Karen Maruyama Explained

Karen Maruyama
Birth Date:29 May 1958
Occupation:Actress, comedian
Years Active:1990–present

Karen Maruyama (born May 29, 1958) is an American actress and comedian.[1]

Career

Maruyama has appeared on television in supporting roles in a number of sitcoms, including recurring characters on The Jamie Foxx Show, Strip Mall, Suddenly Susan, and Arrested Development. Maruyama is well known as an improv performer and instructor, and was a featured guest on the American and British versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, as well as being a member of The Groundlings.[2] She also appeared as a parking lot attendant in an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

She played a nurse in The Bucket List (2007) and a housekeeper in the 2012 film The Campaign. She is part of the cast of The Jim Henson Company's live stage show "Puppet Up! - Uncensored" which has toured to Aspen, Las Vegas, Edinburgh, Sydney and Melbourne and is currently appearing monthly at Avalon Hollywood.

Maruyama was also featured as a fashion victim in an episode of the makeover show How Do I Look?.[3] She also appeared as a non-celebrity contestant on the 1984 CBS game show, Body Language, under the name Karen Upshaw, saying she was from Perris, California. She was paired with celebrity players Ted Lange and Constance Towers. She was also on The New $25,000 Pyramid in 1983 with Audrey Landers and Michael McKean.

Filmography

YearTitle RoleNotes
1990Circuitry ManBiker Bandit
1990–91On the TelevisionImelda MarcosEpisode: "Our Maid Imelda"
1992Full HouseMrs. KnottsEpisode: "The Long Goodbye"
1992Doogie Howser, M.D.Kathy WalkerEpisode: "Do the Right Thing... If You Can Figure Out What It Is"
1994ViperPolice OperatorEpisode: "Pilot"
1994Pulp FictionGawker #1
1994EllenKateEpisode: "Adam's Birthday"
1995The EnforcerVoice
1995Murphy BrownWardrobe WomanEpisode: "It's Miller Time"
1995SawbonesPolitoTelevision film
1995The American PresidentLeo's Assistant
1996Dunston Checks InTelephone Operator
1996Mad About YouNurse #2Episode: "The Procedure"
1996Rudy Coby: Ridiculously DangerousGrandmaTelevision film
1996–97Captain Simian & the Space MonkeysShao LinVoice
1997Night StandMiyoshiEpisode: "Leave Your Job or I'm Leaving You"
1997Caroline in the CityActressEpisode: "Caroline and the Wayward Husband"
1997Blade RunnerFish DealerVideo game, voice
1997–98Whose Line Is It Anyway? (UK)Herself3 episodes
1998–2000Whose Line Is It Anyway? (US)Herself3 episodes
1998Veronica's ClosetEvent OfficialEpisode: "Veronica's Got a Secret"
1998Holding the BabyMonaEpisode: "Father Knows Breast"
1998Guys Like UsKimRecurring role
1998Suddenly SusanMrs. Fong5 episodes
1999The Thirteenth YearMrs. NelsonTelevision film
1997–99The SimpsonsJapanese Stewardess, Dancing Lady #1Voice, 2 episodes
2000The Wild ThornberrysLeopardVoice, episode: "Black and White and Mom All Over"
2000King of the HillBuddhistVoice, episode: "Won't You Pimai Neighbor?"
2000TitusNurse PattyEpisode: "Episode Eleven"
2000Static ShockKimVoice, episode: "Grounded"
2000Curb Your EnthusiasmFemale Parking Attendant (Joanna)Episode: "Interior Decorator"
1999–2001The Jamie Foxx ShowGloria11 episodes
2001FuturamaAmazonianVoice, episode: "Amazonian Women in the Mood"
2001Even StevensMillieEpisode: "A Weak First Week"
2001Strip MallFoo9 episodes
2001Heavy Gear: The Animated SeriesYoji KirakowaVoice
2002Justice LeagueTsukuri, FirefighterVoice, episode: "Fury"
2003ColumboMaidEpisode: "Columbo Likes the Nightlife"
2003Head Protestor, Shadowy Woman, Flower VendorVoice, 2 episodes
2005The King of QueensConnieEpisode: "Black List"
2007The Bucket ListNurse Shing
2010Raising HopeMrs HwongEpisode: "Toy Story"
2012The CampaignMrs. Yao
2012Crash & BernsteinVice-Principal TakashiEpisode: "Educating Crash"
2013Good Luck CharlieCoachEpisode: "Go Teddy!"
20132 Broke GirlsSu-Min LeeEpisode: "And the Girlfriend Experience"
2014Garfunkel & OatesSusieEpisode: "Rule 34"
2016Go-Go Boy InterruptedLizEpisode: "My First Time Doing Porn"
2018HeathersMrs. Finn3 episodes
2018Life of the PartyMediator
2019Dead to Me MarcyEpisode: “It's Not You, It's Me"
2020BoschWanda WilliamsEpisode: "Dark Sacred Night"
2021Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar Caricaturist
2022BarborahVoice
2022I'm Totally FineSandra
2023The Loud HouseNora Nussebaum, FanVoices, episode: "Road Trip: Screen Queen"

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Interview "The Campaign" Actress Karen Maruyama . AsianInNY . Blog.AsianInNY.com . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20141012062756/http://blog.asianinny.com/exclusive-interviews/interview-the-campaign-actress-karen-maruyama/ . October 12, 2014 . August 21, 2018 .
  2. Web site: Karen Maruyama . TheGroundlings.com . The Groundlings Theatre & School . August 21, 2018 .
  3. Web site: How Do I Look? . CBS Interactive Inc. . August 21, 2018 .