Mary Jo Catlett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Jo Catlett
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Catlett with her character, Mrs. Puff, at a convention in 2013
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| Born | September 2, 1938 |
| Other names | Mary Catlett |
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| Years active | 1964–present |
Mary Jo Catlett is an American actress and comedian. She was born on September 2, 1938. Many people know her as the voice of Mrs. Puff from the popular cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants. She has been a main voice actor on the show for a long time. Mary Jo Catlett also acted in Broadway musicals like Hello, Dolly! and played Pearl Gallagher on the TV show Diff'rent Strokes.
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Early Life and Start in Acting
Mary Jo Catlett was born in Denver, Colorado. Her parents were Cornelia M. and Robert J. Catlett. She has a sister named Patricia Marie, who is a nun. Mary Jo is a Catholic.
She started her acting career in Denver. She performed in many local plays. She even directed a play called Pirates of Penzance. In the 1960s and 1970s, she acted in musicals both Off-Broadway and on Broadway. She often played fun and humorous characters.
Early Stage Performances
Mary Jo Catlett performed at the Elitch Theatre in Denver many times. In the 1960s, she appeared in plays like What Every Woman Knows and Say, Darling. She also acted in Jenny Kissed Me, Auntie Mame, and The Best Man in 1962. Later, she returned to Elitch Theatre for Harvey in 1985 and Nunsense in 1987.
In 1974, she created the role of 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." She played Mrs. Tiffany again in 1994.
Mary Jo Catlett calls herself a character actress. This means she often plays unique and interesting characters, not always the main hero or heroine. She once said that being a character actress was a "plus" because there are fewer of them compared to leading roles. She felt she was always meant to be a character actress because she was "round and funny."
Awards and Other TV Roles
Mary Jo Catlett has won several awards for her acting. In 1976 and 1980, she received Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards. These were for her roles in the plays 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 was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 1990 for her work on General Hospital.
Mary Jo Catlett became a main cast member on the TV show Diff'rent Strokes. She played Pearl Gallagher, who was the third housekeeper on the show. She also appeared in several episodes of the TV sitcom M*A*S*H.
In 1987, Mary Jo Catlett directed a play called Nunsense. She also acted in it, playing Sister Mary. She wanted to direct because she had seen directors treat actors unfairly before. She believed in a "democracy" where everyone could contribute.
Voicing Mrs. Puff in SpongeBob SquarePants
In 1998, Mary Jo Catlett got a very special role. She was chosen to be the voice of Mrs. Puff in Nickelodeon's new cartoon, SpongeBob SquarePants. Mrs. Puff is SpongeBob's driving school teacher. This role has become her longest and most famous one.
Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, specifically wanted Mary Jo Catlett for the part. He had seen her perform on stage and knew she was perfect for Mrs. Puff. Mary Jo quickly said yes. She started recording her voice for the show on August 24, 1998. She recorded with Tom Kenny, who voices SpongeBob, and Bill Fagerbakke, who voices Patrick Star.
In 2001, Mary Jo Catlett was nominated for an Annie Award for her voice work as Mrs. Puff. This award is for excellence in animation. She was nominated for "Best Voice Acting by a Female Performer in an Animated Production."
As of 2017, voicing Mrs. Puff is her main acting job. Mary Jo Catlett has said that she is "basically retired." She enjoys working on SpongeBob because she is good friends with the other voice actors. This makes the recording studio a fun and easy place to work.
Selected Film and Television Roles
Mary Jo Catlett has appeared in many movies and TV shows. Here are some of her notable roles:
Film Appearances
- 1977: Semi-Tough as Earlene Emery
- 1979: The Champ as Josie
- 1982: The Beach Girls as Mrs. Brinker
- 1982: The Best Little ... in Texas as Rita
- 1982: O'Hara's Wife as Gloria
- 1986: The Mouse and the Motorcycle as Kindergarten Teacher
- 1994: Serial Mom as Rosemary Ackerman
- 2004: The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie as Mrs. Puff (voice)
- 2006: The Benchwarmers as Mrs. Ellwood
- 2009: Surprise Surprise as Winnie Blythman
- 2014: Let's Be Cops as Luigi
- 2014: Lucky Stiff as Old Lady
- 2015: The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water as Mrs. Puff (voice)
- 2020: The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run as Mrs. Puff (voice)
- 2024: Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie as Mrs. Puff (voice)
- 2025: Plankton: The Movie as Mrs. Puff (voice)
Television Appearances
- 1975: The Bob Newhart Show as Mrs. Engleheart
- 1975: The Waltons as Elvira Roswell
- 1975: Kojak as Verna
- 1976–1978: M*A*S*H as Becky/Nurse Walsh (3 episodes)
- 1979: The Dukes of Hazzard as Cousin Alice
- 1982–1986: Diff'rent Strokes as Pearl Gallagher (main cast)
- 1986: ALF as Mary Jo
- 1987: Murder, She Wrote as Mrs. Metcalf
- 1989–1990: General Hospital as Mary Finnegan (2 episodes)
- 1999–present: SpongeBob SquarePants as Mrs. Puff (voice; main cast)
- 2004–2005: That's So Raven as Mrs. Applebaum (4 episodes)
- 2010: Glee as Mrs. Carlisle
- 2011: 2 Broke Girls as Elaine
- 2013: Modern Family as Edith
- 2021–2024: Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years as Mrs. Puff (voice)
- 2021–2024: The Patrick Star Show as Mrs. Puff (voice; 3 episodes)
Video Game Roles
Mary Jo Catlett has also voiced Mrs. Puff in many SpongeBob SquarePants video games:
- 2001: SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Krabby Patty
- 2003: SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom
- 2005: SpongeBob SquarePants: Lights, Camera, Pants!
- 2005: SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
- 2006: SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
- 2010: SpongeBob's Boating Bash
- 2013: SpongeBob Moves In!
- 2020: SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated
- 2023: SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake
- 2023: Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2
- 2024: SpongeBob SquarePants: The Patrick Star Game
See also
In Spanish: Mary Jo Catlett para niños
