{{Short description|Canadian actress}} {{Infobox person | name = Mary Beth Rubens | image = Mary Beth Rubens.png | caption = Mary Beth Rubens in ''Prom Night'' (1980) | birth_name = Mary Elizabeth Rubens | birth_place = Kingston, Ontario, Canada<ref>{{Cite web|work=Blu-ray.com|url=https://www.blu-ray.com/Mary-Beth-Rubens/369173/|title=Mary Beth Rubens|access-date=October 18, 2019}}</ref><ref name=Zekas>{{cite news|title=E.N.G.'s Bobby is no TV bimbo|first= Rita|last=Zekas|work=Toronto Star|date=November 14, 1990|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star/192771021/|via=Newspapers.com|page=B1}}</ref> | years_active = 1980–present }}
'''Mary Elizabeth Rubens''' is a Canadian film, stage, and television actress, who made her feature film debut in Paul Lynch's slasher film ''Prom Night'' (1980). She subsequently appeared in ''Firebird 2015 AD'' (1981). She worked throughout the 1980s in television, guest-starring on ''Night Heat'' (1985–1987) and ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' (1987–1988). From 1989 to 1993, she had a leading role on the series ''E.N.G.'', for which she was nominated for a Gemini Award.
After a traumatic brain injury in the 1990s left Rubens with a permanent disability, she shifted focus from acting, and subsequently earned a degree in law & society from York University. In 2018, she appeared in Judith Thompson's stage production of ''After the Blackout'', a play about, and starring, people with various disabilities.
==Early life== Rubens was born and raised in Kingston, Ontario, and has said she "comes from a family of farmers."<ref name=Zekas/> She is of English, Irish, and Scottish descent, and was raised an Anglican.<ref name=Zekas/> She began performing in stage plays as a child.<ref name=Zekas/> Rubens attended Bishop's University in Lennoxville, Quebec, where she double-majored in biology and psychology, and was also active in the university's theatre club.<ref name=Zekas/>
==Career== Rubens made her feature film debut in Paul Lynch's slasher film ''Prom Night'' (1980). She subsequently had a supporting role in ''Firebird 2015 AD'' (1981).<ref name=rt>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/mary_beth_rubens|work=Rotten Tomatoes|title=Mary Beth Rubens|access-date=October 18, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=September 23, 1981|page=D19|work=Calgary Herald|location=Calgary, Alberta|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/37442496/calgary_herald/|title=Firebird fails to rev up emotions|last=McCracken|first=Rosemary|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
In 1987, she appeared in ''Souvenirs'' with Theatre Calgary.<ref name=souvenirs>{{cite news|work=Calgary Herald|location=Calgary, Alberta|title=Badger makes a noteworthy gift|page=B2|date=February 4, 1987|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/37438610/calgary_herald/|author=Keyser, Tom|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|work=Calgary Herald|location=Calgary, Alberta|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/37442282/calgary_herald/|title=Souvenirs needs few jolts to hold its audience|page=G6|date=February 21, 1987|via=Newspapers.com|author=Brennan, Brian}}</ref> In 1990, Rubens was nominated for a Gemini Award for her performance in the pilot of ''E.N.G.''.<ref name=gemini>{{cite news|work=Nanaimo Daily News|location=Nanaimo, British Columbia|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/37438722/nanaimo_daily_news/|title=Odd matches in fight for Gemini|author=Nicholls, Stephen|date=October 26, 1990|page=41|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1995, she appeared in the film ''The Michelle Apartments''.
After suffering a traumatic brain injury in the 1990s, Rubens was left with a permanent disability and temporarily retired from acting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nowtoronto.com/stage/theatre/after-the-blackout-judith-thompson-rare-soulpepper/|work=Now|location=Toronto, Ontario|title=After The Blackout links the fates of people living with disabilities... with mixed results|last=Muredda|first=Angelo|date=May 14, 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20191019004358/https://nowtoronto.com/stage/theatre/after-the-blackout-judith-thompson-rare-soulpepper/|archive-date=October 19, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=October 19, 2019}}</ref> She subsequently enrolled at York University, graduating with an honours degree in law & society.<ref name=soulpepper>{{cite web|url=https://soulpepper.ca/performances/after-the-blackout/5692/mary-beth-rubens/5702|work=Soulpepper|title=Mary Beth Rubens|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20191019005807/https://soulpepper.ca/performances/after-the-blackout/5692/mary-beth-rubens/5702|archive-date=October 19, 2019|access-date=October 19, 2019}}</ref>
In 2018, she returned to theater in the RARE Theatre Company's ''After the Blackout'', a play by Judith Thompson, which featured a cast of performers with varying disabilities.<ref name=after>{{cite web|work=The Globe and Mail|url=https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/arts/theatre-and-performance/article-review-after-the-blackout-marks-a-transition-for-judith-thompson-and/|title=Review: After the Blackout marks a transition for Judith Thompson and her RARE Theatre Company|date=May 14, 2018|author=Morrow, Martin|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20191018235021/https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/arts/theatre-and-performance/article-review-after-the-blackout-marks-a-transition-for-judith-thompson-and/|archive-date=October 18, 2019|access-date=October 19, 2019}}</ref> Isabelle Perrone of ''BroadwayWorld'' noted that Rubens "approached her character seemingly with ease, playing the aged starlet with elegance."<ref>{{cite web|work=BroadwayWorld|title=BWW Review: AFTER THE BLACKOUT at Soulpepper|last=Perrone|first=Isabelle|date=May 20, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019064612/https://www.broadwayworld.com/toronto/article/BWW-Review-AFTER-THE-BLACKOUT-at-Soulpepper-20180520|archive-date=October 19, 2019|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/toronto/article/BWW-Review-AFTER-THE-BLACKOUT-at-Soulpepper-20180520}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row" | 1980 | ''Prom Night'' | Kelly Lynch | | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite book|title= Blood Money: A History of the First Teen Slasher Film Cycle|first=Richard|last=Nowell|publisher=Bloomsbury|location=London, England|isbn= 978-1-441-12496-8|year= 2010|page=165}}</ref>
|- ! scope="row"| 1981 | ''Firebird 2015 AD'' | Jill | | style="text-align:center;"| <ref name=rt/> |- ! scope="row"| 1985 | ''Big Deal'' | Secretary | | style="text-align:center;"| |- ! scope="row"| 1986 | ''Perfect Timing'' | Judy | | style="text-align:center;"| |- ! scope="row"| 1995 | data-sort-value="Michelle Apartments, The" | ''The Michelle Apartments'' | Madeleine | | style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=bfi>{{cite web|work=British Film Institute|title=Mary Beth Rubens|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2baa4535a0|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425153327/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2baa4535a0|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 25, 2018|access-date=October 18, 2019}}</ref> |- |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row" | 1980 | data-sort-value="Littlest Hobo, The" | ''The Littlest Hobo'' | Sally | Episode: "Second Chance" | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite episode|title=Second Chance|series=The Littlest Hobo|season=1|number=12|airdate=January 3, 1980|network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 1985–1987 | ''Night Heat'' | Jackie / Maria | 2 episodes | style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite episode|series=Night Heat|season=1|number=2|airdate=February 7, 1985|network=CTV Television Network|title=Necessary Force}}</ref><br/><ref>{{cite episode|series=Night Heat|season=3|number=13|airdate=September 8, 1987|network=CTV Television Network|title=The Comeback}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 1987–1988 | ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' | Alison / Beth | 2 episodes | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite book|last=Muir|first=John Kenneth|year=2001|title=Terror Television: American Series, 1970-1999|publisher=McFarland|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|page=155|isbn=978-0-786-40890-0}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 1988 | ''War of the Worlds'' | Marla | Episode: "Eye for an Eye" | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite episode|series=War of the Worlds|season=1|number=5|airdate=October 31, 1988|network=Paramount Domestic Television|title=Eye for an Eye}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 1989 | ''Street Legal'' | Julie Lavoix | Episode: "Slipping Through the Cracks" | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite episode|title=Slipping Through the Cracks|series=Street Legal|season=3|number=17|airdate=1989|network=CBC Television}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 1991 | ''Tropical Heat'' | Margot / Lady Grace | 2 episodes | style="text-align:center;"| |- ! scope="row"| 1992 | ''Counterstrike'' | Marlene | Episode: "Cat in the Cradle" | style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite episode|title=Cat in the Cradle|series=Counterstrike|season=3|number=11|airdate=December 11, 1992|network=USA Network}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 1989–1993 | ''E.N.G.'' | Bobbi Katz | 70 episodes<br/>Nominated—Gemini Award for Best Supporting Actress<ref name=gemini/> | style="text-align:center;"| |- ! scope="row"| 1995 | ''Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years'' | Sadie | 3 episodes | style="text-align:center;"| |- ! scope="row"| 1996 | data-sort-value="Outer Limits, The" | ''The Outer Limits'' | Fran Blake | Episode: "Unnatural Selection" | style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite episode|title=Unnatural Selection|series=The Outer Limits|season=2|number=3|airdate=January 19, 1996|network=Showtime}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 1997 | ''F/X: The Series'' | Bennett | Episode: "Spanish Harlem" | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite episode|title=Spanish Harlem|series=F/X: The Series|season=2|number=9|airdate=November 10, 1997|network=CTV Television Network}}</ref> |- |}
==Select stage credits== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |- ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row" | 1987 | ''Souvenirs'' | Vicki | Theatre Calgary | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|work=Theatre Calgary|title=Souvenirs|url=https://www.theatrecalgary.com/archive/1986-1987-souvenirs|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20191019005433/https://www.theatrecalgary.com/archive/1986-1987-souvenirs|archive-date=October 19, 2019|access-date=October 19, 2019}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 1987 | ''Golden Girls'' | Sue Kinder | Theatre Calgary | style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite news|work=Calgary Herald|date=May 24, 1987|location=Calgary, Alberta|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/37442666/calgary_herald/|last=Zimmerman|first=Kate|title=Cast has an active role in the show|page=11|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| 2018 | ''After the Blackout'' | Roxy | RARE Theatre Company, Toronto | style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=after/> |}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Mary Beth Rubens}} *{{IMDb name|0747898}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rubens, Mary Beth}} Category:Actresses from Kingston, Ontario Category:Bishop's University alumni Category:Canadian film actresses Category:Canadian people of English descent Category:Canadian people of Irish descent Category:Canadian people of Scottish descent Category:Canadian stage actresses Category:Canadian television actresses Category:People with traumatic brain injuries Category:York University alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people