Deborah Rush

{{Infobox person

| image = Deborah Rush on RealTVFilms.jpg

| caption = Rush interviewed in 2009

| imagesize =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|4|10}}

| birth_place = Chatham Borough, New Jersey, U.S.

| occupation = Actress

| years_active = 1975–present

| spouse = {{marriage|Chip Cronkite
|1985|}}

| children = 2

}}

Deborah Rush (born April 10, 1954) is an American actress. She has worked in television, film and on Broadway. In 1984, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for Michael Frayn's comedy Noises Off.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/deborah-rush-58636#Awards|title=Deborah Rush – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB|website=www.ibdb.com}}

Life and career

File:Walter Chip Cronkite and Deborah Rush on RealTVFilms.jpg

Rush was born in Chatham Borough, New Jersey. She is married to Walter Cronkite III (born April 22, 1957) and daughter-in-law of the late television journalist Walter Cronkite. The couple has two sons, Walter Cronkite IV and the late Peter Cronkite.{{Cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/amp/obituaries/nytimes/174732851|title=Peter Cronkite Obituary|website=Legacy.com}}

Rush made her Broadway debut performing in the 1975 musical Dance with Me. She later appeared in films Oliver's Story (1978), 10 (1979) and Honky Tonk Freeway (1981), and made-for-television productions Alice at the Palace and A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1982. From 1983 to 1984 she starred as Brooke Ashton in Noises Off, a role gained her Drama Desk Award and a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play nomination. Also in 1983, Rush starred in the satirical mockumentary comedy film, Zelig written and directed by Woody Allen. She later appeared in another Woody Allen's film, The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985). During the 1980s, Rush also appeared in films such as Compromising Positions (1985), Heat (1986), Big Business (1988), Parents (1989) and Family Business (1989).{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/deborah-rush-vn15255794/filmography|title=Deborah Rush | Movies and Filmography|website=AllMovie}} On stage, Rush also acted in Hay Fever, The Sisters Rosensweig, and Stephen Adly Guirgis' The Last Days of Judas Iscariot.

In 1990s, Rush played number of supporting roles in films such as My Blue Heaven (1990), In & Out (1997), You've Got Mail (1998) and Three to Tango (1999). On television, she played Isabel Hazard in the 1994 miniseries, Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book III and had a recurring role in the ABC sitcom Spin City as Helen Winston, eventual ex-wife of mayor Randall Winston. From 1999 to 2000, Rush was a regular cast member of the Comedy Central comedy series, Strangers with Candy starring Amy Sedaris. She reprised her role in the 2005 prequel film, Strangers with Candy. In 2002 she co-starred opposite Jennifer Aniston in the comedy-drama film, The Good Girl and the following year appeared in the comedy film American Wedding, as Mary Flaherty, Michelle Flaherty's mom.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/good_girl|title=The Good Girl | Rotten Tomatoes|date=August 7, 2002|website=www.rottentomatoes.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_wedding|title=American Wedding | Rotten Tomatoes|date=August 1, 2003|website=www.rottentomatoes.com}} She played Ryan Gosling's mother in the 2006 drama film, Half Nelson, and starred as Avis DeVoto in the 2009 biographical comedy-drama film, Julie & Julia written and directed by Nora Ephron. In December 2008, she joined the cast of the Broadway revival of Blithe Spirit.{{cite news|last=Gans|first=Andrew|title=Rush Joins Starry Cast of Blithe Spirit Revival|date=2008-12-10|url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/124158.html|publisher=Playbill|access-date=2009-01-24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114103418/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/124158.html|archive-date=2009-01-14}}

In 2010, Rush was regular cast member in the short-lived Comedy Central sitcom, Big Lake.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2010/07/26/comedy-centrals-big-lake-starring-chris-gethard-horatio-sanz-and-chris-parnell-debuts-on-tuesday-august-17-at-1000-pm-36654/20100726comedycentral01/|title=Breaking News - Comedy Central's(R) 'Big Lake,' Starring Chris Gethard, Horatio Sanz and Chris Parnell, Debuts on Tuesday, August 17 at 10:00 P.M.* | TheFutonCritic.com|website=www.thefutoncritic.com}} She also made guest appearances in television series such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Good Wife, Inside Amy Schumer and The Blacklist. From 2013 to 2019 she had a recurring role in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black, as Piper Chapman's mother, Carol Chapman.

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1978 \|Oliver's Story \|1st Girl in Bar \|
1979 \|10 \|Dental Assistant \|
1981 \|Honky Tonk Freeway \|Sister Mary Magdalene \|
1982 \|Split Image \|Judith \|
1983 \|Zelig \|Lita Fox \|
1983 \|{{sortname\|A\|Night in Heaven}} \|Patsy \|
1985 \|{{sortname\|The\|Purple Rose of Cairo}} \|Rita \|
1985 \|Compromising Positions \|Brenda Dunck \|
1986 \|Heat \|D.D. \|
1988 \|Big Business \|Binky Shelton \|
1989 \|Parents \|Mrs. Zellner \|
1989 \|She-Devil \| People reporter \|
1989 \|Family Business \|Michele Dempsey \|
1990 \|My Blue Heaven \|Linda \|
1992 \|Passed Away \|Denise Scanlan \|
1995 \|Reckless \|Trish \|
1997 \|In & Out \|Ava Blazer \|
1998 \|You've Got Mail \|Veronica Grant \|
1999 \|Three to Tango \|Lenore \|
2002 \|{{sortname\|The\|Good Girl}} \|Gwen Jackson \|
2003 \|American Wedding \|Mary Flaherty \|
2005 \|Strangers with Candy \|Sara Blank \|
2006 \|Half Nelson \|Jo Dunne \|
2007 \|{{sortname\|The\|Good Life\|The Good Life (2007 film)}} \|Diane \|
2007 \|The Visitor \| Upper Eastside Woman \|
2008 \|Fling \|Katherine \|
2009 \|Julie & Julia \|Avis DeVoto \|
2009 \|{{sortname\|The\|Box\|The Box (2009 film)}} \|Clymene Steward \|
2012 \|Rhymes with Banana \|Jane \|
2015 \|Ava's Possessions \|Joanna \|
2016 \|Women Who Kill \|Grace \|
2018 \|Accommodations \| Victoria Maason
2020 \|Before/During/After \|Therapist #4 \|
2024 \|The Next Big One: A Comedy with Three Potential Problems \| Aunt Mitty \|Post-production

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1978

|Oliver's Story

|1st Girl in Bar

1979

|10

|Dental Assistant

1981

|Honky Tonk Freeway

|Sister Mary Magdalene

1982

|Split Image

|Judith

1983

|Zelig

|Lita Fox

1983

|{{sortname|A|Night in Heaven}}

|Patsy

1985

|{{sortname|The|Purple Rose of Cairo}}

|Rita

1985

|Compromising Positions

|Brenda Dunck

1986

|Heat

|D.D.

1988

|Big Business

|Binky Shelton

1989

|Parents

|Mrs. Zellner

1989

|She-Devil

| People reporter

1989

|Family Business

|Michele Dempsey

1990

|My Blue Heaven

|Linda

1992

|Passed Away

|Denise Scanlan

1995

|Reckless

|Trish

1997

|In & Out

|Ava Blazer

1998

|You've Got Mail

|Veronica Grant

1999

|Three to Tango

|Lenore

2002

|{{sortname|The|Good Girl}}

|Gwen Jackson

2003

|American Wedding

|Mary Flaherty

2005

|Strangers with Candy

|Sara Blank

2006

|Half Nelson

|Jo Dunne

2007

|{{sortname|The|Good Life|The Good Life (2007 film)}}

|Diane

2007

|The Visitor

| Upper Eastside Woman

2008

|Fling

|Katherine

2009

|Julie & Julia

|Avis DeVoto

2009

|{{sortname|The|Box|The Box (2009 film)}}

|Clymene Steward

2012

|Rhymes with Banana

|Jane

2015

|Ava's Possessions

|Joanna

2016

|Women Who Kill

|Grace

2018

|Accommodations

| Victoria Maason

2020

|Before/During/After

|Therapist #4

2024

|The Next Big One: A Comedy with Three Potential Problems

| Aunt Mitty

|Post-production

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1981 \|Kiss Me, Petruchio \|Bianca \|TV film
1982 \|Alice at the Palace \|Alice's Mother \|TV film
1982 \|{{sortname\|A\|Midsummer Night's Dream\|nolink=1}} \|Hermia \|TV film
1985 \|Spenser: For Hire \|Angela \|Episode: "No Room at the Inn"
1987 \|Crime Story \|Penelope Worth \|Episode: "The Pinnacle"
1987 \|Leg Work \|Judy \|Episode: "Things That Go Bump in the Night"
1987 \|Invisible Thread \|Dr. Norris \|TV film
1988 \|{{sortname\|The\|Dictator\|nolink=1}} \|Isabel Domino \|Episode: "1.1"
1990 \|Against the Law \|Louise Ciardi \|Episode: "Pilot"
1992 \|Unnatural Pursuits \|Stephanie Didcot \|Episode: "I Don't Do Cuddles"
1994 \|Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book III \|Isabel Hazard \|TV miniseries
1995 \|{{sortname\|The\|Client\|The Client (TV series)}} \|Phoebe Halliwell \|Episode: "Pilot"
1996-1997 \|Spin City \|Helen Winston \|Recurring role (4 episodes)
1997 \|Law & Order \|Frances Houston \|Episode: "Blood"
1999 \|Earthly Possessions \|Heidi Anderson \|TV film
1999-2000 \|Strangers with Candy \|Sara Blank \|Main role (30 episodes)
2000 \|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit \|Christina Harlin \|Episode: "Russian Love Poem"
2000 \|Madigan Men \|Mrs. Wolfe \|Episode: "Meet the Wolves"
2004 \|{{sortname\|The\|Jury\|The Jury (TV series)}} \|Ms. Davenport \|Episode: "The Honeymoon Suite"
2004 \|Tempting Adam \|Ruth Heller \|TV film
2010 \|{{sortname\|The\|Electric Company\|The Electric Company (2009 TV series)}} \|Caroline Heffenbacher \|Episode: "Revolutionary Doughnuts"
2010 \|Big Lake \|Linda Franklin \|(10 episodes)
2012 \|{{sortname\|The\|Good Wife}} \|Judge Sally Rigby \|Episode: "Gloves Come Off"
2013 \|Girls \|Thomas-John's Mother \|Episode: "It's a Shame About Ray"
2013-2019 \|Orange Is the New Black \|Carol Chapman \|(11 episodes)
2014 \|Inside Amy Schumer \|Amy's mother \|Episode: "Slow Your Roll"
2019 \| The Blacklist \|Realtor \|Episode: "Orion Relocation Services"
2021 \| Search Party \|Gertrude Wreck \|Episode: “The Thoughtless Woman”

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1981

|Kiss Me, Petruchio

|Bianca

|TV film

1982

|Alice at the Palace

|Alice's Mother

|TV film

1982

|{{sortname|A|Midsummer Night's Dream|nolink=1}}

|Hermia

|TV film

1985

|Spenser: For Hire

|Angela

|Episode: "No Room at the Inn"

1987

|Crime Story

|Penelope Worth

|Episode: "The Pinnacle"

1987

|Leg Work

|Judy

|Episode: "Things That Go Bump in the Night"

1987

|Invisible Thread

|Dr. Norris

|TV film

1988

|{{sortname|The|Dictator|nolink=1}}

|Isabel Domino

|Episode: "1.1"

1990

|Against the Law

|Louise Ciardi

|Episode: "Pilot"

1992

|Unnatural Pursuits

|Stephanie Didcot

|Episode: "I Don't Do Cuddles"

1994

|Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book III

|Isabel Hazard

|TV miniseries

1995

|{{sortname|The|Client|The Client (TV series)}}

|Phoebe Halliwell

|Episode: "Pilot"

1996-1997

|Spin City

|Helen Winston

|Recurring role (4 episodes)

1997

|Law & Order

|Frances Houston

|Episode: "Blood"

1999

|Earthly Possessions

|Heidi Anderson

|TV film

1999-2000

|Strangers with Candy

|Sara Blank

|Main role (30 episodes)

2000

|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

|Christina Harlin

|Episode: "Russian Love Poem"

2000

|Madigan Men

|Mrs. Wolfe

|Episode: "Meet the Wolves"

2004

|{{sortname|The|Jury|The Jury (TV series)}}

|Ms. Davenport

|Episode: "The Honeymoon Suite"

2004

|Tempting Adam

|Ruth Heller

|TV film

2010

|{{sortname|The|Electric Company|The Electric Company (2009 TV series)}}

|Caroline Heffenbacher

|Episode: "Revolutionary Doughnuts"

2010

|Big Lake

|Linda Franklin

|(10 episodes)

2012

|{{sortname|The|Good Wife}}

|Judge Sally Rigby

|Episode: "Gloves Come Off"

2013

|Girls

|Thomas-John's Mother

|Episode: "It's a Shame About Ray"

2013-2019

|Orange Is the New Black

|Carol Chapman

|(11 episodes)

2014

|Inside Amy Schumer

|Amy's mother

|Episode: "Slow Your Roll"

2019

| The Blacklist

|Realtor

|Episode: "Orion Relocation Services"

2021

| Search Party

|Gertrude Wreck

|Episode: “The Thoughtless Woman”

Theater

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1975-1976 \|Dance with Me \|Goldie Pot \|
1983-1985 \|Noises Off \|Brooke Ashton \|
1985-1986 \|Hay Fever \|Jackie Coryton \|
1993-1994 \|{{sortname\|The\|Sisters Rosensweig}} \|Gorgeous Teitelbaum \|Replacement
2005 \|Absurd Person Singular \|Marion \|
2009 \|Blithe Spirit \|Mrs. Bradman \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1975-1976

|Dance with Me

|Goldie Pot

1983-1985

|Noises Off

|Brooke Ashton

1985-1986