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Revision as of 23:04, 11 August 2011 by Theleftorium (talk | contribs) (→Early life and career: fix)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| Doris Grau | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1924-10-12)October 12, 1924 Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| Died | December 30, 1995(1995-12-30) (aged 71) Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Occupation(s) | Script supervisor, voice actress, actress |
Doris Grau (October 12, 1924–December 30, 1995) was an American actress, script supervisor and voice artist from Brooklyn. She worked on many films and television shows, including The Simpsons, where she provided the voice of Lunchlady Doris and other characters.
Early life and career
Grau was born on October 12, 1924 in Brooklyn, New York. She moved to the Hollywood district in Los Angeles, California as a teenager. There she was soon hired by the production company Columbia Pictures as a script supervisor.
She later worked as a script supervisor on Fox Broadcasting Company's The Tracey Ullman Show, a variety show that featured among many things the first appearance of the fictional animated Simpson family. This family was later given their own animated series on Fox, called The Simpsons. Grau worked on that show as a script supervisor as well. Grau also voiced some characters in The Simpsons. She is best known for lending her voice to Lunchlady Doris, who speaks with a "gruff voice" according to The Journal Gazette editor Dean Robinson. Grau also worked on the animated series The Critic that was created by writers of The Simpsons. She voiced the chain-smoking character Doris Grossman, who is the make-up artist for the main character of the show.
In 1992, Grau appeared in a minor role in the film The Distinguished Gentleman. It revolves around a con man named Jeff Johnson (played by Eddie Murphy) who tricks people into electing him for the United States Congress when a congressman that shares his name dies without anyone noticing. He initially plans to earn money by scamming people for donations and campaign contributions. However, he changes his mind when he discovers the true corrupt nature of Congress and eventually decides to do the right thing by revealing the corruption. According to Philip Wuntch, film critic for The Dallas Morning News, Grau "has only a few lines as a senior citizen with old-time political savvy, but she makes every vocal inflection count." The Patriot-News's Sharon Johnson called her "a delight as the feisty senior citizens' lobbyist who first recognizes Johnson as a winner."
Death
On December 30, 1995, Grau died from respiratory failure in Los Angeles. "Team Homer", an episode of the seventh season of The Simpsons that aired on January 7, 1996, was dedicated to her memory.
References
- ^ "Voice of 'Simpson' character dies". Daily Breeze. 1996-01-08. p. B2.
- ^ Cuprisin, Tim (1996-01-09). "'Gold rush' victory - Packers score big ratings for WITI Nielsen ratings show that much of the region was tuned in". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 3.
- ^ Robinson, Dean (1996-01-08). "TBS premieres 'Survivors of the Holocaust'". The Journal Gazette. p. 4D.
- Willistein, Paul (1994-08-14). "'The Critic' moves to Fox". The Morning Call. p. T01.
- Richmond, Ray (1995-03-05). "Television - Jones tall in the saddle with 'Good Old Boys". Daily News of Los Angeles. p. L38.
- ^ Wuntch, Philip (1992-12-04). "The Distinguished Gentleman - Not quite distinguished, but quite likable". The Dallas Morning News. p. 1C.
- ^ Johnson, Sharon (1992-12-04). "The Distinguished Gentleman". The Patriot-News. p. C1.
External links
- Doris Grau at IMDb