Christina Pickles
Encyclopedia
Christina Pickles is an English
actress, best known for her long-running role of Nurse Helen Rosenthal in the hospital drama St. Elsewhere
, for which she was nominated for four Emmys.
, England
. She is the niece of radio presenter Wilfred Pickles
and the sister of judge James Pickles
. Her niece Carolyn Pickles
is also an actress.
She has appeared in such television shows as Roseanne
, Matlock
, Diagnosis: Murder
and Murder, She Wrote
, as well as the soap operas The Guiding Light and Another World
, though it was her role in the NBC medical drama St. Elsewhere
(1982 - 1988) with which she is most identified. She remained on St. Elsewhere for its entire six-year run, and was nominated for four Emmy awards for her work on the series.
Pickles played the mother of Harmon Rabb
, in the television series, "JAG"
. She also appeared as "Judy Geller", the mother of Ross
and Monica Geller
, in the U.S. sitcom Friends
, making appearances throughout the ten-year run of the series and receiving an Emmy nomination for her role in 1995.
Pickles has appeared in many films including Masters of the Universe
, Rush It
, The Wedding Singer
, Sol Goode
and George of the Jungle 2
. She also appeared in 1994's Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love
as Tippy. However, of all her film work, she is probably best remembered Caroline Montague in Baz Luhrmann
's Romeo and Juliet. She also voiced Elsie the Elasmosaurus
in The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island
. She also appeared on the show How I Met Your Mother
as Lily Aldrin's grandmother in 2009 and 2011. On radio Pickles is a frequent guest on the public radio program Selected Shorts
. She was romantically linked with actor Herb Edelman
(who played her onscreen significant other on St. Elsewhere), from the mid-1980s until his death.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
actress, best known for her long-running role of Nurse Helen Rosenthal in the hospital drama St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
, for which she was nominated for four Emmys.
Life and career
Christina Pickles was born in YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. She is the niece of radio presenter Wilfred Pickles
Wilfred Pickles
Wilfred Pickles OBE was an English actor and radio presenter.Born in Halifax in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Pickles was a proud Yorkshireman, and having been selected by the BBC as an announcer for its North Regional radio service, went on to be an occasional newsreader on the BBC Home Service...
and the sister of judge James Pickles
James Pickles
Judge James Pickles was an English Circuit judge famed for his "no nonsense" approach and many controversial decisions, who later became a tabloid columnist.-Early life:...
. Her niece Carolyn Pickles
Carolyn Pickles
Carolyn Pickles is an English actress who has appeared in West End theatre and on British television, perhaps most notably in Emmerdale as Shelly Williams.-Life and career:Pickles was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England...
is also an actress.
She has appeared in such television shows as Roseanne
Roseanne (TV series)
Roseanne is an American sitcom broadcast on ABC from October 18, 1988 to May 20, 1997. Starring Roseanne Barr, the show revolved around the Conners, an Illinois working class family...
, Matlock
Matlock (TV series)
Matlock is an American television legal drama, starring Andy Griffith in the title role of attorney Ben Matlock. The show originally aired from September 23, 1986 to May 8, 1992 on NBC, where it replaced The A-Team, then from November 5, 1992 until May 7, 1995 on ABC.The show's format was similar...
, Diagnosis: Murder
Diagnosis: Murder
Diagnosis: Murder is a mystery/medical/crime drama television series starring Dick Van Dyke as Dr. Mark Sloan, a medical doctor who solves crimes with the help of his son, a homicide detective played by his real-life son Barry Van Dyke. The series began as a spin-off of Jake and the Fatman...
and Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
, as well as the soap operas The Guiding Light and Another World
Another World (TV series)
Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
, though it was her role in the NBC medical drama St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
(1982 - 1988) with which she is most identified. She remained on St. Elsewhere for its entire six-year run, and was nominated for four Emmy awards for her work on the series.
Pickles played the mother of Harmon Rabb
Harmon Rabb
Captain Harmon 'Harm' Rabb, Jr., JAGC, USN, is a fictional and lead character in the American television series JAG....
, in the television series, "JAG"
JAG (TV series)
JAG is an American adventure/legal drama television show that was produced by Belisarius Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television and, for the first season only, NBC Productions...
. She also appeared as "Judy Geller", the mother of Ross
Ross Geller
Ross Eustace Geller, Ph.D. is a fictional character on the popular U.S. television series Friends, portrayed by David Schwimmer. The character is noted for his geeky, lovable demeanor.- Origin :...
and Monica Geller
Monica Geller
Monica E. Geller Bing is a fictional character on the popular US television sitcom Friends, portrayed by Courteney Cox. Monica is known as the "Mother Hen" of the group and her Greenwich Village apartment was one of the group's main gathering places. She was also known for her obsessive personality...
, in the U.S. sitcom Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, making appearances throughout the ten-year run of the series and receiving an Emmy nomination for her role in 1995.
Pickles has appeared in many films including Masters of the Universe
Masters of the Universe (film)
Masters of the Universe is a 1987 science-fiction fantasy film based on the toy line by the same name. The movie stars Dolph Lundgren as He-Man and Frank Langella as Skeletor...
, Rush It
Rush It
Rush It is a 1977 film co-written and directed by Gary Youngman. The directorial debut film also featured the first acting role in a film by Tom Berenger.-Principal cast:...
, The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer
The Wedding Singer is a 1998 romantic comedy film written by Tim Herlihy and directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler as a wedding singer in the 1980s and Drew Barrymore as a waitress with whom he falls in love....
, Sol Goode
Sol Goode
Sol Goode is a 2001 American romantic comedy film directed by Danny Comden. The lead role of Sol Goode is played by Balthazar Getty; other cast include Katharine Towne, Jamie Kennedy, Danny Comden, and Cheri Oteri...
and George of the Jungle 2
George of the Jungle 2
George of the Jungle 2 is the 2003 direct-to-video sequel of the 1997 Disney film George of the Jungle. It was directed by David Grossman, written by Jordan Moffet, and stars Thomas Haden Church, Julie Benz, Christina Pickles, Michael Clarke Duncan, John Cleese, and introducing Christopher...
. She also appeared in 1994's Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love
Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love
Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love is a 1994 sequel to the 1984 comedy Revenge of the Nerds and the follow-up films in 1987 and 1992.-Plot:...
as Tippy. However, of all her film work, she is probably best remembered Caroline Montague in Baz Luhrmann
Baz Luhrmann
Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann is an Australian film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for The Red Curtain Trilogy, which includes his films Strictly Ballroom, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!...
's Romeo and Juliet. She also voiced Elsie the Elasmosaurus
Elasmosaurus
Elasmosaurus + σαυρος sauros 'lizard') is a genus of plesiosaur with an extremely long neck that lived in the Late Cretaceous period , 80.5 million years ago.-Description:...
in The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island
The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island
The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island is a 1997 animated film directed by Roy Allen Smith. This is the first film in the series in which Anndi McAfee is the voice of Cera, and Aria Noelle Curzon is the voice of Ducky...
. She also appeared on the show How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
as Lily Aldrin's grandmother in 2009 and 2011. On radio Pickles is a frequent guest on the public radio program Selected Shorts
Selected Shorts
Selected Shorts is an event at New York’s Symphony Space on the Upper West Side, in which actors read classic and new short fiction before a live audience. The annual season of the live events at Symphony Space begins in the mid-fall and ends in mid-spring, and a typical episode would include...
. She was romantically linked with actor Herb Edelman
Herb Edelman
Herbert "Herb" Edelman was an American actor of stage, film and television. He was twice nominated for an Emmy Award for his television work. One of his best remembered roles was as Stanley Zbornak, the ex-husband of Dorothy Zbornak on the long-running situation comedy, The Golden Girls...
(who played her onscreen significant other on St. Elsewhere), from the mid-1980s until his death.