Dody Goodman was a comedian who charmed audiences with her quirky and offbeat humor. She was known for her appearances on Jack Paar’s late-night talk show, the soap-opera parody Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, and the popular musical films Grease and Grease 2. She died of natural causes on June 22, 2008, at the age of 93. In this article, we will look at her life, career, and legacy.
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Early Life and Stage Career
Dody Goodman was born Dolores Goodman on October 28, 1914, in Columbus, Ohio. She was the daughter of Leona and Dexter Goodman, who ran a small cigar factory. She had a sister, Rose, and a brother, Dexter Jr.
She developed a passion for dancing and moved to New York in the late 1930s to study at the School of American Ballet and the Metropolitan Opera Ballet School. She made her Broadway debut in 1941 and performed in several musicals as a chorus member, such as Something for the Boys, One Touch of Venus, Laffing Room Only, Miss Liberty, Call Me Madam, My Darlin’ Aida, and Wonderful Town.
She also gained attention for her solo numbers, such as “Someone’s Been Sending Me Flowers” in the Off Broadway revue Shoestring Revue in 1955. She starred in the Jerry Herman musical revue Parade in 1960 with Charles Nelson Reilly and played Princess Winifred the Woebegone in the 1961 revival of Once Upon a Mattress. She returned to Broadway in 1974 to appear in Lorelei with Carol Channing.
Television Fame and Film Roles
Dody Goodman’s television career took off when she became a semi-regular on The Tonight Show with Jack Paar in the late 1950s. She impressed viewers with her witty and whimsical remarks, often delivered in a high-pitched voice and a Southern accent. She was dubbed “the darling of dinner theaters, regional theaters, summer stock, you name it” by The New York Times.
However, she had a falling out with Paar, who did not appreciate her upstaging habits. She was dropped from the show in 1958 and moved on to other talk shows, game shows, and TV series. She was most notably cast as Martha Shumway, the mother of the title character in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, a satirical soap opera that ran from 1976 to 1977. She also voiced Miss Miller in the animated series Alvin and the Chipmunks and the film spin-off The Chipmunk Adventure.
She appeared in several movies, but her most memorable roles were in Grease and Grease , where she played Blanche Hodel, the zany secretary in the principal’s office. She also had a part in Splash, a romantic comedy about a mermaid.
Later Years and Death
Dody Goodman continued to work in theater, television, and film until the late 2000s. She was a regular in Nunsense and its various sequels, playing Sister Mary Amnesia and later Mother Superior. She also guest-starred on shows like Diff’rent Strokes, St. Elsewhere, Murder, She Wrote, and Punky Brewster.
She died of natural causes on June 22, 2008, at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in New Jersey. She had been living at the Lillian Booth Actors Home since October 2007. She was survived by her son, Patrick, and her daughter, Mary.
Legacy and Influence
Dody Goodman was a pioneer of female comedy, who paved the way for other women to express their humor and personality on stage and screen. She was admired by her peers and fans for her originality, spontaneity, and versatility. She left behind a legacy of laughter and joy, as well as a rich body of work that spans over six decades. She was a true entertainer, who never failed to make people smile.
