Cathy Moriarty
She stepped off a Bronx dance floor into a Scorsese film, earning an Oscar nomination for her very first role.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American actress·Birthday: November 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Cathy Moriarty's story is a quintessential New York discovery tale. At nineteen, she was spotted in a nightclub by a casting agent, and within a year she was delivering a performance of steely, tragic resilience as Vickie LaMotta in Martin Scorsese's 'Raging Bull.' Her debut was a seismic event, landing her an Academy Award nomination and establishing a screen presence that was both formidable and vulnerable. For decades afterward, Moriarty defied easy categorization, moving between dramatic roles in films like 'Soapdish' and 'Matinee' and comedic turns in 'Casper' and 'Analyze That.' Her career, spanning over forty years, is a testament to a raw, instinctive talent that never sought the spotlight but commanded attention whenever she appeared.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Cathy was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cathy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Cathy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her debut film role in 'Raging Bull' (1980).
- Portrayed the memorable Kathleen O'Hara in the cult comedy horror film 'Soapdish' (1991).
- Played a key role in the family film 'Casper' (1995) as Carrigan Crittenden.
- Starred alongside John Travolta in the Barry Sonnenfeld comedy 'The Addams Family' (1991).
- Maintained a consistent acting career across five decades in film and television.
Did You Know?
She was discovered while working as a coat check girl at a New York nightclub.
Her distinctive, husky voice is a result of nodes on her vocal cords she had as a child.
She turned down the lead role in 'The Flamingo Kid' early in her career.
She is an accomplished equestrian and has owned several horses.
She voiced the character of Mrs. Dink in the animated series 'Doug'.
“I never went to acting school; I just knew how to listen.”
