Wendy Anne "Wendel" Meldrum (July 21, 1954 – January 27, 2021) was a Canadian actress best known for her roles as the "low talker" in the 1993 Seinfeld episode "The Puffy Shirt", and as Miss White/Mrs. Heimer on The Wonder Years.
Wendel Meldrum | |
|---|---|
 Meldrum at the 2013 Canadian Screen Awards Nominee Reception | |
| Born | Wendy Anne Meldrum July 21, 1954 |
| Died | January 27, 2021 (aged 66) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1984–2021 |
| Spouses | |
She guest starred in several television series and appeared in a number of feature films and television movies. Her films include Beautiful Dreamers (1990), Why Me? (1990), Diplomatic Immunity (1991) and The Divine Ryans (1999). She wrote the screenplay for the 2005 independent film Cruel But Necessary. She also played the starring role of Betty Munson alongside her real life ex-husband Mark Humphrey and their son Luke Humphrey.[1]
Meldrum received multiple nominations and awards for her performance as Anne Blecher in the Canadian television comedy-drama series Less Than Kind, which finished its four-season run on HBO Canada in 2013.
On November 19, 2014, Meldrum appeared on Ken Reid's TV Guidance Counselor podcast. She died after a short illness on January 27, 2021.[2]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Vamping | Rita | |
| 1990 | Why Me? | Gatou Vardebedian | |
| 1990 | Beautiful Dreamers | Jessie Bucke | |
| 1991 | Diplomatic Immunity | Kim Dades | |
| 1999 | Blast from the Past | Ruth | |
| 1999 | The Divine Ryans | Linda Ryan | |
| 2003 | A Mighty Wind | Witch #1 | |
| 2005 | Cruel but Necessary | Betty Munson | |
| 2005 | Partner(s) | Sandy | |
| 2010 | Queen of the Lot | Kylie |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–85 | Knots Landing | P.K. Kelly | 8 episodes |
| 1985 | Punky Brewster | Heather | "Play It Again, Punky" |
| 1985 | American Playhouse | Shelby Dischinger Everson | "Breakfast with Les and Bess" |
| 1985 | Stark | Laura Stark | TV film |
| 1986 | Cagney & Lacey | Susan | "Post Partum" |
| 1986 | Dallas: The Early Years | Honey | TV film |
| 1987 | Family Ties | Kathy Brady | "O'Brother: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1987 | I Married Dora | Janet Farrell | "I Married Dora" |
| 1987–88 | Pursuit of Happiness | Margaret Callahan | Main role |
| 1988–91 | The Wonder Years | Miss White / Mrs. Heimer | Recurring role |
| 1989 | Day by Day | Carol Gilbert | "Father Knows Best" |
| 1990 | E.N.G. | Jaz Taylor | "The Dancer and the Dance" |
| 1992 | Northern Exposure | Amy Lochner | "Nothing's Perfect" |
| 1992 | City Boy | Olivia Pollard | TV film |
| 1993 | Picket Fences | Wendy Hill | "Sightings" |
| 1993-98 | Seinfeld | Leslie / Low-Talker | "The Puffy Shirt" and "The Finale" |
| 1994 | Hush Little Baby | Susan Nolan | TV film |
| 1994 | Due South | Leann Brighton | "Pilot" |
| 1994 | Sodbusters | Lilac Gentry | TV film |
| 1994–95 | Side Effects | Elisabeth Mercer | "Worth It", "Heart Choices", "The Great Lutz" |
| 1995 | The Marshal | Veronica Cole | "Hitwoman" |
| 1995 | Pig Sty | Dr. James | "The Ghost and Mr. Evans" |
| 1995 | The Song Spinner | Mona | TV film |
| 1995 | The Commish | Emily Daniels | "Father Image: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1996 | The Pretender | Dr. Lizabeth Drake | "Not Even a Mouse" |
| 1997 | Promised Land | Ellen | "The Getaway" |
| 1997 | Dad's Week Off | Lew | TV film |
| 1997 | Melanie Darrow | Diane | TV film |
| 1998 | Murder at 75 Birch | Pat Todson | TV film |
| 1999 | The Outer Limits | Renee Stuyvescent | "Donor" |
| 2000 | First Wave | Ann Berman | "Wednesday's Child" |
| 2001 | Strong Medicine | Eleanor Vogel | "Complications" |
| 2001 | NYPD Blue | Lucy Gullickson | "Baby Love" |
| 2003 | Bliss | Dr. Andrea Gibson | "Cat Got Your Tongue" |
| 2008–2012 | Less Than Kind | Anne Blecher | Main role |
| 2012 | The Phantoms | Linda Jordan | TV film |
| 2014 | Saving Hope | Mimi | "Twinned Lambs" |
| 2014 | Working the Engels | Little Wanda | "Jenna vs. Big Pastry Part II" |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Winnipeg International Film Festival | Outstanding Actress in a Female Role | Cruel but Necessary | Won | [3] |
| 2009 | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Performance by a Female - Television | Less Than Kind | Won | |
| 2009 | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Performance by an Ensemble - Television | Less Than Kind | Won | [4] |
| 2010 | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Performance by a Female - Television | Less Than Kind | Nominated | [5] |
| 2010 | Canadian Comedy Awards | Best Performance by an Ensemble - Television | Less Than Kind | Nominated | [6] |
References
edit- ^ Gudrun Will, "Cruel intentions produce necessary result". Vancouver Courier, October 5, 2007.
- ^ Wendy Meldrum obituary
- ^ Internet Movie Database; retrieved August 1, 2010
- ^ Award shared with Benjamin Arthur, Jesse Camacho, Maury Chaykin and Nancy Sorel
- ^ "2010 nominees" (PDF). www.agamdarshi.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 January 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
- ^ Nomination shared with Benjamin Arthur, Jesse Camacho, Maury Chaykin, Brooke Palsson and Nancy Sorel Canadian Comedy Awards & Festival nominees, retrieved August 1, 2010
External links
edit- Official Wendel Meldrum Site
- Wendel Meldrum at IMDb
- Film Reference biography
- Brain Driving, a humorous film short featuring Meldrum as "Miss Olga Suchadolsky"
- Notes from the Undercarriage, a graphic novel by Meldrum as Fern Poppy