Pamela Reed
Encyclopedia
Pamela Reed is an American
actress. She is known for playing Ruth Powers in various episodes of TV's The Simpsons
, as Arnold Schwarzenegger
's hypoglycemic partner in the 1990 movie Kindergarten Cop
and as the matriarch Gail Green in Jericho
. She currently appears as Marlene Griggs-Knope
on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation
.
, the daughter of Vernie Reed.
She received her B.F.A. at the University of Washington
. Reed has been married to Sandy Smolan
since 1988. Since 2004, she has resided in Hancock Park, California, with her husband and two children, Reed and Lily, both adopted.
for the off-Broadway
play Getting Out and an Obie award
for "sustaining excellence in performance in theater". She had minor film and television work in the 1980s. She won a Cable Ace Award for Best Actress for the HBO series Tanner '88
(1988). Her notable film roles include The Long Riders
(1980), The Right Stuff (1983), Kindergarten Cop
(1990), Junior
(1994), Bean (1997), and Proof of Life
(2001). Reed played Janice Pasetti in the quirky NBC sitcom Grand
, and then played a judge and single mother in the short-lived NBC
sitcom The Home Court. She had also guest-voiced in a episode of the 1994-1995 animated series The Critic
. She has recently played a main role in Jericho
and appeared as Leslie Knope's (Amy Poehler
) mother on Parks and Recreation
.
In 2005 Reed portrayed Executive Producer
Esther Shapiro in Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure
, a fictionalized television movie based on the creation and behind the scenes production of the 1980s prime time soap opera
Dynasty
.
Reed has also worked for Storyline Online, reading Stellaluna.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress. She is known for playing Ruth Powers in various episodes of TV's The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, as Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
's hypoglycemic partner in the 1990 movie Kindergarten Cop
Kindergarten Cop
Kindergarten Cop is a 1990 American comedy thriller film directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger stars as John Kimble, a tough police detective, who must go undercover as a kindergarten teacher to catch drug dealer Cullen Crisp , before Crisp can get to his...
and as the matriarch Gail Green in Jericho
Jericho (TV series)
Jericho is an American action/drama series that centers on the residents of the fictional town of Jericho, Kansas, in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on 23 major cities in the contiguous United States...
. She currently appears as Marlene Griggs-Knope
Marlene Griggs-Knope
Marlene Griggs-Knope is a fictional character played by Pamela Reed in the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation. She is the mother of the show's protagonist, Leslie Knope, and an important political figure in the school system at the fictional Indiana town of Pawnee, where Leslie...
on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation is an American comedy television series on NBC that focuses on Leslie Knope , a mid-level bureaucrat in the parks department of Pawnee, a fictional town in Indiana. Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, the series debuted on April 9, 2009; it has run for three seasons and...
.
Personal life
Reed was born in Tacoma, WashingtonTacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, the daughter of Vernie Reed.
She received her B.F.A. at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. Reed has been married to Sandy Smolan
Sandy Smolan
-Early career:He started his career by directing the 1987 Rachel River, which took two awards at the Sundance Film Festival.-Directing Credits:* Descending from Heaven* The Middleman* Men in Trees* Eli Stone...
since 1988. Since 2004, she has resided in Hancock Park, California, with her husband and two children, Reed and Lily, both adopted.
Career
Reed earned a Drama Desk AwardDrama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
for the off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
play Getting Out and an Obie award
Obie Award
The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given by The Village Voice newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City...
for "sustaining excellence in performance in theater". She had minor film and television work in the 1980s. She won a Cable Ace Award for Best Actress for the HBO series Tanner '88
Tanner '88
Tanner '88 is a political mockumentary miniseries written by Garry Trudeau and directed by Robert Altman. First broadcast by HBO during the months leading up to the 1988 U.S. presidential election, it purports to tell the behind-the-scenes story of the campaign of a former Michigan U.S...
(1988). Her notable film roles include The Long Riders
The Long Riders
The Long Riders is a 1980 western film directed by Walter Hill. It was produced by James Keach, Stacy Keach and Tim Zinnemann and featured an original soundtrack by Ry Cooder. Cooder won the Best Music award in 1980 from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards for this soundtrack...
(1980), The Right Stuff (1983), Kindergarten Cop
Kindergarten Cop
Kindergarten Cop is a 1990 American comedy thriller film directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger stars as John Kimble, a tough police detective, who must go undercover as a kindergarten teacher to catch drug dealer Cullen Crisp , before Crisp can get to his...
(1990), Junior
Junior (film)
Junior is a 1994 American comedy film written by Kevin Wade and Chris Conrad and directed by Ivan Reitman. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as a scientist who undergoes a male pregnancy as part of a scientific experiment.-Plot:...
(1994), Bean (1997), and Proof of Life
Proof of Life
Proof of Life is a 2000 American film, directed by Taylor Hackford. The title refers to a phrase commonly used to indicate proof that a kidnap victim is still alive...
(2001). Reed played Janice Pasetti in the quirky NBC sitcom Grand
Grand (TV series)
Grand was a half-hour situation comedy that aired on the NBC network in 1990. The series featured an ensemble cast including Pamela Reed, Bonnie Hunt, Michael McKean, John Randolph, Andrew Lauer, John Neville, Joel Murray and Sara Rue. It was created by Michael Leeson, executive produced by...
, and then played a judge and single mother in the short-lived NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
sitcom The Home Court. She had also guest-voiced in a episode of the 1994-1995 animated series The Critic
The Critic
The Critic is an American prime time animated series revolving around the life of film critic Jay Sherman, voiced by actor Jon Lovitz. It was created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, both of whom had worked as writers on The Simpsons. The Critic had 23 episodes produced, first broadcast on ABC in 1994,...
. She has recently played a main role in Jericho
Jericho (TV series)
Jericho is an American action/drama series that centers on the residents of the fictional town of Jericho, Kansas, in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on 23 major cities in the contiguous United States...
and appeared as Leslie Knope's (Amy Poehler
Amy Poehler
Amy Meredith Poehler is an American comedian, actress and voice actress. She was a cast member on the NBC television entertainment show Saturday Night Live from 2001 to 2008. In 2004, she starred in the film Mean Girls with Tina Fey, with whom she worked again in Baby Mama in 2008. She is...
) mother on Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation is an American comedy television series on NBC that focuses on Leslie Knope , a mid-level bureaucrat in the parks department of Pawnee, a fictional town in Indiana. Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, the series debuted on April 9, 2009; it has run for three seasons and...
.
In 2005 Reed portrayed Executive Producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
Esther Shapiro in Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure
Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure
Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure is a 2005 American television movie based on the creation and behind the scenes production of the 1980s prime time soap opera Dynasty...
, a fictionalized television movie based on the creation and behind the scenes production of the 1980s prime time soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Dynasty
Dynasty (TV series)
Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard & Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
.
Reed has also worked for Storyline Online, reading Stellaluna.
Filmography
- Spencer's PilotsSpencer's PilotsSpencer's Pilots is an American adventure series that aired on CBS from September 17 to November 19, 1976. Created by Larry Rosen, the series stars Gene Evans.-Synopsis:Evans stars as Spencer Parish, the owner of Spencer Aviation...
(1976) TV series guest star, 1 episode - The Andros Targets (1977) TV series .... Sandi Farrell (unknown episodes)
- All's Well That Ends Well (1978) (TV) .... Helena
- Melvin and HowardMelvin and HowardMelvin and Howard is a 1980 American comedy-drama film directed by Jonathan Demme. The screenplay by Bo Goldman was inspired by real-life Utah service station owner Melvin Dummar, who was listed as the beneficiary of USD$156 million in a will allegedly handwritten by Howard Hughes that was...
(1980) .... Bonnie Dummar - The Long RidersThe Long RidersThe Long Riders is a 1980 western film directed by Walter Hill. It was produced by James Keach, Stacy Keach and Tim Zinnemann and featured an original soundtrack by Ry Cooder. Cooder won the Best Music award in 1980 from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards for this soundtrack...
(1980) .... Belle StarrBelle StarrMyra Maybelle Shirley Reed Starr , better known as Belle Starr, was a notorious American outlaw.-Early life:... - Until She Talks (1981) (TV) .... College Girl
- Inmates: A Love Story (1981) (TV) .... Sunny
- Eyewitness (1981) .... Linda Mercer
- Young Doctors in LoveYoung Doctors in LoveYoung Doctors in Love is a 1982 comedy film directed by Garry Marshall. Similar in tone to the Airplane! movies, it spoofs a variety of medical shows ....
(1982) .... Nurse Norine Sprockett - Heart of Steel (1983) (TV) .... Valerie
- The Right Stuff (1983) .... Trudy Cooper
- I Want to Live (1983) (TV) .... Edie Bannister
- The Goodbye PeopleThe Goodbye PeopleThe Goodbye People is a play by Herb Gardner.The dramedy focuses on elderly Max Silverman, who is determined to reopen the Coney Island boardwalk hot dog stand he closed twenty-two years earlier for renovation, despite the fact he's recovering from a severe heart attack and it's the middle of...
(1984) .... Nancie Scot - Scandal Sheet (1985) (TV) .... Helen Grant
- The Best of TimesThe Best of Times (film)The Best of Times is a 1986 American film starring Robin Williams and Kurt Russell.-Plot:Robin Williams plays Jack Dundee, a banker obsessed with what he considers the most shameful moment in his life: The moment that he dropped a perfectly thrown pass in the final seconds of the 1972 high school...
(1986) .... Gigi Hightower - The Clan of the Cave BearThe Clan of the Cave Bear (film)The Clan of the Cave Bear is a 1986 film based on the book of the same name by Jean M. Auel and was directed by Michael Chapman.-Plot:The film stars Daryl Hannah as Ayla, a young Cro-Magnon woman who was separated from her family during an earthquake and found by a group of Neanderthals...
(1986) .... Iza - Rachel RiverRachel RiverRachel River is a 1987 comedy-drama film about a young journalist who returns to her Minnesota home town to reexamine her life. The film was directed by Sandy Smolan, and stars Pamela Reed, Ailene Cole, Don Cosgrove, and Craig T. Nelson....
(1987) .... Mary Graving - L.A. LawL.A. LawL.A. Law is a US television legal drama that ran on NBC from September 15, 1986 to May 19, 1994. L.A. Law reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights,...
.... Norma Heisler (1 episode, 1988) - Tanner '88Tanner '88Tanner '88 is a political mockumentary miniseries written by Garry Trudeau and directed by Robert Altman. First broadcast by HBO during the months leading up to the 1988 U.S. presidential election, it purports to tell the behind-the-scenes story of the campaign of a former Michigan U.S...
.... T.J. Cavanaugh (11 episodes, 1988) - HemingwayHemingwayErnest Hemingway was an American writer and journalist.Hemingway may also refer to:*Hemingway , a surname and list of people with that name*Hemingway , a Marvel Comics character*Hemingway, South Carolina...
(1988) TV mini-series .... Mary Welsh - ChattahoocheeChattahoochee (film)Chattahoochee is a 1989 film directed by Mick Jackson. The film stars Gary Oldman, Dennis Hopper, Pamela Reed, and Ned Beatty and is based on the experiences of Chris Calhoun.-Plot:...
(1989) .... Earlene - Kindergarten CopKindergarten CopKindergarten Cop is a 1990 American comedy thriller film directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger stars as John Kimble, a tough police detective, who must go undercover as a kindergarten teacher to catch drug dealer Cullen Crisp , before Crisp can get to his...
(1990) .... Detective Phoebe O'Hara - Cadillac ManCadillac ManCadillac Man is a 1990 comedy film starring Robin Williams and Tim Robbins.-Plot:Brooklyn car salesman Joey O'Brien must deal with the ever-increasing pressures in his life: he has an ex-wife demanding alimony, a daughter who's missing, a married mistress and a single mistress who are both...
(1990) .... Tina - Caroline?Caroline?Caroline? is a 1990 Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie that aired on CBS on April 29, 1990. The movie starred Stephanie Zimbalist, Pamela Reed, and George Grizzard.-External links:*...
(1990) (TV) .... Grace Carmichael - RedlandsRedlands-Australia:*Redland City, Queensland*SCECGS Redlands, Sydney*Electoral district of Redlands-United Kingdom:*Redlands , country estate of Keith Richards, venue of the Redlands drugs bust*Redlands *Redlands...
(1990) (V) .... Maude - GrandGrand (TV series)Grand was a half-hour situation comedy that aired on the NBC network in 1990. The series featured an ensemble cast including Pamela Reed, Bonnie Hunt, Michael McKean, John Randolph, Andrew Lauer, John Neville, Joel Murray and Sara Rue. It was created by Michael Leeson, executive produced by...
.... Janice Pasetti (26 episodes, 1990) - Bob RobertsBob RobertsBob Roberts is a 1992 film written and directed by Tim Robbins. It is a satirical mockumentary, chronicling the rise of Bob Roberts, a conservative politician who is a candidate for an upcoming United States Senate election...
(1992) .... Carol Cruise - Passed AwayPassed AwayPassed Away is an American ensemble comedy film from 1992.- Cast :*Bob Hoskins - Johnny Scanlan*Jack Warden - Jack Scanlan*William Petersen - Frank Scanlan*Diana Bellamy - BJ*Don Brockett - Froggie*Helen Lloyd Breed - Aunt Maureen...
(1992) .... Terry Scanlan Pinter - Woman with a PastWoman with a PastWoman with a Past is an American daytime soap opera that aired on CBS from February 1, 1954 to July 2, 1954.-Synopsis:The soap focuses on Lynn Sherwood , a Manhattan dress designer and her tribulations.-Cast:...
(1992) (TV) .... Dee Johnson - The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
.... Ruth Powers (3 episodes, 1992–2003) - Family AlbumFamily Album (TV series)Family Album is an American single-camera comedy television pilot that was in development for Fox as a midseason replacement in the 2011–12 television season, where it would serve as a fill-in for Glee during its break. The pilot was created and executive produced by Joe Port and Joe Wiseman for...
(1993) TV series .... Denise Lerner (unknown episodes) - Born Too Soon (1993) (TV) .... Elizabeth Mehren
- JuniorJunior (film)Junior is a 1994 American comedy film written by Kevin Wade and Chris Conrad and directed by Ivan Reitman. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as a scientist who undergoes a male pregnancy as part of a scientific experiment.-Plot:...
(1994) .... Angela - The CriticThe CriticThe Critic is an American prime time animated series revolving around the life of film critic Jay Sherman, voiced by actor Jon Lovitz. It was created by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, both of whom had worked as writers on The Simpsons. The Critic had 23 episodes produced, first broadcast on ABC in 1994,...
.... Jay's No.1 Fan (1 episode, 1994) - The Home Court (1995) TV series .... Judge Sydney J. Solomon (unknown episodes)
- Deadly Whispers (1995) (TV) .... Carol Acton
- Buford's Got a Gun (1995) (TV) .... Laurie
- Critical Choices (1996) (TV) .... Arlene
- The Man Next Door (1996) (TV) .... Wanda Gilmore
- Bean (1997) .... Alison Langley
- Santa Fe (1997) .... Nancy Vigil
- Carriers (1998) (TV) .... Holly Parker
- Why Do Fools Fall in LoveWhy Do Fools Fall in Love (film)Why Do Fools Fall in Love is an American romantic drama, directed by Gregory Nava and released by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film is a biographical film of the brief but intense life of R&B/Rock & Roll singer Frankie Lymon, lead singer of the pioneering rock and roll group Frankie Lymon & the...
(1998) .... Judge Lambrey - Standing on Fishes (1999) .... Janice
- Proof of LifeProof of LifeProof of Life is a 2000 American film, directed by Taylor Hackford. The title refers to a phrase commonly used to indicate proof that a kidnap victim is still alive...
(2000) .... Janis Goodman - The Kennedys (2001) (TV) .... Pamela Kennedy
- Judging AmyJudging AmyJudging Amy is an American television drama that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS-TV. This TV series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly...
.... Sarah (1 episode, 2003) - Book of DaysBook of days- Non–Fiction literature :*Book of Days by Abu 'Ubaida*Chambers Book of Days, by Robert Chambers*The Wicca Book of Days by Gerina Dunwich*The Goddess Book of Days: A Perpetual 366 Day Engagement Calendar by Diane Stein...
(2003) (TV) .... Grady - JAGJAG (TV series)JAG is an American adventure/legal drama television show that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television and, for the first season only, NBC Productions...
.... Maj. Gen. Willsey (1 episode, 2004) - Tanner on TannerTanner on TannerTanner on Tanner is a 2004 comedy and the sequel series to the 1988 Robert Altman directed and Garry Trudeau written miniseries about a failed presidential candidate, Tanner '88...
.... T.J. Cavanaugh (4 episodes, 2004) - Jane Doe: Now You See It, Now You Don't (2005) (TV) .... Fran Henkel
- Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty PleasureDynasty: The Making of a Guilty PleasureDynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure is a 2005 American television movie based on the creation and behind the scenes production of the 1980s prime time soap opera Dynasty...
(2005) (TV) .... Esther Shapiro - Life of the PartyLife of the Party (2005 film)Life of the Party is a 2005 film with Eion Bailey and Ellen Pompeo. It was written and Directed by Barra Grant.-Synopsis:Michael Elgin, former high school track star, now in his thirties, is floundering. He keeps life's realities at bay by having too many cocktails a few nights too often...
(2005) .... Evelyn - Pepper DennisPepper DennisPepper Dennis is a comedy-drama television series that aired on The WB from April to July 4, 2006. It was quickly announced on May 17, 2006 that Pepper Dennis would not be one of the WB shows transferred to The CW Television Network....
.... Lynn Dinkle (4 episodes, 2006) - JerichoJericho (TV series)Jericho is an American action/drama series that centers on the residents of the fictional town of Jericho, Kansas, in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on 23 major cities in the contiguous United States...
.... Gail Green (23 episodes, 2006–2008) - Eli StoneEli StoneEli Stone is an American TV series, and also the name of the title character.San Francisco lawyer Eli Stone begins to see things, which leads him to discover a brain aneurysm...
.... Mrs. Stone (2 episodes, 2008) - Parks and RecreationParks and RecreationParks and Recreation is an American comedy television series on NBC that focuses on Leslie Knope , a mid-level bureaucrat in the parks department of Pawnee, a fictional town in Indiana. Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, the series debuted on April 9, 2009; it has run for three seasons and...
.... Marlene Griggs-KnopeMarlene Griggs-KnopeMarlene Griggs-Knope is a fictional character played by Pamela Reed in the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation. She is the mother of the show's protagonist, Leslie Knope, and an important political figure in the school system at the fictional Indiana town of Pawnee, where Leslie...
(recurring, 2009-) - The BeastThe Beast (2009 TV series)The Beast is an American crime drama series starring Patrick Swayze and Travis Fimmel. It debuted on the A&E Network on Thursday, 15 January 2009 at 10 PM EST. On June 15, 2009, Entertainment Tonight announced that the show was canceled due to Swayze's pancreatic cancer...
.... Paulson (1 episode, 2009) - United States of Tara .... Beverly (1 episode, 2009)