Cheri Oteri

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Cheri Oteri

Born Cheryl Ann O'Teari
September 19, 1962 (1962-09-19) (age 45)
Upper Darby, Pennsylvania,
United States

Cheri Oteri (born Cheryl Ann O'Teari;[citation needed] September 19, 1962) is an American actress and comedian known for her work on NBC's Saturday Night Live.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Oteri was born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Upper Darby (also the hometown of Tina Fey, another SNL alumna). She went to Archbishop Prendergast High School (on the same campus as Monsignor Bonner High School).

[edit] SNL career

After moving to Los Angeles at age 25, she worked at A&M Records for four years and eventually joined the famed comedy troupe The Groundlings. It was there that she was noticed by SNL and was hired in 1995 as part of a nearly all-new cast brought in to save the show after its disastrous 1994 season.

Oteri would eventually form a third of the so-called "SNL female power trio" that also included Molly Shannon and Ana Gasteyer and which was responsible, along with Will Ferrell, Darrell Hammond and others, for bringing SNL out of its slump. On SNL, she was known for playing perky, upbeat, and hyper characters, including cheerleader-wannabe Arianna (one half of The Spartan Cheerleaders), grouchy Queens resident Rita DelVecchio, prescription pill-addicted Collette Reardon who befriends Justin Brown at the Hard Rock Hotel, butch cable access television host "Mickey The Dyke" (appearing alongside Mark McKinney's Chicken Lady of Kids In The Hall fame), the absurdly hyper child bus passenger "Althea McMahonaman," overly perky "Morning Latte" talk show host Cass Van Rye (re-teaming her with "Spartan Cheerleaders" partner Will Ferrell), and Nadeen, a testy employee who constantly orders everyone to "Simmer down now!" Her dead-on impressions of Barbara Walters, Mariah Carey, Robin Byrd and Judge Judy also bolstered her fame.

[edit] Television and film appearances

Oteri left SNL in 2000. She has notably appeared in several Hollywood movies including Scary Movie, Inspector Gadget, Liar Liar, Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, Shrek the Third and Southland Tales. She starred in two TV pilots that did not make it to air, Loomis and With You in Spirit. Her non-SNL television credits include guest spots on Just Shoot Me!, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Strangers with Candy. She has also been working with Lost creator J.J. Abrams on a sitcom idea.

[edit] Death of her father

On April 26, 2008, Oteri's 69-year-old father, Gaetano Thomas "Tom" Oteri, was murdered in his Nashville, Tennessee home.[1] His roomate, country music songwriter Richard Fagan was charged with the murder. During an alcohol-fueled argument, police allege that Oteri was stabbed in the wrist of his right arm by Fagan with the four- to six-inch blade of a pocket knife, after which he bled to death.[2][3][4] After leaving the residence in his automobile, Fagan was stopped and arrested by the police on a drunk driving charge.[5] Authorities believe that Fagan did not realize that the wound he had given his roommate had been fatal, and even phoned a friend from jail to check in on Oteri.[6] Fagan waved his right to a hearing.[7] His bail was set at $20,000 and was ordered to enter a drug rehabilitation center.[8]

Fagan is credited as co-writer on several tracks by singer John Michael Montgomery, including "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)," "Be My Baby Tonight," and "I Miss You a Little." He also co-wrote songs that were recorded by Neil Diamond, Shania Twain, Hank Williams Jr., Moe Bandy, Mel McDaniel and Clay Walker.[9][10]

[edit] Filmography

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bondsman: Songwriter called to check on friend Oteri | www.tennessean.com | The Tennessean
  2. ^ Nashville songwriter charged in death of Cheri Oteri's dad - MSN TV News
  3. ^ Songwriter Fagan Enters Drug Treatment Centre
  4. ^ Bondsman: Songwriter called to check on friend Oteri | www.tennessean.com | The Tennessean
  5. ^ News : Headlines : Songwriter Ordered to Counseling : Great American Country
  6. ^ News : Headlines : Songwriter Ordered to Counseling : Great American Country
  7. ^ News : Headlines : Songwriter Ordered to Counseling : Great American Country
  8. ^ News : Headlines : Songwriter Ordered to Counseling : Great American Country
  9. ^ News : Headlines : Songwriter Ordered to Counseling : Great American Country
  10. ^ Bondsman: Songwriter called to check on friend Oteri | www.tennessean.com | The Tennessean

[edit] External links