Mary Vivian Pearce
Encyclopedia
Mary Vivian Pearce is an American
actress. She has worked primarily in the films of John Waters
.
Pearce is the childhood best friend of John Waters and has appeared as an actress in all of his films. Because of her work with Waters, she is considered one of the Dreamlanders
, Waters' ensemble
of regular cast and crew members. Along with Mink Stole
, she is one of only two actors to appear in all of his films to date. Pearce is always credited by her real name, but in her personal life she is known as Bonnie.
Her first film with Waters, in 1964, was a 17-minute independent short film called Hag in a Black Leather Jacket
. The film was never released. In the rest of Waters' films she's played both main and bit parts.
Her most famous roles were in Waters' Mondo Trasho
, Multiple Maniacs
, Pink Flamingos
, Female Trouble
and Desperate Living
. However, as the years progressed, Pearce appeared less and less in Waters' films, usually as an extra or a character without a major impact on the plot. She continues to appear in Waters' films; she appeared as a protester in Cecil B. Demented
just weeks after brain surgery.
, Pearce explained that she left for Provincetown to live with Waters and his then-girlfriend, Mona Montgomery:
Pearce has a graduate degree in creative writing. Currently, she lives in Baltimore, Maryland.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress. She has worked primarily in the films of John Waters
John Waters (filmmaker)
John Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...
.
Pearce is the childhood best friend of John Waters and has appeared as an actress in all of his films. Because of her work with Waters, she is considered one of the Dreamlanders
Dreamlanders
Dreamlanders refers to the cast and crew of regulars whom John Waters has used in his films. The term comes from the name of Waters' production company, Dreamland Productions...
, Waters' ensemble
Ensemble cast
An ensemble cast is made up of cast members in which the principal actors and performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance and screen time in a dramatic production. This kind of casting became more popular in television series because it allows flexibility for writers to focus on...
of regular cast and crew members. Along with Mink Stole
Mink Stole
Nancy Paine Stoll better known by the stage name Mink Stole, is an American actress from Baltimore, Maryland. She began her career working for director John Waters, having appeared in all of his feature films to date...
, she is one of only two actors to appear in all of his films to date. Pearce is always credited by her real name, but in her personal life she is known as Bonnie.
Her first film with Waters, in 1964, was a 17-minute independent short film called Hag in a Black Leather Jacket
Hag in a Black Leather Jacket
Hag in a Black Leather Jacket is a John Waters short film made in Baltimore, Maryland, starring Mona Montgomery and Mary Vivian Pearce.-Plot:...
. The film was never released. In the rest of Waters' films she's played both main and bit parts.
Her most famous roles were in Waters' Mondo Trasho
Mondo Trasho
Mondo Trasho is a 1969 16mm mondo black comedy film by Baltimore, Maryland filmmaker John Waters starring Divine, Mary Vivian Pearce, David Lochary and Mink Stole. It contains very little dialogue, the story being told mostly through musical cues.-Plot:...
, Multiple Maniacs
Multiple Maniacs
Multiple Maniacs is a 1970 comedy film by American cult filmmaker John Waters; his second feature film. The film features several actors who were part of the Dreamland acting troupe for Waters' films, including Divine, Mary Vivian Pearce, David Lochary, Mink Stole, Edith Massey, and Cookie...
, Pink Flamingos
Pink Flamingos
Pink Flamingos is a 1972 transgressive black comedy film written, produced, composed, shot, edited, and directed by John Waters. When the film was initially released, it caused a huge degree of controversy and thus became one of the most notorious cult films ever made. It made an underground star...
, Female Trouble
Female Trouble
Female Trouble is a 1974 dark comedy film co-composed, filmed, co-edited, written, produced, and directed by John Waters starring Divine, David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce, Mink Stole, Edith Massey, Michael Potter, Cookie Mueller, and Susan Walsh....
and Desperate Living
Desperate Living
Desperate Living is a 1977 American crime comedy fantasy horror film directed, produced, written, and photographed by Baltimore, Maryland filmmaker John Waters starring Liz Renay, Jean Hill, Mink Stole, Edith Massey, and Mary Vivian Pearce.-Plot:...
. However, as the years progressed, Pearce appeared less and less in Waters' films, usually as an extra or a character without a major impact on the plot. She continues to appear in Waters' films; she appeared as a protester in Cecil B. Demented
Cecil B. Demented
Cecil B. Demented is a 2000 black comedy film written and directed by John Waters. The film stars Melanie Griffith as a snobby A-list Hollywood actress who is kidnapped by a band of terrorist filmmakers who force her to star in their underground film...
just weeks after brain surgery.
Personal life
At the age of eighteen, Pearce was married to a jockey who worked at Saratoga. In an interview with Gerald PearyGerald Peary
Gerald Peary is an American film critic, who has been a reviewer and columnist for the Boston Phoenix since 1996. He was formerly the Acting Curator of the Harvard Film Archive and is currently the General Editor of the University Press of Mississippi Conversations with Filmmakers Series...
, Pearce explained that she left for Provincetown to live with Waters and his then-girlfriend, Mona Montgomery:
I was 18, and it was three months after I got married. My husband was a jockey at Saratoga, and he told my father I'd left him and run off with beatniks. I was so pissed at him for telling! As far as I was concerned, it was a fake marriage to get me out of the house. I'd taken all our wedding presents back and bought books and records.
Pearce has a graduate degree in creative writing. Currently, she lives in Baltimore, Maryland.
Filmography
- Hag in a Black Leather JacketHag in a Black Leather JacketHag in a Black Leather Jacket is a John Waters short film made in Baltimore, Maryland, starring Mona Montgomery and Mary Vivian Pearce.-Plot:...
(1964) (unreleased) as Bodie green dancer - Roman CandlesRoman CandlesRoman Candles is a short film by Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. filmmaker John Waters starring Divine, Mary Vivian Pearce, David Lochary, Mink Stole, and Maelcum Soul....
(19661966 in filmThe year 1966 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Animation legend Walter Disney, well known for his creation of Mickey Mouse, died in 15 December 1966 of acute circulatory collapse following a diagnosis of, and surgery for, lung cancer...
) (unreleased) as a Model - Eat Your MakeupEat Your MakeupEat Your Makeup is a short film by filmmaker John Waters starring Divine, Mary Vivian Pearce, David Lochary, and Maelcum Soul.It was John Waters' first film production made in 16mm film.It has never been released on video...
(19681968 in filmThe year 1968 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 30 - The film The Lion in Winter, starring Katharine Hepburn, debuts.* November 1 - The MPAA's film rating system is introduced.-Top grossing films :- Awards :...
) (unreleased)as a Kidnapped model - Mondo TrashoMondo TrashoMondo Trasho is a 1969 16mm mondo black comedy film by Baltimore, Maryland filmmaker John Waters starring Divine, Mary Vivian Pearce, David Lochary and Mink Stole. It contains very little dialogue, the story being told mostly through musical cues.-Plot:...
(19691969 in filmThe year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
) as The Bombshell - The Diane Linkletter StoryThe Diane Linkletter StoryThe Diane Linkletter Story is a 16mm short film by Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. filmmaker John Waters starring Divine, Mary Vivian Pearce and David Lochary....
(19691969 in filmThe year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
) as Mrs. Linkletter - Multiple ManiacsMultiple ManiacsMultiple Maniacs is a 1970 comedy film by American cult filmmaker John Waters; his second feature film. The film features several actors who were part of the Dreamland acting troupe for Waters' films, including Divine, Mary Vivian Pearce, David Lochary, Mink Stole, Edith Massey, and Cookie...
(1970) as Bonnie/Cavalcade Patron - Pink FlamingosPink FlamingosPink Flamingos is a 1972 transgressive black comedy film written, produced, composed, shot, edited, and directed by John Waters. When the film was initially released, it caused a huge degree of controversy and thus became one of the most notorious cult films ever made. It made an underground star...
(1972) as Cotton - Female TroubleFemale TroubleFemale Trouble is a 1974 dark comedy film co-composed, filmed, co-edited, written, produced, and directed by John Waters starring Divine, David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce, Mink Stole, Edith Massey, Michael Potter, Cookie Mueller, and Susan Walsh....
(19741974 in filmThe year 1974 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in the USA.*August 7 - Peter Wolf, lead singer of The J...
) as Donna Dasher - Desperate LivingDesperate LivingDesperate Living is a 1977 American crime comedy fantasy horror film directed, produced, written, and photographed by Baltimore, Maryland filmmaker John Waters starring Liz Renay, Jean Hill, Mink Stole, Edith Massey, and Mary Vivian Pearce.-Plot:...
(1977) as Princess Coo Coo - PolyesterPolyester (film)Polyester is a 1981 comedy film directed, produced, and written by John Waters, and starring Divine, Tab Hunter, Edith Massey, and Mink Stole...
(1981) as Nun in unwed mothers home - Hairspray (19881988 in film-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:* Act of Piracy* Action Jackson, starring Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone* The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* Akira* Alice...
) as Hairhopper Mother - Cry-BabyCry-BabyCry-Baby is a 1990 American teen musical film written and directed by John Waters. It stars Johnny Depp as 1950s teen rebel "Cry-Baby" Wade Walker, and also features an expansive ensemble cast that includes Amy Locane, Iggy Pop, Traci Lords, Ricki Lake, Kim McGuire, David Nelson, Susan Tyrrell, and...
(1990) as Picnic Mother (scene later removed) - Serial MomSerial MomSerial Mom is a 1994 American dark satire written and directed by John Waters, starring Kathleen Turner as the title character, Sam Waterston as her husband, and Ricki Lake and Matthew Lillard as her children. Despite statements to the contrary in the movie, the story is completely fictional...
(1994) as Book Buyer - PeckerPecker (film)Pecker is a 1998 comedy-drama film written and directed by John Waters and starring Edward Furlong and Christina Ricci. Like all Waters' films, it was filmed and set in Baltimore; this film in the Hampden neighborhood....
(1998) as Homophobe - Divine TrashDivine TrashDivine Trash is a 1998 documentary film directed by Steve Yeager about the life and work of John Waters.-Cast:*Steve Yeager*John Waters*Robert Shaye*Mink Stole*Divine *David Lochary *Edith Massey...
(1998) as herself - Cecil B. DeMentedCecil B. DementedCecil B. Demented is a 2000 black comedy film written and directed by John Waters. The film stars Melanie Griffith as a snobby A-list Hollywood actress who is kidnapped by a band of terrorist filmmakers who force her to star in their underground film...
(2000) as Family Lady - A Dirty ShameA Dirty ShameA Dirty Shame is a 2004 satirical sex comedy written and directed by John Waters, and starring Tracey Ullman, Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville, Chris Isaak, Suzanne Shepherd, and Mink Stole.-Plot:...
(2004) as Non-judgmental sex addict at meeting