Mary Scheer (born March 19, 1963) is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer, best known for her work in television. She had recurring roles as Marissa Benson on the Nickelodeon sitcom iCarly and as Gladys on the Disney Channel series Bunk'd. She voiced Alice the Zookeeper on DreamWorks animated series The Penguins of Madagascar, was part of the original cast on the sketch comedy show Mad TV, voiced every female character on Most Extreme Elimination Challenge and appeared in GEICO commercials.

Career

She is known for playing comedic characters in sitcoms, movies, and cartoons.

Mad TV

Scheer was one of the original nine cast members of Mad TV when the series debuted in 1995. She came to the show with a background in sketch comedy from her days with The Groundlings. During her tenure, Scheer developed characters such as the chain-smoking Mrs. Jewel Barone, Cabana Chat host Dixie Wetsworth, Connie Linder, Debbie Dander, Lily Don, and Mrs. Vigor (Killer Grandma).

Scheer also performed impressions of celebrities and public figures during her tenure on Mad TV, some of which included U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, Demi Moore, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Griffin, Mary Tyler Moore, Ashley Olsen, Candice Bergen, Fran Drescher, Shirley MacLaine, Emma Thompson, Sherry Stringfield, Frances Bavier, Irene Vernon, Ashley Judd, Victoria Beckham and Barbara Feldon. Other impersonations include Barbra Streisand in the Mad TV spoof video "Terms Of Imprisonment", where she portrays Streisand as an egomaniac who abuses her co-star, Whitney Houston and Gillian Anderson's Dana Scully in the "XXX Files" sketch. Towards the end of the second season, Scheer became pregnant and was visibly pregnant at the beginning of the third season, continuing to perform on the show. After giving birth, Scheer finished the third season before leaving in 1998.

Characters

CharacterSketchSeason of first appearanceCatch phraseNotes
Mrs. Jewel BaroneThe Smoker1"Oh yeah, there it is."She is a habitual smoker who seems to have a negative effect on everyone around her (physically and mentally) because of her smoking.
Dixie WetsworthCabana Chat2"You like? I like."She is an aging talk show host who has undergone several plastic surgeries.
Connie LinderJoel & Connie1
Debbie Dander1
Lily DonJoe & Lily Don1
Mrs. VigorKiller Grandma1

Other projects

Besides Mad TV, Scheer has appeared in several other television shows. Her credits include Reno 911!, Primetime Glick, X-Chromosome, Free Ride, and Dropping Out. She had a recurring role on the Nickelodeon sitcom iCarly as Marissa Benson, the extremely overprotective mother of Nathan Kress's character Freddie Benson. The show ran from September 8, 2007, to November 23, 2012. She also reprised the same role for the iCarly reboot on Paramount+.

After leaving Mad TV, she appeared in the films Elvira's Haunted Hills, The New Women, Chump Change, and It Can Always Get Worse Kathy, from 2001 to 2005. She also starred as Gladys, the grumpy and lonely camp director of Camp Kikiwaka in the first 2 seasons of Bunk'd.

Besides her on-screen appearances, Scheer has also become a voice actress, lending her voice to numerous commercials and several animated projects, including Family Guy and King of the Hill. Scheer's voice also appears in the animated feature film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. Scheer performed all female voices in Spike TV's humorous game show MXC (she was credited as portraying Everygirl). In season four, she became MXC's supervising producer.

Scheer also appeared on the Jennette McCurdy web series What's Next for Sarah? as Sarah's therapist.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1988The New Adventures of Pippi LongstockingAmerican Dubbing Team
1989L.A. on $5 a DayHomeless woman
1991The Chick's a DickSnapdragon
1994It's PatNurse
1995Ding DongDoris Pritt
Not of This EarthSaleswoman
2000Chump ChangeAgent #2
2001The New WomenNancy
Elvira's Haunted HillsLady Ema Hellsubus
2005It Can Always Get WorseKathy
2019Between Two Ferns: The MovieFrannie Scheindlin

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1993Quantum LeapOther WomanEpisode: "Dr. Ruth - April 25, 1985"
1994Beverly Hills, 90210Marcia Ramsden
1995Party of FiveMs. Shaver
1995–1998Mad TVVarious charactersSketch comedy series; credited in 66 episodes
1995, 1998SeinfeldMrs. Smoth, Joan2 episodes
1998–2005All ThatVarious
2000Dropping OutBetty Brockton
2001Primetime GlickVarious Characters
X-Chromosome
2003Reno 911!Tina the Daycare Owner
2006Free RideAunt Louise
2007–2012iCarlyMarissa BensonRecurring role; 28 episodes
2007Halfway HomeAlan's WifeEpisode: "Halfway Innocent"
The Suite Life of Zack & CodyMs. Laura BirdEpisode: "Summer Of Our Discontent"
2009Hannah MontanaNormaEpisode: "Can't Get Home To You Girl"
2010Good Luck CharliePatriciaEpisode: "Teddy's Broken Heart Club Band"
Nick Swardson's Pretend TimePaulaEpisode: "The Leather Swingset with the Monkey and the Gun"
2014Sam & CatMarissa BensonEpisode: "#TheKillerTunaJump: #Freddie #Jade #Robbie"
2 Broke GirlsLoisEpisode: "And the Dumpster Sex"
2015–2017Bunk'dGladysRecurring role; 13 episodes
2016Life in PiecesMarta PigeonEpisode: "Hair Recital Rainbow Mom"
2017Julie's GreenroomGroundlings Theater DirectorEpisode: "Morning at the Improv"
2021–2023iCarlyMarissa BensonRecurring role

Voice acting appearances

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995Freakazoid!Sandra DangerEpisode: "Toby Danger in Doomsday Bet"
1997Lands of Lore: Guardians of DestinyVarious CharactersVideo game
1997–2002King of the HillMs. Bittner, Bank Teller, Gracie2 episodes
1999Family GuyAnn Landers, Mary, Mother
The Angry BeaversComputer, TV ActressEpisode: "Long Tall Daggy/Practical Jerks"
2000Batman Beyond: Return of the JokerMrs. Drake
2000Hey Arnold!Suzie Kokoshka
2002Invader ZimYoa
2003–2007MXCFemale voices ("Everygirl")Formerly Most Extreme Elimination Challenge; also producer
2009–2015The Penguins of MadagascarAlice the Zookeeper, Machine Voice, Female Doctor, additional voices
2020Twin MirrorTaraVideo game

Web series

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014What's Next for Sarah?Sarah's therapistAlso plays other characters

Personal life

Scheer married her husband Bob Bush on October 10, 1992. Together they have two children, a daughter, Abigail (b. October 1, 1997), who is a theatre actress and opera singer and a son, Nate (b. June 15, 2002).

External links