Rusty Schwimmer is an American character actress and singer. She has appeared in films such as A Little Princess (1995), Twister (1996), The Perfect Storm (2000), Runaway Jury (2003), North Country (2005), The Informant! (2009), and The Sessions (2012).
Early life Schwimmer attended New Trier High School in suburban Winnetka, Illinois. Her best friend is actress Virginia Madsen.
Career Schwimmer made her film debut in 1988, appearing in Memories of Me. She had small parts in Highlander II: The Quickening, Sleepwalkers and Candyman, before playing Joey B in Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993). In 1995, she starred as Amelia Minchin in A Little Princess directed by Alfonso Cuarón. She went on to appear as Mrs. Thornton (Jo Harding's mother) in Twister (1996), Mrs Pendleton in Amistad (1997), Gridlock'd (1997), Alice in EDtv (1999), Irene "Big Red" Johnson in The Perfect Storm (2000), Millie Dupree in Runaway Jury (2003), Big Betty in North Country (2005), and as office worker Peggy Displasia in The Belko Experiment in 2016.
On television, Schwimmer had a starring role in the 2006 Western miniseries Broken Trail playing "Big Rump" Kate Becker. From 2001 to 2003, she had a recurring role as Barbara Ludzinski on the CBS legal drama The Guardian. Schwimmer has also appeared in guest starring roles in several television series, including Parker Lewis Can't Lose, In the Heat of the Night, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Tales from the Crypt, Married... with Children, ER, Chicago Hope, Ally McBeal, Judging Amy, The X-Files, Gilmore Girls, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Criminal Minds, Heroes, Desperate Housewives, Boston Legal, Private Practice, Six Feet Under, Drop Dead Diva, Louie, Lucifer, Grey's Anatomy, Bones and Better Call Saul. She also appeared in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
Schwimmer also appeared in Paul Thomas Anderson’s teenage short film The Dirk Diggler Story, an early version of Boogie Nights.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1988Memories of MeStrawberryThe Dirk Diggler StoryCandy KaneShort1989Angels of the CityBookworm1991Highlander II: The QuickeningDrunk1992SleepwalkersHousewifeCandymanPolicewoman1993Reckless KellyEntertainment ReporterJason Goes to Hell: The Final FridayJoey B.1994The CrazysitterGerman Nanny1995A Little PrincessMrs Amelia MinchinLone Justice 2Emma1996TwisterMrs. Thornton1997Gridlock'dNurseAmistadMrs. PendletonLos LocosSister Drexel1998Almost HeroesExecution WitnessUncreditedThe Thin Pink LineNora Finkelheimer1999EDtvAliceBallad of the NightingaleDistributor2000The Perfect StormIrene 'Big Red' JohnsonI'll Wave BackZeola2003Runaway JuryMillie DupreeHarold Buttleman, Daredevil StuntmanRonette2005Mozart and the WhaleGracieNorth CountryBig Betty2006The Hawk Is DyingPreciousBeautiful DreamerJeannie2008Fly Like MercuryDr. SimsPants on FirePeggy2009The Informant!Liz Taylor2012The SessionsJanScrooge & MarleyFredaMelvin SmartyMargie2013Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13thHerselfDocumentary film2014Perfect SistersAunt MarthaSunken CityWanda2015The Life and Death of an Unhappily Married ManKim2016American FableEthelBlood StripeDotThe Belko ExperimentPeggy Displasia2017Wild HoneyGabby201830 Miles from NowhereOfficer Marsh2019The Short History of the Long RoadMarcie2020Killing EleanorPam2021RushedJoan2022North of the 10JackieTBAYou Can't WinSalt Chunk MaryTBAPenitentiaShelly Wolf
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1988Addicted to His LoveWoman at Video Dating ServiceTelevision film1990Running Against TimeSales Rep1991Parker Lewis Can't LoseLadyEpisode: "Teens from a Mall"1991Life Goes OnTeacherEpisode: "Armageddon"1992Stand by Your ManGloriaTelevision film1992Getting Up and Going HomeJulia Stevenson1992T Bone N WeaselVerna Mae1992–1995Picket FencesJulia Boles / Sheila3 episodes1993Darkness Before DawnEvelynTelevision film1993In the Heat of the NightBetty Simms2 episodes1993Ned Blessing: The True Story of My LifeBig Emma5 episodes1994The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirBig BerthaEpisode: "Fresh Prince: The Movie"1994Tales from the CryptCarlaEpisode: "In the Groove"1995Married... with ChildrenBabsEpisode: "And Bingo Was Her Game-O"1995ERGrollmanEpisode: "Men Plan, God Laughs"199518 Minutes in AlbuquerqueBus DriverTelevision film1995Down, Out & DangerousBartender1996The Louie ShowNurseEpisode: "Louie's Little Trip"1996Chicago HopeVeronica SarisonEpisode: "Quiet Riot"1996If These Walls Could TalkPrayer GroupTelevision film1996The Man Who Captured EichmannRosa1997North Shore FishNurse1997Prison of SecretsCarla1997Ally McBealAngela TharpeEpisode: "The Promise"1997HeartlessConnieTelevision film1999ProvidenceMs. Polly MaravichEpisode: "All Good Dogs Go to Heaven"1999Tracey Takes On...ProtesterEpisode: "Erotica"1999AllyAngela TharpeEpisode: "The Promise"2000Judging AmyAlice BenedictEpisode: "Culture Clash"2000The X-FilesDriverEpisode: "Roadrunners"2000–2001Ladies ManMel4 episodes2001, 2002ArlissInkeeper / Rusty Schwimmer2 episodes2001–2003The GuardianBarbara Ludzinski9 episodes2002Six Feet UnderMarilyn JohnsonEpisode: "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"2003My Big Fat Greek LifePermit Office ClerkEpisode: "The Free Lunch"2003Gilmore GirlsBruce2 episodes2003Clifford's Puppy DaysVoiceEpisode: "Clifford's Field Trip/Helping Paws"2004Boston PublicBilly's MomEpisode: "Chapter Eighty"2004LAXPamEpisode: "The Longest Morning"2004Boston LegalHelen BinderEpisode: "An Eye for an Eye"2004DragnetLorraine WatsonEpisode: "Killing Fields"2004CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationLorna TenneyEpisode: "No Humans Involved"2006Broken TrailBig Rump Kate2 episodes2006Without a TraceSharon ZenowichEpisode: "Watch Over Me"2006SharkWendy DunmillerEpisode: "Sins of the Mother"2006American Dad!Mama SquirrelEpisode: "Irregarding Steve"2006–2007Holly Hobbie & FriendsAunt Jessie Beech3 episodes2007Criminal MindsLila MayEpisode: "No Way Out"2007HeroesDale SmitherEpisode: "Unexpected"2007Desperate HousewivesToniEpisode: "Into the Woods"2007State of MindConchata Gluck / Diner Operator3 episodes2007Private PracticeAshley MinahanEpisode: "In Which Sam Gets Taken for a Ride"2009NumbersDeanne DrakeEpisode: "Arrow of Time"2009The Secret Life of the American TeenagerEpisode: "Summertime"2009Days of Our LivesSister Claire5 episodes2009His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13thHerselfDocumentary film2010BonesErica TurnerEpisode: "The Devil in the Details"2010Drop Dead DivaSandraEpisode: "Will & Grayson"2010Donna's RevengeDr. Skinner2 episodes2011LouieGretchenEpisode: "Pregnant"2012LongmireDarla LamebullEpisode: "Dogs, Horses and Indians"2012GeorgiaSunshineEpisode: "Hello, I'm Sunshine"2013Film PigsTrudy / SelfEpisode: "A Little Rusty"2014Greetings! From PrisonMomEpisode: "Mother Knows Nothing"2015BackstromAnaleigh KeeEpisode: "Corkscrewed"2016HeartbeatDr. Risa BennettEpisode: "Sanctuary"2016LuciferRoberta BeliardEpisode: "Everything's Coming Up Lucifer"2016Grey's AnatomyPatricia PhillipsEpisode: "Catastrophe and the Cure"2017DoubtADA Courtney CarmodyEpisode: "Faith"2018Chicago FireJillEpisode: "The One That Matters Most"2018Mr. MercedesWandaEpisode: "Walk Like a Man"2020Paradise LostVirgie PerkinsEpisode: "Danger to Yourself"2022The Righteous GemstonesSheriff Brenda3 episodes2022Chicago MedCeleste BelkinEpisode: "End of the Day, Anything Can Happen"2022Better Call SaulLegal Aid LawyerEpisode: "Saul Gone"2022The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday SpecialSaraTelevision special20249-1-1EdnaEpisode: "Abandon Ships"2025The Last FrontierKatherine Van HornRecurring role2026–presentThe PittMonica PetersRecurring role2027Scooby-Doo: OriginsFilming
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