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An attractive blonde who is much younger-looking than the wackos she plays, Lin Shaye made her feature debut in Jack Nicholson's "Goin' South" (1978) soon after arriving in Los Angles. A favorite of Walter Hill, having worked in four of his films (as of 1999), she also acted in eight pictures produced by her older brother Robert Shaye before the Farrelly brothers rescued her from anonymity, giving her the first of her memorably unpleasant characters, an irate, upper-class dog owner in "Dumb and Dumber" (1994)....
Full Bio & Milestones

Filmography

2001 Maniacs: Beverly HELLbillys - ( Granny Boone / / Announced / )
Confessions of an Action Star - ( Samantha / 2005 / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
Small Town Saturday Night - ( Phillis Ryan / / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
The Hillside Strangler - ( / / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
Unbeatable Harold - ( Jeannie / / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
Without Charlie - ( / / Lensing/Awaiting Release / )
Driftwood - ( Nancy Forrester / 2007 / Released / )
Hoboken Hollow - ( Mrs Broderick / 2007 / Released / )
2001 Maniacs - ( / 2006 / Released / )
Almost Guys - ( The Boss / 2006 / Released / )
Snakes on a Plane - ( Grace / 2006 / Released / )
Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror - ( Clara / 2006 / Released / )
Surf School - ( Eloise / 2006 / Released / )
Drop Dead Sexy - ( Ma Muzzy / 2005 / Released / )
A Cinderella Story - ( Mrs. Wells / 2004 / Released / )
Cellular - ( Exotic Car Driver / 2004 / Released / )
Dead End - ( Laura / 2004 / Released / )
The Hillside Strangler - ( Jenny Buono / 2004 / Released / )
Boat Trip - ( Sonya / 2003 / Released / )
Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd - ( Margie / 2003 / Released / )
Manfast - ( Marge / 2003 / Released / )
Stuck on You - ( Makeup Babe / 2003 / Released / )
Surfacing - ( Elise / 2002 / Released / )
Who's Your Daddy? - ( Ms. Harding / 2002 / Released / Screen Media Ventures, LLC )
Wish You Were Dead - ( / 2002 / Released / )
Say It Isn't So - ( Nurse Bautista / 2001 / Released / )
Attention Shoppers - ( / 2000 / Released / )
Detroit Rock City - ( Mrs Bruce / 1999 / Released / )
Living Out Loud - ( Lisa's Nurse / 1998 / Released / Alliance Releasing )
There's Something About Mary - ( Magda / 1998 / Released / )
Trading Favors - ( Darla / 1998 / Released / )
Kingpin - ( Landlady / 1996 / Released / Village Roadshow Pictures Worldwide )
Last Man Standing - ( The Madam / 1996 / Released / )
Corrina, Corrina - ( Repeat Nanny / 1994 / Released / )
Dumb & Dumber - ( Mrs Nuegeboren / 1994 / Released / Alliance Releasing )
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues - ( Rubber Rose Maid / 1994 / Released / Alliance Releasing )
Wes Craven's New Nightmare - ( Nurse with Pills / 1994 / Released / )
National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 - ( Witness / 1993 / Released / Meteor Film/The Movies )
The Temp - ( Rosemary / 1993 / Released / )
Three of Hearts - ( Operator / 1993 / Released / Meteor Film/The Movies )
Roadside Prophets - ( Celeste / 1992 / Released / )
Book of Love - ( Mrs Flynn / 1991 / Released / Alliance Releasing )
Pump Up the Volume - ( 3rd PTA Parent / 1990 / Released / Alliance Releasing )
Critters 2: The Main Course - ( Sal Roos / 1988 / Released / )
Extreme Prejudice - ( Employment Office Clerk / 1987 / Released / Toho-Towa Company )
My Demon Lover - ( Anemic Counter Girl / 1987 / Released / Seven Keys Films )
Slam Dance - ( Librarian / 1987 / Released / )
The Hidden - ( Carol Miller / 1987 / Released / Heron/Joypack )
The Running Man - ( Propaganda Officer / 1987 / Released / )
Critters - ( Sally / 1986 / Released / )
Brewster's Millions - ( Journalist at Rally / 1985 / Released / )
A Nightmare on Elm Street - ( Teacher / 1984 / Released / )
Alone in the Dark - ( Receptionist at Haven / 1982 / Released / Rank Film Distributors Ltd )
The Long Riders - ( Kate / 1980 / Released / )
Goin' South - ( Parasol Lady / 1978 / Released / )
TV Credits
Dirty Sexy Money ( 2007 / Released ): Actor
On the Lot ( 2007 / Released ): Actor
My Name is Earl ( 2005 / Released ): Actor
Crossing Jordan ( 2001 / Released ): Actor
Perversions of Science ( 1997 / Released ): Actor
Arli$$ ( 1996 / Released ): Actor
Project: ALF ( 1996 / Released ): Actor
Sketch Artist II: Hands That See ( 1995 / Released ): Actor
Trial By Fire ( 1995 / Released ): Actor
In the Line of Duty: The Price of Vengeance ( 1994 / Released ): Actor
My So-Called Life ( 1994 / Released ): Actor
Judith Krantz's "Torch Song" ( 1993 / Released ): Actor
Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick The Last Chapter ( 1992 / Released ): Actor
Mistress ( 1987 / Released ): Actor
Stillwatch ( 1987 / Released ): Actor
Summer Fantasy ( 1984 / Released ): Actor
Why Me? ( 1984 / Released ): Actor
A Cry For Love ( 1980 / Released ): Actor
The Seeding of Sarah Burns ( 1979 / Released ): Actor
The Triangle Factory Fire Scandal ( 1979 / Released ): Actor
Sex and the Married Woman ( 1977 / Released ): Actor
Becker ( Released ): Actor
Life Goes On ( Released ): Actor
Sisters ( Released ): Actor
Full Biography (Back to top)

An attractive blonde who is much younger-looking than the wackos she plays, Lin Shaye made her feature debut in Jack Nicholson's "Goin' South" (1978) soon after arriving in Los Angles. A favorite of Walter Hill, having worked in four of his films (as of 1999), she also acted in eight pictures produced by her older brother Robert Shaye before the Farrelly brothers rescued her from anonymity, giving her the first of her memorably unpleasant characters, an irate, upper-class dog owner in "Dumb and Dumber" (1994). As she told Stephen Schaefer in the BOSTON HERALD (August 11, 1999), "I come out to the set and Pete [Farrelly] says--and remember, this is their first movie too--'She screams when they open the door.' I said, 'What if instead of screaming, I had them do my hair like a poodle? And since people are like their dogs, if she goes'--and I did a little poodle cry."

The Farrellys, recognizing her as a kindred spirit, have cast her in every one of their pictures (to date), but Shaye was at her scene-stealing best in "There's Something About Mary" (1998) as Magda, the grotesquely sun-burned Miami matron (whose dog Matt Dillon accidentally electrocutes). When the pooch started licking her face in one scene, she seized the moment and began enthusiastically French-kissing the terrier, prompting Cameron Diaz to tell PEOPLE (September 14, 1998), "It was one of the funniest and most disgusting and disturbing things I've seen." She entered a different kind of dementia as the God-fearing, KISS-hating mom in Adam Rifkin's "Detroit Rock City" (1999) and returned to the low-brow land of Farrelly in "Me, Myself and Irene" (2000). With her profile higher than ever, Shaye has made known her desire for some normal roles while also hoping that the Farrellys never do a movie without her.


Profession(s):
Actor
Sometimes Credited As:
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Family
brother:Robert Shaye (chairman of New Line Cinema; born on March 3, 1939)
father:Max Mendle Shaye (born c. 1912)
husband:Clayton Landey (married c. 1988; was Donna Mills' lawyer on "Knotts Landing" (CBS) for three years)
mother:Dorothy Shaye (died in 1989)
son:Lee J Landey (born c. 1989)

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Education
University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan
Milestones (Back to top)
2004 Cast in the modern day fairytale "A Cinderella Story" starring Hilary Duff
2003 Featured roles in the Farrelly brothers "Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd" and "Stuck On You"
2002 First film with husband Clayton Landey, "Wish You Were Dead"
2000 Supported Jim Carrey in the Farrelly brothers' "Me, Myself and Irene"
1999 Portrayed God-fearing, KISS-hating mom in Adam Rifkin's "Detroit Rock City"
1998 Delivered howlingly funny turn as Magda, the overly tan roommate of Cameron Diaz's title character, in the Farrelly's "There's Something About Mary"
1996 Played "the angriest, ugliest woman on the planet" in the Farrelly's comedy "Kingpin"
1996 Fourth film with Hill, "Last Man Standing"
1995 Acted in "Wes Craven's New Nightmare"
1994 First film with the Farrelly brothers, "Dumb and Dumber", portraying irate upper-class dog owner Mrs Nuegeboren
1993 Portrayed Faye Dunaway's secretary in "The Temp"
1987 Third film with Hill, "Extreme Prejudice"
1985 Reteamed with Hill on "Brewster's Millions"
1984 First film with Wes Craven, "A Nightmare on Elm Street"; produced for brother's company New Line Cinema
1982 Acted for the first time in a film produced by brother, "Alone in the Dark"
1980 First film with director Walter Hill, "The Long Riders"
1977 Moved to Los Angeles
1977 TV debut in "Sex and the Married Woman" (NBC)
1878 Feature debut in Jack Nicholson's "Goin' South"
Following her first husband's death, moved to NYC where she performed off-Broadway

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