Gail Matthius
Encyclopedia
Gail Matthius is an American
actress and voice actress. She was a cast member of NBC
's Saturday Night Live
during its critical and ratings low point at the time (the 1980-1981 season headed by Jean Doumanian
), and co-anchored the Weekend Update
segment with Charles Rocket
in 1981.
for animated shows, including Bobby's World
(with Laugh Trax co-star Howie Mandel
), Tiny Toon Adventures
, Animaniacs
and Bump in the Night, often using the voice of her Valley Girl and Roweena characters from Saturday Night Live (in characters such as Martha [who sounds like Roweena] and Kelly [who sounds like Valley Girl Vicki] Generic from Bobby's World and Shirley the Loon from Tiny Toon Adventures).
She also is a member of the Spolin Players Improv comedy troupe and acts as a drama and theater coach and teacher in Pacific Palisades, CA for various acting studios including Theatre Palisades. She continues to perform as an improv and drama theater actress to this day.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and voice actress. She was a cast member of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
during its critical and ratings low point at the time (the 1980-1981 season headed by Jean Doumanian
Jean Doumanian
Jean Doumanian is an American producer.Doumanian is probably most well known for her short reign as producer of Saturday Night Live between November 1980 and March 1981...
), and co-anchored the Weekend Update
Weekend Update
Weekend Update is a Saturday Night Live sketch that comments on and parodies current events. It is the show's longest running recurring sketch, having been on since the show's first broadcast, and is typically presented in the middle of the show immediately after the first musical performance...
segment with Charles Rocket
Charles Rocket
Charles Rocket was an American film and television actor, notable for his tenure as a cast member on Saturday Night Live as well as for his appearances as the villain Nicholas Andre in the film Dumb and Dumber; as Dave Dennison, the father in Disney's Hocus Pocus.-Early life and career:Rocket was...
in 1981.
Recurring characters
- Vicki, a Valley girl who, along with her friend, Debbie (played by Denny DillonDenny DillonDenise "Denny" Dillon is an American comedian and former cast member of Saturday Night Live. At 4'11" , Dillon is the shortest cast member in the show's history...
) annoyed people with their persistent questions and shallow statements. - Roweena, a Midwestern-accented hairdresser who often has a neurotic, middle-aged woman named Nadine (played by Denny DillonDenny DillonDenise "Denny" Dillon is an American comedian and former cast member of Saturday Night Live. At 4'11" , Dillon is the shortest cast member in the show's history...
) as a frequent customer. - Francis Lively, wife to Charles RocketCharles RocketCharles Rocket was an American film and television actor, notable for his tenure as a cast member on Saturday Night Live as well as for his appearances as the villain Nicholas Andre in the film Dumb and Dumber; as Dave Dennison, the father in Disney's Hocus Pocus.-Early life and career:Rocket was...
's Phil Lively, a fellow game show host who lives life at home as if it were just another game show.
Celebrity impersonations
- Brooke ShieldsBrooke ShieldsBrooke Christa Shields is an American actress and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon, as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That '70s Show and Lipstick Jungle....
, in a parody of the racy Calvin KleinCalvin KleinCalvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Klein has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry....
TV ads that featured her. - Irene CaraIrene CaraIrene Cara is an American singer and actress. Cara won an Academy Award in 1984 in the category of Best Original Song for co-writing "Flashdance... What a Feeling." She is also known for her recording of the song "Fame", and she also starred in the 1980 film Fame.She married Hollywood stuntman...
- Nancy ReaganNancy ReaganNancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....
- Mary Cunningham
Post-SNL
Following her stint on SNL, Matthius appeared in the short-lived syndicated sketch comedy series Laugh Trax. She has done a good deal of voice actingVoice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
for animated shows, including Bobby's World
Bobby's World
Bobby's World is an American animated television series, which ran from 1990 to 1998, on FOX Kids. It was about the daily life of Bobby Generic and his very overactive imagination on how he sees the world. The show was created by Canadian actor-comedian Howie Mandel...
(with Laugh Trax co-star Howie Mandel
Howie Mandel
Howard Michael "Howie" Mandel is a Canadian stand-up comedian, television host, and actor. He is well known as host of the NBC game show Deal or No Deal, as well as the show's daytime and Canadian-English counterparts. Before his career as a game show host, Mandel was best known for his role on...
), Tiny Toon Adventures
Tiny Toon Adventures
Steven Spielberg Presents Tiny Toon Adventures, usually referred to as Tiny Toon Adventures or simply Tiny Toons, is an American animated television series created by Tom Ruegger and produced by Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. It began production as a result of Warner Bros....
, Animaniacs
Animaniacs
Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs, usually referred to as simply Animaniacs, is an American animated series, distributed by Warner Bros. Television and produced by Amblin Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation. The cartoon was the second animated series produced by the collaboration of Steven...
and Bump in the Night, often using the voice of her Valley Girl and Roweena characters from Saturday Night Live (in characters such as Martha [who sounds like Roweena] and Kelly [who sounds like Valley Girl Vicki] Generic from Bobby's World and Shirley the Loon from Tiny Toon Adventures).
She also is a member of the Spolin Players Improv comedy troupe and acts as a drama and theater coach and teacher in Pacific Palisades, CA for various acting studios including Theatre Palisades. She continues to perform as an improv and drama theater actress to this day.