| Birth Date: | 10 April 1954 |
| Birth Place: | Chatham Borough, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Years Active: | 1975 - present |
| Children: | 2 |
Deborah Rush (born April 10, 1954) is an American actress. She has worked in television, film and on Broadway. In 1984, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for Michael Frayn's comedy Noises Off.[1]
Rush was born in Chatham Borough, New Jersey. She is the wife of Walter Cronkite III (born April 22, 1957) and daughter-in-law of the late television journalist Walter Cronkite. The couple has two sons, Walter Cronkite IV and the late Peter Cronkite.[2]
Rush made her Broadway debut performing in the 1975 musical Dance with Me.[1] She later appeared in films Oliver's Story (1978), 10 (1979) and Honky Tonk Freeway (1981), and made-for-television productions Alice at the Palace and A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1982. From 1983 to 1984 she starred as Brooke Ashton in Noises Off, a role gained her Drama Desk Award and a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play nomination.[1] Also in 1983, Rush starred in the satirical mockumentary comedy film, Zelig written and directed by Woody Allen. She later appeared in the another Woody Allen's film, The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985). During the 1980s, Rush also appeared in films such as Compromising Positions (1985), Heat (1986), Big Business (1988), Parents (1989) and Family Business (1989).[3] On stage, Rush also acted in Hay Fever, The Sisters Rosensweig, and Stephen Adly Guirgis' The Last Days of Judas Iscariot.
In 1990s, Rush played number of supporting roles in films such as My Blue Heaven (1990), In & Out (1997), You've Got Mail (1998) and Three to Tango (1999). On television, she played Isabel Hazard in the 1994 miniseries, Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book III and had a recurring role in the ABC sitcom Spin City as Helen Winston, eventual ex-wife of mayor Randall Winston. From 1999 to 2000, Rush was a regular cast member of the Comedy Central comedy series, Strangers with Candy starring Amy Sedaris. She reprised her role in the 2005 prequel film, Strangers with Candy. In 2002 she co-starred opposite Jennifer Aniston in the comedy-drama film, The Good Girl and the following year appeared in the comedy film American Wedding, as Mary Flaherty, Michelle Flaherty's mom.[4] [5] She played Ryan Gosling's mother in the 2006 drama film, Half Nelson, and starred as Avis DeVoto in the 2009 biographical comedy-drama film, Julie & Julia written and directed by Nora Ephron. In December 2008, she joined the cast of the Broadway revival of Blithe Spirit.[6]
In 2010, Rush was regular cast member in the short-lived Comedy Central sitcom, Big Lake.[7] She also made guest appearances in television series such as , The Good Wife, Inside Amy Schumer and The Blacklist. From 2013 to 2019 she had a recurring role in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black, as Piper Chapman's mother, Carol Chapman.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Oliver's Story | 1st Girl in Bar | ||
| 1979 | 10 | Dental Assistant | ||
| 1981 | Honky Tonk Freeway | Sister Mary Magdalene | ||
| 1982 | Split Image | Judith | ||
| 1983 | Zelig | Lita Fox | ||
| 1983 | Patsy | |||
| 1985 | Rita | |||
| 1985 | Compromising Positions | Brenda Dunck | ||
| 1986 | Heat | D.D. | ||
| 1988 | Big Business | Binky Shelton | ||
| 1989 | Parents | Mrs. Zellner | ||
| 1989 | She-Devil | People reporter | ||
| 1989 | Family Business | Michele Dempsey | ||
| 1990 | My Blue Heaven | Linda | ||
| 1992 | Passed Away | Denise Scanlan | ||
| 1995 | Reckless | Trish | ||
| 1997 | In & Out | Ava Blazer | ||
| 1998 | You've Got Mail | Veronica Grant | ||
| 1999 | Three to Tango | Lenore | ||
| 2002 | Gwen Jackson | |||
| 2003 | American Wedding | Mary Flaherty | ||
| 2005 | Strangers with Candy | Sara Blank | ||
| 2006 | Half Nelson | Jo Dunne | ||
| 2007 | Diane | |||
| 2007 | The Visitor | Upper Eastside Woman | ||
| 2008 | Fling | Katherine | ||
| 2009 | Julie & Julia | Avis DeVoto | ||
| 2009 | Clymene Steward | |||
| 2012 | Rhymes with Banana | Jane | ||
| 2015 | Ava's Possessions | Joanna | ||
| 2016 | Women Who Kill | Grace | ||
| 2018 | Accommodations | Victoria Maason | ||
| 2020 | Before/During/After | Therapist #4 | ||
| 2024 | The Next Big One: A Comedy with Three Potential Problems | Aunt Mitty | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Kiss Me, Petruchio | Bianca | TV film | |
| 1982 | Alice at the Palace | Alice's Mother | TV film | |
| 1982 | Hermia | TV film | ||
| 1985 | Angela | Episode: "No Room at the Inn" | ||
| 1987 | Crime Story | Penelope Worth | Episode: "The Pinnacle" | |
| 1987 | Leg Work | Judy | Episode: "Things That Go Bump in the Night" | |
| 1987 | Invisible Thread | Dr. Norris | TV film | |
| 1988 | Isabel Domino | Episode: "1.1" | ||
| 1990 | Against the Law | Louise Ciardi | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 1992 | Unnatural Pursuits | Stephanie Didcot | Episode: "I Don't Do Cuddles" | |
| 1994 | Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book III | Isabel Hazard | TV miniseries | |
| 1995 | Phoebe Halliwell | Episode: "Pilot" | ||
| 1996-1997 | Spin City | Helen Winston | Recurring role (4 episodes) | |
| 1997 | Law & Order | Frances Houston | Episode: "Blood" | |
| 1999 | Earthly Possessions | Heidi Anderson | TV film | |
| 1999-2000 | Strangers with Candy | Sara Blank | Main role (30 episodes) | |
| 2000 | Christina Harlin | Episode: "Russian Love Poem" | ||
| 2000 | Madigan Men | Mrs. Wolfe | Episode: "Meet the Wolves" | |
| 2004 | Ms. Davenport | Episode: "The Honeymoon Suite" | ||
| 2004 | Tempting Adam | Ruth Heller | TV film | |
| 2010 | Caroline Heffenbacher | Episode: "Revolutionary Doughnuts" | ||
| 2010 | Big Lake | Linda Franklin | (10 episodes) | |
| 2012 | Judge Sally Rigby | Episode: "Gloves Come Off" | ||
| 2013 | Girls | Thomas-John's Mother | Episode: "It's a Shame About Ray" | |
| 2013-2019 | Orange Is the New Black | Carol Chapman | (11 episodes) | |
| 2014 | Inside Amy Schumer | Amy's mother | Episode: "Slow Your Roll" | |
| 2019 | The Blacklist | Realtor | Episode: "Orion Relocation Services" | |
| 2021 | Search Party | Gertrude Wreck | Episode: “The Thoughtless Woman” |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975-1976 | Dance with Me | Goldie Pot | ||
| 1983-1985 | Noises Off | Brooke Ashton | ||
| 1985-1986 | Hay Fever | Jackie Coryton | ||
| 1993-1994 | Gorgeous Teitelbaum | Replacement | ||
| 2005 | Absurd Person Singular | Marion | ||
| 2009 | Blithe Spirit | Mrs. Bradman |