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Vicki Lewis

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Vicki Lewis
Vicki Lewis in 2011
Born (1960-03-17) March 17, 1960 (age 64)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active1985–present
Spouse
Philip Allen
(m. 2008)
PartnerNick Nolte (1994–2003)
Websitevickilewis.com

Vicki Lewis (born March 17, 1960[1]) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Beth in the NBC sitcom NewsRadio. She is also well known for her roles as Deb and Flo in Finding Nemo and Finding Dory, April Smuntz in Mouse Hunt, and Dr. Elsie Chapman in Godzilla. Additionally, she starred as Headmistress Knightslinger in Upside-Down Magic on Disney Channel.

Early life and education

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Lewis was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio,[2] the daughter of Jim (1932-2023) and Marlene Lewis[3]. Her father was air traffic supervisor who served in the U.S. Air Force and her mother was a nursing administrator.[4] She also has a sister, Denise.[3]

After graduating from Anderson High School in Cincinnati in 1978, she studied musical theater at the University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music.[5] After receiving her diploma she moved to New York City. She proceeded to work in various on and off-Broadway shows.[citation needed]

Career

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Lewis's film appearances include roles in Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, Mouse Hunt, Godzilla, Pushing Tin, 2007's California Dreaming with NewsRadio co-star Dave Foley, and 2010's Den Brother. On television, Lewis starred for five seasons on the NBC sitcom NewsRadio, followed by Three Sisters and the WB animated comedy Mission Hill.

She made guest appearances on Seinfeld (in the episodes "The Secretary" and "The Race") and Murphy Brown. In a recurring role on Home Improvement, she played Maureen Binford, producer of the show-within-a-show Tool Time. On How I Met Your Mother, she had the recurring role of Lily Aldrin's doctor, "Dr. Sonya".

She appeared on Caroline in the City, The Norm Show, Grace Under Fire, Phenom and The 5 Mrs. Buchanans. More recently, she made guest appearances on Surviving Suburbia, ABC's Grey's Anatomy, Disney Channel's Sonny with a Chance as Ms. Bitterman, The Middle as Ms. Barry, and FX's Dirt. She recurred as Erica on Modern Family, Mrs. Chadwick in Making History, Dr. Chapman in Still the King, Miss Moffett in Angie Tribeca, and Marie Mortel in The Blacklist.

Aside from Mission Hill, her voice acting career includes characters in Justice League Heroes, Rugrats Pre-School Daze, King of the Hill, Hercules: The Animated Series, An Extremely Goofy Movie, Finding Nemo, Phineas and Ferb, and Justice League: The New Frontier. Most recently, she voiced Eve in the 2010 film Alpha and Omega and its sequel.[6]

On stage, Lewis has appeared in City of Angels and My One and Only in Los Angeles, and has performed as a soloist with the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall. Her Broadway credits include I Can Get It For You Wholesale, Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?, Snoopy!!! The Musical, Damn Yankees, Chicago, The Crucible, and she was the final actress to play Countess Lily in Anastasia. She also appeared with Peter Gallagher and Patti LuPone in Pal Joey at the New York City Center. Lewis won the 2007 Ovation Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for the world premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's Hotel C'est L'amour.

She was part of the one-night celebrity-performed staging of Howard Ashman's unproduced musical Dreamstuff. The musical was re-imagined by Ashman's partners Marsha Malamet and Dennis Green and performed one night only at Los Angeles's Hayworth Theatre as part of the Bruno Kirby celebrity reading series.

Her debut solo album East of Midnight was released in May 2010. The eclectic rock album has songs penned by Lewis as well as three cover songs. Lewis considered the writing to be "dauntingly destructive and spiritually bereft. Locked in my office in Malibu, California I wrote what would become a self-fulfilling prophecy – it would also prove to be the making of me."[7]

In 2018, she starred on Broadway as Countess Lily in Anastasia, directed by Darko Tresnjak. She played Ms. Winx/Mrs. Brown/Kyrie/Jessamyn Jacobs/Lady in Waiting in Between the Lines Off-Broadway in 2022.

Personal life

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Lewis was in a long-term relationship with Nick Nolte.[8] The two met during the filming of I'll Do Anything. She is married to sound designer Philip G. Allen.[9]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1994 I'll Do Anything Millie
1997 Mouse Hunt April Smuntz
1998 Godzilla Dr. Elsie Chapman
1999 Breakfast of Champions Grace Le Sabre
Pushing Tin Tina Leary
2000 An Extremely Goofy Movie Beret Girl Voice, direct-to-video[10]
2003 Finding Nemo Deb / Flo Voice[10]
2007 California Dreaming Teensie Porter
2008 Justice League: The New Frontier Iris West Voice, direct-to-video[10]
Roadside Romeo Mini Voice, uncredited
2009 Wonder Woman Persephone Voice, direct-to-video[10]
Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts Chubster
The Ugly Truth Saleswoman
2010 Alpha and Omega Eve Voice[10]
2014 Tom and Jerry: The Lost Dragon Drizelda Voice, direct-to-video[10]
2016 Finding Dory Deb / Flo Voice[10]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1985 CBS Schoolbreak Special Diane Kaplan Episode: "The Day the Senior Class Got Married"
1992 Home Improvement Maureen Binford 3 episodes
1993 Murphy Brown Secretary No. 59 Episode: "One"
Grace Under Fire Wanda Episode: "Say Goodnight, Gracie"
1994 Phenom Betsy Episode: "Angela's Fifteen Minutes"
Seinfeld Ada 2 episodes
1995 The 5 Mrs. Buchanans Donna Episode: "Viv'acious"
Bye Bye Birdie Gloria Rasputin Television film
1995–1999 NewsRadio Beth 94 episodes
1996 Caroline in the City Merle Heller Episode: "Caroline in the Cereal"
1997–2005 Rugrats Miss Carol, Miss Weemer, Witch, Mother Cat Voice, 6 episodes[10]
1998 Hercules Arachne Voice, episode: "Hercules and the Tapestry of Fate"
1999 The Wild Thornberrys Weasel Voice, episode: "Lost and Foundation"[10]
The Norm Show Kyra Episode: "Drive, Norm Say"
2000 King of the Hill Kate Voice, episode: "Movin' on Up"
The Huntress Myrna Factor Episode: "Pilot"
1999–2000, 2002 Mission Hill Posey Tyler, Natalie Leibowitz-Hernandez Voice, 13 episodes
2001–2002 Three Sisters Nora Bernstein-Flynn 18 episodes
2005 Rugrats Pre-School Daze Ms. Weemer Voice, 4 episodes[10]
2007–2008, 2010 Betsy's Kindergarten Adventures Molly Voice, 17 episodes
2007 Come On Over Actress Vicki Episode: "Thespians"
Grey's Anatomy Harriet Episode: "Physical Attraction... Chemical Reaction"
The Last Day of Summer Paige Television film
2008 Dirt The Beautician Episode: "What Is This Thing Called?"
Phineas and Ferb Lulu Jones Voice, episode: "Leave the Busting to Us!"[10]
Ben 10: Alien Force Serena Voice, episode: "X = Ben + 2"[10]
'Til Death Melissa 3 episodes
2009 Bones Helen Bridenbecker Episode: "The Skull in the Sculpture"
2009–2010 Sonny with a Chance Ms. Joy Bitterman 5 episodes
2009 Surviving Suburbia Clerk 2 episodes
Curb Your Enthusiasm Stacey Episode: "The Table Read"
The Middle Ms. Barry Episode: "The Scratch"
2010 Den Brother Dina Reams Television film
2011 Melissa & Joey Alexis McKenna Episode: "The Settlement"
Batman: The Brave and the Bold Wonder Woman, Star Sapphire Voice, 2 episodes[10]
2011–2012 How I Met Your Mother Dr. Sonya 3 episodes
2011 Ben 10: Ultimate Alien Agent Locke Voice, episode: "The Widening Gyre"
2012 Checked Out Lisa 3 episodes
I Married Who? Vivienne Television film
2013 Doll & Em Carla 2 episodes
Austin & Ally Donna Episode: "Family & Feuds"
2014 Turbo Fast Arctic Hare, Rich Lady #1 Voice, episode: "The Escargot Affair"[10]
See Dad Run Kat 2 episodes
Complete Works Ashley Spitzer
2014-2020 Doc McStuffins Dr. Tundra Voice, 4 episodes[10]
2015 Modern Family Erica 2 episodes
2016 Angie Tribeca Anne Muffet Episode: "Fleas Don't Kill Me"
2017 Making History Mrs. Chadwick Episode: "Chadwick's Angels"
Still the King Dr. Chapman Episode: "Battle of the Basement"
2019 The Blacklist Marie Mortel Episode: "The Third Estate"
2020 Upside-Down Magic Headmistress Knightslinger Disney Channel Original Movie[11]
2021 The Goldbergs Maggie Episode: “The Goldbergs' Excellent Adventure“

Video games

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Year Title Voice role
2003 Finding Nemo Deb / Flo
2009 Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks Serena[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Today's Birthdays". Daily Record. March 17, 2000. p. 2. ProQuest 2373066253. Actor Kurt Russell is 49. Actress Lesley-Anne Down is 46. Actress Vicki Lewis is 40. See also:
    • "Celebrity Birthdays". Tallahassee Democrat. March 17, 2023. p. 9A. ProQuest 2789679154. Actor Kurt Russell is 72. [...] Actor Vicki Lewis ("NewsRadio") is 63.
  2. ^ Reid, Dixie (July 13, 2008). "Onstage: 'Gypsy' in her soul: Vicki Lewis taps her inner fire to play the formidable Mama Rose". McClatchy - Tribune Business News. p. 2. ProQuest 464722023. 'Gypsy' marks Lewis' Music Circus debut. [..] Lewis was born and raised in Cincinnati. She lived in New York City for 13 years and made her Broadway debut in 'Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?' in 1982. The show ran for five performances over four days before it closed. She continued to work in the theater before auditioning in New York for director James L. Brooks, who was casting singers for his 1994 movie musical 'I'll Do Anything,' starring Nolte and Albert Brooks. Lewis landed a role and moved to Los Angeles. She lived on one coast or the other over the next several years, as TV, movie and Broadway roles came her way. She now has a home in Marina del Rey, and she's thrilled to be back on stage, and singing.
  3. ^ a b Paeth, Greg (December 17, 1997). "Movies, National Anthem Keeping Vicki Lewis Busy". Cincinnati Post. p. 41. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  4. ^ https://www.thelegacymemorialfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/James-Vernon-Lewis-Jr?obId=29521058
  5. ^ Everett, Carole J. (2009). "University of Cincinnati College—Conservatory of Music". College Guide for Performing Arts Majors: The Real-World Admission Guide for Dance, Music, and Theater Majors. Peterson's. p. 325. ISBN 9780768926989. Alumni continue to hold key positions in the performing and media arts. Numbered among them are ... Vicki Lewis ...
  6. ^ "Front and back of Alpha and Omega 2 DVD case". DVD Box. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
  7. ^ Lewis, Vicki (2010). East of Midnight (CD/album). USA: Betting On the Muse. Liner Notes. 250385.
  8. ^ Voll, Daniel (January 29, 2007). "Nick Nolte Has a Drawer Full of Tourniquets". Esquire. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
  9. ^ "Vicki Lewis Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Vicki Lewis (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved September 2, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  11. ^ Petski, Denise (August 19, 2019). "Disney Channel Sets Cast For 'Upside-Down Magic' Movie As Production Begins". Deadline. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
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