Mary Woronov

She frequently co-starred with friend Paul Bartel; the pair appeared in 17 films together, often playing a married couple.

• Name — Mary Woronov • Born — 8 December 1943 • Birthplace — Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. • Other Names — * Mary Might • Mary Whitehead • Occupation — * Actress • writer • painter • Years Active — 1966–present

Woronov was born December 8, 1943, in the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida, while it was temporarily operating as the Ream General Hospital during World War II. Woronov was born premature and doctors initially did not believe she would survive infancy. At a young age, she relocated with her mother to Brooklyn Heights in New York City, where her mother married Victor D. Woronov, a Jewish cancer surgeon in 1949; they settled as a family and her stepfather legally adopted her. She has stated that she does not know the identity of her biological father. She has one younger half-brother, Victor, who was born on her eighth birthday. Woronov studied art and sculpting at Cornell University, where she met and befriended artist Gerard Malanga in 1963.

Malanga, who was Andy Warhol's assistant at the time, asked Woronov if she would be in a movie he was making. Later, while on a Cornell-sponsored field trip to Manhattan-based artists, Woronov visited Warhol's art studio, The Factory. Woronov recalled Warhol was nowhere in sight: "I didn't know he was hiding in the staircase, but that's where he was." Malanga suggested Woronov stick around the studio, saying, "you should stay, they're doing a screen test." She appeared in numerous films for Warhol, becoming a Warhol superstar in the 1960s. Warhol bestowed her the nickname "Mary Might" but she didn't like it. She danced with Exploding Plastic Inevitable, Warhol's multimedia presentation of The Velvet Underground, and played Hanoi Hannah in Chelsea Girls, the 1966 experimental underground film directed by Warhol. The film was Warhol's first major commercial success after a long line of avant-garde art films (both feature-length and short). Of this time, she has said: "Of all the girls at Andy Warhol's Factory, I was the butch one. [Warhol] put me in his Screen Tests and I spent my nights at Max's Kansas City.... I was the strong girl at the Factory." Further reflecting on her working relationship with Warhol, she commented in 2018: "I have a very dark side, I can't help it, but to me that period was wine and roses. It was darkness with pinpoints of light. My connection with Warhol was sort of like Lancelot's connection to King Arthur". • Illustration — Woronov in Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972) Between 1970 and 1972, Woronov starred in several films by her then-husband, Theodore Gershuny: Kemek (1970) Sugar Cookies (1973); and the slasher film Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972). In 1973, Woronov was cast as understudy to Julie Newmar in the role of Susan in the Broadway production of David Rabe's play Boom Boom Room. Newmar was fired during rehearsals and Woronov took over the role, eventually earning a Theatre World Award for her performance. The production played November 8 - December 9, 1973, at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theater. Woronov's had a leading role in the Roger Corman-produced cult film Death Race 2000 (1975), followed by the Corman-produced Hollywood Boulevard (1976), directed by Allan Arkush and Joe Dante.

In 1995, Woronov published the memoir Swimming Underground: My Years in the Warhol Factory, reflecting on her time as part of Andy Warhol's Factory. She published her first novel, Snake, in 2000. She subsequently published a short story collection in 2004 entitled Blind Love.

Woronov married producer/director Theodore Gershuny in 1970, completing three films with himKemek (1970), Sugar Cookies (1973), and Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972)before their divorce in 1973. She then married producer Fred Whitehead in 1976, later divorcing. Of Whitehead she said “we weren't very close and he married me because I looked good with the furniture.” She has been married two other times. One of her husbands was a race car driver. In 2022, she said she would not marry again. Woronov has resided in Los Angeles, California since 1979.

Film • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1966 — Chelsea Girls — Hanoi Hannah • Hedy — Policewoman • Kiss the Boot • Milk — Short film • Shower • Superboy • The — Jean Harlow • Since — John F. Kennedy • 1967 — Four Stars • 1970 — Kemek — Mary Wonderly • 1972 — Silent Night, Bloody Night — Diane Adams • 1973 — Sugar Cookies — Camilla Stone • 1974 — Seizure — Mikki Hughes • 1975 — Death Race 2000 — Calamity Jane • Cover Girl Models — Diane • 1976 — Hollywood Boulevard — Mary McQueen • Jackson County Jail — Pearl • Cannonball — Sandy Harris • Hollywood Man — Julie • 1977 — Mr. Billion — Bit Part — Uncredited • Bad Georgia Road — Hackett • 1978 — The — Arlene • 1979 — The — Woman Bankrobber • Rock 'n' Roll High School — Miss Togar • 1981 — Heartbeeps — Party House Owner • 1982 — Eating Raoul — Mary Bland • National Lampoon's Movie Madness — Secretary • 1983 — Angel of H.E.A.T. — Samantha Vitesse • Get Crazy — Violetta • 1984 — Blood Theatre — Miss Blackwell • Young Lust — Dr. Nicole Dunning • Night of the Comet — Audrey White • 1985 — Get Out of My Room • Hellhole — Dr. Fletcher • 1986 — Nomads — Dancing Mary • TerrorVision — Raquel Putterman • Chopping Mall — Mary Bland • 1987 — Kappa — Short film • Black Widow — Shelley • 1988 — Mortuary Academy — Mary Purcell • 1989 — Warlock — Channeler • Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills — Lisabeth Hepburn-Saravian • Let It Ride — Quintella • 1990 — Dick Tracy — Welfare Person • Club Fed — Jezebel • Watchers II — Dr. Glatman • 1991 — Buster's Bedroom — Jane • Rock 'n' Roll High School Forever — Doctor Vadar • Motorama — Kidnapping Wife • Where Sleeping Dogs Lie — Woman Tourist • 1992 — The — Daisy • 1993 — Good Girls Don't — Wilamena LaRue • Grief — Attorney • 1995 — Number One Fan — Wedding Coordinator • Glory Daze — Vicki • 1998 — Secrets of a Chambermaid — Felicity • Sweet Jane — Sales Lady • Mom, Can I Keep Her? — Dr. Klein • 1999 — Zoo — Prunella • Invisible Mom II — Olivia • 2000 — Straight Right — Dr. Wright • 2001 — The — Receptionist — Short film • The — Lisa LaStrada • Perfect Fit — Mom • 2003 — Prison A-Go-Go! — Dyanne She-Bitch Slutface • Looney Tunes: Back in Action — Acme Bad Ideas VP • 2004 — The — Sister Cecelia • Frog-g-g! — Doctor • I Pass for Human — Dr. Larraz • 2005 — The — Abbie • 2009 — The — Mrs. Ulman • Heaven Wants Out — Kitty • 2011 — Kitchenette: Part One — Jo • 2012 — Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader — House Mother • 2016 — Snowbird — Today Theo — Short film • A Flock of Birds — Ferida — Short film • 2019 — Frankenstein's Monster's Monster, Frankenstein — Nancy Erlich — Short film • 2021 — The Velvet Underground — Herself — Documentary Music Videos • Year — Title — Artist — Role • 1984 — "Institutionalized" — Suicidal Tendencies — Mother • 1993 — "Institutionalized (Second Version)" Television • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1974 — Somerset — Stephanie Dillard — TV series • 1976 — Charlie's Angels — Maxine — Episode: "Angels in Chains" • 1977 — Logan's Run — Irene Borden — Episode: "Capture" • 1979 — Taxi — Fran Strickland — Episode: "Nardo Loses Her Marbles" • Mrs. Columbo — Inmate — Episode: "Off the Record" • 1980 — Buck Rogers in the 25th Century — Nola — Episode: "A Dream of Jennifer" • Phyl & Mikhy — Anya — Episode: "Mikhy's Visitor" • 1984 — Hart to Hart — Clavell — Episode: "The Dog Who Knew Too Much" • The — Governess — TV movie • 1985 — Challenge of a Lifetime — Mary Garritee • A — Miss Renfro • Knight Rider — Dr. Von Furst — Episode: "Knight of the Juggernaut" • Mr. Belvedere — Cheryl — Episode: "The Letter" • Murder, She Wrote — Brady — Episode: "Jessica Behind Bars" • 1986 — Amazing Stories — Nurse — Episode: "Secret Cinema" • Brothers — Sophia Santini — Episode: "The Seduction of Lou" • St. Elsewhere — Episode: "Nothing Up My Sleeve" • 1987 — You Again? — Dr. Quinn — Episode: "Where the Sun Don't Shine" • Shell Game — Bean Sweeney — Episode: "The Upstairs Gardner" • Sledge Hammer! — Jill Taylor — Episode: "The Spa Who Loved Me" • Webster — Carol — Episode: "San Francisco" • 1988 — Trial and Error — Officer Burdette — Episode: "Man's Best Friend" • Monsters — Viki — Episode: "Pillow Talk" • 1992 — Parker Lewis Can't Lose — Officer Gwen — Episode: "Money Talks" • 1993 — Wings — Lydia Detmeir — Episode: "The Gift: Part 2" • Flying Blind — Mona — 4 episodes • Acting on Impulse — Receptionist — TV movie • 1994 — Babylon 5 — Ko D'ath — Episode: "Born to the Purple" • Shake, Rattle and Rock! — E. Joyce Togar — TV movie • My So-Called Life — Dr. Linda Shields — Episode: "Pressure" • 1995 — Highlander: The Series — Rita Luce — Episode: "They Also Serve" • Here Come the Munsters — Mrs. Dimwitty — TV movie • 1996 — Family Matters — Mrs. Ramsay — Episode: "Swine Lake" • The — Mrs. Dimwitty — TV movie • 1999 — Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction — Motel Manager — Episode: "Get Your Kicks at Motel 66" • 2000 — Who's Watching Who? — Starring — TV movie

Woronov relocated from New York to Los Angeles in 1979, appearing in Rock 'n' Roll High School the same year. Her breakthrough role came in Paul Bartel's black comedy Eating Raoul (1982), in which she portrayed the wife of a Los Angeles want-to-be-restaurant owner (also played by Bartel), both of whom resort to robbing and murdering swingers to support their business ambitions. Six years later she and Bartel reprised the roles as cameos in Chopping Mall (1986). She subsequently had roles in numerous films including Blood Theatre (1984), Night of the Comet (1984), and Nomads (1986). She became a fan of the Los Angeles punk music scene, and made an appearance with actor Jack Nance in the Suicidal Tendencies music video "Institutionalized" (1983); the two portrayed the protagonist's parents in the video. She later reprised this character in the band's music video for the song "Possessed To Skate" (1987). Subsequent film roles include in Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills (1989), Dick Tracy (1990), and Where Sleeping Dogs Lie (1991). On television, Woronov made guest appearances on numerous series in the 1980s, such as Logan's Run, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Charlie's Angels, Mr. Belvedere, Murder, She Wrote, Amazing Stories, St. Elsewhere, Wings, Babylon 5, Family Matters, and Highlander: The Series.

In 1991, Woronov reprised her role from Rock 'n' Roll High School in the sequel Rock 'n' Roll High School Forever. In 1995, she had a supporting role in the independent comedy film Glory Daze. In 1996, she appeared in the Soundgarden music video for the song Blow Up the Outside World (1996). She later had roles in the animated Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003), Rob Zombie's horror film The Devil's Rejects (2005) and Ti West's supernatural horror film The House of the Devil (2009). She appeared in Barneys New York fall 2014 advertising campaign, "L.A. Stories", shot by Bruce Weber.

Woronov has worked as a painter since her relocation to California in 1979. She has cited painter Francis Bacon as an influence on her artwork. In February 2022, she held a retrospective exhibition, The Story of the Red Shoe, at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.