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 Kingdom	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 Kingdom	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 Kingdom	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)

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia