Mary Jo Catlett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mary Jo Catlett
Catlett with her character, Mrs. Puff, at a convention in 2013
Born	(1938-09-02) September 2, 1938 (age 86) Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Other names	Mary Catlett
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1961–present

Mary Jo Catlett (born September 2, 1938) is an American actress. She is famous for being the voice of Mrs. Puff on the popular cartoon show SpongeBob SquarePants. She also played Ernestina in the 1964 Broadway musical Hello, Dolly! and Pearl Gallagher on the TV show Diff'rent Strokes.

Mary Jo Catlett was born in Denver, Colorado. She started her career performing in plays. Later, she even directed a play called Pirates of Penzance. In the 1960s and 1970s, she performed in many musicals, often playing funny and lighthearted characters. She has also appeared in TV shows like M*A*S*H, The Dukes of Hazzard, and General Hospital. Catlett has won awards for her acting and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 1990.

In 1998, Catlett joined the cast of SpongeBob SquarePants. She became the voice of Mrs. Puff, who is SpongeBob's driving school teacher. This role has become her most famous and longest-running job. The creator of the show, Stephen Hillenburg, chose her specifically for the part. She has voiced Mrs. Puff in every season of the cartoon, as well as in all the SpongeBob movies and video games. In 2001, she was nominated for an Annie Award for her amazing voice work as Mrs. Puff.

Early Life and Beginnings

Mary Jo Catlett was born in Denver, Colorado, on September 2, 1938. Her parents were Cornelia M. and Robert J. Catlett. She has a sister named Patricia Marie, who is a nun. Mary Jo Catlett is also a Catholic.

Her Acting Career

In 1974, Catlett played Mrs. Tiffany in a play called Fashion: or, Life in New York. Critics really liked her performance. One critic from The New York Times said she was "exceptional." Another from the New York Post praised her acting. She later played Mrs. Tiffany again in 1994.

Catlett describes herself as a character actress. This means she often plays unique and interesting characters, rather than the main hero or heroine. In 1988, she said that being a character actress was a good thing. She explained that there are fewer character actresses than leading ladies, which can make it easier to find roles. She added, "I always was round and funny."

The cast of Diff'rent Strokes with Nancy Reagan in 1983

Catlett won Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards in 1976 and 1980 for her roles in Come Back, Little Sheba and Philadelphia, Here I Come!. In 1995, she was nominated for an Ovation Award for her role as Madame de la Grande Bouche in the musical Beauty and the Beast.

She became a main cast member on Diff'rent Strokes in its fifth season. She played Pearl Gallagher, who was the third housekeeper on the show. She also appeared on General Hospital, where she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award. You might also remember her from several episodes of M*A*S*H.

In 1987, Catlett directed a play called Nunsense. She also decided to act in the play as Sister Mary. She wanted to direct because she had seen other directors treat actors unfairly. She believed that a director should allow for more teamwork and freedom. She said, "as a director, I believe that there can be a democracy."

Voicing Mrs. Puff in SpongeBob SquarePants

In 1998, Mary Jo Catlett was chosen to be the voice of Mrs. Puff. Mrs. Puff is one of the main characters in Nickelodeon's cartoon series SpongeBob SquarePants. Catlett is one of the show's nine main cast members. She has voiced Mrs. Puff in every season, as well as in all the SpongeBob movies and video games. Mrs. Puff is now her most famous and longest-running role.

Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob, specifically wanted Catlett to voice Mrs. Puff. He had seen her perform on stage and had a clear idea of what Mrs. Puff should sound like. Catlett quickly agreed to the role. Her first official recording as Mrs. Puff was on August 24, 1998. She recorded lines with Tom Kenny, who voices SpongeBob, and Bill Fagerbakke, who voices Patrick Star.

In 2001, Catlett was nominated for an Annie Award for her voice work as Mrs. Puff. This award was for "Best Voice Acting by a Female Performer in an Animated Production." Tom Kenny was also nominated at the same awards show. This made Catlett and Kenny the first SpongeBob cast members to be nominated for an award.

As of 2017, voicing Mrs. Puff is Catlett's main regular TV role. She said in 2013 that she is "basically retired." She is good friends with the other SpongeBob cast members. This makes recording for the show a very easy and fun environment for her.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Theatre Performances

See also

In Spanish: Mary Jo Catlett para niños