Editing Tracey Ullman (section)

==Television career==
===Early years===
Ullman began her television career in 1980 playing [[Lynda Bellingham]]'s daughter in the British series ''Mackenzie''. "I really thought I was great when I did a quite serious soap opera for the BBC. I played a nice girl from [[St. John's Wood]]. 'Mummy, I think I'm pregnant. I don't know who's done it.' Then I would fall down a hill or something. 'EEEEE! Oh, no, lost another baby.' It seemed all I ever did was have miscarriages—or make yogurt."<ref>{{cite web|title=Tracey Ullman Is Sitting Pretty as the Queen of Parody and Pops|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20089118,00.html|work=Barbara Graustark|publisher=([[People Magazine]])|access-date=9 January 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110090524/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20089118,00.html|archive-date=10 January 2014}}</ref>

Ullman appeared in [[Les Blair]]'s [[avant-garde]] ''Four in a Million'', an improvised play about club acts, at London's [[Royal Court Theatre]].<ref name="watchout"/> She won the [[Critics' Circle Theatre Award|London Critics Circle Theatre Award]] as Most Promising New Actress for her performance.<ref>[http://brits.co.uk/show/1984/ The BPI Awards 1984] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070403060011/http://brits.co.uk/show/1984/|date=3 April 2007}}. Retrieved 1 April 2007.</ref>

In 1981, she was cast in the [[BBC Scotland]] [[sketch comedy]] programme ''[[A Kick Up the Eighties]]'', which in turn led to her being offered the sketch show ''[[Three of a Kind (1981 TV series)|Three of a Kind]]'', co-starring comedians [[Lenny Henry]] and [[David Copperfield (comedian)|David Copperfield]]. Ullman said, "My first reaction was you must be joking, as women are treated so shoddily in comedy. Big busty barmaids and all those sort of clichés just bore me rigid."<ref>{{cite journal |title=Tracey's Papers |url=http://tracey-archives.tumblr.com/post/113163172393/tracey-ullman-the-face-no37 |journal=The Face |pages=69}}</ref> Eventually a deal was struck with a proviso that she would have script approval and could choose her own costumes.<ref>{{cite web|title=1982 Stiff Records press release.|url=http://tracey-archives.tumblr.com/post/113162928508/1982-stiff-records-press-release|work=The Tracey Ullman Archives|publisher=Tumblr.com|access-date=7 December 2015}}</ref> ''Three of a Kind'' premiered in July 1981, running for three series until 1983.<ref>{{cite web|title=BFI Screenonline: Three of a Kind (1981-83)|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/535119/|work=BFI Screenonline|publisher=Screenonline.org.uk|access-date=12 December 2015}}</ref> Throughout the series, Ullman would also sing, performing comical spoofs of well-known artists of the era such as [[Toyah Willcox|Toyah]], [[Bananarama]], [[Jennifer Warnes]], and [[Dollar (band)|Dollar]]. ''Three of a Kind'' led to a brief but successful singing career in 1983, as well as her winning her first [[British Academy Film Awards|BAFTA]] (for "Best Light Entertainment Performance") in 1984.<ref>{{cite web|title=BAFTA Awards|url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/1984/television/light-entertainment-performance|work=BAFTA|publisher=bafta.org|access-date=14 September 2015}}</ref> By this time, she had become a household name with the British media referring to her as "Our Trace".<ref name="skitcom">{{cite web|title=Queen of the Skitcom: Tracey Ullman Has Lost Her Prized Anonymity, but Her Ratings Have Fox Grinning|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-04-17-tm-2236-story.html|first=Howard|last=Rosenberg|date=17 April 1988|access-date=10 June 2015|work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>

In 1985, she signed on to star in the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] sitcom ''[[Girls on Top (British TV series)|Girls on Top]]''. She was cast as the promiscuous golddigger Candice Valentine. The show, co-starring [[Dawn French]], [[Ruby Wax]], and [[Jennifer Saunders]], continued for a second series without Ullman who bowed out after the first.

===''The Tracey Ullman Show''===
[[File:Tracey Ullman 1987.jpg|thumb|Ullman in 1987]]
In 1985, Ullman was persuaded by her husband, British independent television producer, [[Allan McKeown]], to join him in [[Los Angeles]], where he was already partially based.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Mills |first=Nancy |date=19 November 2000 |title=A Demented Pixie Grows Up |journal=You Magazine |pages=29–32}}</ref> She set her sights on a film and stage career, believing that there was little in the way of television for her.<ref name="realcharacter">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/25/movies/television-tracey-ullman-she-s-a-real-character.html |title=Television – Tracey Ullman: She's a Real Character |last=O'Connor |first=Thomas |date=25 September 1988 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=6 June 2015}}</ref><ref name="goldfinger">{{cite journal |last=Farr |first=Louise |date=20 February 1988 |title=Enter Ullman, Swinging from a Rope and Singing 'Goldfinger' |journal=TV Guide }}</ref> Her British agent put together a videotape compilation of her work and began circulating it around Hollywood. The tape landed in the hands of Craig Kellem, vice president of comedy at [[Universal Television]].<ref name="skitcom"/> A deal was immediately struck with [[CBS]]. ''I Love New York'', a show about a "slightly wacky" British woman working in New York, was written by ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' writer [[Anne Beatts]].<ref name="skitcom"/> Unhappy with the direction the network wanted to take the show, Ullman's agent decided to contact producer [[James L. Brooks]].<ref name="goldfinger"/><ref name="foxylady">{{cite magazine |title=Foxy Lady |last=Zehme |first=Bill |date=27 August 1987 |magazine=Rolling Stone |issn=0035-791X}}</ref> Brooks felt that a sketch show would best suit her. "Why would you do something with Tracey playing a single character on TV when her talent requires variety? You can't categorize Tracey, so it's silly to come up with a show that attempted to."<ref name="realcharacter"/><ref name="bravo">{{cite web|title=Bravo - Influences: Tracey Ullman|url=https://vimeo.com/52657083|website=Vimeo.com|publisher=Vimeo|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tracey Ullman Makes a Face|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/15/magazine/tracy-ullman-makes-a-face.html?pagewanted=1|work=The New York Times|date = 15 October 1989|access-date=28 July 2015|last1 = Lazar|first1 = Jerry}}</ref> ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' debuted on 5 April 1987, along with ''[[Married... with Children]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fox Network at 25: Blazing Trails and Burning Bridges|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/21/arts/television/the-fox-network-celebrates-its-25th-anniversary.html?_r=0|work=The New York Times|date = 20 April 2012|access-date=15 December 2015|last1 = Hale|first1 = Mike}}</ref> The show also produced ''[[The Simpsons]]'' as a series of animated shorts, or "[[commercial bumper|bumpers]]", which would air before and after commercial breaks. [[The Simpsons Shorts|''The Simpsons'' shorts]] would eventually be spun-off into their own half-hour series in 1989.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Simpson Family Made Its Television Debut 30 Years Ago |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/simpson-family-television-debut-30-years-ago-180962482/ |work=Smithsonian Magazine |access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref> ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' was awarded ten [[Primetime Emmy Awards]], with Ullman winning three, one in the category of [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program|Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program]] in 1990.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Tracey Ullman Show |url=http://www.emmys.com/shows/tracey-ullman-show|work=Television Academy|publisher=Emmys.com|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Best Tracey Ullman Show |url=http://www.emmys.com/shows/best-tracey-ullman-show|work=Television Academy|publisher=Emmys.com|access-date=25 November 2015}}</ref> The show was the first Fox network primetime show to win an Emmy award.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ullman to Leave Fox Network|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19900516&id=IgYqAAAAIBAJ&pg=6698,528720&hl=en |newspaper=Spartanburg Herald-Journal |location=Spartanburg, South Carolina |date=16 May 1990 |access-date=24 November 2015}}</ref> The show concluded after a four-season run in 1990.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Kaplan |first=James |date=March 1991 |title=Amazing Trace |magazine=Vanity Fair |publisher=Condé Nast Publications Inc. |volume=54 |issue=3 |pages=88–90}}</ref><ref name="ullman">{{cite magazine|title=Tracey Ullman Sues Fox|url=https://www.ew.com/article/1992/10/23/tracey-ullman-sues-fox|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=Ew.com|access-date=11 December 2015}}</ref>

===HBO===
In 1991, Ullman's husband placed a successful bid on a television franchise in the [[Southern England|South of England]]. The television programming lineup agreed upon included a Tracey Ullman special.<ref name="takeson1">{{harvnb|Ullman|1998|p=xi}}</ref> Unlike the Fox show, this programme would be shot entirely on location. ''[[Tracey Ullman: A Class Act]]'', a send-up of the [[Social structure of the United Kingdom|British class system]], premiered on 9 January 1993 on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]].<ref>{{cite web|title=BBC - Comedy - Guide - Tracey Ullman: A Class Act |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/t/traceyullmanacla_66603500.shtml |work=BBC |publisher=BBC.co.uk |access-date=14 September 2015 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050404051645/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/t/traceyullmanacla_66603500.shtml |archive-date=4 April 2005}}</ref> This led to [[HBO]] in America becoming interested in having a special made for them, with the caveat that Ullman take on a more American subject. She chose [[New York City]].<ref>{{harvnb|Ullman|1998|p=xiii}}</ref> ''[[Tracey Ullman Takes on New York]]'' debuted on 9 October 1993. The programme went on to win two Emmy Awards, a [[CableAce Award]], an [[American Comedy Award]], and a [[Writers Guild of America Award]]. The success led to the creation of the HBO [[sketch comedy]] series ''[[Tracey Takes On...]]'' in 1996.<ref>{{harvnb|Ullman|1998|p=xv}}</ref>

Ullman returned to HBO in 2003 with the television special ''[[Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales]]'', which she also directed.<ref>{{cite web|title=GlennShadix.com - The Official Web Site of Glenn Shadix |url=http://www.glennshadix.com/news.html |work=Glenn Shadix |publisher=Glennshadix.com |access-date=14 September 2015 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030605140510/http://www.glennshadix.com/news.html |archive-date=5 June 2003 }}</ref> She returned to HBO again in 2005 with her one-woman stage show ''[[Tracey Ullman: Live and Exposed]]''.<ref>[http://www.hbo.com/events/tracey/?ntrack_para1=leftnav_category1 "Tracey Ullman: Live and Exposed".] HBO.com. Retrieved 14 March 2007.</ref>

===Purple Skirt and Oxygen===
In 2001, Ullman took a break from her multi-character-based work and created a fashion-based talk show for [[Oxygen Network]], ''[[Tracey Ullman's Visible Panty Lines]]''. The series was spun-off from her [[e-commerce]] clothing store [[Purple Skirt]]. Interviewees included [[Arianna Huffington]] and [[Charlize Theron]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Watch Tracey Ullman's Visible Panty Lines Episodes |url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/tracey-ullmans-visible-panty-lines/episodes/430461/|work=TV Guide|publisher=Tvguide.com|access-date=14 September 2015}}</ref> The show ran for two seasons, concluding in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.purpleskirt.com/vpl/vplonair/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011116031325/http://www.purpleskirt.com/vpl/vplonair/|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 November 2001|title=Tracey Ullman's "Visible Panty Lines"|date=16 November 2001|access-date=28 December 2017}}</ref>

===Showtime===
Upon her [[naturalisation]] in the United States, it was announced in April 2007 that she would be making the switch from HBO to [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] after working fourteen years with the former.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070504043925/http://www.sho.com/site/announcements/041607royalflush.do A King, A Comedy Queen & A Radio Ace: Showtime Deals a Royal Flush]. Sho.com Announcements. 16 April 2007.</ref> ''[[Tracey Ullman's State of the Union]]'', a new sketch comedy series, debuted on 30 March 2008.<ref>Lyneka Little [https://web.archive.org/web/20200809162056/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120611094557554779?mod=googlenews_wsj Q&A: Tracey Ullman]. [[Wall Street Journal]]. 21 March 2008</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Tracey Ullman's State of the Union : Complete Season One (DVD 2008)|url=http://www.dvdempire.com/1423868/tracey-ullmans-state-of-the-union-complete-season-one-movie.html|work=DVD Empire|publisher=Dvdempire.com|access-date=12 December 2015}}</ref><ref>[https://variety.com/2008/more/news/it-s-showtime-for-ullman-s-union-1117982080/ Comic Turns Celebs Into Recurring Characters]. Variety. Cynthia Littleton. 7 March 2008.</ref> It ran for three seasons, concluding in 2010.

===Return to British television===
After an absence of over 30 years, Ullman returned to the BBC with the sketch comedy programme ''[[Tracey Ullman's Show]]'' in 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31726907|title=Tracey Ullman returns to BBC with own comedy show|work=BBC News|date=4 March 2015|access-date=4 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2015/the-kennedys|title=BBC One announces the cast for brand new family comedy The Kennedys|publisher=BBC Media Centre|date=6 March 2015|access-date=7 October 2015}}</ref> It aired in the United States on HBO.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/tracey-ullman-bbcs-female-revolution-830223|title=MIPCOM: Tracey Ullman on Her New Show, BBC's Female Revolution|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=7 October 2015|access-date=7 October 2015}}</ref> In 2017, the show earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Make-Up and Hair Design, and its first Primetime Emmy Award nomination in the category of [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series|Outstanding Variety Sketch Series]].<ref name="moresatire">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/tracey-ullman-breaks-the-news|title=BBC One commits to more satire from Tracey Ullman|publisher=BBC Media Centre|access-date=13 September 2017}}</ref> In 2018, it garnered two additional Primetime Emmy Award nominations in the categories of Outstanding Variety Sketch Series and [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Programming|Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Programming]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2018|title=Nominees/Winners|publisher=Emmys.com|access-date=12 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712221829/http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2018|archive-date=12 July 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> The show eventually led to the creation of the topical comedy programme ''[[Tracey Breaks the News]]'' in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.beyondthejoke.co.uk/content/3989/news-bbc-unveils-raft-satire-shows|title=News: BBC Unveils Raft of Satire Shows|date=26 May 2017|publisher=Beyondthejoke.co.uk|access-date=26 May 2017|archive-date=2 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802210707/http://www.beyondthejoke.co.uk/content/3989/news-bbc-unveils-raft-satire-shows|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2017/43/tracey-breaks-the-news|title=BBC - Tracey Breaks the News - Media Centre|publisher=BBC Media Centre|access-date=23 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2018/05/15/39965/tracey_will_break_the_news_again|title=Tracey Will Break the News Again|work=[[Chortle]]|date=15 May 2018|access-date=15 May 2018}}</ref>

===Other notable work===
In 1995, she became the first modern-day cartoon voice of [[Little Lulu]].<ref>[http://www.hbofamily.com/programs/jam/little_lulu.html HBO Family: The Little Lulu Show] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040818075817/http://www.hbofamily.com/programs/jam/little_lulu.html |date=18 August 2004 }}. Retrieved 1 April 2007.</ref> In 1999, she had a recurring role as an unconventional psychotherapist on ''[[Ally McBeal]]''. Her performance garnered her a Primetime Emmy Award, her seventh, and an American Comedy Award which was her eleventh.<ref>[http://www.moviegames.com/Features/Awards/Emmys99/Blow/index3.html E! Online Features – Awards – Emmys '99 – Blow By Blow]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}. Retrieved 1 April 2007.</ref> In 2005, she co-starred with [[Carol Burnett]] in the television adaptation of ''[[Once Upon a Mattress]]''. She played Princess Winnifred, a role originally made famous by Burnett on Broadway. This time Burnett took on the role of the overbearing Queen Aggravain.<ref>A. Stanley [https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/16/arts/television/16matt.html?ex=1175572800&en=247748e0693234e8&ei=5070 The Affable Princess Is Back as Queen]. NY Times. 16 December 2005</ref>

In March 2014, Ullman was introduced as Genevieve Scherbatsky, the mother of character [[Robin Scherbatsky]] in ''[[How I Met Your Mother]]''.<ref>[http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/03/03/how-i-met-your-mother-recap-vesuvius/ 'How I Met Your Mother' recap: Mom's the word'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322023439/http://popwatch.ew.com/2014/03/03/how-i-met-your-mother-recap-vesuvius/ |date=22 March 2014 }}. Retrieved 21 March 2014.</ref> On 15 February 2017, it was announced that she would star in the [[Starz]]-BBC co-produced limited series adaptation of ''[[Howards End (miniseries)|Howards End]]'', playing Aunt Juley Mund.<ref>{{cite web|title=Starz Boards 'Howards End' BBC Limited Series; Hayley Atwell, Matthew Macfadyen & Tracey Ullman To Star|url=https://deadline.com/2017/02/starz-bbc-howards-end-limited-series-based-on-novel-hayley-atwell-matthew-macfadyen-star-1201912774/|work=Deadline|date=15 February 2017|publisher=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|access-date=15 February 2017}}</ref>

On 14 May 2019, it was announced that Ullman would be portraying [[Betty Friedan]] in the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] limited series ''[[Mrs. America (miniseries)|Mrs. America]]''. The nine-episode series premiered 15 April 2020 on [[Hulu]] to favourable reviews.<ref>{{Citation|title=Mrs. America: Season 1|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/mrs_america/s01|language=en|access-date=9 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Poniewozik|first=James|date=14 April 2020|title='Mrs. America' Review: The Voice of an E.R.A.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/arts/television/mrs-america-review.html|access-date=9 May 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Sarah Paulson, John Slattery Among 11 Cast in Cate Blanchett's FX Limited Series 'Mrs America'|url=https://www.thewrap.com/sarah-paulson-john-slattery-among-11-cast-in-cate-blanchetts-fx-limited-series-mrs-america|work=[[TheWrap]]|date=14 May 2019|publisher=Thewrap.com|access-date=14 May 2019}}</ref> Her performance garnered her an [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie|Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie]] [[72nd Primetime Emmy Awards|Primetime Emmy]] nomination.<ref>{{cite web|title=Emmys 2020: See the Full List of Nominees|url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/emmys-2020-full-list-nominees/story?id=71971873|work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|date=28 July 2020|publisher=Abcnews.go.com|access-date=28 July 2020}}</ref>

Ullman played councilwoman Irma Kostroski in the eleventh and twelfth seasons of ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=IMDb Curb Your Enthusiasm Full Cast & Crew|website=[[IMDb]]|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264235/fullcredits|access-date=16 December 2021}}</ref>