A versatile dark-haired actress and comedian best known for her creative partnership with Kathy Najimy, Mo Gaffney has worked extensively in film and television as well as on stage throughout her career. From her feature debut, portraying Ed Harris' wife in the harrowing organized crime drama "State of Grace" (1990) to far sillier fare like MTV's "Jailbait" (2000), Gaffney has kept audiences entertained with portrayals that range from realistic to riotous. A San Diego native specializing in personality driven feminist comedy, she worked as a performer in her hometown, where she met up with likeminded actress/comedian Kathy Najimy. The two began a fruitful partnership, writing and starring in acclaimed and award-winning productions of "The Kathy and Mo Show". Their initial show, comprised of funny and unexpectedly touching vignettes, ran from 1988 to 1989 Off-Broadway and scored the duo an OBIE. The two made their TV debut as Kathy and Mo with 1991's "The Kathy & Mo Show: Parallel Lives" on HBO. That same year Gaffney furthered her film acting career with a turn in Norman Jewison's "Other People's Money". 1992 saw the thoughtful performer take talk show hosting duties with Comedy Central's daily dose of "Women Aloud". The following year she debuted on Fox owned television stations with the syndicated short-lived talk series "The Mo Show". While her onscreen antics were enjoyed by British viewers of "The Full Wax" (aired in the USA on A&E in 1992) and "Absolutely Fabulous" (aired in the USA on Comedy Central beginning in 1994), American viewers were treated to "Kathy and Mo: The Dark Side", aired on HBO in 1995. In 1996, Gaffney guested on a Halloween episode of "Roseanne", reprising her role as Bo, the obnoxious American wife of Edina (Jennifer Saunders)'s ex-husband on "Absolutely Fabulous" and reteamed with director Jewison in the feature "Bogus". When "Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout" (Comedy Central) celebrated the end of the series in 1997, Gaffney contributed her performance as memorably condescending Bo to the festivities.Already well-known among comedy fans for her work as an actress, comedienne and TV host, Gaffney broadened her audience with a recurring role on NBC's "Mad About You" as Sheila Kleinman, the shrill marriage counselor to the Buchman's (Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt). In 1999, several film roles showcased the actress' talent, including turns in the cheeky pageant-set mockumentary "Drop Dead Gorgeous", the unremarkable remake "The Out-of-Towners" and the enjoyable indie hit "Happy, Texas". That same year she played the love interest to "The Mineola Twins" in an Off-Broadway production, taking on a dual role as one's frustrated teenage boyfriend and the other's adult lesbian partner. From 1999-2000, Gaffney was featured in a guest role on the CBS sitcom "Ladies Man", and later in 2000 she played a lawyer prosecuting an 18-year-old high school student for the statutory rape of his willing 16-year-old peer in the irreverent MTV TV-movie comedy "Jailbait".
A frequent sitcom guest, Gaffney made her regular series debut on "Normal, Ohio" (Fox, 2000- ) with a role as the ex-wife of a gay man (John Goodman) who has returned to his small hometown after a brief post-coming out stint in Los Angeles.
Profession(s):
Actor, comedian, writer
Sometimes Credited As:
Maureen E Gaffney
Maureen Gaffney
OBIE Award Performance "The Kathy and Mo Show" 1988 - 1989
2000 Played the prosecutor trying the case of the statutory rape of a 16-year-old girl by her 18-year-old classmate in the MTV TV-movie comedy "Jailbait"
1999 Acted in the mockumentary "Drop Dead Gorgeous"
1999 Had a cameo as a paranoid woman in "The Out-of-Towners"
1999 Featured in the acclaimed independent comedy "Happy, Texas"
1999 Acted in the Off-Broadway production "The Mineola Twins"
1997 Featured in "Absolutely Fabulous: The Last Shout" (aired on Comedy Central in the USA)
1996 Reprised her "Absolutely Fabulous" role on a Halloween-themed episode of "Roseanne"
1996 Reteamed with Jewison on "Bogus"
1995 HBO aired "Kathy and Mo: The Dark Side", filmed from a Los Angeles engagment of the show, co-written by and co-starring Gaffney and Najimy
1994 Contributed material to the short-lived ABC sketch comedy series "SHE TV"
1993 Hosted and executive produced "The Mo Show", a talk show syndicated on Fox owned stations
1992 Hosted the Comedy Central talk show "Women Aloud"
1992 Portrayed correspondent Taffy Turner as well as working as a writer for "The Full Wax", a program hosted by popular British comedienne Ruby Wax
1992 Guest starred on an episode of "Absolutely Fabulous" (BBC-2). playing the obnoxious American wife of Edina (Jennifer Saunders)'s ex-husband
1991 HBO aired "The Kathy & Mo Show: Parallel Lives", based on the duo's Off-Broadway production
1991 Featured in Norman Jewison's "Other People's Money"
1990 Played Ed Harris' wife in the Irish-American crime family story "State of Grace"
1988 - 1989 Debuted "The Kathy and Mo Show" Off-Broadway, co-written by and co-starring Kathy Najimy
Played the Buchman's marriage counselor with a recurring role on "Mad About You" (NBC)
Had a recurring guest role on "Ladies Man" (CBS)
Was a regular on "Normal, Ohio" starring opposite John Goodman playing her gay ex-husband
