Bio
Mary Kay Place is an American actress who first achieved fame for her leading role in the 70s television series Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. In latter years she is perhaps best known for her role in Big Love, playing Chloe Sevigny's character's mother.
Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Place was first critically acclaimed for her role as country singer Loretta Haggers on the hit comedy series Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, for which she won the Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
After working for the head writers of Maude at Norman Lear's Tandem Productions, Place began co-writing for numerous TV series, including M*A*S*H (for which she earned an Emmy nomination in 1973 with Linda Bloodworth) and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, among others.
Since then, she has appeared in numerous feature films including Bound for Glory, New York, New York, Private Benjamin, Starting Over, The Big Chill, Citizen Ruth, Manny and Lo (for which she received a Best Supporting Female nomination from the Independent Spirit Awards), The Rainmaker, Girl, Interrupted, Being John Malkovich, Sweet Home Alabama, Nine Lives and Steve Buscemi's IFC release, Lonesome Jim.
Place's numerous television movie and series appearances include My So Called Life, Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit, The West Wing and Grey's Anatomy.
She has also worked as a director in television, helming episodes of Baby Boom, Dream On, Arli$, Friends and other programs.