Mo Collins

Maureen "Mo" Ann Collins (born July 7, 1965)[1] is an American actress and comedian. She is perhaps best known for being a member of the ensemble on FOX's sketch comedy series Mad TV. Collins became well known for several characters during her tenure on the show.

For the American football player, see Mo Collins (American football).
Mo Collins
Born
Maureen Ann Collins

(1965-07-07) July 7, 1965
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.[1]
OccupationActress, comedian
Years active1996–present
Spouse(s)
Alex Skuby (m. 2013)

She was a cast member from the 4th season (1998) through the 9th season (2004); she only appeared in fourteen episodes during season 9 due to contractual reasons. She returned to Mad TV in the 10th season for one episode, and again when she made an appearance on the 300th episode doing her popular character Lorraine Swanson. Her best known role following her departure from Mad TV was as morning talk show host Joan Callamezzo on the sitcom Parks and Recreation.

Career

Mad TV

Collins joined the cast of Mad TV at the beginning of season 4 (Fall 1998) and stayed until the end of season 9 (Spring 2004), despite appearing in only 14 episodes during the ninth season. Her popular stint on the show led her to come back to guest star in 2005 during Season 10, in 2007 during the 300th episode on season 13, final episode of season 14 in 2009 and the 20th anniversary reunion special in 2016. She was also known for trying to stifle laughter during some of her skits much like Harvey Korman on The Carol Burnett Show.

Her most featured and arguably most popular characters were Doreen, the screechy-voiced mother of overgrown toddler Stuart (when Mo Collins left the show, Doreen was written off as being asleep after her latest alcoholic bender or never mentioned); the odd, annoying, confused middle-aged woman Lorraine, and the perpetually unlucky Trina.

Collins also did a multitude of celebrity impressions, including Pamela Anderson, Sandra Bullock, Barbara Bush, Cher, Hillary Clinton, Courteney Cox, Celine Dion, Melissa Etheridge, Judy Garland (as Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz), Jennifer Garner, Mary Hart, Teri Hatcher, Goldie Hawn, Ann Heche, Catherine Hicks, Paris Hilton, Kate Hudson, Allison Janney, Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie, Jenny Jones, Jane Kaczmarek (as Lois on a Malcolm in the Middle parody called Malcolm X in the Middle), Jewel, Dina Lohan, Andie MacDowell, Madonna, Penny Marshall (as herself and as Laverne DeFazio from Laverne & Shirley), Audrey Meadows, Mary Tyler Moore (in several "modern-day spin" parodies of The Mary Tyler Moore Show), Alanis Morissette, Cynthia Nixon, Sharon Osbourne, Pink, Diane Sawyer, Shakira, Martha Stewart, Sally Struthers, Shania Twain, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Other credits
  • She plays Starla, a business model-turned-secretary, on Season 2 of Arrested Development.
  • She plays a nurse with a big vagina in Curb Your Enthusiasm ("The Ski Lift", season 5, episode 8).
  • She plays a speed dater named Gina /ˈdʒaɪnə/, in a small role in the Judd Apatow film The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
  • She plays a doctor in a small role in the Judd Apatow film Knocked Up.
  • She has performed a NITY-woman show, Mo vs. Mo, in various cities, including Los Angeles and Chicago.
  • She played iTeacher (a teacher who gives her lessons via a live podcast because of her fear of being in front of students) on the Nickelodeon sitcom Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide.
  • Collins voiced the characters "Robo-Mom" and Zita on the Nickelodeon cartoon Invader Zim. The celebrity she impersonated was the singer Faith Hill.
  • Collins plays on the World Poker Tour in the Hollywood Home games for the We Spark charity.
  • She performed with Streetmosphere at the (formerly named) Disney-MGM Studios in the Hollywood Public Works.
  • She voices Jan Ors in the Star Wars: Dark Forces: The Collector's Trilogy audio drama.
  • She reprised her Mary Tyler Moore impression on an episode of former MADtv castmate Frank Caliendo's Frank TV.
  • She played Sister Larue/Dr. Linda Frank, a murdered nun/scientist in Season 2 Episode 3 of Pushing Daisies
  • She played the role of Emily on the ABC sitcom According to Jim.
  • She had a recurring role on NBC's sitcom Parks and Recreation as Joan Callamezzo, the host of the local talk show Pawnee Today.
  • She provides the voices of Ella, Abigail, and Frida on Disney Junior's cartoon Sheriff Callie's Wild West.
  • She voices Dispatch in Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts.
  • She provides multiple voices on the Netflix animated comedy F is for Family.
  • She portrays recurring character Susan on the Netflix comedy Lady Dynamite.
  • She voiced Strider the Sheepdog from Puppy Dog Pals, in the episodes, "Counting Sheep" and "Rhapsody in Pug", in addition to Harriet the Elephant in "Puzzling Pugs" and Newf the Lake Dog in "Hystery Mistory".
  • She played Tanya, mother of main character of Chelsea Snap, in season 3 of the TV Land sitcom Teachers.
  • She has been cast in a recurring role as Sarah Rabinowitz in Season 4 and Season 5 of Fear the Walking Dead and was promoted to a series regular for Season 6.

Personal life

Collins is in remission from a rare form of cancer known as gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). She was diagnosed in spring 2011 when she noticed an odd lump in her abdomen. Said Collins: "I would have done nothing about it. I was 44, feeling healthy, everything was going great for me, but my fiancé, Alex said, ‘You need to get it checked out’". Collins learned she had a primary tumor in her duodenum and was able to find a doctor who knew enough to know that she needed to see a specialist.[2]

References
  1. "Mo Collins". AllMovie. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  2. Kristoff, Erin (April 1, 2013). "Who's laughing now? Actress Mo Collins uses humor in her battle with GIST". liferaftgroup.org. Archived from the original on September 22, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2014.

Sources
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