Laraine Newman

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Laraine Newman (born March 2, 1952) is an American comedienne and actress.

Early life

Newman was born on March 2, 1952 in Los Angeles, California,^[1] the granddaughter of a Jewish cattle rancher from Arizona.^[2] Newman attended Beverly Hills High School in Beverly Hills, California.

Career

She began her comedy career as a founding member of The Groundlings and is best known for being an original cast member on NBC's Saturday Night Live, appearing on the show from its inception in 1975 through 1980. She originated the characters of Sheri The Valley Girl and Connie Conehead, among others.

According to the book Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live, Newman was frustrated with her lack of airtime on Saturday Night Live and had a rivalry with Gilda Radner. In another history of the series, Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller's Live From New York, Newman acknowledges some responsibility for her lack of airtime, because while Radner and other cast members were creating recurring characters, "I refused to do it because I wanted to, you know, dazzle everybody with my versatility. And that kept me anonymous."^{[citation needed]}

Newman's post-SNL film career has been limited, achieving greater success in supporting roles and as a voice artist on television and features. She starred in the 1986 syndicated comedy series, The Canned Film Festival, and made appearances on such programs as Laverne & Shirley, According to Jim, St. Elsewhere, Amazing Stories, Friends, The Tick, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Histeria!, Danny Phantom, As Told By Ginger, Rugrats (in "All Growed Up", an episode which would form the basis of the spinoff All Grown Up!, for which she also provided voice work), 7th Heaven, Avatar: The Last Airbender and Metalocalypse. Although SNL's "The Coneheads" was made into a feature film in 1993, the role of Connie was recast and Newman appeared in only a brief cameo role. Most recently she appeared in an episode of Entourage and Brothers & Sisters, provided voice work for WALL-E, Battle for Terra, Ponyo and Jungle Junction.

Personal life

Newman married actor-writer Chad Einbinder in 1991. Together they have two daughters - Lena (born 1991) and Hannah (born 1995).

References

External links

• Laraine Newman at the Internet Movie Database
• Laraine Newman at the Internet Broadway Database
• Writings at One For The Table