Kathryn Greenwood (born March 21, 1962) is a Canadian actress and comedian. She appeared on the American version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? numerous times, and played Grace Bailey on the Canadian television drama series Wind at My Back.[2]

Kathy Greenwood
Born
Kathryn Greenwood

(1962-03-21) March 21, 1962 (age 62)
Occupation(s)Actress, comedian
Years active1987–present
SpouseJohn Dolin
Children2
AwardsCanadian Comedy Award for Best Female Improviser

Life and career

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Greenwood was born in Scarborough, Ontario. From an early age she wanted to be a performer and went to school at Agincourt Collegiate Institute. There she performed in school plays and concerts. After graduation in 1980, Greenwood spent the next two years studying acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.[3]

In 1987, she returned to Toronto, and worked in a small night club act called A Wedge of Night. She spent five years with the Toronto branch of The Second City comedy troupe[4] as a writer and a performer. Two of her shows won Dora Mavor Moore awards[5] in 1988 and 1992.

Shortly afterwards, she and her friends Jonathan Wilson and Ed Sahely developed what she called their "Second City" spin-off, Not to Be Repeated, in which the three improvised an entire situation comedy in front of a live audience, based solely on ideas and suggestions from the audience.[6] She also appeared with Shirley Douglas and Kiefer Sutherland in The Glass Menagerie at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in spring 1997.[7] Other notable appearances in Canada include This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Royal Canadian Air Farce.

In 1996, Greenwood began regular work on Canadian television on the family drama series Wind at My Back. She worked for five years, full-time, playing Grace Bailey, a junior radio M.C. in the small town of New Bedford, Ontario, during the Great Depression. Her portrayal of Grace Bailey was nominated for a Gemini Award for Best Performance By an Actress in a Continuing Leading Role. In 1999, Kathy was cast as Denise Stanton in the TV movie Switching Goals, starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Later that same year, Greenwood commuted to Los Angeles to appear on such shows as The Drew Carey Show, the updated version of Hollywood Squares,[8] and the American version of the improvisation game show Whose Line Is It Anyway?.

Marriage and family

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Greenwood is married to television writer John Dolin; they have two daughters: Phoebe and Josephine. Phoebe was born in 2000, while Josephine was born in 2001.

Current projects

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Greenwood is part of the sketch comedy troupe Women Fully Clothed,[9][10] featuring what Eugene Levy calls "the five funniest women in Canada." The group saw success in Canada and appeared in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1992 This Is My Life Young Matron
1994 New Nightmare Nurse in Hospital Room with Heather
1995 House[11] Kathy
1996 Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy Ginny Hurdicure
1999 Switching Goals Dr. Denise Stanton
2003 Flip Phone Katie Short film
2005 The Man Flight Attendant
Anne: Journey to Green Gables Mavis (voice) Video
Heidi Aunt Dete (voice)
2014 Get Santa Miscellaneous crew (Accountant)
2015 Poltergeist Realtor
2016 My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Marge
Unless Willow Halliday
2021 8-Bit Christmas Mrs. Hugo
The Exchange Mrs. Fleming
2023 World's Best Ms. Sage
The King Tide Charlotte
EXmas Jeannie

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1992 This Hour Has 22 Minutes Writer
1993 Street Legal Jacky Kepler Episode: "Believe the Children"
Maniac Mansion Allanah Episode: "Love Letters"
Women on Trial: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story Sylvia Bonner TV movie
1994 Hostage for a Day SWAT One
Squawk Box
RoboCop: The Series Director Episode: "Midnight Minus One"
1995 Goosebumps Ms. Walker Episode: "The Phantom of the Auditorium"
1996 The High Life Judy Episode: "Bowling"
1996–2001 Wind at My Back Grace Bailey Mainwairing and Gams O'Malley Main role
1997 Once a Thief Margo Episode: "Trial Marriage"
1998 Stories from My Childhood (voice) 2 episodes
History Bites Various 2 episodes
1999 George and Martha Frieda
The Wonderful World of Disney Denise Stanton Episode: "Switching Goals"
Switching Goals Denise Stanton[12] TV movie
2000 The 2000 Canadian Comedy Awards Self (Pretty Funny Female Improv) TV special
The Pooch and the Pauper Kim Corbett TV film
The Drew Carey Show Kathryn Episode: "Drew Live II"
2000–2007 Whose Line Is It Anyway? Self
2001 The Broad Side Various roles
This Sitcom Is...Not to Be Repeated
I Was a Rat Lucasta Utensil Miniseries
Hollywood Squares Self Episode: January 25, 2001
2002 Kids in the Hall: Tour of Duty Documentary
Moville Mysteries Mrs. Caliente Episode: "The Day Rico Became Smart"
Royal Canadian Air Farce Senior Citizen #3/Dr. Stilwart Episode: "10.9"
2003 Open Mike with Mike Bullard Guest Episode: February 20, 2003
Royal Canadian Air Farce Various Episode: "Best of #3"
2003–2005 JoJo's Circus Dr. Seltzer (voice) Recurring role
2004 XPM Laura Macdonald
Wonderfalls Ronnie Episode: "Wax Lion"
The Wrong Coast Debbie Sue Ashanti-Melendez Miniseries
Listen Missy Various
This Hour Has 22 Minutes Various 3 episodes
2005 Distinguished Artists Self Episode: "Women Fully Clothed"
Queer as Folk Lila Episode: "5.2"
Maple Shorts! Sela Salmon (voice) Episode: "Eat My Shorts"
2006 Getting Along Famously Sister Gregory "Sister Song" Pechiccino Episode: "Sister Song"
Captain Flamingo Milo's Mom (voice)
2007 Women Fully Clothed: All Dressed Up and Places to Go Self Documentary
The Jane Show Whitney Johnson Episode: "The House of Jane"
2009 The Rick Mercer Report Guest Episode: "#7.1"
The Dating Guy Valerie (voice) Episode: "Really Bad Lieutenant"
2010 CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival Self Documentary
Self/Writer Episode: "Savings and Groans"
2011 The Ron James Show Self Episode: "#3.3"
Justin Time Cleopatra Episode: "Brave Sir Justin & Cleopatra's Cat"
2012 Frenemies Lisa Logan TV movie
I, Martin Short, Goes Home Mother
2012–2013 Sidekick Cindy Struction (voice) 2 episodes
2013 Satisfaction Bonnie Episode: "Mo Money, Mo Problems"
2013–2014 The Rick Mercer Report Rick's Wife 13 episodes
2014 Working the Engels Grace van der Hooven Episode: "The Crazy Family"
Saving Hope Rita Brown Episode: "Stand By Me"
The Stanley Dynamic Officer Vicky Episode: "The Stanley Crime"
2015 Remedy Marg Hendrickson Episode: "Life in Technicolor"
2017 Man Seeking Woman Picklepop Episode: "Popcorn"
Taken Too Far Gaby TV movie
2019 Cavendish Ruth Main role
2020 Unlocking Christmas Maggie Matthews TV movie
2021 Ghosts Margaret Farnsby Episode: "Dinner Party"
2023–2024 So Help Me Todd Patty 2 episodes
"Ruby and the Well" Val 3 episodes

Awards/Nominations

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Awards
Year Award Category Production Result
1992 Dora Mavor Moore Award Outstanding New Revue or Musical The Second City Won
1996 Gemini Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Role Wind at My Back Nominated
1998 Dora Mavor Moore Award Outstanding New Revue or Musical The Second City Won
2000 Canadian Comedy Award Best Female Improviser
2005 Best Sketch Troupe Women Fully Clothed Nominated

References

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