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Tracey Ullman on screen and stage

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Ullman at the 46th Primetime Emmy Awards

Tracey Ullman is a British-American actress who has had an extensive career in television, film, and theatre. She has worked in both comedy and drama. Her sketch comedy television programmes have won her numerous awards in both the United States and the United Kingdom. She began her stage career in the mid-1970s starring in various West End musicals and dramas. Her first television appearance came in 1980 playing Lisa Mackenzie in the British drama series Mackenzie. In 1981, the BBC cast her in two ensemble comedy sketch shows; A Kick Up the Eighties, and Three of a Kind (which also featured Lenny Henry and David Copperfield).[1] In 1983, Ullman launched a brief but successful pop singing career, garnering several chart hits and making several appearances on Top of the Pops. In 1985, she was cast in the ITV sitcom Girls on Top alongside Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, and Ruby Wax.

She came to the attention of producer James L. Brooks after her critically acclaimed BAFTA nominated performance in the film drama, Plenty (1985). Brooks would go on to create and produce her first American television comedy programme, The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987. The show spun-off the longest-running American scripted primetime television series, The Simpsons in 1989. Her first big screen leading role came in 1990 in I Love You to Death. She would go on to star and appear in such films as Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993),[2] Nancy Savoca's Household Saints (1993),[3] Bullets Over Broadway (1994),[4] and Small Time Crooks (2000).

In 1993, she returned to television with the comedy specials Tracey Ullman: A Class Act and Tracey Ullman Takes on New York for HBO in the United States. This led to the creation of Tracey Takes On... and a long career producing and starring in programmes created for American cable television. After a thirty-year absence she returned to the BBC creating the sketch comedy programme Tracey Ullman's Show in 2016.[1] In 2020, she returned in the FX historical drama television miniseries Mrs. America playing Betty Friedan earning herself both critical praise and accolades.

Filmography

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Key
† Denotes works that have not yet been released

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1980 Mackenzie Lisa Mackenzie TV series
1981 Screenplay Karen Episode: "Happy Since I Met You"
A Kick Up the Eighties Various TV series
1981–83 Three of a Kind Various TV series
1982 Four in a Million Beverly TV film
A Cut Above Samantha
1985 Girls on Top Candice Valentine Series 1, 1 episode in series 2; additional material credit
1987 Saturday Night Live Herself (uncredited) Episode: "Garry Shandling/Los Lobos"
"Hollywood Mom" (sketch)
1987–1990 The Tracey Ullman Show Various TV series
1989 Sesame Street Herself / Trasha Episode 2584; Season 20; 6 April 1989
I, Martin Short, Goes Hollywood Tina Wise TV film
1991 The Full Wax Herself Episode: #1.4
The Simpsons Emily Winthrop / Mrs. Winfield (voice) Episode: "Bart's Dog Gets an 'F'"
Funny Women of Television Herself
1992 Sibs Beatrice Episode: "If I Only Had a Dad"
1993 Love & War Dava Levine Episode: "The Prima Dava"
Tracey Ullman: A Class Act Various Additional material credit
Tracey Ullman Takes on New York Various TV special
1995 The Little Lulu Show Lulu (voice) Season 1
Women of the Night IV Herself
1996–99 Tracey Takes On... Various Creator, writer, executive producer, second unit director (season 4)
1998–99 Ally McBeal Dr. Tracey Clark 5 episodes
2001–02 Tracey Ullman's Visible Panty Lines Herself TV series
2003 Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales Ruby Romaine / Svetlana / Pepper Kane Directorial debut; writer, executive producer
2004 Will & Grace Ann Episode: "Looking for Mr. Good Enough"
2005 Tracey Ullman: Live and Exposed Herself Executive producer, writer
Once Upon a Mattress Princess Winnifred TV film
2006 Dawn French's Girls Who Do Comedy Herself 3 episodes
2007 If It Ain't Stiff Herself
2008 Mumbai Calling Telephone Voice (voice) 7 episodes
2008–2010 Tracey Ullman's State of the Union Various Creator, writer, director, executive producer
2011 Kennedy Center Honors Herself Tribute to Meryl Streep
2014 How I Met Your Mother Genevieve Scherbatsky 3 episodes
Sofia the First Marla (voice) Episode: "Mom's the Word"
2015 Shakespeare Uncovered Herself Episode: "The Taming of the Shrew With Morgan Freeman"
2016, 2018 Have I Got News for You Herself Guest presenter; 2 episodes
2016–18 Tracey Ullman's Show Various Devised by credit, executive producer
2017 Girls Ode Montgomery Episode: "Painful Evacuation"
Tracey Breaks the News Various Devised by credit, executive producer
Howards End Aunt Juley Mund Miniseries
The President Show Herself Episode: "I Came Up with Christmas: A President Show Christmas"
2017–18 Tracey Breaks the News Various TV series
2018 Zog Madame Dragon / Governess (voice)
2020 Mrs. America Betty Friedan Miniseries
Death to 2020 Queen Elizabeth II TV special
2021–24 Curb Your Enthusiasm Irma Kostroski 9 episodes
2021 Death to 2021 Madison Madison TV special
2024 Black Doves † Alex TV series

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1984 Give My Regards to Broad Street Sandra
The Young Visiters Ethel Monticue
1985 Plenty Alice Park Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
1986 Jumpin' Jack Flash Fiona
1989 Happily Ever After Thunberella / Moonbeam (voice)
1990 I Love You to Death Rosalie Boca
1992 Death Becomes Her Toni Scenes deleted
1993 Robin Hood: Men in Tights Latrine
Household Saints Catherine Falconetti
1994 I'll Do Anything Beth Hobbs
Bullets Over Broadway Eden Brent
Prêt-à-Porter Nina Scant
1996 Everyone Says I Love You Scenes deleted
2000 Panic Martha
Small Time Crooks Frenchy Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
C-Scam
2004 A Dirty Shame Sylvia Stickles
The Cat That Looked at a King The Cat (voice) Video
2005 Corpse Bride Nell Van Dort / Hildegarde (voice)
Kronk's New Groove Ms. Birdwell (voice) Video
2006 The Queen Self (uncredited) Archive footage
Flushed Away — Creative consultant
2007 I Could Never Be Your Woman Mother Nature
2008 The Tale of Despereaux Mig (voice)
2014 Into the Woods Jack's Mother
2020 Onward Grecklin (voice)
The Prom Vera Glickman
2021 Highway One — Associate producer
TBA The Actor † Mrs. Malloy / Helen / Deerville Woman Post-production[5]

Directing, producing and writing

[edit]
Year Title Director Producer Writer
1985 Girls on Top No No Yes[a]
1987–1990 The Tracey Ullman Show No No Yes
1993 Tracey Ullman: A Class Act No No Yes[a]
1996–99 Tracey Takes On... Yes[b] Executive Yes
2001–02 Tracey Ullman's Visible Panty Lines No Executive No
2003 Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales Yes Executive Yes
2005 Tracey Ullman: Live and Exposed No Executive Yes
2008–2010 Tracey Ullman's State of the Union Yes[c] Executive Yes
2016–18 Tracey Ullman's Show No Executive Yes
2017–18 Tracey Breaks the News No Executive Yes
2021 Highway One No Yes[d] No

Theatre

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Year Production Role Location
1976 Gigi Theater des Westens, Berlin
1977 Second Generation Blackpool and Liverpool
1977/78 Aladdin Liverpool Empire
1978 Elvis The Musical London Astoria
Oh! Boy London Astoria
1979 Grease Frenchy London Astoria
The Rocky Horror Show Janet Comedy Theatre
1980 Talent Julie Everyman Theatre
It's a Madhouse Vera Everyman Theatre
Zack Sally Everyman Theatre
Gloo Joo Irene
Dracula Lucy Young Vic
1981 Four in a Million Beverly Royal Court Theatre
1981–82 Dick Whittington Dick Theatre Royal, Newcastle
1982 Rita, Sue and Bob Too Bob's wife Royal Court Theatre
She Stoops to Conquer Kate Hardcastle Lyric Hammersmith
Bows and Arrows Henrietta Young Writer's Festival
1983 The Grass Widow Carmen Royal Court Theatre
1990 The Taming of the Shrew Kate Delacorte Theater
1991 The Big Love Florence The Orpheum Theatre
2005 Tracey Ullman: Live and Exposed Self The Fonda Theatre
2011 My City Elizabeth Almeida Theatre
2012 What About Dick? Aunt Maggie / Enid Bastar / The Countess von Kunst The Orpheum Theatre
2014 The Band Wagon Lily Martin New York City Center

Radio

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1981–83 Week Ending Various Topical sketch series[6][7]
2021 Desert Island Discs Herself Interviewee[8]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Additional material credit.
  2. ^ Second unit director (season 4).
  3. ^ Season 3 only.
  4. ^ Associate producer.

References

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  1. ^ a b Addley, Esther (8 January 2016). "Tracey Ullman Returns to BBC with First Television Series in 30 Years". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  2. ^ "See the Cast of 'Robin Hood: Men in Tights' Then and Now". Screen Crush. Screencrush.com. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  3. ^ "Household Saints Movie Review (1993)". Roger Ebert. Rogerebert.com. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  4. ^ "Movie Review - Bullets Over Broadway (1994) Film Festival Review – Allen's Ode to Theater and, as Always, New York". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  5. ^ "Shooting of "The Actor" Moving to Budapest This Quarter". Budapest Reporter. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  6. ^ Week Ending Radio Times entry at the BBC Genome Project
  7. ^ Week Ending Radio Times entry at the BBC Genome Project
  8. ^ "Desert Island Discs: Tracey Ullman, actor and comedian". BBC. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
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