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Dorothy Lyman

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Actress

The Resume

    (April 18, 1947- )
    Born in Minneapolis , Minnesota
    Acted in 'Another World,' 'All My Children,' and 'Mama's Family'
    Best known for her role as Opal on 'All My Children'
    Also well known as Thelma Harper's daughter-in-law, Naomi Harper, in 'Mama's Family'

Why she might be annoying:

    She became famous for recurring roles in the soap opera circuit.
    She was high school friends with Jill Larsen, who would replace her as Opal when she left 'All My Children' (drama...)
    Rue McClanahan apparently held a grudge that Dorothy got the juicier role on 'Mama' Family' that was initially reserved for her.
    She is twice divorced.
    She referred to her time working on 'All My Children' and 'Mama's Family' simultaneously as 'All My Paychecks.'
    She made recurring cameos on 'The Nanny.'
    She is rumored to have feuded with Susan Lucci.
    She compared herself to Lucille Ball in an interview with Jane Pauley.
    She is only eight years older than Reba McEntire, whose mother she played on 'Reba.'

Why she might not be annoying:

    Her decision to leave 'All My Children' to do 'Mama's Family' full-time was regarded as crazy, but it became the highest rated syndicated sitcom in TV history.
    She won back-to-back Daytime Emmys in 1982 and 1983, for Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding Lead Actress, for her work on 'All My Children.'
    She added much needed humor to the serious tone of 'All My Children.'
    Opal was written to be a one-time villain character, but Lyman's performance made her into a regular character on the show.
    She had a crush on Ken Berry during the filming of 'Mama's Family.'
    She suffered from depression when her career hit a slump in the early 90s.
    She was Fran Drescher's first choice to direct episodes of 'The Nanny,' but network execs wanted someone with experience, and so they went with Lee Shallat instead.
    She spent four months without pay observing 'Nanny' director Lee Shallat work so that when Shallat eventually left, she had the experience to direct.
    She had a cameo in Martin Scorsese's acclaimed hit, 'The Departed.'
    She frequently wore sexy, low-cut off the shoulder blouses as the sultry Naomi Harper.

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 8 Votes: 12.50% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 41.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 10 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 10 Votes: 30.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 33 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 63 Votes: 49.21% Annoying