Maria Bamford

Maria Bamford Headshot

Actress • Comedian

Birth Date: September 3, 1970

Age: 53 years old

Birth Place: Port Hueneme, California

A favorite among alternative comedy followers for two decades, Maria Bamford's anxious stage persona and exceptionally expressive voice gave her a diverse career that included several comedy albums, a handful of offbeat comedy specials, and numerous voice-over and acting roles in projects ranging from "WordGirl" (PBS Kids 2006- ) to "Arrested Development" (Fox 2003-2006; Netflix 2013- ). The daughter of medical professionals, Bamford turned to stand-up in her teens and worked her way up to television appearances in the late 1990s. A brief turn as a temp worker at Nickelodeon led to regular voice work on countless animated shows for the network and other companies, while grown-ups enjoyed her surreal stand-up observations as part of the "Comedians of Comedy" tour, which served as the basis of a 2005 documentary. After suffering a brief hospitalization for depression in 2009, Bamford emerged busier and more creatively inspired than ever, producing numerous specials for the Internet while logging countless hours in voice-over and acting roles. Bamford's skewed perspective on life and family, as well as her gifted vocal abilities, made her one of the most versatile comic performers of the 2000s.

She was born Maria Elizabeth Sheldon Bamford on September 3, 1970 on the naval base in Port Hueneme, California, where her father served as a Navy doctor. Her family later relocated to Duluth, Minnesota, where she made her first stage appearance at the age of 11 in a student production at the Chester Park Elementary School. Bamford began performing comedy as a teenager in Minneapolis, Minnesota, while also studying at Bates College, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Minnesota, from which she received a degree in creative writing. In the late '90s, Bamford began appearing on variety and talk shows while also enjoying a side career as a voice artist for a wide variety of animated series, including "Hey Arnold" (Nickelodeon 1996-2004), "CatDog" (Nickelodeon 1998-2005) and "WordGirl" (PBS Kids 2006- ). In 2001, she landed her first primetime stand-up special on "Comedy Central Presents" (Comedy Central 1998- ) and earned a second in 2007, which made her the only female comic to have two specials on the network. Bamford's stand-up career gained considerable momentum in the mid-2000s thanks to fans of the alternative comedy movement, which embraced her vignette-driven style. She released her first comedy album, "The Burning Bridges Tour," in 2003, shortly before joining fellow alt-comics Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis and Brian Posehn for "The Comedians of Comedy" tour. Their appearances at various rock clubs, instead of comedy venues, was the subject of a 2005 documentary, also titled "The Comedians of Comedy," as well as a six-episode television series for Comedy Central that same year. Following the conclusion of the tour and related projects, Bamford released her second CD, "How to WIN!" (2007), and worked steadily as an actor and voice-over performer on projects ranging from the animated film "Barnyard" (2006) to the offbeat "Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job" (Adult Swim 2007-2010). At the height of her popularity and media exposure, which included a series of Target commercials that featured Bamford as an A-type shopper, Bamford was briefly hospitalized due to depression and diagnosed as Bipolar II. She rebounded in 2009 with a slew of new creative projects, including her third comedy album, "Unwanted Thoughts Syndrome" (2009), multiple vocal roles on the critically acclaimed animation series "Adventure Time" (Adult Swim 2010- ) and writing contributions to The Onion and GQ, among other publications. She also parlayed her brief hospital stay into a critically acclaimed web series, "The Maria Bamford Show" (2009), in which she played all of the roles, including a version of herself after suffering a nervous breakdown. Bamford's career continued its upward swing in the 2010s with standout turns as a hotwired girlfriend of Louis C.

K on "Louie" (FX 2010-15) and as David Cross's love interest on the revived "Arrested Development." She also won rave reviews for "The Special Special Special" (Chill.com 2012), a download-only project that featured Bamford performing for an audience that consisted entirely of her parents, and a web series called "Ask My Mom" (Blip, 2013), in which she portrayed herself and her 70-year-old mother, who doled out advice on a variety of subjects.

Credits

After MidnightStream

Guest
Talk
2024

Maria Bamford: Local Act

Self
Show
2023

Maria Bamford: Local Act

Writer
Show
2023

Unicorn Boy

Voice
Queen Junipero
Movie
2023

The People's Joker

Voice
Lorne Michaels
Movie
2022

Teenage EuthanasiaStream

Voice
Trophy Fantasy
Series
2021

HouseBrokenStream

Guest Star
Jill/Small Fun Raccoon/Pilot
Series
2021
50%

HouseBrokenStream

Guest Voice
Jill/Big Cookie
Series
2021
50%

Plan 9 From Outer Space Table Read

Actor
Show
2021

KenanStream

Guest Star
Glory
Series
2021

Mr. MayorStream

Guest Star
Leaf
Series
2021

The Midnight GospelStream

Voice
Butt Demon
Series
2020
91%

Maria Bamford: Weakness Is the Brand

Actor
Show
2020

Maria Bamford: Weakness Is the Brand

Producer
Show
2020

What's Your Ailment?

Host
Show
2019

The RocketeerStream

Guest Voice
Laura
Series
2019

The Mind, Explained

Actor
Show
2019

Lights Out With David SpadeStream

Guest
Talk
2019

Still Laugh-In: The Stars CelebrateStream

Actor
Special
2019

Summer Camp IslandStream

Actor
Series
2018

Relationships Just for Laughs

Guest
Show
2018

Ave Maria Bamford

Actor
Show
2017

Funny You Should Ask

Guest Star
Game Show
2017

The Sunday Project

Guest
Show
2017

Downward DogStream

Guest
Pepper
Series
2017
85%

Downward DogStream

Guest Star
Pepper
Series
2017
85%

Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale

Voice
Show
2017

Maria Bamford: Old BabyStream

Actor
Stand-up
2017
100%

Bill Nye Saves the WorldStream

Guest
Talk
2017

Talk Show the Game ShowStream

Guest
Game Show
2017

The History of ComedyStream

Self
Docuseries
2017

Ask the StoryBots

Guest
Dr. Pat
Show
2016

Lady DynamiteStream

Actor
Maria Bamford
Series
2016
97%

Lady DynamiteStream

Executive Producer
Series
2016
97%

ChelseaStream

Guest
Talk
2016
41%

Talking Tom and FriendsStream

Actor
Ginger
Series
2016

Not Safe With Nikki Glaser

Guest
Show
2016

We Bare Bears: Charlie

Guest Voice
Miss Chriss
Show
2015

At Midnight With Chris HardwickStream

Actor
Game Show
2015

At Midnight With Chris HardwickStream

Guest
Game Show
2015

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Guest
Talk
2015

We Bare BearsStream

Guest Voice
Miss Chriss
Series
2015

Golan the Insatiable

Voice
Carole Beekler
Show
2015

The Chris Gethard ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2015

Star vs. the Forces of EvilStream

Guest Voice
Make-up Blast
Series
2015

The Late Late Show With James CordenStream

Guest
Talk
2015

Fresh Off the BoatStream

Guest Star
Principal Thomas
Series
2015
94%

This Is Not HappeningStream

Actor
Series
2015

The Late Late Show

Guest
Show
2015

Misery Loves Comedy

Actor
Movie
2015

Penn Zero: Part-Time HeroStream

Guest Star
The President
Series
2014

Penn Zero: Part-Time HeroStream

Guest Voice
Mrs. Monkenfluffer
Series
2014

BenchedStream

Actor
Cheryl
Series
2014
69%

q

Guest
Show
2014

Women Aren't Funny

Actor
Show
2014

The Meltdown With Jonah and Kumail

Guest
Show
2014

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
Talk
2014

ClarenceStream

Guest Voice
Dillis
Series
2014

Muffin Top: A Love Story

Actor
Angelique
Movie
2014

We the Economy: Role of Gov 1: Taxation Nation

Voice
Movie
2014

No, You Shut Up!

Guest
Show
2013

The Social

Guest
Show
2013

Just for Laughs: All Access

Actor
Show
2012

Just for Laughs: All Access

Guest
Show
2012

Die Legende von Korra

Voice
Pema
Show
2012

The Legend of KorraStream

Guest Voice
Pema/Fan Girl
Series
2012
89%

The Legend of KorraStream

Voice
Pema
Series
2012
89%

WordGirl: The Rise of Miss Power

Voice
Show
2012

Kung Fu Panda: Legends of AwesomenessStream

Guest Voice
Chen/Goat Woman/Female Pig
Series
2011

Comedians of Comedy: At the Troubadour

Guest
Show
2011

PortlandiaStream

Guest Star
Series
2011
94%

Bob's BurgersStream

Guest Voice
Kendra/Catherine
Series
2011

ConanStream

Guest
Talk
2010

LouieStream

Guest Star
Maria
Series
2010
93%

Check It Out! with Dr. Steve BruleStream

Guest Star
Series
2010

Adventure TimeStream

Actor
Manfried/Chocoberry
Series
2010
100%

Adventure TimeStream

Guest Star
Rump 1/Trudy/Kim
Series
2010
100%

Adventure TimeStream

Guest Voice
Manfried/Chocoberry/Candy Corn Girl
Series
2010
100%

Adventure TimeStream

Voice
Manfried/Chocoberry/Candy Corn Girl
Series
2010
100%

Adventure TimeStream

Writer
Series
2010
100%

Maria Bamford: Plan B

Actor
Show
2010

Maria Bamford: Plan B

Writer
Show
2010

John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show

Guest
Show
2010

Worst Cooks in AmericaStream

Actor
Reality
2010

Worst Cooks in AmericaStream

Contestant
Reality
2010

WordGirlStream

Voice
Sally Botsford/Violet Heaslip
Series
2007

Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen

Guest
Talk
2006

Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen

Guest Star
Talk
2006

American DadStream

Guest Voice
Randy's Mother
Series
2005

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Guest
Talk
2005

The Comedians of Comedy

Screenwriter
Movie
2005

Arrested DevelopmentStream

Guest Star
Debrie Bardeaux
Series
2003
75%

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Guest
Talk
2003

Last Call With Carson Daly

Guest
Talk
2002

Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure

Voice
Aranea / Button
Movie
2002

The Trouble With Normal

Guest Star
Series
2000

Numer stulecia

Actor
Movie
2000

Comedy Central PresentsStream

Actor
Series
1998

Dharma & Greg

Guest Star
Series
1997

Hey Arnold!Stream

Guest Voice
Series
1996

Just for Laughs

Guest
Show
1996

News aboutMaria Bamford