Dorothy Lyman

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Dorothy Lyman
Born (1947-04-18) April 18, 1947 (age 76)[1]
Occupations
  • Actress
  • director
  • producer
Years active1971–present
Spouses
(m. 1971; div. 1983)
Vincent Malle
(m. 1987; div. 2001)
Children3, including Emma Tillinger Koskoff

Dorothy Lyman is an American television actress, director, and producer. She is most known for her work as Gwen Frame on Another World, on All My Children as the original Opal Sue Gardner, as Rebecca Whitmore on Generations, and on the sitcom Mama's Family as Naomi Harper.[2]

Life and career[edit]

Lyman was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Violet E. (née Brightwell) and Hector H. Lyman, who was a stockbroker. She is Protestant.[3] Jill Larson, who succeeded Lyman in the role of Opal on All My Children, and she attended the same high school. She debuted on her first soap opera, A World Apart, as flower child Julie Stark in 1971. Several years later, Dorothy appeared as Elly Jo Jamison, an evil relation of wealthy Orin Hillyer's, (1972-1973) on The Edge of Night, and as architect Gwen Parrish Frame (1976–1980, 1989) on Another World.

Her most notable soap opera role, though, was on All My Children as Opal Sue Gardner (1981-1983), for which she received two Emmy Awards—as Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role in a Daytime Drama Series in 1982 and for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series in 1983. Lyman performed characters on other soap operas including Rebecca Whitmore (1990–1991) on Generations, and Bonnie Roberts (1991–1992) on The Bold and the Beautiful.

In 1983, Lyman became well known for her role as Naomi Harper on the sitcom Mama's Family, a role she played for the full six seasons. In an appearance on Vicki Lawrence's talk show Vicki!, Lyman noted that she continued to perform on All My Children concurrently with the beginning of Mama's Family's production, flying back and forth each week between New York City and Los Angeles. While the commute was brutal, she remembered it fondly, referring to that stage of her career as "All My Paychecks".

During this time, Lyman appeared in the Tales from the Darkside television series in the "In the Cards" episode (1985). She also played Ralphie's mother in Jean Shepherd's Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss from 1988, appeared in ALF as Maura Norris in the episode "Tequila" (1988), and in Hunter as Sgt. Carol James Meyers in the episode "The Pit" (1989).

When Mama's Family ended its run in 1990, Lyman went behind the camera, producing and directing 75 episodes of The Nanny (all episodes of the third and fourth seasons, and all but four episodes of the fifth), even making a special guest appearance on the Fran Drescher sitcom. Lyman also had a recurring role on Bob, Bob Newhart's third series.

On the big screen, she made a cameo appearance in I Love Trouble, a film starring Nick Nolte and Julia Roberts. She made another cameo appearance in the 2001 film Blow starring Johnny Depp. She was seen in the 2006 films World Trade Center and The Departed.

In 2007, Lyman guest-starred in the third season of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica as Starbuck's mother. She made a guest appearance on Reba, playing the titular character's mother. She appeared in The Blacklist in the season-six episode "The Pawnbrokers".[4]

Lyman performed My Kitchen Wars in Hollywood and New York as a one-woman show based on the book by Betty Fussell.[5]

Personal life[edit]

From 1971 to 1983, Lyman was married to director and actor John Tillinger; they have two children, including daughter Emma Tillinger Koskoff, who is an Academy Awards-nominated producer.[6] Her son, Sebastian Tillinger, is an actor. From her second marriage to French film producer Vincent Malle, Lyman has a son.[7]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1971 The 300 Year Weekend Jean
1980 Night of the Juggler Nurse Jenny
1984 Summer Fantasy Dr. Nancy Brannigan
1988 Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss Mom Television film
Nominated — CableACE Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries
1988 The People Across the Lake Ruth Mortimer
1990 Camp Cucamonga Millie Schector Television film
1993 Ruby in Paradise Mildred Chambers
1993 Jack the Bear Mrs. Morris
1993 Young Goodman Brown Sarah Good
1994 Tears and Laughter: The Joan and Melissa Rivers Story Dorothy Television film
1994 I Love Trouble Suzie
1997 Dinner and Driving Rita
2001 Blow Judge
2006 World Trade Center Allison's Mother
2006 The Departed Woman at Bar
2008 Split Ends Director and producer
2009 The Northern Kingdom Nan Director and producer
2015 Bad Hurt Mrs. Salisbury
2016 Blind Judge
2018 The Price for Silence Wendy Moro
2018 Bullitt County The Mrs.
2019 Back Fork Susie
2019 Vault Ma

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1971 A World Apart Julie Stark Series regular
1972-1973 The Edge of Night Elly Jo Jamison Series regular
1975 One Life to Live Sister Margaret
1976-1980, 1989 Another World Gwen Parrish Frame Series regular
1981-1983 All My Children Opal Gardner Series regular
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (1983)
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1982)
1985 Tales from the Darkside Catherine Episode: "In the Cards"
1985 Heart's Island Johnie Baylor Pilot
1988 ALF Maura Norris Episode: "Tequila"
1989 Hunter Sgt. Carol James Meyers Episode: "The Pit"
1983-1990 Mama's Family Naomi Oates Harper Series regular, 125 episodes
1990-1991 Generations Rebecca Whitmore Series regular
1991-1992 The Bold and the Beautiful Bonnie Roberts Series regular
1991-1993 Life Goes On Mary McKenna 9 episodes
1993 Bodies of Evidence Claudia Brooks Episode: "Shadows"
1993 Bob Patty Fleisher 3 episodes
1994 Picket Fences Miriam Thorne Episode: "Cold Spell"
1995 Sisters Dr. Deborah Rosen Episode: "A Lullaby to My Father"
1995 Hope & Gloria Maxine Episodes: "My Mamma Done Told Me" and "Love with an Improper Stranger"
1995 Murder, She Wrote Norma Shey Episode: "The Secret of Gila Junction
1993-1998 The Nanny Director and producer, 74 episodes
2001 Days of Our Lives Contessa Dorothea DiLyman Special guest star
2002 Reba Helen Episode: "Meet the Parents"
2002 V.I.P. Granny Goshen Episode: "Valley Wonka"
1999-2002 The Practice Dr. Diane Starger 3 episodes
2002 Judging Amy Ms. Patterson Episode: "Cause for Alarm"
2003 CSI: Miami Vivian Kensington Episode: "Dead Zone"
2005 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Principal Parker Episode: "Alien"
2007 Battlestar Galactica Socrata Thrace Episode: "Maelstrom"
2009 Law & Order Judge Dorothy Carr Episode: "Reality Bites"
2015 Elementary Belinda Episode: "Absconded"
2016 Divorce Bridget Episode: "Christmas"
2018 FBI Jilly Peters Episode: "Pilot"
2019 The Blacklist Delaine Uhlman Episode: "The Pawnbrokers (No. 146/147)"
2022 The Girl from Plainville Donna Roy Episode: "Turtle"

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Dorothy Lyman | Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes.
  2. ^ "Memorable Entertainment Television". Metv.com. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
  3. ^ "The complex, tragic story behind Martin Scorsese's 'Silence'".
  4. ^ Dorothy Lyman screen credits, archive.is. Accessed August 8, 2015.
  5. ^ "About Betty | Betty Fussell". Archived from the original on 2016-05-28. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  6. ^ Keegan, Rebecca (April 15, 2019). "Meet Martin Scorsese's Secret Weapon in New York: "It's Emma's City. She Knows Everybody"". The Hollywood Reporter.
  7. ^ "Directing Women : Dorothy Lyman has been through some rough times recently, but don't count out the 44-year-old actress-director". Los Angeles Times. June 16, 1991.

External links[edit]