Deb Theaker was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, but spent her formative years in Esterhazy, Saskatchewan, also known as the potash capital of the world, where her father served as the mayor and local mortician. This unique upbringing likely had a profound impact on her future endeavors.
She graduated from the University of Saskatchewan and relocated to Toronto, where she became a member of Second City's resident Company. During her time onstage, she won a Dora Award, Canada's equivalent of the Tony, for writing and performing in "Not Based on Anything by Stephen King". This accomplishment demonstrates her exceptional talent in multiple creative fields.
Theaker's impressive resume also includes starring alongside Joe Flaherty in the critically-acclaimed Lucasfilm series Maniac Mansion (1990),which TIME magazine hailed as "a comic gem". She was also a writer for the series, contributing to its quirky satire about genetic mutation, a concept brainchild of Eugene Levy and George Lucas.
In addition to her work on Maniac Mansion, Deb was nominated for a Cable Ace Award as Best Actress in a Series for her performance in the show. She has appeared in four feature films and multiple commercials for writer/decorator Christopher Guest, who discovered her talent while watching her perform with The Second City Los Angeles cast in 1990. Guest recommended her for the lead role in a Norman Lear project she was writing.
Theaker is a longtime collaborator of The Kids in the Hall and co-wrote Scott Thompson's Comedy Central special. She also co-wrote and directed two solo stage shows for him. Her impressive filmography includes appearances in two films and multiple pilot projects for writer/director Ash Christian, for which she won the Best Supporting Actor award at QFest in Asheville, NC in October 2011 for her role as a predatory beautician in Christian's film Mangus.
She has also been nominated for Best Supporting Actress opposite Mickey Rooney and Louis Mandylor in Mark Clebanoff's film Gerald in 2010, in which she aged from 35 to 70. Theaker's extensive television appearances include memorable roles as a sweet serial killer on Bones, a disturbed psychic on Reno 911, and the unscrupulous thieving caterer on Curb Your Enthusiasm, for which she got into a humorous fight with Larry over leftovers.
In addition to her on-camera work, Deb is a talented visual artist and designer.
