Audrie Neenan

Clint Eastwood fans will have no difficulty remembering the inimitable Audrie J. Neenan; she played the violent, irascible, foul-mouthed lesbian (Ray Parkins) who confronts Dirty Harry in a bar in the fourth Harry vehicle, Sudden Impact. In truth, this role represented something of an extreme for Neenan, though she did come to specialize almost exclusively in portrayals of outspoken female characters with a marked level of dominance and authority, such as judges, policewomen, and authoritative maternal types. A performer with an extensive background in stage training, Neenan juggled cinematic and theatrical assignments; additional features on her resumé include Somewhere in Time (1980), Funny Farm (1988) (as the waitress who serves Chevy Chase a rather nasty surprise), and See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) (as a policewoman determined to get a headshot of Gene Wilder). On television, Neenan contributed to series including Ally McBeal and Law & Order (in a number of guest appearances as different judges). In 2008, Neenan lent a supporting role to the John Patrick Shanley-directed sexual abuse drama Doubt, starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide