Mari Gorman
Mari Gorman (born September 1, 1944) is an American actress, teacher, writer, and producer/director from New York City. She is best known for her television work, especially as a frequent guest on the 1970s and 1980s sitcom Barney Miller, and for her work in the theater. She has won several acting awards, including three Obie Awards, plus a Theatre World Award, a Drama Desk Award, and a Clarence Derwent Award for The Hot L Baltimore. She wrote Strokes of Existence: The Connection of All Things, a book about acting inspired by Shakespeare’s idea that All the world’s a stage.
Gorman began on stage in Arnold Wesker’s The Kitchen, directed by Jack Gelber, with Rip Torn. She won Obie Awards for Walking to Waldheim, The Memorandum, and The Hot L Baltimore. Other notable stage roles include The Girl in The Red Convertible at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario, Pam in Saved by Edward Bond at Yale Repertory Theatre, and Kathy in Moonchildren at the Royal Court Theatre in London.
On TV, her first major role was Taffy Simms on The Edge of Night. She had a regular role on Harper Valley PTA as Vivian Washburn and was a frequent guest star on Barney Miller. Her films include Goodbye, Columbus; The Taking of Pelham One Two Three; 10; and Oh, God! Book II. She also appeared in TV movies such as Curse of the Black Widow, Choices of the Heart, and Kids Don’t Tell.
Gorman has produced and directed theater in New York and Los Angeles and teaches acting. In 1981 in Los Angeles and 2003 in New York she produced Cries for Peace about Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors. In 2010 she founded Glass Beads Theatre Ensemble in New York and produced Lily of the Conservative Ladies. She co-wrote and produced Browsing with Danna Call and Craig Pospisil, performed at the 2011 New York International Fringe Festival.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 12:39 (CET).