Mary Kay Bergman

Mary Kay Bergman (June 5, 1961 - November 11, 1999) was an American voice actress, comedian, and voice-over teacher based in Los Angeles.¹ One of the most prolific voice performers of the 1990s, she is best remembered as the voice of nearly every female character on South Park during the show's first two seasons and as Disney's official Snow White replacement for more than a decade. She voiced the Banshee character in two episodes of Extreme Ghostbusters. She died by suicide at the age of 38.¹

Early life and education

Bergman was born in Los Angeles, California on June 5, 1961, the only child of parents who performed as a singing duo in Nevada and California lounges before settling in the city.¹ Her mother, Patricia McGowan, was an animation cel painter for Max Fleischer's Popeye cartoons, and that connection to the animation world shaped Bergman's earliest ambitions.¹ She grew up near Adriana Caselotti, the original voice of Disney's Snow White, whom she idolized.¹

At age 16 she earned her first professional acting credit in the 1978 television film Return Engagement starring Elizabeth Taylor, though her scene was cut before broadcast.¹ She joined the Screen Actors Guild and enrolled at UCLA in 1978, studying theater arts for three years alongside Nancy Cartwright, who would later become famous as the voice of Bart Simpson.¹ After leaving UCLA without completing her degree she struggled professionally, working receptionist positions before her voice-acting career found its footing. The turning point came at a karaoke party where her Ethel Merman impression caught the attention of voice-over teacher Kat Lehman, who took her on as a student.¹