Mary-Margaret Humes, a native of Northern New York, entered the world of show business when she was chosen by Mel Brooks for the role of Miriam the vestal virgin in the hit movie History of the World: Part 1.
Her first television series regular role was on NBC’s “Eerie, Indiana” in 1992, although she is best known for her six-year run as a series regular in the role of Gale Leery, the mother of James Van Der Beek’s character Dawson Leery on The WB’s hit series “Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 to 2003. This breakout series, which was created and written by Kevin Williamson, literally changed the landscape of television programming aimed for a younger generation at the turn of the millennium.
During this time, Humes also shined in the emotionally charged USA TV movie “The Stalking of Laurie Show” based on a true story. She portrayed Hazel Show, the grieving mother of a Pennsylvania teenager, played by actress Jennifer Finnigan, who was brutally murdered out of jealousy by the high school prom queen. The following year she played the much more lighthearted mother in the very popular Disney Channel movie, “Motocrossed.”
On the edgy HBO series “Luck,” produced by Michael Mann in 2012, Hume secured a recurring role as an insurance scam artist. Also in 2012 – but on a much lighter note – she appeared in the Hallmark Channel Original Movie “Matchmaker Santa,” playing a very cheerful but scheming mother. This was followed by a role on Lifetime’s TV movie “The Girl He Met Online,” in which she played the physically, mentally and emotionally abused mother of an adopted teenage daughter.
Not only has Hume guest starred in dozens of episodic TV shows, but she also worked in the commercial world during her early career. She had a four-year contract as spokeswoman for Tropicana Orange Juice, as well as a three-year contract with Quaker Oats.
Second only to acting is her passion for dance. She has been married to Hollywood soundman Raul A. Bruce for over 20 years and together they have shared their home in Los Angeles with many adopted four-legged children. Their current “daughter” is a hound dog mix rescued from the San Francisco ASPCA named Bailey.
