Cheri Oteri Biography

Cheri Oteri Biography

Cheri Oteri (born Cheryl Ann O'Teari on September 19, 1962) is an American actress and comedian known for her work on NBC's Saturday Night Live.

Early life

Oteri was born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Upper Darby (also the hometown of Tina Fey, another SNL alum). She went to Archbishop Prendergast High School (on the same campus as Monsignor Bonner High School

SNL career

After moving to Los Angeles at age 25, she worked at A&M Records for four years and eventually joined the famed comedy troupe The Groundlings. It was there that she was noticed by SNL and was hired in 1995 as part of a nearly all-new cast brought in to save the show after its disastrous 1994 season.

Oteri would eventually form a third of the so-called "SNL female power trio" that also included Molly Shannon and Ana Gasteyer and which was responsible, along with Will Ferrell, Darrell Hammond and others, for bringing SNL out of its slump.

On SNL, she was known for playing perky, upbeat, and hyper characters, including cheerleader-wannabe Arianna (one half of The Spartan Cheerleaders), grouchy Queens resident Rita DelVecchio, prescription pill-addicted Collette Reardon who befriends Justin Brown at the Hard Rock Hotel, butch cable access television host "Mickey The Dyke" (appearing alongside Mark McKinney's Chicken Lady of Kids In The Hall fame), the absurdly hyper child bus passenger "Althea McMahonaman," overly perky "Morning Latte" talk show host Cass Van Rye (re-teaming her with "Spartan Cheerleaders" partner Will Ferrell), and Nadeen, a testy employee who constantly orders everyone to "Simmer down now!" Her dead-on impressions of Barbara Walters, Mariah Carey, Robin Byrd and Judge Judy also bolstered her fame

Television and film appearances

Oteri left SNL in 2000. She has notably appeared in several Hollywood movies including Scary Movie, Inspector Gadget, Liar Liar, Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, Shrek the Third and Southland Tales. She starred in two TV pilots that did not make it to air, Loomis and With You in Spirit. Her non-SNL television credits include guest spots on Just Shoot Me!, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Strangers with Candy. She has also been working with Lost creator J.J. Abrams on a sitcom idea

Death of her father

On April 26, 2008 Oteri's father, Gaetano Thomas Oteri, was murdered in his Nashville, Tennessee home by his roommate, Nashville songwriter Richard Fagan, after an alcohol fueled argument turned violent. The elder Oteri was stabbed in the wrist by Fagan with a pocket knife causing him to bleed to death from a lacerated artery.

Police initially arrested Fagan on Saturday night, charging him with DUI after he was seen driving a vehicle with one tire missing.

Shortly after he made bond on Sunday, a friend of the roommates called police, stating that their door was locked and the house appeared to be in disarray. Repeated attempts to contact Oteri at home during this time were unsuccessful. Oteri was found dead inside by emergency responders after entry was made by the police. Fagan was located shortly afterward and taken into custody.

Fagan is credited as co-writer on hits by singer John Michael Montgomery, including "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)," "Be My Baby Tonight," and "I Miss You a Little."

Filmography

Major Movie Star (2008) (post-production) .... Pvt. Jeter

The Life & Times of Tim (2008) (TV) (voice) .... Various

Surveillance (2008) .... Mom

Shrek the Third (2007) (voice) .... Belle/Actress

The Ant Bully (2006) (voice) .... Doreen Nickle

Park (2006) .... Claire

Southland Tales (2006) .... Zora Charmichaels

Stephen's Life (2005) (TV) .... Principal Ainsley

Smile (2005) .... Linda

Surviving Eden (2004) .... Maria Villanova

Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003) .... Ms. Heller

On the Spot .... Wild Bachelorette (1 episode, 2003)

With You in Spirit (2003) (TV) .... Montana

Curb Your Enthusiasm .... Martine (1 episode, 2002)

The Colin Quinn Show .... Wife (1 episode, 2002)

Ally McBeal .... Melissa (1 episode, 2001)

Loomis (2001) (TV)

Sol Goode (2001) .... Bernie Best

Strangers with Candy .... Hillary (1 episode, 2000)

Scary Movie (2000) .... Gail Hailstorm

Inspector Gadget (1999) .... Mayor Wilson

Lured Innocence (1999) .... Molly

Small Soldiers (1998) (uncredited) .... Globotech Telephone Operator

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) (uncredited) .... Flight Attendant

Just Shoot Me! (1997-1999) .... Cindy Liar Liar (1997) .... Jane

Saturday Night Live (1995-2000) .... Various

source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheri_Oteri