• Mindy Cohn is best known for her role as Natalie Green in The Facts of Life and her voice work in the Scooby Doo franchise
• She attended Westlake School and graduated with a degree in cultural anthropology from Loyola Marymount University
• After The Facts of Life, she appeared in various TV series and films, plus TV films, and she was a voice actor in The Chimp Channel and The Kids from Room 402
• She was the voice actor for Velma in What’s New Scooby-Doo? and she was in Family Guy and Batman: The Brave and the Bold
• After her 2012 breast cancer diagnosis, she underwent a double radical mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation, and is now in remission



Known for movies

Short Info

Net Worth$600 thousand
Date Of BirthMay 20, 1966
MarkNatural brown hair.
FactIn 2012, she candidly told Andy Cohen on his show "Watch What Happens Live" that "Facts of Life" jumped the shark a few times, meaning that the show veered off its natural path and declined in quality. She specifically mentioned when the store "Edna's Edibles" was burned down only to open another store called "Over Our Heads" at the beginning of the 1985-1986 season.


Mindy Cohn is an American actress, comedian, and voice actress, who is best known for her role as Natalie Green in the sitcom, “The Facts of Life,” and whose voice the fans of the animated franchise, “Scooby-Doo” (2002-2006), would recognize in Velma.

Early life and family

Mindy Cohn was born Melinda Heather Cohn on 20 May 1966, in Los Angeles, California to Nat and Ina Cohn, a real estate lawyer. She belongs to a Jewish family. No other information is available on her family and growing up years.

Education background

She attended Westlake School in Holmby Hills, California. There is no information on where she matriculated from high school. She graduated with a degree in cultural anthropology from Loyola Marymount University in L.A.

Remember cute Mindy Cohn from ’The Facts of Life’? The actress looks so different today, we hardly recognize her! —> http://bit.ly/2k7Y6PS

Posted by Woman's World on Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Career

First steps

“The Facts of Life”

Cohn had a great start to her career as she landed the role of Natalie Green in NBC’s television series, “The Facts of Life.” She was only 13 at that time. Apparently, the character actress and comedian, Charlotte Ray Lubotsky, discovered her when Charlotte and the producers of the series went to Westlake School in Holmby Hills to do research for the show. “The Facts of Life” was a spin-off of another television series “Diff’rent Strokes,” where Charlotte Rae was cast as Mrs. Edna Garrett, the first housekeeper of the Drummonds, and who would play the same character but as the housemother at the Eastland School, an all-girls boarding school, in the new series.

Mindy said that Charlotte lobbied for her and asked the producers to create a part for her. It seemed that aside from being ‘hilarious and irrepressible,’ Mindy reminded Charlotte of her best friend, Natalie.

Reception

The sitcom first aired on 24 August 1979 and ran for nine seasons (1979-1987) with 201 episodes. It was the lowest-rated NBC series during the first season and was put on hiatus. Extensive changes were made for season 2 which paid off as it received high ratings on its new timeslot, peaking at 27.4 rating in January 1981, making it the fourth highest-rated scripted series on NBC. Then with its third season, it became NBC’s No.2 overall series and its highest-rated comedy series.

It continued its successful run throughout the rest of the seasons. NBC was planning to renew the show for a tenth season but Mindy Cohn and another cast member, Nancy McKeon, decided to leave after the ninth season. With the success of the series, it was also aired in other countries such as Canada, Brazil, and France.

Mindy was also part of the three two-hour movie televisions made, namely “The Facts of Life Goes to Paris” (1982), “The Facts of Life Down Under” (1987), and “The Facts of Life Reunion” (2001).

Further success

She appeared as her character, Natalie Green, in two episodes of “Diff’rent Strokes.”

Mindy was also able to play other characters when she guest-starred in an episode or two of other popular television series such as NBC’s “Double Trouble” (1985), and “21 Jump Street” (1987-1988) on Fox Network. Her first feature film was in 1986 in the fantasy comedy-drama, “The Boy Who Could Fly,” but it didn’t fare well at the box office and received a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

After “The Facts of Life,” she continued to appear as a guest in various TV series such as “Charles in Charge” (1988) starring Scott Baio and “Suddenly Susan” (1999) starring Brooke Shields. She was also part of the main cast as Maureen Tucker in NBC’s “The Second Half” (1993-1994) and as Maggie, the cook, in “The Help” (2004) from The WB. However, these two series ran for just one season.

Mindy Cohn

Aside from doing TV films, she also did around 10 feature films from 1986 to 2020 including the dark comedy, “Sex and Death 101,” in 1987 starring Wynona Ryder and Simon Baker; the romantic comedy, “Violet Tendencies,” in 2010; and “A Nice Girl Like You,” in 2020.

Voice work

In 1999, she was a voice actor in 13 episodes of “The Chimp Channel” (TCC), which was based on the “Monkey-ed Movies,” and featured parodies of popular TV programs, films, advertising, and personalities as well as behind-the-scene antics. The show made use of orangutans and chimpanzees wearing costumes that were voiced by human actors.

Mindy was the voice actor for Candy Yuponce, TCC’s make-up girl. The series received negative reviews from critics and only ran for one season.

“The Kids from Room 402” was her next work as a voice actor. This was a Canadian-American animated series based on the children’s book, “Gracie Graves and the Kids from Room 402.” It was aired in 1999 on the Fox Family Channel in the U.S. and in 2000 on Teletoon in Canada. One of the main characters, Nancy Francis, was voiced by Cohn in 34 out of 52 episodes for two seasons.

Scooby-Doo

Mindy was the voice actor for Velma from the highly popular animated mystery comedy series, “What’s New, Scooby-Doo?” (2002-2006), produced by Warner Bros. Animation for WB Kids.

The story revolves around Scooby-Doo and his companions, Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, and Shaggy Rogers, as they solve mysteries in various locations using modern technology. The series was the modernized version of Hanna-Barbera’s “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” which premiered in 1969. It ran for three seasons with 42 episodes. “Scooby‑Doo! Mystery Incorporated” aired for two seasons (2010-2013) with 52 episodes. There were also 18 Scooby-Doo direct-to-video films and six direct-to-video short films released from 2004 to 2015. Her voice was also featured in five Scooby-Doo video games released from 2004 to 2010.

As a voice actor, she was also in an episode of the animated series “Dexter’s Laboratory” as the librarian and “Kim Possible” as Ms. Whisp both in 2003. Interestingly, she was in “Family Guy” as Natalie Green in 2006; she was in “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” as Velma Dinkley in 2011.

Personal Life

Mindy is single at 53 and has no children. There is no news of her dating anybody. She keeps her personal life private. She is currently living in her Beverly Hills home.

Battle with cancer

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. According to an article from People Magazine in 2017, as Mindy was walking around her neighborhood in L.A., she suddenly felt so tired and had to text her friend, Helen Hunt, to come and help her. It was Hunt who first took her to the doctor.

She was biopsied after a scan showed something in her breast and it turned out that she had breast cancer. At first, she opted to do a lumpectomy, but the cancer had metastasized and spread to her lymph nodes and so she took a year off from work and underwent a double radical mastectomy. She also underwent chemotherapy and radiation. She kept her battle with cancer a secret for five years. Mindy stayed with her friends, Dr. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, who are known for their reality show, “The Fabulous Beekman Boys,” on their 60-acre ranch during this difficult time. She said that it was hard to go through it alone and added, ‘it was bad enough to put my parents through this; I’m glad I didn’t put a partner through it too.’ She was in remission in 2017 and went back to work.

Interesting facts and rumors

  • Mindy and her acting mentor, Charlotte, maintained their friendship after “The Facts of Life” TV series ended.
  • She was ranked 43rd at the VH1’s List of 100 Greatest Kids Stars.
  • She received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for her work in “What’s New, Scooby-Doo.”
  • In 2016, she was one of the contestants in season nine: celebrity edition 2 of “The Worst Cooks in America.”
  • She is a strong supporter of the LGBT community.
  • Mindy is said to be good friends with the American actor, James Haven, and met Angelina Jolie through him as he was her older brother. She is the godmother of two of Angelina and Brad Pitt’s children and was even reportedly given a diamond ring to thank her. When asked about this, she only had this to say, ‘That story seems to be going around. I just don’t talk about any of that.’
  • After surviving cancer, she became a founding member of weSpark Cancer Support Centre and she is on its Board of Directors.

Appearance

Mindy has a voluptuous figure and is 5ft 1in (1.5m) tall. She has brown hair.

Net Worth

According to sources, Mindy Cohn has an estimated net worth of $1 million.

General Info

Full NameMindy Cohn
Net Worth$600 thousand
Date Of BirthMay 20, 1966
ProfessionComedian, Voice Actor, Singer
EducationLoyola Marymount University
NationalityAmerican

Family

ParentsIna Cohn, Nat Cohn

Accomplishments

NominationsDaytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer In An Animated Program
MoviesScooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery, Violet Tendencies, Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare, Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery, Big Top Scooby-Doo!, Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy, Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur, Scooby-Doo! Moon Monster Madness, Scooby-Doo! in Where's My Mummy?, Scooby-Doo! Pirates Ahoy...
TV ShowsScooby-Doo! Mystery, Inc., Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!, What's New, Scooby-Doo?, The Help, The Kids from Room 402, The Chimp Channel, The Facts of Life, The Second Half

Social profile links

Marks

#Marks / Signs
1Voluptuous figure
2Natural brown hair.
3Deep sultry voice.

Quotes

#Quote
1[In 2012, dispelling a rumor that Molly Ringwald was mistreated on The Facts of Life (1979)] I'll answer that because Molly and I are actually working together again on The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008). So no! That first year was very hard for a lot of girls who were cast and didn't become regulars. I think for a 22-minute sitcom to try and give 8 girls at the time, plus Charlotte Rae, plus two other adults lines, I think there was a sense of "What am I doing here?" And Molly had just come off a run on "Annie" on Broadway, and she was on her way up. She'll be the first to tell you that getting off the "Facts of Life" was the best thing that ever happened to her career. I didn't hear that rumor, and I don't think that's her experience.
2[Of Charlotte Rae]: More than anything else, my heart just is open to celebrating Charlotte Rae, and the amazing career that she has had, which gratefully included 9 years of The Facts of Life (1979).
3[on her latter on- and off-screen chemistry with Charlotte Rae, who played "Edna Garrett"]: I was discovered by Charlotte Rae and the producer at the time, Norman Lear, came to the school that I was attending, "Westlake School For Girls", to try and authenticate the scripts and try to get a feel of what it was like to be - in an all-girls school, and Charlotte really wanted to make sure that "Mrs. Garrett", there was a reason for "Mrs. Garrett" to leave Diff'rent Strokes (1978), which was the show she started on, and go to this all-girls school, for a reason. So, they were trying to figure that out, so I was one of the students they talked to and she and I hit it off ... I guess, extremely well, as a 13-year-old. I don't really know what that means to hit it off with someone.
4[on the impending departure of Charlotte Rae, who played Edna Garrett, from 1978-1986 on both Diff'rent Strokes (1978) and The Facts of Life (1979), which was a spin-off]: One of the reasons she left was that this show is really started to focused on the girls, the pull of the show started to be different of her. She sorta felt like 'I'm done!'
5[Who admitted that in one aspect she was similar to her Natalie Green character]: Anything that takes more than 20 minutes? No can do.
6Ultimately, I want people to be able to see me, that I'm an actor. Sometimes people see me with whatever label, and I've not yet been able to show what I can do. That's the exciting part. I still have the tenacity and the hunger, and my patience is going to pay off. My motto in life is 'The best is yet to come'.
7[on her The Facts of Life (1979) co-star, who was fired after the first season]: Felice Schachter is my soul sister. Felice and I became incredibly close, very quickly, very same sensibility. She just felt like family. I think Felice got a bum deal.
8[on herself being overshadowed by her Natalie Green character]: It's a catch-22, I get the 'Where have you been? We want to see more of you' comments and I also understand from a producer's point of view, 'We don't want Natalie in our movie.'
9Right now, I'm an unemployed actor. My dream is to do eight shows a week [on stage], but I can't do that and financially take care of myself in the way I've become accustomed.

Facts

#Fact
1Surrogate daughter of Charlotte Rae.
2Credits Charlotte Rae as her favorite acting mentor/best friend.
3When she was on "The Facts of Life" for 9 years, the producers wouldn't let her audition for film roles, such as for St. Elmo's Fire (1985) in 1984. There was a wide gap between television and film actors at the time, until Michael J. Fox changed it when he starred in the hit film Back to the Future (1985) while simultaneously starring in the hit TV series "Family Ties". Mindy said Mare Winningham ended up getting the role in "St. Elmo's Fire" and that she did a great job in it.
4In 2012, she candidly told Andy Cohen on his show "Watch What Happens Live" that "Facts of Life" jumped the shark a few times, meaning that the show veered off its natural path and declined in quality. She specifically mentioned when the store "Edna's Edibles" was burned down only to open another store called "Over Our Heads" at the beginning of the 1985-1986 season.
5Revealed that she had a wonderful working relationship with Charlotte Rae on The Facts of Life (1979).
6Her acting mentor was Charlotte Rae.
7Has a long association with Charlotte Rae.
8Best known by the public for her role as Natalie Green on The Facts of Life (1979).
9Is good friends with Angelina Jolie's brother James Haven, and is even the godmother of two of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's children.
10Keeps in touch with her The Facts of Life (1979) co-star Kim Fields.
11Was among the guests at Justine Bateman's 17th birthday party.
12Continues to look for acting work and turns down all the VH1 reality shows (Celebrity Fit Club (2005), etc.) because she doesn't want to cash in on her early The Facts of Life (1979) fame.
13Was parodied in the TV show Clerks (2000).
14Ranked #43 in VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Kid Stars".
15Member of the board of directors of weSPARK, a cancer survivor organization founded by actress Wendie Jo Sperber.
16Actress Charlotte Rae (Mrs. Garrett) discovered Cohn and also named her character Natalie on The Facts of Life (1979). Rae met Cohn after she and the show's producers noticed her entertaining a group of friends at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, where they had gone to research and observe.
17Graduated from Loyola Marymount in 1995 with a degree in sociology.

Pictures

Movies

Actress

TitleYearStatusCharacter
FreakMe2014TV MovieApril
Bones2014TV SeriesValentina
Operation Marriage2014ShortKathy
Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy2014VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
The Middle2014TV SeriesKimberly
Scooby-Doo! Ghastly Goals2014Video shortVelma Dinkley (voice)
Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery2014VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
Holiday Road Trip2013TV MovieArtie
Scooby-Doo! Mecha Mutt Menace2013Video shortVelma Dinkley (voice)
Scooby-Doo! Spooky Scarecrow2013Video shortVelma Dinkley (voice)
Scooby-Doo! Stage Fright2013VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated2010-2013TV SeriesVelma Dinkley
Scooby-Doo! Mask of the Blue Falcon2012VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
Scooby-Doo! Haunted Holidays2012Video shortVelma Dinkley (voice)
Big Top Scooby-Doo!2012VideoVelma Dinkley
The Secret Life of the American Teenager2012TV SeriesDylan's Mom
Scooby-Doo! Spooky Games2012Video shortVelma Dinkley (voice)
Scooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire2012Velma Dinkley (voice)
Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur2011VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
Hot in Cleveland2011TV SeriesCassie
Batman: The Brave and the Bold2011TV SeriesVelma / Ticket Girl
Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare2010VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
Scooby-Doo and the Spooky Swamp2010Video GameVelma Dinkley (voice)
Violet Tendencies2010Violet
Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo2010VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
Scooby Doo! First Frights2009Video GameVelma Dinkley (voice)
Scooby-Doo and the Samurai Sword2009VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
Scooby-Doo and the Goblin King2008VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
Chill Out, Scooby-Doo!2007VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
Sex and Death 1012007Trixie
Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!2006TV SeriesVelma Dinkley
Family Guy2006TV Series
Scooby-Doo: Who's Watching Who2006Video GameVelma Dinkley (voice)
Scooby-Doo! Pirates Ahoy!2006VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
What's New, Scooby-Doo?2002-2006TV SeriesVelma Dinkley / Tourist's Daughter
Scooby-Doo in Where's My Mummy?2005VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
Scooby-Doo! Unmasked2005Video GameVelma Dinkley (voice)
The Third Wish2005Bridgette
Aloha, Scooby-Doo!2005VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
The Adventures of Tango McNorton: Licensed Hero2005TV ShortLunch Lady
Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster2004VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
The Help2004TV SeriesMaggie, the Cook
Scooby-Doo! Mystery Mayhem2004Video GameVelma Dinkley (voice)
A Scooby-Doo! Christmas2004TV ShortVelma Dinkley (voice)
Swing2003/IMartha
Kim Possible2003TV SeriesMs. Whisp
Dexter's Laboratory2003TV SeriesLibrarian
One on One2003TV SeriesMs. Sorel
Under the Gun2002Gale
The Facts of Life Reunion2001TV MovieNatalie Green
Virtually Casey2001TV MovieJoanne Collins
Alone with a Stranger2001Toni
The Kids from Room 4021999-2001TV SeriesNancy Francis
The Chimp Channel1999TV SeriesCandy Yuponce (voice)
Suddenly Susan1999TV SeriesCindy
The Second Half1993-1994TV SeriesMaureen Tucker
Dream On1991TV SeriesMarie
The Facts of Life1979-1988TV SeriesNatalie Green / Frenchie
Charles in Charge1988TV SeriesBunny Lembeck
21 Jump Street1987-1988TV SeriesRosa Banducci / Sal's Wife
The Facts of Life Down Under1987TV MovieNatalie Green
The Boy Who Could Fly1986Geneva
Double Trouble1985TV SeriesJanie Blakemore
The Facts of Life Goes to Paris1982TV MovieNatalie Green
Table Settings1982TV Movie
Diff'rent Strokes1980-1981TV SeriesNatalie Green
A Nice Girl Like You2017pre-productionPricilla
Lego Dimensions2015Video GameVelma Dinkley (voice)
Scooby-Doo! And Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery2015VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)
You're Killing Me2015Karen
Scooby Doo and the Beach Beastie2015Video shortVelma Dinkley
Scooby-Doo! Moon Monster Madness2015VideoVelma Dinkley (voice)

Producer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Bad for the Boats2017Short producer post-production
Dress Up2017Short producer post-production
The Morning After2017Short producer post-production

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
What's New, Scooby-Doo?2003TV Series performer - 1 episode

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Worst Cooks in America2016TV SeriesHerself - Contestant
Today2006-2016TV SeriesHerself - Guest / Herself
Home & Family2016TV SeriesHerself
Scooby Space Snacks2015Video shortHerself
Space Travel Is Groovy!2015Video shortHerself
Oprah: Where Are They Now?2014TV SeriesHerself
Celebrity Ghost Stories2011TV Series documentaryHerself
The 9th Annual TV Land Awards2011TV SpecialHerself
Good Morning America2011TV SeriesHerself
What Not to Wear2010TV SeriesHerself
Totally Tracked Down2010TV SeriesHerself
101 Perversions2008Video documentary shortHerself
TV Land's Top Ten2005-2006TV Series documentaryHerself
Biography2005TV Series documentaryHerself
Intimate Portrait2003TV Series documentaryHerself
Comedy Central Canned Ham2002TV SeriesCarol Rosenthal
E! Entertainment Special: Who Let the Dog Out?2002TV SpecialHerself
Weakest Link2001TV SeriesHerself
The Test2001TV SeriesHerself - Panelist
Truth Behind the Sitcom Scandals 52000TV Movie documentaryHerself
Hollywood Squares1999TV SeriesHerself - Panelist
The Wil Shriner Show1987TV SeriesHerself
The New Hollywood Squares1986TV SeriesHerself - Panelist
Disneyland's Summer Vacation Party1986TV SpecialHerself
Andy Williams and the NBC Kids Search for Santa1985TV SpecialHerself
Body Language1984-1985TV SeriesHerself
Disneyland's 30th Anniversary Celebration1985TV Movie documentaryHerself
Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour1984TV SeriesHerself - Panelist
Hot Potato1984TV SeriesHerself / Herself - Panelist
Battle of the Video Games1983TV MovieHerself - Red Team Member
The Regis Philbin Show1981TV SeriesHerself

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Entertainment Tonight2015TV SeriesHerself
50 Cutest Child Stars: All Grown Up2005TV Movie documentaryHerself
Retrosexual: The 80's2004TV Mini-Series documentary
E! True Hollywood Story1999TV Series documentaryHerself

Awards

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2014BTVA Special/DVD Voice Acting AwardBehind the Voice Actors AwardsBest Vocal Ensemble in a TV Special/Direct-to-DVD Title or Theatrical ShortScooby-Doo! Mask of the Blue Falcon (2012)
2013BTVA Special/DVD Voice Acting AwardBehind the Voice Actors AwardsBest Female Vocal Performance in a TV Special/Direct-to-DVD Title or Theatrical ShortScooby-Doo! Music of the Vampire (2012)
2013BTVA Television Voice Acting AwardBehind the Voice Actors AwardsBest Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series - Comedy/MusicalScooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010)
2012BTVA Special/DVD Voice Acting AwardBehind the Voice Actors AwardsBest Vocal Ensemble in a TV Special/Direct-to-DVD Title or Theatrical ShortScooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur (2011)
2003Daytime EmmyDaytime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Performer in an Animated ProgramWhat's New, Scooby-Doo? (2002)
1984Young Artist AwardYoung Artist AwardsBest Young Actress in a Comedy SeriesThe Facts of Life (1979)
1983Young Artist AwardYoung Artist AwardsBest Young Actress in a Comedy SeriesThe Facts of Life (1979)
1982Young Artist AwardYoung Artist AwardsBest Young Comedienne - Motion Picture or TelevisionThe Facts of Life (1979)

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

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