# Terry Finn

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**Teresa Jo Ann Bernadette "Terry" Finn** (born August 6, 1955) is an American [actress](/source/Actress) best known for creating the role of Gussie Carnegie in the original [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre) cast of the [Stephen Sondheim](/source/Stephen_Sondheim)/[Hal Prince](/source/Hal_Prince)/[George Furth](/source/George_Furth) musical comedy *[Merrily We Roll Along](/source/Merrily_We_Roll_Along_(musical))* and its Original Cast Album.

## Early life

Terry was born in [Long Island City](/source/Long_Island_City,_New_York), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)), the fifth child of Katherine (née Conley), an elementary school teacher, and Peter David Finn, a [New York City](/source/New_York_City) fireman stationed in [Brooklyn](/source/Brooklyn). Growing up on the Island, Finn attended St. Pius X Elementary School in [Plainview](/source/Plainview,_New_York). She made her stage debut at the age of 11 as a member of the Pius Players in the leading role of Flora in *The Innocents*. She attended high school at Queen of the Rosary Academy in [Amityville](/source/Amityville) where she studied to go on to a teaching career.

Finn began undergrad studies at [Iona College](/source/Iona_College_(New_York)) in [New Rochelle](/source/New_Rochelle,_New_York) as a [psychology](/source/Psychology) major. Following an impromptu audition for Professor Roderick Nash, she was persuaded to switch her major to Communication Arts in the Theatre Department. As a member of the Iona Players, Finn appeared in a series of leading roles, from Blanche Du Bois in *[A Streetcar Named Desire](/source/A_Streetcar_Named_Desire_(play))*[1] to [Sally Bowles](/source/Sally_Bowles) in *[Cabaret](/source/Cabaret_(musical))*. Following her graduation, she was once again persuaded to return to Iona during post-grad summer session and was cast in the lead as Maria in *[West Side Story](/source/West_Side_Story)*, this was her third Stephen Sondheim [musical](/source/Musical_theatre), which included roles as Marta in *[Company](/source/Company_(musical))* and Young Dolly in *[Follies](/source/Follies)*.

## Stage career

Finn made her Broadway debut at the [Morosco Theatre](/source/Morosco_Theatre) in [Hugh Leonard](/source/Hugh_Leonard)'s *A Life* as [understudy](/source/Understudy) to [Dana Delany](/source/Dana_Delany).[2] Following *A Life*, casting director [Joanna Merlin](/source/Joanna_Merlin) chose Finn to create the role of Gussie Carnegie in *[Merrily We Roll Along](/source/Merrily_We_Roll_Along_(musical))*. With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by George Furth and direction by Hal Prince, this stage production is considered a musical theatre legend in spite of the fact that it closed after 52 previews and 16 performances. Despite a flurry of negative reviews, [Clive Barnes](/source/Clive_Barnes_(critic)) raved in the *[New York Post](/source/New_York_Post)* that "A beautifully acrid comic skit is provided by Terry Finn as a producer's wife with even less morals than taste and a turn a phrase that would cause a viper to bite out its tongue in envy," and in the New York *[Daily News](/source/Daily_News_(New_York))* Douglas Watt wrote "There is also good work by [Jason Alexander](/source/Jason_Alexander) and his gushingly imperious wife Terry Finn." Following the brief run at the [Alvin Theatre](/source/Neil_Simon_Theatre), the cast gathered at [RCA Records](/source/RCA_Records) Studio 'A' on November 29, 1981 — the day after the show closed — to record the original cast album. The album's popularity eventually led to a "*Merrily We Roll Along* Original Broadway Cast Reunion Concert" which was staged at the La Guardia Concert Hall in [Lincoln Center](/source/Lincoln_Center) on September 30, 2002.[3][4] Following a search outlined in a Broadway.com article entitled "Finding Finn," *Merrily* director [Lonny Price](/source/Lonny_Price) recalled, "Terry was dazzling in the role of Gussie ... I couldn't imagine doing [the reunion] without her and now I'm glad that I don't have to!"[3] Finn was reunited with her original cast mates in the one-night-only benefit that raised more than $200,000 for Musical Theatre Works.[4] [Robert Simonson](/source/Robert_Simonson) and Kenneth Jones of [Playbill.com](/source/Playbill.com) noted that the "inclusion of lesser-known songs considerably beefed up the role of Gussie, played by Terry Finn, who is barely present on the show's famous original cast album."[4] Finn is interviewed in *[Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened](/source/Best_Worst_Thing_That_Ever_Could_Have_Happened)*, a 2016 documentary film recalling the history of the show and the later lives of its actors, directed by Lonny Price.

[Off Broadway](/source/Off_Broadway), Finn appeared as Pearl Gordon in [Clifford Odets](/source/Clifford_Odets)'s *[Paradise Lost](/source/Paradise_Lost_(play))* at The Mirror Repertory Company under the direction of [John Strasberg](/source/John_Strasberg), as Kate Poplin in *Big Maggie* at the Douglas Fairbanks Theatre,[5] as Audrey in [William Shakespeare](/source/William_Shakespeare)'s *[As You Like It](/source/As_You_Like_It)* with the New York Acting Unit and in regional theatre starred as Constanze Weber-Mozart in [Peter Shaffer](/source/Peter_Shaffer)'s play *[Amadeus](/source/Amadeus_(play))* in The Wells Theatre at The Virginia Stage Company.[6] *The Navy News* critic Janet Withers wrote that Finn's Constanze is "beautiful, talented and engagingly saucy."[7]

## Television career

In addition to work in daytime [soap operas](/source/Soap_opera) in [New York City](/source/New_York_City), Finn has appeared in [television movies](/source/Television_movie), starring as Margie Moran in *Seeds of Tragedy* [8] for [Fox Television Network](/source/Fox_Television_Network), *The Disappearance of Nora*[9] for [CBS Television](/source/CBS_Television) and *Shadow of Obsession*[10] on [NBC](/source/NBC). In her television series debut, she guest starred as Mrs. Kitty Conley in an episode of *Trial By Jury* entitled 'Psychic Vision'. starring [Raymond Burr](/source/Raymond_Burr). Produced by [Dick Clark Productions](/source/Dick_Clark_Productions) and directed by Marty Passeta, Jr., it aired on September 15, 1989.

## Film career

Finn's film debut was in [Orion Pictures](/source/Orion_Pictures) *[Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey](/source/Bill_%26_Ted's_Bogus_Journey)* (1991), followed by the 1993 [Hollywood Pictures](/source/Hollywood_Pictures)/[Nintendo](/source/Nintendo) film *[Super Mario Bros.](/source/Super_Mario_Bros._(film))*[11] *Super Mario Bros.* star [Bob Hoskins](/source/Bob_Hoskins) invited Finn to co-star in a film project he was planning to star in and direct. This film was the 1995 fantasy *[Rainbow](/source/Rainbow_(1996_film))*, with Finn in the leading role of Jackie Bailey and Hoskins as Frank Bailey, Jackie's father-in-law.[12][13] Between *Super Mario Bros.* and *Rainbow*, Finn appeared as the Birthday Mom in Hollywood Pictures' *[Terminal Velocity](/source/Terminal_Velocity_(film))* (1994). In 2003, she appeared once again with Hoskins in *[Den of Lions](/source/Den_of_Lions)*. Finn will next be seen in the 2012 feature film *[Days of Wrath](/source/Days_of_Wrath_(2008_film))* as Emily Conley.

## Personal life

Finn married motion picture production designer [David L. Snyder](/source/David_Snyder) on August 1, 1990, on Central Park West in New York City. They have a son Finn Henry Snyder who was born in [Beverly Hills](/source/Beverly_Hills,_California), [California](/source/California), on October 2, 1997. In 2005, they renewed their vows in the former offices of [George Harrison](/source/George_Harrison)'s [Handmade Films](/source/Handmade_Films) in [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles), California, where they first met in January 1989.

## References

**Notes**

1. Coneys, Michael (October 27, 1976). "Nash gracefully masters Williams". *The Ionian*. p. 4. Terry Finn's portrayal of Blanche Du Bois, the illusionary princess of a world gone by, marks an impending destiny of distinction in her act. With diligence and the right breaks, she will prove a fine professional actor ... Finn adds grace and desperate hope, bringing the portrayal to its zenith.

1. ["*A Life*"](http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=4071). Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved May 16, 2009.

1. Wontorek, Paul (August 15, 2002). ["Headlines: Finding Finn: The Makings of a *Merrily* Reunion"](https://www.broadway.com/Finding-Finn-The-Makings-of-a-Merrily-Reunion/broadway_news/19728). Broadway.com. Retrieved February 28, 2009.[dead link]

1. Simonson, Robert & Kenneth Jones (October 1, 2002). ["*Playbill* News: *Merrily We Roll Along* Cast Reunites in Emotional Concert"](https://web.archive.org/web/20050525020343/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/72453.html). Playbill.com. Archived from [the original](http://www5.playbill.com/news/article/72453.html) on May 25, 2005. Retrieved February 28, 2009.

1. Oliver, Edith (October 10, 1983). "Off Broadway: *Mother Love*.*Big Maggie*". *[The New Yorker](/source/The_New_Yorker)*. pp. 154–155.

1. Vincent, Mal (October 14, 1984). "American *Amadeus* is a Must See". *[The Virginian-Pilot/Ledger-Star](/source/The_Virginian-Pilot)* For my money, the most surprising "new" interpretation is Terry Finn as Constanze Weber Mozart. The part has been heretofore been played largely as a bubble-headed libertine. Finn brings to it a fine mixture of earthy humor and eventual poignancy.

1. Withers, Janet (October 15, 1984). "*Amadeus*: A Golden Production". *The Navy News*. pp. 26A. Constanza played by Terry Finn, is the wife of Mozart. She is beautiful, talented and engagingly saucy.

1. Tone (June 17, 1991). "Seeds Of Tragedy". *Daily Variety*. pp. 13, 16–24.

1. "Review". *Daily Variety*. March 5, 1993.

1. Variety review posted April 7, 1994

1. *Super Mario Bros. Official Motion Picture Sticker Album*. Nintendo/Allied Filmmakers N.V. & Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc. 1993. pp. 19 (photograph)

1. Beecham, Caroline (1996). *Rainbow*. London: Random House UK, Ltd./Red Fox. pp. 76–77 (photograph). ISBN 0-09-971301-2.

1. Parisi, Paula (March 4, 1996). "Brave New Cinema". *[The Hollywood Reporter](/source/The_Hollywood_Reporter)* Photograph with caption. Director Bob Hoskins with actress Terry Finn prior to a visual-effects close-up of Finn's eye in the family fantasy *Rainbow*

**Bibliography**

- ["*Merrily We Roll Along*"](http://sondheim.com/works/merrily_we_roll_along/). Sondheim.com. Retrieved March 6, 2009.
- Barnes, Clive (November 17, 1981). "*Rolling Along* quite nicely, thank you". *[New York Post](/source/New_York_Post)*
- Watt, Douglas (November 17, 1981). "*Merrily We Roll Along* hits every bump on road". *[Daily News](/source/Daily_News_(New_York))*
- Zadan, Craig (1974–1986). [*Sondheim & Co.*](https://archive.org/details/sondheimco0000zada/page/281). 2nd ed. [Harper & Row](/source/Harper_%26_Row). pp. [281 (photograph), 379](https://archive.org/details/sondheimco0000zada/page/281). ISBN 0-06-015649-X.
- Tone (June 17, 1991). "Seeds Of Tragedy". *Daily Variety* Norbert Weisser as a German in Columbia, Conor O' Farrell as a bloodless betrayer, Lisa Lord as a would-be heroine, Gloria Hendry as a determined mother and Terry Finn as a victim help create a sense of impending doom.
- Gottfried, Martin (1993). [*Sondheim*](https://archive.org/details/stephensondheim0000gott/page/150). Henry N. Abrams, Inc. pp. [150–151 (photographs)](https://archive.org/details/stephensondheim0000gott/page/150). ISBN 0-8109-3844-8.
- Secrest, Merle (1998). *Stephen Sondheim: A Life*. [Dell Publishing](/source/Dell_Publishing). pp. 314 (photograph). ISBN 0-385-33412-5.
- Shifman Katvan, Rivka (2001). [*Backstage: Broadway Behind the Curtain*](https://archive.org/details/backstagebroadwa0000katv/page/8). Henry N. Abrams, Inc. pp. [8 (photograph)](https://archive.org/details/backstagebroadwa0000katv/page/8). ISBN 0-8109-5709-4.
- Mordden, Ethan (2002). [*The Happiest Corpse I've Ever Seen*](https://archive.org/details/happiestcorpseiv00mord/page/38). [Palgrave Macmillan](/source/Palgrave_Macmillan). pp. [38, 303](https://archive.org/details/happiestcorpseiv00mord/page/38). ISBN 0-312-23954-8.
- SondHeim, Stephen (2010). [*Finishing The Hat: Collected Lyrics (1954-1981)*](https://archive.org/details/finishinghat00). Alfred A. Knopf. p. [388](https://archive.org/details/finishinghat00/page/388) (photograph); 429. ISBN 978-0-679-43907-3.

## External links

- [Terry Finn](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0278176/) at IMDb
- [Terry Finn - Internet Theatre Database](http://www.theatredb.com/QPerson.php?pid=p010156)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Terry Finn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Finn) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Finn?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.