' (1994) – Eden Brent

''Prêt-à-Porter'' (1994) – Nina Scant

''The Little Lulu Show'' (1995) TV Series – Lulu (First few episodes)

''Tracey Takes On...'' (1996-1999) – TV Series

''Ally McBeal'' (1997–2000) – Dr Tracey Clark

''C-Scam'' (2000)

''Panic'' (2000) – Martha

''Small Time Crooks'' (2000) – Frenchy

''Visible Panty Lines'' (2001-2002) TV Series

''Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales'' (2003) (TV) – Ruby Romaine/Svetlana/Pepper Kane

''A Dirty Shame'' (2004) – Sylvia Stickles

''Tracey Ullman: Live and Exposed'' (2005)

''The Cat That Looked at a King'' (2004) (V) (voice) – The Cat

''Corpse Bride'' (2005) (voice) – Nell Van Dort/Hildegarde

''Kronk's New Groove'' (2005) (V) (voice) – Ms. Birdwell

''Once Upon a Mattress'' (2005) (TV) – Princess Winnifred

''I Could Never Be Your Woman'' (2007) – Mother Nature

''Dawn French's Girls Who Do Comedy'' Three part TV series (2006)

''The Tale of Despereaux'' (2008) (voice) – Mig

''Tracey Ullman's State of the Union'' (2008–2010) TV Series – Various characters

Stage

1982: ''Rita, Sue and Bob Too''

1990: ''The Taming Of The Shrew'' – Kate

1991: ''The Big Love'' – Florence Aadland

2005: ''Tracey Ullman: Live and Exposed''

2011: ''My City'' – Elizabeth Lambert

Discography

1983: ''You Broke My Heart In 17 Places'' UK #12 US #34

1984: ''You Caught Me Out'' UK #92

1984: ''Forever - The Best Of Tracey Ullman''

Charting singles

1983: ''Breakaway'' UK #4 US #70

1983: ''They Don't Know'' UK #2 US #8

1983: ''Move Over Darling'' UK #8

1984: ''My Guy'' UK #23

1984: ''Sunglasses'' UK #18

1984: ''Helpless'' UK #61

1985: ''Terry'' UK #81

Awards and honors

To date, Ullman is a seven time Emmy Award winning, and American Comedy Award winning actor.

On 5 December 2006, Tracey was honored at the Museum of Television and Radio along with likes of Carol Burnett, Lesley Visser, Lesley Stahl, Jane Pauley, and Betty White, in the She Made It category.

In April 2009, it was announced that Ullman would be awarded a Lifetime Achievement BAFTA Award, the following May. She became the first recipient of the Charlie Chaplin award on 9 May 2009.

Awarded

London Critics' Circle Award Most Promising New Actress "Four in a Million" 1981

BAFTA Award Best Light Entertainment Performance "Three of a Kind" and "A Kick Up the Eighties" 1983

Golden Globe Award Best Actress in a Television Series (Comedy or Musical) 1987

Emmy Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program "Tracey Ullman Show" 1988–89

American Comedy Award Funniest Female Performer of the Year 1988

Emmy Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program "Tracey Ullman Show" 1989–90

Emmy Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program "The Best of the Tracey Ullman Show" 1989–90

Theatre World Special Award 1991

Emmy Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series "Love & War" 1992–93

American Comedy Award Funniest Female Performer in a Television Special "Funny Women of Television" 1992

Emmy Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program "Tracey Ullman: Takes On New York" 1993–94

CableACE Award Best Performance in a Comedy Series "Tracey Ullman: Takes on New York" 1994

Women in Film Lucy Award in recognition of her excellence and innovation in her creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television 1995

Emmy Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series ''Tracey Takes On...'' 1996–97

CableACE Award Best Actress in a Comedy Series ''Tracey Takes On...'' 1996

CableACE Award Best Variety Special or Series ''Tracey Takes On...'' 1996

American Comedy Award Funniest Female Performer in a Television Special ''Women of the Night IV'' 1996

Golden Satellite Best Actress in a Television Series (Musical or Comedy) ''Tracey Takes On...'' 1997

The Actor Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series ''Tracey Takes On...'' 1998

Emmy Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series ''Ally McBeal'' 1998–99

American Comedy Award Funniest Female Leading Performer in a Television Series ''Tracey Takes On...'' 1998

American Comedy Award Funniest Female Guest Appearance in a Television Series ''Ally McBeal'' 1999

American Comedy Award Funniest Female Leading Performer in a Television Series ''Tracey Takes On...'' 1999

American Comedy Award Funniest Female Leading Performer in a Television Series ''Tracey Takes On...'' 2000

Satellite Awards – Best Performance in a Comedy Series, Tracey Ullman 2008

Bibliography

''Tracey Takes On...'' by Tracey Ullman 1998 (ISBN 9780786863402)

''Knit 2 Together: Patterns and Stories for Serious Knitting Fun'' by Tracey Ullman and Mel Clark 2006 (ISBN 9781584795346)

Further reading

''Guinness Book of British Hit Singles'' 7th Edition

Archive of an ''Entertainment Weekly'' story by Frank Spotnitz on 1992 lawsuit

Tracey Ullman TV.com "Awards"

References

External links

Emmy Awards for ''Tracey Takes On...''

The State of Tracey fanblog

Interview Magazine cover story, January, 1989: Tracking Tracey

Category:BAFTA winners (people) Category:Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe (television) winners Category:Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners Category:English emigrants to the United States Category:Emmy Award winners Category:English film actors Category:English comedians Category:English stage actors Category:English television actors Category:English voice actors Category:English female singers Category:Alumni of the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States Category:People from Slough Category:Women comedians Category:British people of Polish descent Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:English people of Polish descent Category:People educated at Licensed Victuallers' School Category:People educated at Burnham Grammar School

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