Miriam Flynn is an American voice and character actress. She is best known as Cousin Catherine in the National Lampoon's Vacation films and Grandma Longneck in The Land Before Time franchises. She has acted in several films and television series; the latter including a recurring role as Sister Helen on the Fox/WB sitcom Grounded for Life.
Career
Second City Before breaking into television, Flynn was a member of the Second City improv troupe in 1975. She appeared on stage alongside Shelley Long, George Wendt, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, and James Belushi.
Film and television Flynn was a regular cast member on The Tim Conway Show, a comedy-variety show that aired on CBS from March 1980 through summer 1981. She then starred on the short-lived ABC sitcom Maggie. She appeared in the Cheers episode "Love Thy Neighbor" as Phyllis Henshaw, Norm and Vera Peterson's next-door neighbor. In fall 1988, she co-starred in the CBS sitcom Raising Miranda.
In 1995, Flynn was the voice of Maa the Ewe in the film, Babe. She was a regular cast member in Season 1 of Malcolm & Eddie; playing Kelly, a bar owner and landlord to the main characters. From 2001 to 2005, she played the recurring character Sister Helen on the Fox/WB sitcom Grounded for Life. In 2004, she played Coop's mom in Megas XLR. Flynn also appeared in an episode of George Lopez; playing the role of Brenda, a bank employee.
As a voice artist, Flynn has been featured in The Land Before Time series, as Grandma Longneck, on both Taz-Mania and What-a-Mess as the title character's mother, Jean, as Poil in The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper, and on Family Guy. She has also voiced Rudy's mother, Millie Tabootie on the Nickelodeon show, ChalkZone and Aunt Vera on the Cartoon Network show, Ben 10.
Some of Flynn's best known film roles have been as Cousin Catherine in National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), Vegas Vacation (1997) and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2 (2003). Other acting roles include First Family (1980), National Lampoon's Class Reunion (1982), Mr. Mom (1983), Family Ties (1986), For Keeps (1988), 18 Again! (1988), Stealing Home (1988), Lonely Hearts (1991), Evolution (2001), Wieners (2008), About Fifty (2011) and Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star (2011), Stranger Things: Tales from '85 (2025).
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1980First FamilyFeebleman's Secretary1982National Lampoon's Class ReunionBunny Packard1983Mr. MomAnnette1983National Lampoon's VacationCousin Catherine1988For KeepsDonna Elliot198818 Again!Betty Watson1988Stealing HomeMrs. Parks1989National Lampoon's Christmas VacationCousin Catherine Johnson1991Lonely HeartsHelen1995BabeMaaVoice A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.1996Waiting for GuffmanCostume Dresser1996CarpoolFranklin's MomVoice1997Vegas VacationCousin Catherine1997The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious IslandGrandma LongneckVoice1998The Land Before Time VI: The Secret of Saurus Rock2000Chump ChangeBussler Waitress2000The Best of Dr. SeussYookie-Ann Sue / Teacher2000Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the WolfmanPrincipal Milliken2000The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold FireGrandma Longneck2000The Emperor's New GroovePiñata Lady2001EvolutionGrace2001The Land Before Time VIII: The Big FreezeGrandma LongneckVoice2002The Land Before Time IX: Journey to Big WaterGrandma Longneck, Diplodocus Mom2003The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck MigrationGrandma Longneck2005The Land Before Time XI: Invasion of the Tinysauruses2006The Land Before Time XII: The Great Day of the Flyers2007The Land Before Time XIII: The Wisdom of Friends2008WienersBen's Mom2009Nowhere to HidePriscella2011About FiftyNancy2011Bucky Larson: Born to Be a StarDebbie Larson2014All StarsMiriam Carson2016The Land Before Time XIV: Journey of the BraveGrandma LongneckVoice, direct-to-video2016Taking LibertyMrs. Batesome2019Extracurricular ActivitiesMrs. Reed2023Self RelianceBecky Ann
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1979Who's Watching the Kids?Ms. CollinsEpisode: "Good News, Bad News"1981–1982MaggieMaggie Weston8 episodes1983Gimme a Break!Mrs. BrandtEpisode: "Glenlawn Street Blues"1983Full HouseBoobie HallTelevision film1984Her Life as a ManSheila1984Mr. SuccessHelen Silt1984Silver SpoonsMyrna LippincottlemanEpisode: "Twas the Night Before Christmas"1984, 1991Night CourtHelen Liptz / Phyllis Simon2 episodes1985WebsterJan MorganEpisode: "The Uh-Oh Feeling"1985SnorksAdditional voicesEpisode: "Snorkitis Is Nothing to Sneeze At/The Whole Toot and Nothing But..."1985CheersPhyllis HenshawEpisode: "Love Thy Neighbor"1985RiptideMarian FlynnEpisode: "Robin and Marian"1986Family TiesMrs. CarpenterEpisode: "My Buddy"1986Christmas Every DayHelen / Franny / WillTelevision film1986–1990The Magical World of DisneyGandra Dee / Helen3 episodes1986–1987FoofurAdditional voices16 episodes1987, 1988CBS Summer PlayhouseCookie Lippman / Betty2 episodes1988The New Yogi Bear ShowAdditional voices4 episodes1988Raising MirandaJoan Hoodenpyle9 episodes1988, 1989The Tracey Ullman ShowMiss Clark / Jill2 episodes1988, 1993L.A. LawMadeline Meyer / Edie Moffit1989Hound TownSashaTelevision film1989Dear JohnPennyEpisode: "The Other Group"1989The Butter Battle BookYookie-Ann SueVoice, television film1989–1990DuckTalesGandra DeeVoice, 7 episodes1990The SimpsonsMiss BarrVoice, episode: "Moaning Lisa"1990Murder, She WroteViEpisode: "Murder -- According to Maggie"1990MonstersLuannEpisode: "Murray's Monster"1990The FlockensPatricia FlockenTelevision film1991Murphy BrownEllen SmithEpisode: "The Smiths Go to Washington"1991–1995Taz-ManiaVarious voices40 episodes1991–1996Bobby's WorldAdditional voices7 episodes1992Herman's HeadDr. Nina BergstromEpisode: "That's What Friends Aren't For"1992Stand by Your ManAdrienne Stone / Arlene Stone5 episodes1992Doogie Howser, M.D.Real Estate AgentEpisode: "Doogie Doesn't Live Here Anymore"1993Picket FencesAlice FreemanEpisode: "Bad Moons Rising"1993Civil WarsDr. PleasanceEpisode: "A Liver Runs Through It"1993Mighty MaxProfessor MacDougallVoice, episode: "Werewolves of Dunneglen"1994The Second HalfRachelEpisode: "Far and Awry"1994DuckmanAdditional voicesEpisode: "It's the Thing of the Principal"1994The NannyCountry Club ManagerEpisode: "I Don't Remember Mama"1994Madman of the PeopleLorraineEpisode: "Jack Has Left the Building"1994–1995The TickCharles' MotherVoice, 4 episodes1995Indictment: The McMartin TrialJudge BobbTelevision film1995From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. FrankweilerEvelyn Kincaid1995Letter to My KillerPersonnel Director1995Hope & GloriaDr. RoseEpisode: "A Midsummer Night's Trim"1995Murder OneRobin ZeitlinEpisode: "Chapter Eight"1995Life with LouieAunt MimiVoice, episode: "The Fourth Thursday in November"1995PartnersSaleswomanEpisode: "Fourteen Minutes?"1995What-a-MessMotherVoice, 3 episodes1996The Sylvester & Tweety MysteriesGretaVoice, episode: "Don't Polka Me"1996Quack PackMrs. RobinsonVoice, episode: "The Unusual Suspects"1996–1997Malcolm & EddieKelly6 episodes1996–1997The Spooktacular New Adventures of CasperPoilVoice, 16 episodes1997The Legend of Calamity JaneLonely SueVoice, 13 episodes1997The PracticeMary StokesEpisode: "Part IV"1997JennyMother SuperiorEpisode: "Pilot"1997Pinky and the BrainWomanVoice, episode: "Leggo My Ego"1998Ally McBealKaren PooleEpisode: "The Playing Field"19983rd Rock from the SunSuzie MartinEpisode: "Stuck with Dick"1998Brooklyn SouthDee / Alison WilliamsEpisode: "Cinnamon Buns"1998Buffy the Vampire SlayerMrs. FrankEpisode: "I Only Have Eyes for You"1998The New Batman AdventuresZaftig LadyVoice, episode: "Mean Seasons"1998Dharma & GregJasmineEpisode: "Unarmed and Dangerous"1998Star Trek: Deep Space NineMidwifeEpisode: "Covenant"1998RugratsCustomer, Party GoerVoice, episode: "Baking Dil"1999Batman BeyondNewscasterVoice, episode: "Disappearing Inque"2001Malcolm in the MiddleCooking TeacherEpisode: "Reese Cooks"2001Static ShockMs. PettiboneVoice, episode: "Tantrum"2001A Kitty Bobo ShowMrs. BoboVoice, television short2001ProvidenceMrs. HartfordEpisode: "You Can Count on Me"2001Once and AgainGayle StephensonEpisode: "Destiny Turns on the Radio"2001–2005Grounded for LifeSister Helen22 episodes2002, 2003Judging AmyWinkie2 episodes2002–2008ChalkZoneMillie TabootieVoice, 18 episodes2003George LopezBrendaEpisode: "George vs. George"2003Ozzy & DrixDrixeenVoice, episode: "An Out of Body Experience"2003National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2Catherine JohnsonTelevision film2004Happy FamilyBarbEpisode: "Rules and Girls"2004Century CityJudgeEpisode: "Only You"2004Second Time AroundBelindaEpisode: "Secrets"2004Megas XLRCoop's Mother, Woman, Old LadyVoice, 3 episodes2005Fielder's ChoiceRoseTelevision film2006Ben 10Vera TennysonVoice, episode: "Permanent Retirement"2006'Til DeathBonnie WoodcockEpisode: "Your Mother or Your Wife"2007Las VegasBettyEpisode: "Wagers of Sin"2007The Young and the RestlessEdna McCallisterEpisode #1.85852007Desperate HousewivesDr. Berman2 episodes2007The Land Before TimeGrandma LongneckVoice, 5 episodes2007CavemenRose ClaybrookEpisode: "Nick Get Job"2007Grey's AnatomyGretchen BitzerEpisode: "The Heart of the Matter"2007Boston LegalGretchen WintersEpisode: "The Object of My Affection"2008Cranberry ChristmasGranny / Sister WhiskersVoice, television film2009Big LoveAunt DotEpisode: "Come, Ye Saints"2009Married Not DeadMs. GiamattiTelevision film2010The Life & Times of TimWoman in ChurchVoice, episode: "The Comeback Sermon"2010Good Luck CharlieJaneEpisode: "Kit and Kaboodle"2011Curb Your EnthusiasmMargaretEpisode: "The Safe House"2011Zeke and LutherMrs. SmorlovEpisode: "Lie Hard"2012–2013SuburgatoryHelen7 episodes2014Summer with CimorelliMrs. CimorelliEpisode: "Pretty Little Cimorelliars"2014BonesFancie Von MertensEpisode: "The Mutilation of the Master Manipulator"2015ScandalMrs. AmbrusoEpisode: "Put a Ring on It"2015Murder in the FirstDr. HopkinsEpisode: "Nothing but the Truth"2015, 2016Liv and MaddieMrs. Snodgrass2 episodes2016iZombieDrake's Mother2016The MiddleFemale ClerkEpisode: "A Tough Pill to Swallow"2017The Carmichael ShowMonicaEpisode: "Shoot-Up-Able"2017School of RockNana GertEpisode: "The Other Side of Summer"2017NCIS: Los AngelesMarilynEpisode: "All is Bright"2019If You Give a Mouse a CookieBand LeaderVoice, episode: "Parade Day"2019Fancy NancyFay ClancyVoice, episode: "The Amazing Adventures of Grammy and Poppy"2020MomArleneEpisode: "Somebody's Grandmother and the A-List"2021The UnicornMrs. BurbageEpisode: "In Memory Of..."2023; 2026ShrinkingPam2 episodes2023 The Lincoln LawyerDonna Episode: "Cui Boni"2026Stranger Things: Tales from '85Flo (voice of the police dispatcher)Episode: "Chapter Nine: The Suspect"
References
External links