Kathy Ann Najimy is an American actress and comedian of Lebanese heritage, best known
as Olive Massery on the television series Veronica's Closet, Sister Mary Patrick in
Sister Act and the voice of Peggy Hill on the animated television series King of the
Hill.
Prior to her film work, she was best known for two Off Broadway shows with Mo Gaffney
working as the duo Kathy and Mo.
One of the shows became an HBO comedy special and garnered Najimy her first nationwide fan
base.
Early life Najimy was born on February 6, 1957 in San
Diego, California, the daughter of Lebanese American parents Samia and Fred Najimy, a
postal worker.
She was raised Catholic and attended Crawford High School.
Career Najimy's film career began in the early 1990s,
with a number of off-beat minor roles, but her first major role was in the 1992 comedy
Sister Act, in the role of Sister Mary Patrick.
She reprised this role in 1993 in Sister Act 2.
She also starred in Hocus Pocus with Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker as the Sanderson
sisters.
In 1997, she lent her voice to Warner Bros. Family Entertainment as Tilly the Hippo in
the film Cats Don't Dance, alongside actors Scott Bakula, Jasmine Guy, John Rhys-Davies
and Don Knotts, and has also played a role on the Nightmare Ned video game.
In 1998, she made a cameo in Bride of Chucky as the maid who discovers Diane and Russ'
bodies.
In 1999, she played the Stepmother in "CinderElmo" a primetime special for Sesame Street.
In 2001, she co-starred in the hit comedy film Rat Race alongside John Cleese, Rowan
Atkinson, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Whoopi Goldberg, Jon Lovitz and Seth Green.
She guest starred in That's So Raven.
She has done four movies with Goldberg,.
From film, Najimy expanded into television roles, including a dramatic recurring role
on Chicago Hope.
Najimy was part of the cast of Veronica's Closet from 1997 to 2000.
She co-created and starred in the hit Off Broadway show and HBO specials "Kathy & Mo",
with friend and actress Mo Gaffney.
She appeared as Mae West in the Broadway hit Dirty Blonde.
She also portrayed Dr. Mildred Finch on Numb3rs.
Najimy also provided the voice of the drama teacher, Miss Thespius, in the 1998 Disney
show Hercules: The Animated Series.
In 2003, Najimy provided the voice of Margalo in Stuart Little: The Animated Series, taking
over from Melanie Griffith.
She is the co-creator and director of the musical revue Back to Bacharach and David,
which ran in New York City in 1992 and 1993, and which she directed again in Los Angeles
in April 2009.
She also appeared in Drop Dead Diva.
In October 2009, Najimy played a police officer investigating an attack on Wisteria Lane on
an episode of Desperate Housewives.
In March 2010, she appeared in the Ugly Betty episode "Million Dollar Smile", portraying
Betty's new orthodontist, Dr. Frankel.
In July 2011, Najimy appeared in TNT's Franklin and Bash episode "Bangover", playing a judge.
Other work Najimy, an outspoken feminist, is also noted
as an activist for human rights and gay rights.
She uses her celebrity status to donate money to charities by appearing on game shows.
She appeared as a contestant on a celebrity version of The Weakest Link where she won
$50,000 for The Feminist Majority Foundation's Campaign to Stop Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan.
She has appeared three times on Celebrity Poker Showdown and won the season six tournament,
donating the $100,000 to V-Day, an organization that helps stop violence against women and
girls.
She was also crowned Grand Champion on CBS' Gameshow Marathon in 2006, donating the $100,000
winnings to Girls Best Friend, a charity that helps empower girls.
She's also worked with PETA on a number of animal welfare issues and posed with Todd
Oldham for the "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign.
In 2013, she was a contestant on Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off on Team Rachael where
she was playing for PETA, cooking only vegetarian food.
She was eliminated on the Feb. 3 episode, reaching third place.
PETA awarded her their Compassionate Action Award in 2014.
In 1981, she was a contestant on Family Feud, which was used as the finale in Gameshow Marathon.
Najimy and her family were winners on both shows.
In the 1981 Feud episode they won by 230 points, and in the Marathon version they scored 202
points to give Najimy the win.
Najimy also appeared on the $25,000 Pyramid on the episode dated July 31, 1985.
She failed to reach the bonus round, but still won a Commodore 64.
Najimy is also very vocal about issues regarding weight and body imaging among females.
In August 2006 Najimy voiced her opinions over a remark made by Heidi Klum on the television
series Project Runway after Klum said one model's outfit made her look plus sized.
In 2005, she was chosen by Ms. Magazine as Woman of the Year.
She signed the "We Had Abortions" petition which appears in the October 2006 issue of
the magazine.
The petition contains signatures of over 5,000 women declaring that they had had an abortion
and were "unashamed of the choice they made."
Najimy, having determined that she was not in a position to be an adequate parent at
the time, had had her own abortion in 1975, at the age of 18, when she had discovered
that she was pregnant after she had broken up with the father.
Personal life Najimy married comedic actor/singer Dan Finnerty
on August 8, 1995, and together they have one daughter named Samia born in 1996.
Filmography References
External links Kathy Najimy at the Internet Movie Database
Official website