Julie Brown facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Julie Brown
Brown in 2012
Born	Julie Ann Brown (1958-08-31) August 31, 1958 (age 66) Van Nuys, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress comedian writer singer-songwriter television director
Years active	1980–present
Spouse(s)	Terrence E. McNally ​ ​ (m. 1983; div. 1989)​ Ken Rethen ​ ​ (m. 1993; div. 2007)​
Children	1

Julie Ann Brown (born August 31, 1958) is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and TV director. She became famous in the 1980s for playing a funny character called a 'valley girl'. Her comedy often made fun of famous people, especially the singer Madonna.

Early Life and Family

Julie Brown was born in Van Nuys, California. Her parents, Celia Jane and Leonard Francis Brown, worked at NBC TV studios. Her grandfathers also worked in the Hollywood film business. Her great-grandfather was the actor Frank O'Connor.

Julie went to a Catholic elementary school and then Van Nuys High School. After high school, she studied acting at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. There, she met Charlie Coffey, who would later work with her on many projects.

Career Highlights

Julie Brown started her career performing in nightclubs. She appeared on the game show Whew! and had a guest role on the TV show Happy Days. She also acted in the 1981 film Bloody Birthday.

A big moment in her career came when comedian Lily Tomlin saw her perform. Tomlin gave Julie a part in her 1981 film The Incredible Shrinking Woman. They became good friends. Julie then appeared in many TV shows like Laverne & Shirley, The Jeffersons, and Newhart.

Music and Comedy

In 1984, Julie released her first music collection, an EP called Goddess in Progress. It had five songs that made fun of popular 1980s music, mixed with her funny valley-girl style. Songs like "''Cause I'm a Blonde" and "The Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun" became popular on radio shows. "The Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun" was a funny take on old 1950s teen tragedy songs.

In 1987, she released her first full album, Trapped in the Body of a White Girl. This album really showed off her comedic talent. Music videos for her songs were played a lot on MTV. In 1989, she starred in MTV's comedy show Just Say Julie. On the show, she played a demanding, funny character who made fun of music stars while introducing their music videos.

Film and TV Shows

Julie Brown's film career took off in 1988 with Earth Girls Are Easy. She wrote and produced this film, which was based on one of her songs. It starred Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis. She also cast then-new comedians Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans.

In 1992, Julie starred in her own Fox sketch comedy show called The Edge. Famous actors like Jennifer Aniston and Wayne Knight were also on the show. That same year, she made a TV movie for Showtime called Medusa: Dare to Be Truthful. This movie was a funny parody of Madonna's documentary Truth or Dare.

She continued to make funny movies, including Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 In. Women in 1994, which was another satire.

Voice Acting and Later Work

Julie Brown has also lent her voice to many cartoons. She was the voice of Minerva Mink in Animaniacs and the mermaid Saleen in Aladdin. She was also the original voice of Zatanna in Batman: The Animated Series. She even appeared as a cartoon bear version of herself, named Julie Bruin, in an episode of Tiny Toon Adventures.

She played Coach Millie Stoeger in the film Clueless and then in the TV series based on the movie. She also wrote, produced, and directed episodes for the Clueless TV show. In 2000, she created the show Strip Mall for Comedy Central.

Since 2004, Julie has been a commentator on E! network specials, talking about pop culture and entertainment.

In 2008, she helped write and appeared in the Disney Channel movie Camp Rock, which starred Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers. She also joined the cast of the Canadian TV series Paradise Falls.

Julie continued to release new music, often with funny lyrics. In 2008, she released "The Ex-Beauty Queen's Got a Gun," a new version of her "Homecoming Queen" song, but this time about Sarah Palin. In 2011, her album Smell the Glamour featured funny songs about Lady Gaga and Kesha.

From 2010 to 2017, she had a recurring role as Paula Norwood on the ABC comedy The Middle. She also wrote for the show Melissa & Joey. In 2023, she brought back her Medusa character to make fun of Madonna's tour announcement on social media.

Personal Life

In 1983, Julie Brown married writer and actor Terrence E. McNally. They worked together on her first single, "I Like 'Em Big and Stupid." They divorced after six years. In 1994, Julie married Ken Rathjen, and they had one son together. They later divorced in 2007.

Filmography

Film

Television

Television Film

Other Work

Discography

• Goddess in Progress (1984)
• Trapped in the Body of a White Girl (1987)
• Smell the Glamour (2010)

Singles

• "I Like 'Em Big and Stupid" (w. B-side "The Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun")
• "Trapped in the Body of a White Girl"
• "Girl Fight Tonight!"
• "I Want to Be Gay" (sometimes titled "I Wanna be Gay")
• "The Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun"
• "The Art of Being Fabulous"
• "Big Clown Pants" (a parody of the Lady Gaga song "Bad Romance")

Images for kids

• 

  Brown performing in 2008 at The Public Theater in New York City

See also

In Spanish: Julie Brown para niños