Mina Kolb

Mina Kolb
Born
Mina E. Kolb

(1926-06-07) June 7, 1926 (age 100)
Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.
EducationNew Trier High School
Mundelein College
Loyola University Chicago
OccupationActress
Years active1952–2006
Spouse(s)William McMurray Jr.
(m. 1957)
AwardsLifetime Achievement Award from Chicago Improv Festival

Mina E. Kolb (born June 7, 1926) is an American actress, known for her work on television, film and improvisational theater. She was a founding member of The Second City Comedy troupe and has appeared in numerous television series and films over several decades.

Early life and career

Born in Wilmette, Illinois to Joseph Kolb and Evelyn McCarthy, Kolb was raised in a large Catholic family with six siblings. She attended New Trier High School, Mundelein College, and Loyola University.

Kolb began her entertainment career co-hosting the local Chicago television show Rayner Shine, where she and co-host Ray Rayner lip-synced to records while teenagers danced.

In 1959, she joined the original ensemble of The Second City in Chicago alongside performers such as Howard Alk, Roger Bowen, Severn Darden, Andrew Duncan, Barbara Harris and Eugene Troobnick. In 1961, Kolb moved to Los Angeles to appear on the CBS sitcom Pete and Gladys, portraying the character Peggy Briggs. Throughout her career, Kolb appeared in various television series including Three's Company as Mrs. Alden, Curb Your Enthusiasm as Jeff Greene's mother, Santa Barbara as Mrs. Batterfield, Generations as Aunt Mary and Ellen when she played the role of a nurse. Her films credits includes: The Hollywood Knights (2008), A Mighty Wind (2003) and I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With (2006).

She also performed on stage, notably in the Broadway productions of From The Second City (1968) and in Something Different. In recognition of her contributions to improvisational theater, Kolb received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chicago Improv Festival in 2004.

Personal life

Kolb married advertising executive William McMurray Jr in 1957.

Filmography

Movies and TV Shows
Year Title Role Note
2006 I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With Mrs. Aaron
2005 Hopeless Pictures Hope voice
2003 A Mighty Wind Dr. Mildred Wickes
2000–2002 Curb Your Enthusiasm Jeff Greene's mother 5 episodes
1999 Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place Flower Seller 1 episode
1997–1998 George & Leo Frieda 3 episodes
1997 The Jeff Foxworthy Show Clara Kopell 1 episode
1996 High Incident 1 episode
1996 The Secret World of Alex Mack Abigail Hoffman 1 episode
1996 Sisters Betty Pryor 1 episode
1996 Ellen Nurse 1 episode
1995 Not Like Us Mrs. Anderson TV Movie
1995 Bye Bye Love Dorothy
1993 Love & War Marion 1 episode
1991 P.S.I. Luv U Mrs. DiPaggio 1 episode
1991 Dangerous Woman Lil 11 episodes
1991 Life Goes On Dotty 1 episode
1991 David Rules Mrs. Higgins 1 episode
1989–1991 Generations Mary Gardner 46 episodes
1990 1st & Ten Housewife 1 episode
1990 Parker Lewis Can't Lose Aunt Celia 1 episode
1990 Thirtysomething Florence 1 episode
1989 Wedding Band Neighborhood Lady
1989 She's Out of Control Mrs. Pearson
1989 Knots Landing Neighborhood 1 episode
1988 Santa Barbara Mrs. Batterfield 1 episode
1988 It's Garry Shandling's Show Rose Wachs 1 episode
1983–1987 Scarecrow and Mrs. King Emma Stadish 2 episodes
1986 The Twilight Zone Mrs. Taylor 1 episode
1986 Tall Tales & Legends Widow Bleacher 1 episode
1985 Benson Suzie 1 episode
1984 Young Lust Beatrice Hoving
1984 Back Together Mrs. Burke TV Movie
1981–1983 Three's Company Mrs. Alden 3 episodes
1983 The Jeffersons Mrs. Colby 1 episode
1983 Mama's Family The Clerk 1 episode
1980 HealtH Iris Bell
1980 The Hollywood Knights Dudley's mother
1972 Every Little Crook and Nanny Ida
1970 Loving Diane
1968 What's So Bad About Feeling Good? Woman in Pad Uncredited
1961–1962 Pete and Gladys Peggy Briggs 6 episodes
1952 Skirts Ahoy! Wave C.P.O. Uncredited

References

  1. 1 2 Carroll, Bill; ed. (1942)"Sophomore Girls (Cont'd)". 1942 New Trier High School Yearbook. Retrieved June 18, 2025. p. 95. "Kolb, Mina E."
  2. ↑ Adams, Sam (2009-12-10). "The Second City's 50th Anniversary Weekend". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on September 26, 2021. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  3. ↑ "Mina Kolb - The Second City". www.secondcity.com. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  4. ↑ Brown, Les (1975-08-20). "New TV Commercials Make Life Begin at 40". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  5. 1 2 3 Fink, John (August 2, 1958). "MADCAP MIMIC: Mina Kolb, Ray Rayner's Sidekick, Specializes in Platter Pantomimes". Chicago Tribune TV Weekend. p. 3. Retrieved June 18, 2025. "Born in Wilmette, Mina took up dramatics at Mundelein college, then switched to an education course at Loyola university. [...] Mina was married a year ago to Bill McMurray Jr., salesman for a publishing house. They have a home in Northbrook."
  6. ↑ "Richard Kolb Obituary - Fort Myers, FL". Dignity Memorial. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  7. ↑ The Compass: The Improvisational Theatre that Revolutionized American Comedy. University of Chicago Press. November 1991. ISBN 978-0-226-11345-6.
  8. ↑ Sweet, Jeffrey (2023-06-27). Something Wonderful Right Away: The Birth of Second City—America's Greatest Comedy Theater. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-62153-825-7.
  9. ↑ Okuda, Ted; Mulqueen, Jack (2016-02-09). The Golden Age of Chicago Children's Television. SIU Press. ISBN 978-0-8093-3536-7.
  10. ↑ Burns Mantle Best Plays and the Year Book of the Drama in America. Dodd, Mead. 1988. ISBN 978-0-396-09077-9.
  11. ↑ Naud, Robert (2016-01-12). Lights, Camera, Madison Avenue: The Golden Age of Advertising. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-6233-6.
  12. ↑ FreemanGriffin (2021-03-22). "Performers never nominated for Daytime Emmys". GoldDerby. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  13. ↑ Kercher, Stephen E. (2010-06-15). Revel with a Cause: Liberal Satire in Postwar America. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-43165-9.
  14. ↑ Seham, Amy E. (2001). Whose Improv is it Anyway?: Beyond Second City. Univ. Press of Mississippi. ISBN 978-1-57806-341-3.
  15. ↑ Corcoran, Michael; Bernstein, Arnie (2013-06-01). Hollywood on Lake Michigan: 100+ Years of Chicago and the Movies. Chicago Review Press. ISBN 978-1-61374-578-6.
  16. ↑ ""I Want Someone To Eat Cheese With" is worth unwrapping". OnMilwaukee. 2007-10-15. Retrieved 2025-06-10.
  17. ↑ Mina Kolb playbill performer
  18. ↑ Theatre Arts. Theatre Arts, Incorporated. 1961.
  19. ↑ Sun-Times, Chicago (2000). 20th Century Chicago: 100 Years, 100 Voices. Sports Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-1-58261-239-3.
  20. ↑ Wasson, Sam (2017). Improv Nation: How We Made a Great American Art. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-544-55720-8.
  21. ↑ "Round the Wax Circle". Cash Box. May 4, 1957. p. 20. Retrieved June 18, 2025. "Deejay Ray Rayner’s pert right arm, Mina Kolb, said 'Yes' to ad exec William McMurray last week. Says Rayner, 'I'm not losing a gal Friday. I’m just gaining a new agency.'"