---
name: "Marcia Strassman"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/marcia-strassman"
fi1m_id: "marcia-strassman"
imdb_id: "nm0833519"
tmdb_id: 57418
wikidata_id: "Q275310"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "28 April 1948"
died: "24 October 2014"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-10-04T21:02:53.597835+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Marcia Strassman

## Identity

Marcia Strassman

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/marcia-strassman
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** marcia-strassman
- **IMDb ID:** nm0833519
- **TMDB ID:** 57418
- **Wikidata ID:** Q275310
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcia_Strassman, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q275310, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0833519/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/57418

Actor. Born 28 April 1948 in New York City, New York, USA. Died 24 October 2014.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 28 April 1948, New York City, New York, USA
- **Died:** 24 October 2014
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcia_Strassman, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q275310, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0833519/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/57418

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*Honey, I Shrunk the Kids*](https://film.one/film/honey-i-shrunk-the-kids.md) (76)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Marcia Strassman

> Marcia Strassman made the practical wife or mother worth watching by listening properly and reacting without fuss. We value that steadiness, even when the writing gives her little to do beyond responding to a man.

Marcia Strassman listens while somebody else makes life complicated. As Diane Szalinski in *Honey, I Shrunk the Kids* (1989), she gives Rick Moranis a practical wife to play against, without having to match his eccentricity. Her reactions help us believe in the family while the fantasy gets on with its business. She makes the replies sound natural, even when her job is chiefly to give the other actor an opening. We rate that quiet competence, though the parts do not always ask enough of her.

Television had already made good use of that steadiness. Nurse Margie Cutler in six early episodes of *M*A*S*H* (1972) preceded Julie Kotter in *Welcome Back, Kotter* (1975), the four-season role that established her. As the title character's wife, she was often asked to prompt or respond to material written for the men. That is a narrow job description for an actor, however comfortably she fits it. Her straight-woman timing made the part work, but it could not give Julie the development the scripts withheld.

Joe Johnston's *Honey, I Shrunk the Kids* gives her a family comedy whose pleasures lie chiefly in the inventive, brisk garden adventure. We warmed to Diane because Strassman makes the mother's concern believable amid the fantasy. Moranis does much to keep the comedy appealing, with Strassman providing a useful practical counterpoint. Some of the adult performances push the jokes too hard; we would not pretend the comedy is uniformly restrained. Her contribution helps keep the family scenes grounded without competing with the adventure for attention.

She returned as Diane in *Honey, I Blew Up the Kid* (1992), and *Another Stakeout* (1993) made further use of her quick reactions in a supporting comic part. Later guest and supporting appearances did not bring another role with the prominence of Julie or Diane. The frustration is how often the sensible woman is required to keep listening while somebody else gets the material. There is skill here, and too few opportunities to see what else she might have done. Start with *Honey, I Shrunk the Kids*, and pay attention to the person doing the listening.

## Biography

Marcia Strassman was an American actress and singer. Born on 28 April 1948 in New York City, she died on 24 October 2014 in Sherman Oaks, California. She began her career as a teenager, replacing Liza Minnelli in the Off-Broadway musical *Best Foot Forward*, and moved to Los Angeles at the age of 18.

Strassman first gained attention for her television work, appearing as Nurse Margie Cutler in the first season of *M*A*S*H* (1972) and as Julie Kotter in the sitcom *Welcome Back, Kotter* (1975–1979). She later played Diane Szalinski, the wife of Rick Moranis’s character, in the family films *Honey, I Shrunk the Kids* (1989) and *Honey, I Blew Up the Kid* (1992). She also appeared in guest roles on series including *Murder, She Wrote*, *Magnum, P.I.* and *Highlander: The Series*, and in films such as *Another Stakeout* (1993) and *Reeker* (2005).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, latimes.com, nytimes.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Honey, I Shrunk the Kids* (1989), Fi1m 76, as Diane Szalinski — [page](https://film.one/film/honey-i-shrunk-the-kids.md)

## Complete filmography (61)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Twenty Good Years* (2006), series, as Mackenzie
- *Reeker* (2005), as Rose
- *Tremors* (2003), series, as Nancy Sterngood
- *The Movie Hero* (2003), as Blake's Mom
- *Power Play* (2002), as Susan Breecher
- *Gale Force* (2002), as Kim Nelson
- *Revealed with Jules Asner* (2001), series, Actor
- *Noah Knows Best* (2000), series, as Martine Beznick
- *Third Watch* (1999), series, as Sergeant Laura Wynn
- *L.A. Heat* (1999), series, Actor
- *Providence* (1999), series, as Meredith
- *Earth Minus Zero* (1997), as Debbie Heller
- *E! True Hollywood Story* (1996), series, Actor
- *The Rockford Files: Friends and Foul Play* (1996), as Dr. Trish George
- *Charlie Grace* (1995), series, as Andrea Farrell
- *Family Reunion: A Relative Nightmare* (1995), as Margaret McKenna
- *Cops n Roberts* (1995), Actor
- *Aaahh!!! Real Monsters* (1994), series, as Harryette (voice)
- *Touched by an Angel* (1994), series, as Lisa Patcherik
- *Sweet Justice* (1994), series, Actor
- *Another Stakeout* (1993), as Pam O'Hara
- *Mastergate* (1992), as Merry Chase
- *Highlander: The Series* (1992), series, as Betsy Fields
- *Honey, I Blew Up the Kid* (1992), as Diane Szalinski
- *Civil Wars* (1991), series, as Marcia Kellogg
- *And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird!* (1991), as Sarah Carson
- *Rugrats* (1991), series, as Miss Appleby (voice)
- *Fast Getaway* (1991), as Lorraine
- *Booker* (1989), series, as Alicia Rudd
- *Julie Brown: The Show* (1989), as Candace
- *Honey, I Shrunk the Kids* (1989), as Diane Szalinski — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/honey-i-shrunk-the-kids.md)
- *TV 101* (1988), series, as Mrs. Myers
- *Daddy Can't Read* (1988), as Mary Watson
- *Haunted by Her Past* (1987), as Rita Kamen
- *Shadow Chasers* (1985), series, as Stella
- *Amazing Stories* (1985), series, as Nel Lewise
- *Stingray* (1985), series, Actor
- *The Aviator* (1985), as Rose Stiller
- *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Terry Garman Holbert
- *E/R* (1984), series, as Dr. Eve Sheridan
- *At Ease* (1983), series, Actor
- *Soup for One* (1982), as Maria
- *Likely Stories Vol. 1* (1981), Actor
- *Magnum, P.I.* (1980), series, as Karen Harmon
- *Good Time Harry* (1980), series, Actor
- *Brave New World* (1980), as Lenina Disney
- *Once Upon a Family* (1980), as Pam Ferguson
- *Fantasy Island* (1978), series, as Kay Penny / Katherine Patrino
- *The Love Boat* (1977), series, as Stephanie Lewis
- *Love Boat II* (1977), as Pat McFarland
- *City of Angels* (1976), series, as Madge Carruthers
- *Welcome Back, Kotter* (1975), series, as Julie Kotter
- *Journey from Darkness* (1975), as Nancy
- *The Rockford Files* (1974), series, as Whitney Cox — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-rockford-files.md)
- *Police Story* (1973), series, as Jacqueline
- *M*A*S*H* (1972), series, as Nurse Margie Cutler — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/tv/m-a-s-h-1972.md)
- *The Paul Lynde Show* (1972), series, as Karen
- *Marcus Welby, M.D.* (1969), series, as Julie Sellers
- *Changes* (1969), as Kristine, Reporter
- *Ironside* (1967), series, as Samantha Dain
- *The Patty Duke Show* (1963), series, Actor

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/marcia-strassman