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Kathleen Turner

Kathleen Turner

Department: Acting

Biography

Mary Kathleen Turner (born June 19, 1954) is an American actress. Known for her distinctive deep, husky voice, she receives two Golden Globes and nominations for an Academy Award, a Grammy, and two Tony Awards. After debuting both off and on Broadway in 1977, followed by her television debut as Nola Dancy Aldrich on the NBC soap opera The Doctors (1978–1979), Turner rose to prominence with her portrayal of Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981), which brought her a reputation as a sex symbol. She worked solidly throughout the 1980s in films such as The Man with Two Brains (1983), Crimes of Passion, Romancing the Stone (both 1984), Prizzi's Honor, The Jewel of the Nile (both 1985), Switching Channels, The Accidental Tourist (both 1988), and The War of the Roses (1989). For her portrayal of the title character in Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), Turner was nominated for the 1987 Academy Award for Best Actress. Subsequent credits include V.I. Warshawski (1991), Serial Mom (1994), Baby Geniuses, The Virgin Suicides (both 1999), Beautiful (2000), Marley & Me (2008), and Dumb and Dumber To (2014). Outside film, Turner guest-starred as Sue Collini on Showtime's Californication (2009) and Roz Volander on Netflix's The Kominsky Method (2019–2021). She also played Charles Bing, the drag queen father of Chandler Bing, on the seventh season of Friends (2001). Turner's voice work includes Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and Constance in Monster House (2006), as well as characters on television series such as The Simpsons, Family Guy, King of the Hill, and Rick and Morty. In addition to her work on stage and screen, Turner has taught acting classes at New York University.

Known For

The War of the Roses

The War of the Roses

1989

Prizzi's Honor

Prizzi's Honor

1985

The Virgin Suicides

The Virgin Suicides

2000

Peggy Sue Got Married

Peggy Sue Got Married

1986

The Jewel of the Nile

The Jewel of the Nile

1985

The Accidental Tourist

The Accidental Tourist

1988

Baby Geniuses

Baby Geniuses

1999

The Man with Two Brains

The Man with Two Brains

1983

Serial Mom

Serial Mom

1994

Naked in New York

Naked in New York

1993

Monster House

Monster House

2006

Romancing the Stone

Romancing the Stone

1984

Undercover Blues

Undercover Blues

1993

Switching Channels

Switching Channels

1988

Crimes of Passion

Crimes of Passion

1984

Body Heat

Body Heat

1981

V.I. Warshawski

V.I. Warshawski

1991

The Real Blonde

The Real Blonde

1998

Marley & Me

Marley & Me

2008

The Long Game

The Long Game

2025

A Simple Wish

A Simple Wish

1997

Moonlight and Valentino

Moonlight and Valentino

1995

House of Cards

House of Cards

1993

The Lady in Question Is Charles Busch

The Lady in Question Is Charles Busch

2005

Tummy Trouble

Tummy Trouble

1989

Roller Coaster Rabbit

Roller Coaster Rabbit

1990

Trail Mix-Up

Trail Mix-Up

1993

The Perfect Family

The Perfect Family

2011

Legalese

Legalese

1998

Julia and Julia

Julia and Julia

1988

The Estate

The Estate

2022

A Breed Apart

A Breed Apart

1984

Dumb and Dumber To

Dumb and Dumber To

2014

National Geographic Kids: Creepy Creatures

National Geographic Kids: Creepy Creatures

2000

Prince of Central Park

Prince of Central Park

2000

The Swearing Jar

The Swearing Jar

2022

Waking Sleeping Beauty

Waking Sleeping Beauty

2009

Nurse 3-D

Nurse 3-D

2013

Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To

Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home To

1990

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

1988

Night of 100 Stars III

Night of 100 Stars III

1990

Cinderella

Cinderella

2000

America’s Diplomats

America’s Diplomats

2016

Emily & Tim

Emily & Tim

2015

Beautiful

Beautiful

2000

Friends at Last

Friends at Last

1995

A Father… A Son… Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

A Father… A Son… Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

2005

Edgar Allan Poe: Buried Alive

Edgar Allan Poe: Buried Alive

2017

Jack Nicholson - The Devilish Smile of Hollywood

Jack Nicholson - The Devilish Smile of Hollywood

2017

Another Kind of Wedding

Another Kind of Wedding

2017

Fifty Shades of Erotica

Fifty Shades of Erotica

2015

The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful

The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful

1996

Bad Baby

Bad Baby

1997

Roger Rabbit and the Secrets of Toon Town

Roger Rabbit and the Secrets of Toon Town

1988

Love and Action in Chicago

Love and Action in Chicago

1999

The Making of The Virgin Suicides

The Making of The Virgin Suicides

2000

In Bad Taste

In Bad Taste

1999

In Conversation With Director John Waters, Actress Kathleen Turner and Actress Mink Stole

In Conversation With Director John Waters, Actress Kathleen Turner and Actress Mink Stole

2016

"That's Awesome!": The Story of 'Dumb and Dumber To'

"That's Awesome!": The Story of 'Dumb and Dumber To'

2015

The Metropolitan Opera:  La Fille du Régiment

The Metropolitan Opera: La Fille du Régiment

2019

La Fille du régiment - Royal Opera House

La Fille du régiment - Royal Opera House

Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam

Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam

1987

The Best of Roger Rabbit

The Best of Roger Rabbit

1996

cascadeurs de stars

cascadeurs de stars

1988

Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!

Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!

1994

Rabbit Ears - Rumpelstiltskin

Rabbit Ears - Rumpelstiltskin

1991

AFI's 100 Years... 100 Passions: America's Greatest Love Stories

AFI's 100 Years... 100 Passions: America's Greatest Love Stories

2002

Gods Behaving Badly

Gods Behaving Badly

2013

The Conspiracy of Silence

The Conspiracy of Silence

Animal Farm

Animal Farm

2026

Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild

Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild

2004

Shelly's Leg

Shelly's Leg

2025

Life is a Banquet

Life is a Banquet

2009

Joan's Teeth

Joan's Teeth

The Simpsons

The Simpsons

1989

Californication

Californication

2007

The Daily Show

The Daily Show

1996

Friends

Friends

1994

King of the Hill

King of the Hill

1997

The View

The View

1997

Today with Des and Mel

Today with Des and Mel

2004

Nip/Tuck

Nip/Tuck

2003

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

1988

The Oscars

The Oscars

1953

Rick and Morty

Rick and Morty

2013

Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live

1975

Masterclass

Masterclass

2010

White House Plumbers

White House Plumbers

2023

Wetten, dass..?

Wetten, dass..?

1981

The Path

The Path

2016

American Masters

American Masters

1986

The Kominsky Method

The Kominsky Method

2018

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

1993

Shrink Rap

Shrink Rap

2007

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

2009

Summer Camp Island

Summer Camp Island

2018

Entertainment Tonight

Entertainment Tonight

1981

Law & Order

Law & Order

1990

Dolly Parton's Heartstrings

Dolly Parton's Heartstrings

2019

Family Guy

Family Guy

1999

Mom

Mom

2013

Please Turn the Page

Please Turn the Page

1977

HBO First Look

HBO First Look

1992

Great Performances

Great Performances

1971

American Cinema

American Cinema

1994

Late Night with David Letterman

Late Night with David Letterman

1982

Tony Awards

Tony Awards

1956