Table of Contents
Short information
| Husband | Vincent Malle, John Tillinger |
| Fact | Dorothy is known for her role as Naomi Oakes Ray Oates Harper on the TV show Mama’s Family (1983). |
Who is Dorothy Lyman?
Dorothy Lyman was born on April 18, 1947 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. She is an actress, producer and director, known for her work in numerous soap operas such as ‘All My Children’ and ‘Another World’. She was also a prominent character in the sitcom “Mama’s Family”, playing the role of Naomi Harper.
The Wealth of Dorothy Lyman
As of the beginning of 2020, Dorothy Lyman’s net worth is estimated to be over $6 million, earned through a successful career in the entertainment industry since the 1970s. She has earned a lot of wealth not only from acting but also from her behind-the-scenes production and directing work, especially in many of her recent projects.
Early life and career beginnings
Dorothy grew up in Minneapolis, where her father worked as a stock market broker. She aspired to be an actress from a young age and was even more motivated during high school, as she attended the same school as actress Jill Larson, who would later succeed her in “All My Children”. In 1970, she began attending auditions for acting projects, focusing on soap operas that were all the rage at the time.
Her first soap opera project was in ‘A World Apart’ in 1971, playing flower girl Julie Stark.
The show ran on ABC, but was short-lived, lasting only a year, despite the project filming continuously during this period, leading to over 300 episodes airing. She took a break from acting and returned a few years later in the long-running soap opera “The Edge of Night” as a villainous character. The show aired on CBS before later moving to NBC from the 1950s to the 1980s and was a well-known favorite among several celebrities during that time.
Another world and all my children
In 1976, Lyman was cast as Gwen Parrish Fame in the soap opera “Another World”, which she was part of for four years.
The soap was very popular at the time due to its different take on the genre, focusing on the differences between families in terms of philosophy and social status. It was one of the first shows to talk about then-taboo topics such as abortion, and she began gaining national fame for her role.
Dorothy landed her most notable role in the early ’80s, playing Opal Sue Gardner in “All My Children.” Although she was only a part of the soap for two years, her performance was impressive and she won two Emmy Awards, one for a Supporting Actress and the other for Best Actress.
The show was the most watched show in the US at the time, number one in the ratings, and she was a part of the show during its golden years, when it attracted one of the largest television viewers of all time.
Career after all my children
After gaining fame in “All My Children”, she was offered a main role in the show “Mama’s Family”, working on both shows at the same time. She knew she would eventually leave the soap, and the prospect of a sitcom regular role plus bigger paydays enticed her to focus on that project. She left “All My Children” as it became too taxing for her to keep flying between two cities, but considers it one of the most memorable times of her career.
“Mom’s familyis a spin-off that grew out of a segment that was featured on “The Carol Burnett Show.” The show aired on NBC and ran for six seasons and 130 episodes, starring her alongside Vicki Lawrence and Thelma Harper. The show improved its ratings over the years, but eventually the show ended with Lawrence getting tired of the role and the show ran for over 100 episodes, burning out many of the cast members. Dorothy continued to act, appearing in “Tales from the Darkside”, “Generations”, and “The Bold and the Beautiful” each staying on each show for about a year.
Producer and director
After the end of “Mama’s Family”, Lyman looked into more avenues in the entertainment industry besides acting. She had become interested in directing and producing behind the scenes, as she saw in “Mama’s Family”. She explored this avenue and became heavily involved during the third and fourth seasons of the show “The Nanny”, working on more than 75 episodes in the mid-1990s. The show aired on CBS, starring Fran Drescher, a fashion queen who takes a job as a nanny in a high society New York neighborhood.
Even as a producer and directorDorothy took on other projects, albeit mainly in recurring or guest roles, including in “Bob, Bob Blow”.
She also appeared in “Departed” and the third season of “Battlestar Galactica”. In 2001, she had a cameo role in the movie “Blow” starring Johnny Depp. Some of her recent projects include “Murder She Wrote” and “The Blacklist”, appearing as a guest in both.
She also enjoyed theater work and performed the one-woman show “My Kitchen Wars” based on the book of the same name written by Betty Fussell and held in New York and Hollywood.
Private life
Dorothy was first married to John Tillinger in 1971, and they have two children together during a 12-year marriage before divorcing.
Her husband is also an actor, but is better known for his work as a director of theatrical projects. Some of his most notable projects include “Entertaining Mr. Sloane”, “Love Letters”, “Say Goodnight, Gracie”, and “The Wedding Banquet”. One of their children is film producer Emma Koskoff, who is known for her frequent collaborations with director Martin Scorsese, and is a credited producer of “The Irishman” and “The Wolf of Wall Street”. In 1987, Dorothy married Vincent Malle and the two remained together for 14 years and had a child together. They filed for divorce in 2001 and settled it the same year, she has apparently remained single ever since, at least officially.
General information
| First and last name | Dorothy Lyman |
| Profession | Television Producer, Film Producer, Film Director, Actor, Television Director |
| Nationality | American |
Family
| Husband | Vincent Malle, John Tillinger |
| Children | Emma Tillinger, Sebastian Tillinger, Jason Malle |
| Parents | Violet E.Lyman, Hector H. Lyman, 20. Goodbye, Baby!, 19. Nothing Like The Ladies, 18. Look Who’s Breathing |
Performance
| Awards | Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series |
| Movies | Ollie Hopnoodle’s Haven of Bliss, Camp Cucamonga, Ruby in Paradise, Tears and Laughter: The Joan and Melissa Rivers Story, Dinner and Driving, World Trade Center, The Departed, Split Ends, Bad Hurt, The Northern Kingdom |
| TV shows | All My Children, Another World, Bob, Mama’s Family, The Edge of Night, A World Apart, Generations |
Links to social profiles
Facts
| # | Fact |
|---|---|
| 1 | The role of the colorful Opal Gardner originated on ABC’s All My Children (1970). |
| 2 | Dorothy is known for her role as Naomi Oakes Ray Oates Harper on the TV show Mama’s Family (1983). |
| 3 | (Former) sister-in-law of Candice Bergen. |
| 4 | Her ex-husband is Louis Malle’s brother. |
Pictures
Movies
Actress
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALF | 1988 | TV serials | Maura Noris |
| The bald and the handsome | 1987 | TV serials | Bonnie Roberts (1991-1992, 1994) |
| Stories from the dark side | 1985 | TV serials | Catherine |
| Summer fantasy | 1984 | TV movie | Doctor Nancy Brannigan |
| All my children | 1981-1983 | TV serials | Opal Purdy Cortlandt / Opal Sue Gardner Purdy Courtlandt #1 / Opal Purdy / … |
| An other world | 1980 | TV serials | Gwen Parrish Kader / Gwen Kader |
| Night of the juggler | 1980 | Nurse Jenny | |
| A world apart | 1971 | TV serials | Julie Strong |
| The 300 Year Weekend | 1971 | Jean | |
| A life to live | 1968 | TV serials | Sister Margaret (1975) |
| The edge of the night | 1956 | TV serials | Elly Jo Jameson (1972-1973) |
| Elementary | 2015 | TV serials | Belinda |
| Bad pain | 2015 | Mrs Salisbury | |
| Law & authority | 2009 | TV serials | Judge Dorothy Carr |
| The Northern Empire | 2009 | nan | |
| Battlestar Galactica | 2007 | TV serials | Socrata Thrace |
| The departed | 2006 | Woman at Bar #1 | |
| World Trade Centre | 2006 | Allison’s mother | |
| Law & Order: special unit for victims | 2005 | TV serials | Director Parker |
| As the world changes | 2004 | TV serials | Naomi – The maid |
| CSI: Miami | 2003 | TV serials | Vivian Kensington |
| Review Amy | 2002 | TV serials | Miss Patterson |
| The exercise | 1999-2002 | TV serials | Dr. Diane Starger / Expert in battered women’s syndrome Dr. Emily Fink |
| vip | 2002 | TV serials | Grandma Goshen |
| Taina | 2002 | TV serials | |
| Reba | 2002 | TV serials | Helena |
| Speechless… | 2001 | Short | Mrs. Tanner |
| Blow | 2001 | Judge (Chicago) | |
| Days of our lives | 2001 | TV serials | Contessa Dorothea DiLyman |
| The babysitter | 1993-1998 | TV serials | Society Woman #1 / Director / Stewardess / … |
| Dinner and driving | 1997 | Rita | |
| Murder she wrote | 1995 | TV serials | Norma Shey |
| Hope and Gloria | 1995 | TV serials | Maxine |
| sisters | 1995 | TV serials | Dr Deborah Rosen |
| Picket fences | 1994 | TV serials | Miriam Thorn |
| ABC after school specials | 1994 | TV serials | Mrs. Green |
| I like problems | 1994 | Suzie, Chronicle employee | |
| Tears and Laughter: The Story of Joan and Melissa Rivers | 1994 | TV movie | Dorothee |
| The young Goodman Brown | 1993 | Sarah Good | |
| Bob | 1993 | TV serials | Patty Fleischer |
| Evidence | 1993 | TV serials | Claudia Brooks |
| Jack the Bear | 1993 | Mrs. Morris | |
| Life goes on | 1991-1993 | TV serials | Maria McKenna |
| Ruby in paradise | 1993 | Mildred Chambers | |
| Camp Cucamonga | 1990 | TV movie | Millie Schector |
| Mom’s family | 1983-1990 | TV serials | Naomi Oates Harper |
| Generations | 1989 | TV serials | Rebecca Whitmore #2 (1991) |
| Hunter | 1989 | TV serials | Sergeant Carol James Meyers |
| The people across the lake | 1988 | TV movie | Ruth Mortimer |
| Haven of Bliss by Ollie Hopnoodle | 1988 | TV movie | Mom |
Director
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Janet’s class | 2010 | Documentary | |
| The Northern Empire | 2009 | ||
| Split ends | 2009 | ||
| Payne | 1999 | Episode 1 of the TV series | |
| The simple life | 1998 | TV serials | |
| The babysitter | 1995-1998 | TV series 74 episodes |
Producer
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Janet’s class | 2010 | Documentary producer | |
| The Northern Empire | 2009 | producer | |
| Split ends | 2009 | producer | |
| The babysitter | 1997-1998 | TV series producer – 18 episodes |
Yourself
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vicky! | 1992-1993 | TV serials | herself |
| The celebrity guide to entertaining | 1993 | Video documentary | herself |
| Win, lose or tie | 1988 | TV serials | herself |
| pun | 1986 | TV serials | herself |
| Star table | 1986 | TV serials | herself |
| Super password | 1985 | TV serials | herself |
| The (new) $25,000 pyramid | 1984 | TV serials | herself |
| Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour | 1984 | TV serials | herself |
| Family Feud | 1982 | TV serials | herself |
Awards
Awards won
| Year | Price | Ceremony | Presentation | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Emma during the day | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series | All My Children (1970) |
| 1982 | Emma during the day | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series | All My Children (1970) |
Nominated awards
| Year | Price | Ceremony | Presentation | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | ACE | CableACE Awards | Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries | Haven of Bliss by Ollie Hopnoodle (1988) |
