Mary Walsh (actress) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Walsh
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Walsh in 2008
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Mary Cynthia Walsh
May 13, 1952 |
| Occupation | Actress, comedian, writer |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Awards | Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress (2021) |
Mary Cynthia Walsh, born on May 13, 1952, is a famous Canadian actress, comedian, and writer. She is best known for her funny roles on TV shows like CODCO and This Hour Has 22 Minutes.
Contents
About Mary Walsh
Early Life and Beginnings
Mary Walsh was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. She was one of eight children in her family. Her father, Leo Walsh, was a firefighter who worked on ships. Mary is of Irish background. She was also a member of the Girl Guides of Canada when she was younger.
Her Career in Comedy
Mary Walsh first studied theatre in Toronto. However, she soon joined a comedy group called CODCO. This group performed many stage shows. These shows later became a popular TV sketch comedy series. The CODCO TV show aired on CBC Television from 1988 to 1993.
This Hour Has 22 Minutes
In 1992, Mary Walsh helped create a new TV show called This Hour Has 22 Minutes. She worked with her former CODCO co-stars Cathy Jones and Greg Thomey, and also with Rick Mercer. This show was a funny take on the daily news. It made jokes about Canadian and international politics.
22 Minutes was very popular, especially in its early years. Mary Walsh's character, Marg Delahunty, became famous. Marg would often surprise politicians and interview them in a funny way. She would give them "grandmotherly" advice or gentle criticism. Sometimes, Marg would even dress up as "Marg, Princess Warrior." This was a funny version of the character Xena from Xena: Warrior Princess.
Mary Walsh also brought back Marg Delahunty for special events. In 2011, she interviewed Toronto Mayor Rob Ford at his home. This interview made national news. She also played Marg, Princess Warrior, again in 2017 for an episode of 22 Minutes. In April 2025, Marg was seen again, ready to "Fight in the 2025 Trade War."
In 2020, Mary Walsh played another one of her popular characters, Miss Eulalia. This was for a web series called Broad Appeal: Living with E's. She was even nominated for an award for her performance in this series.
Other Projects and Roles
Mary Walsh has appeared in many other TV shows. These include Dooley Gardens and Hatching, Matching and Dispatching. She also had a role on the CBC show Republic of Doyle. She currently plays a character on the show Little Dog.
In 2003, Mary Walsh created a talk show about books called Mary Walsh: Open Book. She also wrote and starred in a TV movie called A Christmas Fury in 2017. This movie brought back characters from Hatching, Matching and Dispatching.
Mary Walsh has also acted in several movies. Some of these include Mambo Italiano, Geraldine's Fortune, and The Divine Ryans. .....
In 2004, she hosted a part of the CBC documentary series The Greatest Canadian. She spoke about why Sir Frederick Banting was the greatest Canadian. He was the scientist who discovered insulin.
In 2007, Mary Walsh directed her first full-length movie, Young Triffie. She was the first person from Newfoundland in six years to have a movie released across Canada.
Mary Walsh also hosted the Pride Toronto Gala & Awards ceremony in 2007. ..... For this show, a group of people were filmed near St. John's Harbour in cold weather. Mary Walsh herself did not participate in the filming in that way.
In 2017, Mary Walsh published her first novel, which was called Crying for the Moon.
Awards and Recognition
Mary Walsh has received many awards for her acting and writing. In 1992, she won Best Supporting Actress at the Atlantic Film Festival. This was for her role in the movie Secret Nation.
She also won a Gemini Award in 2006 for her writing on Hatching, Matching and Dispatching. Overall, she has won 18 Gemini Awards. In 2021, she won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film Happy Place.
In 2012, Mary Walsh received a Governor General's Performing Arts Award. This is the highest honor for artists in Canada.
Helping Others
Mary Walsh has also done a lot of work for charity. She has been a spokesperson for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. This organization helps people who are blind or have vision problems.
In 1994, Mary Walsh spoke at a big United Nations meeting in New York. She has also worked as a spokesperson for Oxfam. Oxfam is an organization that works to end poverty. In 2010, she received Oxfam's Spirit of Change Award for her dedication.
Mary Walsh has also received honorary degrees from several universities. These include Trent University in 1998 and McGill University in 2008.
National Honours
Mary Walsh was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 2000. This is a very high honor in Canada. She also received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. These medals celebrate important events for the Queen.
Film and Television Roles
Mary Walsh has had many roles in both movies and TV shows. Here are some of her notable appearances:
Film Roles
Mary Walsh has acted in many films. Some of her early roles include Stations (1983) and The Adventure of Faustus Bidgood (1986). She also appeared in Buried on Sunday (1992) and Secret Nation (1992).
Later films include New Waterford Girl (1999), The Divine Ryans (1999), and Violet (2000). She was also in Mambo Italiano (2003) and Geraldine's Fortune (2004).
..... Her most recent film role was in Deaner '89 (2024).
Television Roles
Mary Walsh has a long history in television. She was part of the comedy group CODCO from 1986 to 1989. She then became a main cast member of This Hour Has 22 Minutes from 1993 to 2013.
She has also guest-starred in many other shows. These include Emily of New Moon (1998), Lexx (1999), and Republic of Doyle (2010–2014). She also appeared in Murdoch Mysteries (2009) and Little Mosque on the Prairie (2012).
More recently, she was in Sensitive Skin (2014–2016) and Slasher (2016). She had a recurring role in Little Dog (2018). In 2020, she was a guest host on Canada's Drag Race. She continues to appear in Broad Appeal: Living with E's and The Missus Downstairs.
