"He's a platinum canary, drinkin' Falstaff beer
Mercedes Ruehl and a rented Lear"
Mercedes Ruehl and a rented Lear"
— Sheryl Crow, "A Change Would Do You Good"
Mercedes J. Ruehl (born February 28, 1948 in Jackson Heights, Queens) is an American actress. Having extensive theatre credits, onscreen she is best known for Big, Married to the Mob, and The Fisher King, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the last of these.
Ruehl was married to painter David Geiser from 1999 until his death in 2020. The couple had one adopted son. While they were together she also reestablished contact with a son she had given up for adoption in 1976.
Works with Mercedes Ruehl:
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Film
- 1976 Dona Flor And Her Two Husbands: American Girl in Casino
- 1979 The Warriors: Policewoman
- 1981 Four Friends: Woman in Taxi
- 1986 Heartburn: Eve
- 1986 Twisted: Cybelle
- 1987 Radio Days: Ad Man
- 1987 Eighty Four Charing Cross Road: Kay
- 1988 Big: Mrs. Baskin
- 1988 Married to the Mob: Connie Russo
- 1989 Slaves Of New York: Samantha
- 1989 Crimes and Misdemeanors: Party Guest (Uncredited Role)
- 1990 Crazy People: Dr. Liz Baylor
- 1991 Another You: Elaine
- 1991 The Fisher King: Anne
- 1993 Lost in Yonkers: Bella
- 1993 Last Action Hero: Mom
- 1995 Indictment The Mc Martin Trial: Lael Rubin (Made-for-TV Movie)
- 1997 Roseannas Grave: Roseanna
- 1997 Subway Stories: Leyla (TV Movie)
- 1997 Gia: Kathleen Carangi (TV Movie)
- 1999 The Minus Man: Jane
- 2000 What's Cooking?: Elizabeth Avila
- 2000 The Amati Girls: Grace
- 2002 Spooky House: Boss
- 2004 Zeyda And The Hitman: Eshter
- 2005 Mom At Sixteen: Terry Jeffries (TV Movie)
- 2006 A Girl Like Me The Gwen Araujo Story: Sylvia Guerrero (TV Movie)
- 2014 Chu And Blossom: Mrs. Fefterg
- 2019 Hustlers: Mother
Television
- 1976-77 The Doctors: Nurse Ursula
- 1984 Afterschool Special: Sandy (1 episode)
- 1985 Our Family Honor: Louise Taylor (1 episode)
- 1990 The Cosby Show: Bernadette Foley (1 episode)
- 1995-96 Frasier: Kate Costas (5 episodes)
- 2004 1-800-Missing: Emmanuelle Baker (1 episode)
- 2004-09 Law & Order: Zina Rybakov/Judge Clara Lloyd (2 episodes)
- 2006-08 Entourage: Rita Chase (2 episodes)
- 2007 Psych: Detective Goochberg (1 episode)
- 2009 Hallmark Hall of Fame: Janice Lever (1 episode, “Loving Leah”)
- 2012 Luck: Renzo’s Mother (1 episode)
- 2013 Monday Mornings: Judge Beverly Nathanson (1 episode)
- 2015 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Lucia Barba (1 episode)
- 2016 Life in Pieces: Mia (1 episode)
- 2016 The Mysteries of Laura: Val Santiani (1 episode)
- 2016 2 Broke Girls: Olga (1 episode)
- 2017 NCIS: Marie Quinn (1 episode)
- 2017-18 Power: Connie Teresi (7 episodes)
- 2018-20 Bull: Judge Tessa Hudson (3 episodes)
Stage
- 1985-88 Im Not Rappaport: Clara
- 1991 Lost in Yonkers: Bella
- 1992 Antony and Cleopatra: Cleopatra
- 1994-95 The Shadow Box: Beverly
- 1995 The Rose Tattoo: Serafina Delle Rose
- 1999 The Vagina Monologues: Speaker
- 2002 The Goat Or Who Is Sylvia: Stevie
- 2017-19 Torch Song Trilogy: Mrs. Beckoff
