Mary Walsh (actress) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mary Walsh CM
Walsh in 2008
Born	Mary Cynthia Walsh (1952-05-13) May 13, 1952 (age 73) St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Occupation	Actress, comedian, writer
Years active	1973–present
Awards	Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress (2021)

Mary Cynthia Walsh CM (born May 13, 1952) is a Canadian actress, comedian, and writer. She is super well-known for her funny work on TV shows like CODCO and This Hour Has 22 Minutes.

Mary Walsh: Her Early Life and Career

Growing Up in St. John's

Mary Walsh was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. She was the seventh of eight children in her family. Her dad, Leo, used to be a sailor in the merchant navy before becoming a firefighter on big ships. Mary's family has roots in Ireland. When she was younger, she was even a member of the Girl Guides of Canada.

Starting Out in Theatre

Mary first studied theatre in Toronto at Ryerson University. But she left school early to join a comedy group called CODCO. They performed many stage shows together. These shows eventually turned into a popular TV sketch comedy series. The CODCO TV show aired on CBC Television from 1988 to 1993.

Her Famous TV Shows

This Hour Has 22 Minutes

In 1992, Mary teamed up with her former CODCO co-stars Cathy Jones and Greg Thomey, and also with Rick Mercer. Together, they created a brand new TV show called This Hour Has 22 Minutes. This show was a funny take on the nightly news. It made jokes about Canadian and international politics.

22 Minutes was very popular, especially in its early years. Mary's character, Marg Delahunty, became super famous!

Marg Delahunty, Princess Warrior!

Marg Delahunty was known for surprising politicians and interviewing them in a funny, satirical way. Marg would often say a prepared speech to playfully embarrass the politician. She would also give them "grandmotherly" advice. Sometimes, Marg would even dress up as "Marg, Princess Warrior." This was a funny copy of the character Xena: Warrior Princess, played by Lucy Lawless.

Mary Walsh also became famous for a funny report she did in 1998. It was about a tense protest by the Canadian Auto Workers Union at a Volvo Halifax Assembly car plant.

In 2011, Mary brought Marg Delahunty back to interview Toronto Mayor Rob Ford at his home. The mayor's reaction made big news across Canada. She also played Marg, Princess Warrior again in 2017 for the 25th season of 22 Minutes.

Other TV Projects

In 2020, Mary Walsh brought back another one of her 22 Minutes characters, Miss Eulalia. She played her in a web series called Broad Appeal: Living with E's on CBC Gem. For this role, Mary was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award.

Mary has also appeared in other TV shows. These include sitcoms like Dooley Gardens (1999) and Hatching, Matching and Dispatching (2006). She also had a guest role on the CBC show Republic of Doyle. Currently, she has a regular role on CBC's Little Dog. In 2003, Mary created her own CBC show called Mary Walsh: Open Book. It was a talk show all about books and literature. In 2017, she wrote and starred in A Christmas Fury, bringing back the funny Fury family from Hatching, Matching, and Dispatching.

Other Cool Projects

In 2004, Mary hosted a part of the CBC documentary series The Greatest Canadian. In this show, she argued that Sir Frederick Banting was the greatest Canadian ever. He was the Nobel prize-winning scientist who discovered insulin.

In 2017, Mary Walsh published her very first novel, which is a type of book. It was called Crying for the Moon.

Directing Movies

Mary Walsh also directs movies! Her first movie as a director was Young Triffie in 2007. She was the first person from Newfoundland in six years to have a movie shown in theatres all across Canada.

Awards and Honours

Performing Arts Awards

Mary has won many awards for her acting and writing. In 1992, she won Best Supporting Actress at the Atlantic Film Festival for her role in the movie Secret Nation.

In 2006, Mary and Ed MacDonald won a Gemini Award for their excellent writing on the show Hatching, Matching and Dispatching. She has won a total of 18 Gemini Awards throughout her career! In 2021, she won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film Happy Place.

In 2012, Mary Walsh received a special award called the Governor General's Performing Arts Award. This is Canada's highest honour for people in the performing arts.

Helping Others

Mary Walsh has also used her fame to help others. She has a condition called macular degeneration, which affects eyesight. Because of this, she has often been a spokesperson for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). This organization helps people who are blind or have low vision.

In 1994, Mary spoke at a big meeting called the United Nations Global Conference on Development in New York. She has also been a spokesperson for Oxfam, which is an organization that works to fight poverty and ensure everyone has access to public services. In 2010, she received Oxfam's Spirit of Change Award for her many years of hard work.

Mary has also received honorary degrees from two universities: Trent University in 1998 and McGill University in 2008.

National Honours

Mary Walsh was given a very special honour on April 27, 2000. She was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada. This means she can use the letters "CM" after her name for the rest of her life. This award recognizes people who have made a big difference in Canada. She also received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

Filmography

Film

Television