Deborah Rush, a delightfully offbeat and redheaded comedic actress, was born on April 10, 1954, in Chatham, New Jersey. She developed an early interest in making people laugh as a child and pursued acting headfirst after high school.
Rush began her career by apprenticing with the Play-House of the Ridiculous comedy troupe and made her Broadway debut in the Tony-winning musical "Dance with Me" in 1975. She went on to appear in numerous New York Shakespeare productions for Joseph Papp, including "The Misanthrope," "All's Well That Ends Well," and "The Taming of the Shrew."
Rush's film and television career began in the late 1970s, with a bit part in Oliver's Story (1978) and a more notable role in 10 (1979). She continued to work in film and television throughout the 1980s, appearing in projects such as "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1982),"Alice at the Palace" (1982),and "Noises Off" (1983),for which she received a Tony nomination.
In the 1990s, Rush appeared in a number of films, including "My Blue Heaven" (1990),"Passed Away" (1992),"Reckless" (1995),and "In & Out" (1997). She also had recurring roles on the television series "Spin City" (1996) and "Strangers with Candy" (1999).
In the 2000s, Rush continued to work in film and television, appearing in projects such as "The Good Girl" (2002),"American Wedding" (2003),and "Half Nelson" (2006). She also returned to the stage, appearing in the Broadway revival of "Absurd Person Singular" in 2005 and the off-Broadway production of "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" in 2005.
Rush has been married to Chip Cronkite, son of the iconic news anchor Walter Cronkite, since 1985, and they have two sons together.