Dorothy Lyman – actor, director, writer and producer. Known primarily to television audiences as two-time Emmy winner Opal Gardner on All My Children or Vicki Lawrence’s daughter-in-law Naomi on the sitcom Mama’s Family, Dorothy also produced and directed three complete seasons of The Nanny and directed the CBS sitcom Payne starring John Laroquette.

Ms. Lyman’s stage credits include four Dramalogue Awards for A Rage in Tenure (which she wrote and starred in), and directed and later starred in the New York production and national tour of John Ford Noonan’s A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking.

Lyman began her career with Joseph Chaikin’s Open Theatre, and appeared in many soap opera roles in the ’70s and ’80s, including Another World, The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Edge of Night. Other TV appearances include Reba, as Reba Hart's mother, Law and Order: SVU, CSI: Miami, Judging Amy, and The Practice, among others.

She has appeared on both stage and screen with memorable independent roles including the character of Mildred in Ruby in Paradise, as well as appearances in the recent World Trade Center and The Departed, as well as Blow and I Love Trouble.

A few years ago she left LA and returned to the city that ignited her career; and since has appeared on stage in My Kitchen Wars, has been doing some teaching, and recently produced and directed the feature, The Northern Kingdom.

Lyman currently resides in New York City, was married to [producer] Vincent Malle for 20 years where she had the privilege of watching him and his brother Louis make films around the world.