Miriam Flynn is an American voice and character actress. She is best known as Cousin Catherine in the National Lampoon's Vacation films and Grandma Longneck in The Land Before Time franchises. She has acted in several films and television series; the latter including a recurring role as Sister Helen on the Fox/WB sitcom Grounded for Life.
Before breaking into television, Flynn was a member of the Second City improv troupe in 1975. She appeared on stage alongside Shelley Long, George Wendt, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, and James Belushi.
Flynn was a regular cast member on The Tim Conway Show, a comedy-variety show that aired on CBS from March 1980 through summer 1981. She then starred on the short-lived ABC sitcom Maggie. She appeared in the Cheers episode "Love Thy Neighbor" as Phyllis Henshaw, Norm and Vera Peterson's next-door neighbor. In fall 1988, she co-starred in the CBS sitcom Raising Miranda.
In 1995, Flynn was the voice of Maa the Ewe in the film, Babe. She was a regular cast member in Season 1 of Malcolm & Eddie; playing Kelly, a bar owner and landlord to the main characters. From 2001 to 2005, she played the recurring character Sister Helen on the Fox/WB sitcom Grounded for Life. In 2004, she played Coop's mom in Megas XLR. Flynn also appeared in an episode of George Lopez; playing the role of Brenda, a bank employee.
As a voice artist, Flynn has been featured in The Land Before Time series, as Grandma Longneck, on both Taz-Mania and What-a-Mess as the title character's mother, Jean, as Poil in The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper, and on Family Guy. She has also voiced Rudy's mother, Millie Tabootie on the Nickelodeon show, ChalkZone and Aunt Vera on the Cartoon Network show, Ben 10.
Some of Flynn's best known film roles have been as Cousin Catherine in National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), Vegas Vacation (1997) and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2 (2003). Other acting roles include First Family (1980), National Lampoon's Class Reunion (1982), Mr. Mom (1983), Family Ties (1986), For Keeps (1988), 18 Again! (1988), Stealing Home (1988), Lonely Hearts (1991), Evolution (2001), Wieners (2008), About Fifty (2011) and ' (2011).