Courtney Thorne-Smith

Courtney Thorne-Smith

Thorne-Smith in 2013
Born (1967-11-08) 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

  1. Full cast for "Two and a Half Men" at The Internet Movie Database
  2. Welcome to 18 profile, Internet Movie Database; accessed May 1, 2014.
  3. "Beauty's Revenge" at The Internet Movie Database
  4. Courtney Thorne-Smith's Pregnancy Written into Show, TVGuide.com, October 22, 2007.
  5. Rick Porter (February 18, 2010). "Courtney Thorne-Smith woos one of 'Two and a Half Men'".
  6. Outside In reviewed, USA Today Book Review, September 20, 2007.
  7. "Why Courtney Lives Atkins", atkins.com.
  8. Clinton, Ivory (January 9, 2007). "Courtney Thorne-Smith Marries". People.com.
  9. "Courtney Thorne-Smith Has a Boy". People.com. January 11, 2008.

External links


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