Mary Beth Rubens
Canadian actress
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mary Elizabeth Rubens is a Canadian film, stage, and television actress, who made her feature film debut in Paul Lynch's slasher film Prom Night (1980). She subsequently appeared in Firebird 2015 AD (1981). She worked throughout the 1980s in television, guest-starring on Night Heat (1985–1987) and Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1987–1988). From 1989 to 1993, she had a leading role on the series E.N.G., for which she was nominated for a Gemini Award.
Mary Beth Rubens | |
|---|---|
Mary Beth Rubens in Prom Night (1980) | |
| Born | Mary Elizabeth Rubens |
| Years active | 1980–present |
After a traumatic brain injury in the 1990s left Rubens with a permanent disability, she shifted focus from acting, and subsequently earned a degree in law & society from York University. In 2018, she appeared in Judith Thompson's stage production of After the Blackout, a play about, and starring, people with various disabilities.
Early life
Rubens was born and raised in Kingston, Ontario, and has said she "comes from a family of farmers."[2] She is of English, Irish, and Scottish descent, and was raised an Anglican.[2] She began performing in stage plays as a child.[2] Rubens attended Bishop's University in Lennoxville, Quebec, where she double-majored in biology and psychology, and was also active in the university's theatre club.[2]
Career
Rubens made her feature film debut in Paul Lynch's slasher film Prom Night (1980). She subsequently had a supporting role in Firebird 2015 AD (1981).[3][4]
In 1987, she appeared in Souvenirs with Theatre Calgary.[5][6] In 1990, Rubens was nominated for a Gemini Award for her performance in the pilot of E.N.G..[7] In 1995, she appeared in the film The Michelle Apartments.
After suffering a traumatic brain injury in the 1990s, Rubens was left with a permanent disability and temporarily retired from acting.[8] She subsequently enrolled at York University, graduating with an honours degree in law & society.[9]
In 2018, she returned to theater in the RARE Theatre Company's After the Blackout, a play by Judith Thompson, which featured a cast of performers with varying disabilities.[10] Isabelle Perrone of BroadwayWorld noted that Rubens "approached her character seemingly with ease, playing the aged starlet with elegance."[11]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Prom Night | Kelly Lynch | [12] | |
| 1981 | Firebird 2015 AD | Jill | [3] | |
| 1985 | Big Deal | Secretary | ||
| 1986 | Perfect Timing | Judy | ||
| 1995 | The Michelle Apartments | Madeleine | [13] | |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | The Littlest Hobo | Sally | Episode: "Second Chance" | [14] |
| 1985–1987 | Night Heat | Jackie / Maria | 2 episodes | [15] [16] |
| 1987–1988 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Alison / Beth | 2 episodes | [17] |
| 1988 | War of the Worlds | Marla | Episode: "Eye for an Eye" | [18] |
| 1989 | Street Legal | Julie Lavoix | Episode: "Slipping Through the Cracks" | [19] |
| 1991 | Tropical Heat | Margot / Lady Grace | 2 episodes | |
| 1992 | Counterstrike | Marlene | Episode: "Cat in the Cradle" | [20] |
| 1989–1993 | E.N.G. | Bobbi Katz | 70 episodes Nominated—Gemini Award for Best Supporting Actress[7] |
|
| 1995 | Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years | Sadie | 3 episodes | |
| 1996 | The Outer Limits | Fran Blake | Episode: "Unnatural Selection" | [21] |
| 1997 | F/X: The Series | Bennett | Episode: "Spanish Harlem" | [22] |
Select stage credits
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Souvenirs | Vicki | Theatre Calgary | [23] |
| 1987 | Golden Girls | Sue Kinder | Theatre Calgary | [24] |
| 2018 | After the Blackout | Roxy | RARE Theatre Company, Toronto | [10] |
