Cast & creator
Rita Rudner
Best known for Hollywood Squares, RuPaul's Drag Race, Great Performances
Rita Rudner is an American comedian, actress and writer. She began her career as a dancer, appearing in several Broadway musicals, but switched to stand up comedy at the age of 25 when she saw a gap in the market for female comedians in New York City. She became one of the premier American female comedians to come to success in the 1980s and '90s and at one point Rudner was working successfully both in her native America (with HBO specials and acclaimed appearances on The Tonight Show) and in the UK (with her own six part TV series for BBC2). In 1989 Rudner married her long term partner, the English producer Martin Bergman and together they have collaborated on numerous films, writing and producing Peter's Friends in 1992 which starred Kenneth Branagh, Fry and Laurie, Emma Thompson, Imelda Staunton and Rudner herself, and in Bergman's 1995 directorial debut A Month In The Country which she starred in alongside Jack Lemmon, Dudley Moore and Richard Lewis. Presently she has the longest running solo comedy show in Las Vegas history a twelve year run with over 2,000 shows and one and a half million tickets sold to date.
24
film credits
21
television credits
35
1971–2018 · acting roles
6.5
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (45)
Showing 45 of 45 credits
Hollywood Squares
Self - Panelist
1998
RuPaul's Drag Race
Self - Guest Judge
2009
Great Performances
Self
1971
The Nanny
Margot
1993
Magnum P.I.
Patty Talbot
2018
Hell's Kitchen
Self - Restaurant Patron
2005
V.I.P.
Bidder at Art Auction
1998
Tales from the Crypt
Rolanda (segment "Whirlpool")
1989
Celebrity Ghost Stories
Self
2009
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
Rita (voice)
1995Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
Additional Writing
1995
As Told by Ginger
Mrs. Fleming (voice)
2000
One Night Stand
1989
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
2003
Comics Unleashed
Self
2006
The Aristocrats
Self
2005
Rita Rudner
Herself - Hostess
1990Rita Rudner
Writer
1990Rita Rudner
Creator
1990
Gleaming the Cube
Mrs. Yabbo
1989
Peter's Friends
Carol Benson
1992Peter's Friends
Writer
1992
The Wrong Guys
Pam
1988
Why We Laugh: Funny Women
Self
2013
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Ursula
1995Ask Rita
2003Ask Rita
Writer
2003
A Weekend in the Country
Sally Shelton
1996A Weekend in the Country
Writer
1996
Love Hurts
Dr. Lisa Levanthorp
2009
Rodney Dangerfield Hosts the 9th Annual Young Comedians Special
herself
1985
Thanks
Bunny
2011
That's Adequate
Frieda Philby
1989
Catch A Rising Star: 10th Anniversary Special
Self
1982
Rita Rudner: Live from Las Vegas
Herself
2008Rita Rudner: Live from Las Vegas
Writer
2008
Bob Hope's Four-Star Christmas Fiesta from San Antonio
Self
1992
Rita Rudner: Born to be Mild
Herself
1990Rita Rudner: Born to be Mild
Writer
1990
On Location: Women of the Night
Self
1987
Landing on their Feet
Creator
Rita Rudner: A Tale of Two Dresses
Herself
2018Rita Rudner: A Tale of Two Dresses
Writer
2018
Rita Rudner and 3 Potential Ex-Husbands
Herself
2012
Rita Rudner - One Night Stand
herself