Maria Mayenzet

'''Maria Mayenzet''' is an American actress of stage and film, film director, film producer, and educator.

== Life and career == Maria Mayenzet began her career as a stage actress, and in bit parts on television series. In 1978, she appeared on stage as Hippolyta in ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' in the San Diego Shakespeare Festival at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harmetz |first=Aljean |date=August 9, 1978 |title=San Diego Theater Rising From the Ashes |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/08/09/archives/san-diego-theater-rising-from-the-ashes-914000-is-raised.html |access-date=2026-03-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In 1979, Mayenzet appeared on stage as Isabelle in ''Measure for Measure'' with the Shakespeare Society of America at the Globe Playhouse in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite book |last=O'Connor |first=J. |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Directory_of_Shakespeare_in_Performanc/wvicDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Maria+Mayenzet&pg=PA993&printsec=frontcover |title=A Directory of Shakespeare in Performance 1970-1990: Volume 2, USA and Canada |last2=Goodland |first2=K. |date=2019-06-12 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1-349-60041-0 |pages=993 |language=en}}</ref>

In 1985, Mayenzet had a major role in her first feature film as a murder victim in the 1985 thriller ''Jagged Edge'' which starred Jeff Bridges and Glenn Close.<ref name="San Antonio Express-News-1988">{{Cite news |date=May 15, 1988 |title=Glenn Close stars in drama 'Jagged Edge' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/san-antonio-express-news-glenn-close-sta/193845183/ |url-access=registration |access-date=2026-03-21 |work=San Antonio Express-News |pages=239 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=April 3, 1986 |title=Frissons garantis avec le film "A double tranchant" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/la-tribune-frissons-garantis-avec-le-fil/193845303/ |url-access=registration |access-date=2026-03-21 |work=La Tribune |pages=15 |language=fr |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Rich |first=Nathaniel |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/San_Francisco_Noir/53GwunPAokEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA128&printsec=frontcover |title=San Francisco Noir: The City in Film Noir from 1940 to the Present |date=March 31, 2005 |publisher=New York Review of Books |isbn=978-1-892145-30-7 |page=128 |language=en}}</ref> Mayenzet continued appearing on television sitcoms and dramas, and found a recurring role as a nun in the three-season long Vietnam War series, ''Tour of Duty''. She also appeared in two episodes of the long-running Angela Lansbury mystery series ''Murder, She Wrote''. She also cast as the lead in the daytime television special co-production between Televisa and Fox Television, ''Forever'' (1996), as an ex-convict seeking revenge.<ref name="Teleseries Chilenas-2013">{{cite web |date=January 7, 2013 |title=Los remakes de "La Madrastra" |url=http://www.teleserieschilenas.cl/2013/01/los-remakes-de-la-madrastra.html |accessdate= |work=Teleserieschilenas.cl |language=spanish}}</ref> ''Forever'' (1996) was successful in Russia.<ref name="Teleseries Chilenas-2013" />

In 2016, the American Coast Theatre Company presented on stage, ''Life Without Parole'', starring Mayenzet at the Edgemar Center for the Arts in Santa Monica, California.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kaan |first=Gil |date=October 29, 2016 |title=Review: A Raw Life Without Parole Vividly Depicts a Stacked Justice System |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/BWW-Review-A-Raw-LIFE-WITHOUT-PAROLE-Vividly-Depicts-a-Stacked-Justice-System-20161029 |access-date=2026-03-21 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}}</ref>

She is a faculty member in the Cinema Television and Radio Department at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California,<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=November 2, 2008 |title=People |url=https://www.ocbj.com/imported/people-470/ |url-access=limited |access-date= |website=Orange County Business Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> teaching performance for television and film and video production.

== Filmography ==

=== Film ===

* ''Jagged Edge'' (1985), as Page Forrester<ref name="San Antonio Express-News-1988" /> * ''Messenger of Death'' (1988), as Esther<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chibnall |first=Steve |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/J_Lee_Thompson/uDYyEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=maria+mayenzet&pg=PA361&printsec=frontcover |title=J. Lee Thompson |date=2021-06-15 |publisher=Manchester University Press |isbn=978-1-5261-6286-1 |pages=360–361 |language=en}}</ref> * ''Forever'' (1996), as Susan<ref name="Teleseries Chilenas-2013" /> * ''Dead Sexy'' (2001), as Patricia Pollard<ref>{{Cite book |last=Martin |first=Mick |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/DVD_Video_Guide_2005/mQpLrLopueEC |title=DVD & Video Guide 2005 |last2=Porter |first2=Marsha |date=2004 |publisher=Ballantine Books |isbn=978-0-345-44995-5 |pages=269 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Television === * ''Scarecrow and Mrs. King'' (1986)<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 31, 1986 |title=Tonight on TV |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/saint-john-times-globe-tonight-on-tv/193847113/ |url-access=registration |access-date=2026-03-21 |work=Saint John Times Globe |pages=47 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> * ''Tour of Duty'' (1987–1990, TV series), as Sister Bernardette * ''Proud Men'' (1987 TV movie), as Adriane MacLeod<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 26, 1987 |title=Heston feels kinship to rancher torn by war |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-globe-and-mail-heston-feels-kinship/193846233/ |url-access=registration |work=The Globe and Mail |location=Toronto, Ontario, Canada |page=112 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 1, 1987 |title='Proud Men' is honorable little TV movie |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kalamazoo-gazette-proud-men-is-hon/193846735/ |url-access=registration |access-date=2026-03-21 |work=Kalamazoo Gazette |pages=38 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> * ''Mancuso, F.B.I.'' (1990), as Czech secret police<ref>{{Cite news |last=Zuckerman |first=Faye |date=January 12, 1990 |title=TV Tonight: J.R. transforms into good guy for 1 show |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/post-bulletin-tv-tonight/193846520/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=2026-03-21 |work=Post-Bulletin |pages=14 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0562318}} *[https://www.saddleback.edu/bios/mmayenzet Profile] at Saddleback College *Video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiiuPCshEzE Veteran actress Maria Mayenzet from Hollywood films, to Hit Televison shows to, Acting Coach] (January 14, 2025), via youtube.com

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mayenzet, Maria}} Category:Living people Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:American drama teachers Category:American film actresses Category:American stage actresses Category:American television actresses Category:Saddleback College people Category:Year of birth missing (living people)