Carol Ann Susi (February 2, 1952 – November 11, 2014) was an American actress whose career spanned 40 years. Her best known roles were probably her first and last; she debuted as the recurring character of semi-competent but likable intern Monique Marmelstein on Kolchak: The Night Stalker. More than three decades and countless supporting roles later, her level of celebrity was elevated for having provided the voice of recurring off-screen character Mrs. Wolowitz, mother of Howard Wolowitz, on the television series The Big Bang Theory.[3][4][5]
Carol Ann Susi | |
|---|---|
 Publicity Photo of Carol Ann Susi | |
| Born | February 2, 1952 |
| Died | November 11, 2014 (aged 62) |
| Resting place | Saint Charles Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1974–2014 |
Career
editSusi made her first on-screen appearance in Kolchak: The Night Stalker, where she played the recurring role of news service intern Monique Marmelstein. Other television and film credits included: McMillan & Wife, Coyote Ugly, Just Go with It, The Big Bang Theory, Cheers, Becker, Something So Right, Generations, the 1990 biker comedy Masters of Menace, Grey's Anatomy, That '70s Show, Out of Practice, Cats & Dogs, Just Shoot Me, Married... with Children, Night Court, The King of Queens, Death Becomes Her, NYPD Blue, Seinfeld, The Secret of My Success, My Blue Heaven, and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.[6] She also had extensive experience in live theatre[7][8] and voiced a character on the video game adaptation of CSI: NY.
Personal life
editSusi was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1952 to an Italian-American family.[1][9] She graduated from Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School in Brooklyn in 1970.[10] She studied acting at HB Studio in New York City before moving to Los Angeles in the 1970s.[1]
Death
editSusi died of cancer on November 11, 2014, in Los Angeles, California, at age 62. She had been diagnosed a week before her death.[11][2][12] She is interred at the Saint Charles Cemetery in East Farmingdale, New York.[13] Her character on The Big Bang Theory, Mrs. Wolowitz, was mourned after the character died in the series' eighth-season episode "The Comic Book Store Regeneration" broadcast on February 19, 2015.[14]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1984 | Love Scenes | Susan | |
| 1987 | Outrageous Fortune | Receptionist | |
| The Secret of My Success | Jean | Credited as Carol-Ann Susi | |
| 1989 | Blood Red | Segestra Daughter #1 | |
| Wedding Band | Angela | ||
| Sea of Love | Additional voice | ||
| 1990 | My Blue Heaven | Filomena | |
| Masters of Menace | Candy Colletti | ||
| 1992 | Death Becomes Her | Psychiatric Patient | |
| 1993 | Under Investigation | Neighbor | |
| 1996 | Qiana | Waitress | Short film |
| Edie & Pen | Irma | ||
| Wedding Bell Blues | Aunt Anash | ||
| The Cottonwood | |||
| 1997 | Eat Your Heart Out | Cynthia | |
| 1998 | Mafia! | Clamato's Wife | |
| Waiting for Woody | Short film | ||
| 2000 | The Amati Girls | Ticket Seller | |
| Tempest Eye | Monique | ||
| 2001 | Cats & Dogs | Sophie's Sister | |
| 2002 | Duty Dating | Seminar Woman | |
| 2006 | Coffee Date | Diana's Assistant | |
| 2008 | Red Velvet | Mother | |
| 2011 | Just Go with It | Mrs. Maccabee | |
| 2014 | A Life, Taken | Ms. Mancuso | Short film Final film role |
Television
edit| Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1974 | Kolchak: The Night Stalker | Monique Marmelstein | 3 episodes |
| Crackle of Death | Monique Marmelstein | TV movie Segment: "Firefall" | |
| 1975 | McCoy | Episode 1: "The Big Ripoff | |
| McMillan & Wife | Luana / Waitress not Laura | 2 episodes Uncredited - 1 episode | |
| 1976 | Rich Man, Poor Man | Waitress | Episode: "Part V: Chapter 7" |
| 1981 | Leave 'em Laughing | Gina | TV movie |
| 1987 | My Sister Sam | Marsha Hammer | Season 1 episode 14: "Go Crazy" |
| Simon & Simon | Doreen | Carol-Ann Susi Season 7 episode 1: "New Cop in Town" | |
| Jake and the Fatman | Sally | Credited as Carolann Susi Season 1 episode 11: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" | |
| 1989 | Married to the Mob | Marilyn | TV short |
| Who's the Boss? | Ginger | Season 6 episode 3: "In Your Dreams" | |
| 1989-1990 | Generations | Thelma | 8 episodes Credit only - 5 episodes |
| 1990 | Growing Pains | Norma | Season 5 episode 16: "The Home Show" |
| Night Court | Mara Bernstein | Season 7 episode 21: "My Three Dads" | |
| Head of the Class | Nurse Lemas | Season 5 episode 7: "Billy's Big One" | |
| Adam-12 | Vicki | Also known as The New Adam-12 Season 1 episode 6: "Vigilante" | |
| Married People | Gloria | Episode 9: "Term Paper" | |
| Doner | Berlinetti | TV movie | |
| 1990–1993 | Murphy Brown | Woman Checker / Secretary #37 | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | Cheers | Angeline | Season 9 episode 13: "Honor Thy Mother |
| Doogie Howser, M.D. | Psychic | Season 2 episode 23: "Doogie's Wager" | |
| 1992 | Seinfeld | Carrie | Episode: "The Boyfriend" |
| Bob | Debra | Season 1 episode 6: "P.C. or Not P.C." | |
| A Different World | Desk Sergeant | Season 6 episode 10: "Faith, Hope, and Charity: Part 2" | |
| Mad About You | Female Passenger | 2 episodes Uncredited - 1 episode (clip show) | |
| 1993 | Blossom | Nun | Season 3 episode 19: "The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men" |
| Good Advice | Patient | Season 1 episode 4: "The Kiss" | |
| 1994 | NYPD Blue | Connie | Season 1 episode 14: "Jumpin' Jack Fleishman" |
| Big Daddy's Barbeque | Deirdre | TV movie | |
| 1995 | Pointman | Pageant Director Miss Sloane | Season 2 episode 7: "Here She Comes, Miss Murder" |
| 1995–1996 | Married... with Children | Frannie | 3 episodes |
| 1996 | The Home Court | Connie | Episode 11: "Touched by an Anger" |
| ER | Pregnant Alien-Abductee | Season 2 episode 15: "Baby Shower" | |
| 1996–1997 | Something So Right | Gracie/Grace | 8 episodes |
| 1997 | Fired Up | Meat Selling Woman | Season 1 episode 1: "Pilot" |
| 1998 | Just Shoot Me! | Mrs. Boukidis | Season 2 episode 13: "Pass the Salt" |
| Oh Baby | Felicia | Season 1 episode 2: "Picking a Donor" | |
| Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Doris | Season 3 episode 1: "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad Season Opener" | |
| Becker | Mrs. Marino | Season 1 episode 2: "Take These Pills and Shove 'Em" | |
| USA High | Mrs. Lazzarini | Season 1 episode 75: "Goodbye Lazz" | |
| 1999 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Third Pigeon | Voice Season 3 episode 5: "The Happy Prince" |
| 2000 | City Guys | Surly Woman | Season 4 episode 18: "Who Da Man?" |
| 2000-2005 | The King of Queens | Service Counter Manager / Ms. Deluca | 2 episodes |
| 2001 | Rude Awakening | Brandy | Season 3 episode 19: "Dawg Daze Afternoon" |
| That's Life | Tessie Dalton | Season 1 episode 18: "Miracle at the Cucina" | |
| Six Feet Under | Pauline Romano | Season 1 episode 3: "The Foot" | |
| 2004 | Just Desserts | Mrs. Guzzi | TV movie |
| The Drew Carey Show | Doris | Season 9 episode 20: "Liar Liar House on Fire" | |
| 2005 | McBride: It's Murder, Madam | Helen | TV movie |
| Out of Practice | Susy | 2 episodes | |
| 2006 | Love, Inc. | Gwen | Episode 13: "Grace Under Fire" |
| That '70s Show | Receptionist | 2 episodes | |
| 2007 | Journeyman | Episode 7: "Double Down" | |
| 2007–2014; 2017 | The Big Bang Theory | Debbie Wolowitz | 40 episodes |
| 2008 | Ugly Betty | Mrs. Galeano | |
| Grey's Anatomy | Mrs. Borsokowski | Season 5 episode 4: "Brave New World" | |
| 2010 | 'Til Death | Marjorie Putnam | Season 4 episode 12: "Snore Loser" |
| 2012 | Robot and Monster | Katie | Season 2 episode 3: "How to Train Your Marf/Blinking Light" |
| 2019 | Young Sheldon | Debbie Wolowitz | Voice Archived recording Season 2 episode 22: "A Swedish Science Thing and the Equation for Toast" |
Video games
edit| Video games | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2008 | CSI: NY | Doris Brown / Pamela Ross | Voice |
| 2010 | Mafia II | Cleaning Lady / Maria Agnello | Voice |
References
edit- ^ a b c Hughes, Jason (November 11, 2014). "Carol Ann Susi, 'Big Bang Theory's' Mrs. Wolowitz, Dead at 62". The Wrap. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
- ^ a b "Big Bang Theory actress dies at 62". The Globe and Mail. November 12, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- ^ Morris, Joan (March 14, 2009). "Who's the Voice of 'Big Bang' Mother?". Contra Costa Times. p. 2A. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
- ^ Salem, Rob (January 24, 2009). "Nerd herd doing a bang-up job". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
- ^ Owen, Rob (March 16, 2012). "TV Q&A with Rob Owen". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
- ^ Robinson, Johnny (September 27, 1974). "Radio and TV plus Video Versions". Lewiston Evening Journal. p. 21. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
- ^ Drake, Sylvie (September 16, 1988). "'Ladies' Room' Lives Up to Expectations of Racy Domain". Los Angeles Times. p. C6. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
- ^ Collins, Scott (December 19, 1995). "Ollstein's 'Pot Roast' Is Rich in Flavor". Los Angeles Times. p. F8. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (November 11, 2014). "Carol Ann Susi, 'Big Bang Theory's Mrs. Wolowitz, Dead". Deadline. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
- ^ "FDR High School is Turning 50! Here Are Some Alumni You Should Know About". May 15, 2015.
- ^ "Carol Ann Susi, 'Big Bang Theory's MRS. Wolowitz, Dead". November 12, 2014.
- ^ Swift, Andy (November 11, 2014). "Carol Ann Susi, Voice Behind Big Bang Theory's Mrs. Wolowitz, Dead at 62". TV Line. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
- ^ Wilson, Scott (August 22, 2016). Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed. (2 volume set). McFarland. ISBN 9780786479924. Retrieved November 2, 2018 – via Google Books.
- ^ Fowle, Kyle (February 19, 2015). "The Big Bang Theory: "The Comic Book Store Regeneration"". The A.V. Club. Retrieved January 27, 2022.