Courtney Thorne-Smith
| Courtney Thorne-Smith | |
|---|---|
 Thorne-Smith in 2013 | |
| Born |
November 8, 1967 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Andrew Conrad (m. 2000; div. 2001) Roger Fishman (m. 2007) |
| Children | 1 |
Courtney Thorne-Smith (born November 8, 1967) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Alison Parker on Melrose Place, Georgia Thomas on Ally McBeal, Cheryl in According to Jim, and her recurring role on Two and a Half Men as Lyndsey McElroy.[1]
Early life
Thorne-Smith was born in San Francisco, California, and grew up in Menlo Park, a suburb south of San Francisco. Her father, Walter Smith, was a computer market researcher, and her mother, Lora Thorne, was a therapist. They divorced when Courtney was seven years old and she lived with both parents at different stages. She has an older sister, Jennifer, who is an advertising executive. She attended Menlo-Atherton High School, in Atherton, California, and graduated from Tamalpais High School, in Mill Valley, California, in 1985. She also performed with the Ensemble Theater Company in Mill Valley while attending high school.
Career
Films
Thorne-Smith made her first film appearance in the 1986 feature film drama Lucas, alongside Winona Ryder, Corey Haim, and Charlie Sheen. She was also involved in a number of movies in the late 1980s, such as Welcome to 18 (1986),[2] Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise (1987), Summer School (1987), and Side Out (1990). In 1998, she starred in the box office flop Chairman of the Board with Carrot Top. In 2009, she appeared in Sorority Wars.
Television
She appeared on a few mid-1980s television series such as Growing Pains and the short-lived Fast Times, as well as made-for-television movies including The Thanksgiving Promise and Infidelity before landing a regular role in the short-lived sitcom Day by Day with Douglas Sheehan, Linda Kelsey and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. In 1990, she was featured in six episodes of L.A. Law as Laker Girl Kimberly Dugan.
Her first notable starring television role was as Alison Parker on Melrose Place from 1992 to 1997. During this time, in 1995, she starred in a made-for-television movie Beauty's Revenge which was also marketed in CD and DVD form as "Midwest Obsession".[3] Following this, she went on to play Georgia Thomas on Ally McBeal from 1997 to 2000. Thorne-Smith originally auditioned for the title role in the show, which ultimately went to Calista Flockhart. Her character was written out of Ally McBeal at the beginning of season four in 2000, though she returned for occasional guest appearances afterwards.
From 2001 to 2009, she starred as Cheryl on According to Jim. In 2007, her real-life pregnancy was hidden on the show at first, but was then written into the plot.[4] On February 18, 2010, she signed on to play Alan Harper's girlfriend, Lyndsey McElroy, in season seven of Two and a Half Men.[5] She appeared in two episodes of season seven and several others in seasons eight through twelve.
Writing
On September 18, 2007, Thorne-Smith's novel, Outside In, was published by Broadway Books in New York.[6]
Spokeswoman
In 1997, she became a spokeswoman for Almay cosmetics, being the face of their new "Skin Stays Clean" line of make-up. She is also a spokeswoman for the Atkins diet.[7]
Personal life
In the early 1990s, Thorne-Smith dated Andrew Shue, her on-screen lover from Melrose Place. In June 2000, the actress married geneticist Andrew Conrad; the couple divorced in January 2001.
On January 1, 2007, she married Roger Fishman, president of the marketing firm the Zizo Group and author of the book "What I Know."[8] On January 11, 2008, aged 40, she gave birth to their first child, Jacob Emerson Fishman.[9]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Welcome to 18 | Lindsey | |
| 1986 | Lucas | Alise | |
| 1987 | Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise | Sunny Carstairs | |
| 1987 | Summer School | Pam House | |
| 1990 | Side Out | Samantha | |
| 1995 | Whisper of the Heart | Shiho Tsukishima | Voice role 2006 Disney dub |
| 1997 | The Lovemaster | Deb | |
| 1998 | Chairman of the Board | Natalie Stockwell | |
| 2005 | Batman: New Times | Catwoman/Ms. Kitka Karenska | Voice role |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Fast Times | Stacey Hamilton | Main role (all 7 episodes) |
| 1986 | The Thanksgiving Promise | Sheryl | Movie |
| 1987 | Growing Pains | Photography class student | Episode: "Nude Photos" |
| 1988–1989 | Day By Day | Kristin Carlson | Series regular (33 episodes) |
| 1990 | L.A. Law | Kimberly Dugan | 6 Episodes |
| 1990 | Anything But Love | Allison Andrews | Episode: "All About Allison" |
| 1992 | Jack's Place | Kim Logan | Episode: "Everything Old is New Again" |
| 1992 | Grapevine | Lisa | Episode: "The Lisa and Bill Story" |
| 1992–1997 | Melrose Place | Allison Parker | Series regular (158 episodes) |
| 1994 | Breach of Conduct | Helen Lutz | Movie |
| 1995 | Beauty's Revenge | Cheryl Ann Davis | Movie |
| 1996 | Partners | Danielle | Episode: "The Year of Bob?" |
| 1997 | Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man | Herself | Episode: "Bonfire of the Panties" |
| 1997 | Spin City | Danielle Brinkman | Episode: "Starting Over" |
| 1997–2002 | Ally McBeal | Georgia Thomas | Main role (69 episodes) |
| 1999 | Partners | Gina Darrin | Episode: "Always..." |
| 1999 | Ally | Georgia Thomas | 12 of 13 episodes |
| 2000 | Norm | Rebecca | Episode: "Norm and the Hopeless Cause" |
| 2001–2009 | According to Jim | Cheryl | Main role (182 episodes) |
| 2009 | Sorority Wars | Lutie Parker | Movie |
| 2010–2015 | Two and a Half Men | Lyndsey McElroy | Recurring role: 52 episodes (seasons 7–12) |
| 2016 | Fresh Off The Boat | Anne | Episode: "Jessica Place" |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Screen Actors Guild | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (shared with rest of cast) |
Ally McBeal | Nominated |
| 1999 | Won | |||
| 2000 | Nominated |
References
- ↑ Full cast for "Two and a Half Men" at The Internet Movie Database
- ↑ Welcome to 18 profile, Internet Movie Database; accessed May 1, 2014.
- ↑ "Beauty's Revenge" at The Internet Movie Database
- ↑ Courtney Thorne-Smith's Pregnancy Written into Show, TVGuide.com, October 22, 2007.
- ↑ Rick Porter (February 18, 2010). "Courtney Thorne-Smith woos one of 'Two and a Half Men'".
- ↑ Outside In reviewed, USA Today Book Review, September 20, 2007.
- ↑ "Why Courtney Lives Atkins", atkins.com.
- ↑ Clinton, Ivory (January 9, 2007). "Courtney Thorne-Smith Marries". People.com.
- ↑ "Courtney Thorne-Smith Has a Boy". People.com. January 11, 2008.