The Pet Sematary remake is currently killing it at the box office, so I decided to look back on one of the original film’s characters, one who’s often overlooked for her role in the Stephen King penned universe. I’m talking about Mary Louise Wilson, a Tony Award Winner, who played the featured role of Dory Goldman in Pet Sematary (1989). Mary Louise was born in November 1931 in Connecticut. Her first big claim to fame was for her part in the “Felina Cat Food” segments during Saturday Night Live’s 1976 television season. During this time, Ms. Wilson also played the recurring role of Ginny Wrobliki in One Day at a Time. Her star already growing immeasurably, she would appear in a number of Oscar nominated films including Texas, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Zelig. In 1986 she appeared in an episode of Tales from the Darkside, which maybe spurred her love for horror. In 1989, she made her big horror debut in Pet Sematary (1989) as Zelda Goldman’s mother – Dory. Pet Sematary would go on to become a massive success, nabbing the #1 spot in cinemas for three straight weeks and remaining in the top ten six weeks.
So, where is Mary Louise Wilson now?
She continued to act in a number of movies as well as on and off Broadway, however her next biggest claim to fame was a role in Golden Globe Nominated drama Stepmom. In later years, from 2000 to 2016, she settled into television with guest spots in The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie, Devious Maids, Orange is the New Black and Modern Family. Recently, she played the role of Marlene in Ocean’s Eight. Ocean’s Eight was another box office success. After debuting at #1, it spent another six weeks in the top ten, thus proving Mary Louise Wilson knows how to pick a worthwhile project! She’s 83 year’s old today, so it’s doubtful that she’ll want to jump on board another horror film in the future. Luckily, she’s still maintaining a recognizable career in Hollywood, and if you’re a fan, you’ll no doubt see her in something new soon. With Pet Sematary dominating the headlines lately, maybe genre fans can look for her at a convention in a few years.
