Look and Listen

Biography

Mimi Kennedy is a three-career woman, as a celebrated Actress, Author and Activist. She has successfully juggled a busy life working in theatre, film and television while becoming a published author and passionate playwright. She is also Founding National Advisory Board Chair for Progressive Democrats of America. She garnered critical praise as “Karen Clarke,” U.S. Asst. Secretary of State, in the 2009 BBC anti-war feature film,IN THE LOOP, nominated for a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. TV audiences know her best as “Abby,” Dharma’s hippie mom from the long-running (now internationally syndicated) ABC sitcom, DHARMA AND GREG. But her television career is extremely diverse in both drama and comedy, with over 13 series regular roles: queen-bee “Ruth Sloan,” a WWII era socialite, on ABC’s critically-acclaimed and Emmy Award Winning, HOMEFRONT; southern-fried Eleanor Burton in Aaron Spelling’s SAVANNAH on the WB; journalist “Nan Gallagher” opposite late British comic Peter Cook on THE TWO OF US. Mimi is no stranger to the theatrical stage. Her many credits include her work as “Jan” in both the national tour and the original Broadway production of GREASE; Jules Feiffer’s GROWN-UPS at the Mark Taper Forum; “Helen” in LEIPZIG at The Lee Strasberg Institute and “Mary Tyrone” in a staged reading of LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT for Classic and Contemporary American Plays, directed by Nancy Malone. She recently played newspaper columnist Ann Landers in David Rambo’s LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS, with Variety calling her one-woman show performance “A Winning Impersonation.” Her television debut was as an “overnight star” in a reality series before there were reality series: THREE GIRLS THREE- a short-lived but still-remembered musical-variety show with co-overnight-stars Debbie Allen and Ellen (“Paradise by the Dashboard Light” w/Meatloaf) Foley. She played Stockard Channing’s Long Island-lockjaw sister, “Victoria,” in JUST FRIENDS on CBS. Behind the television camera, she was Story Editor for KNOT’S LANDING in 1989-90. Mimi’s many big screen credits also feature a diverse range of roles: Christian Slater’s mother in PUMP UP THE VOLUME for New Line Cinema; Laura Ambrosino, cancer plaintiff in Oscar-winning ERIN BROCKOVICH, directed by Steven Soderbergh; BUDDY, directed by Caroline Thompson and MAN IN THE CHAIR with Christopher Plummer, directed by Michael Schroeder. An activist for human rights, the environment, social justice, education, and women and children’s issues, she was a frequent guest on Bill Maher’s POLITICALLY INCORRECT and accompanied Dennis Kucinich for much of his 2004 anti-war presidential campaign. She continues her work for Progressive Democrats of America. Married to teacher Larry Dilg (her Perfect Match from Operation Match, the first computer dating service, 1966) they have two grown children, Molly and Cisco. Her mid-life memoir, “Taken to the Stage; The Education of an Actress” was published in 1996 by Smith & Kraus and she received praise for her candid and amusing writing style from many literary critics. Her book continues to receive praise, and is a recommended ‘must read’ for anyone interested in becoming an actor. She has written and performed a one-woman play about Matilda Joslyn Gage, 19th century suffragist and visionary, and will soon publish her novel, in serial form, about three daughters of privilege coming of age in the late American - 20th - century.

Inspiration

People. History. The World. Life.