Courtney Thorne-Smith
Encyclopedia
Courtney Thorne-Smith is an American
actress. She is best known for her roles as Alison Parker on Melrose Place, Georgia Thomas on Ally McBeal
, and Cheryl Mabel in According to Jim
, as well as her recurring role in Two and a Half Men
as Lyndsey McElroy.
, 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 was a therapist. They divorced when Courtney was seven years old, and she lived with both parents at different stages. 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.
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), Summer School
(1987), Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise
(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
.
and the short-lived Fast Times
, as well as made-for-TV 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 the popular TV series LA Law as Kimberly Dugan.
Her first notable starring television role was as Alison Parker on Melrose Place from 1992–1997. 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". Following this, she went on to play Georgia Thomas on Ally McBeal
from 1997–2000. Thorne-Smith had originally auditioned for the title role in the show, which ultimately went to Calista Flockhart
. In 1999, she became a spokeswoman for Almay
cosmetics, being the face of their new "Skin Stays Clean" line of make-up. Her character was written out of Ally McBeal at the beginning of the fourth season in 2000, though she returned for occasional guest appearances afterwards.
From 2001 to 2009, Thorne-Smith starred as Cheryl on the sitcom According to Jim
. In 2007, her real-life pregnancy was hidden on the show at first, but was then written into the plot.
On February 18, 2010, Courtney signed on to play Alan Harper
's girlfriend, Lyndsey McElroy, in the seventh season
of Two and a Half Men
. She appeared in two episodes of season 7 and several more in season 8.
, in the early 1990s. In 2000, the actress married genetic scientist
Andrew Conrad, but they divorced in January 2001. She married Roger Fishman on January 1, 2007. On January 11, 2008, she gave birth to their first child, Jacob 'Jake' Emerson Fishman.
Americans
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
actress. She is best known for her roles as Alison Parker on Melrose Place, Georgia Thomas on Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal is an American legal comedy-drama series which aired on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia...
, and Cheryl Mabel in According to Jim
According to Jim
According to Jim is an American sitcom television series starring Jim Belushi in the title role as a suburban father of three children. It originally ran on ABC from October 3, 2001 to June 2, 2009.-Synopsis:Jim is an abrasive but lovable suburban father...
, as well as her recurring role in Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
as Lyndsey McElroy.
Early life
She was born in San FranciscoSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and grew up in Menlo Park
Menlo Park, California
Menlo Park, California is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Stanford to the south; Atherton, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City...
, a suburb south of San Francisco. Her father, Walter Smith, was a computer market researcher and her mother was a therapist. They divorced when Courtney was seven years old, and she lived with both parents at different stages. She attended Menlo-Atherton High School
Menlo-Atherton High School
Menlo-Atherton High School is a four-year comprehensive secondary school located in Atherton, California which was established in 1951. Menlo-Atherton is part of the Sequoia Union High School District....
, in Atherton, California
Atherton, California
Atherton is an incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States. Its population was 6,914 at the 2010 census. In September 2010, Forbes magazine placed Atherton's zip code of 94027 at #2 on its annual list of America's most expensive zip codes, with a median home price of $4,010,200...
, and graduated from Tamalpais High School
Tamalpais High School
Tamalpais High School is a public secondary school located in Mill Valley, California. It is named after nearby Mount Tamalpais, which rises more than above Mill Valley....
, in Mill Valley, California
Mill Valley, California
Mill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, United States located about north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge. The population was 13,903 at the 2010 census.Mill Valley is located on the western and northern shores of Richardson Bay...
, in 1985. She also performed with the Ensemble Theater Company in Mill Valley while attending high school.
Films
Thorne-Smith made her first film appearance in the 1986 feature film drama LucasLucas (film)
Lucas is a 1986 American teen tragicomedy film directed by David Seltzer and starring Corey Haim, Kerri Green, Charlie Sheen and Courtney Thorne-Smith. The film is particularly notable for being the screen debut of actress Winona Ryder.-Plot:...
alongside Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas. Ryder's first significant role came in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice as a goth teenager, which won her critical and commercial recognition...
, Corey Haim
Corey Haim
Corey Ian Haim was a Canadian actor, known for a 1980s Hollywood career as a teen idol. He starred in a number of films such as Lucas, Silver Bullet, Murphy's Romance, License to Drive and Dream a Little Dream...
, and Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
. She was also involved in a number of movies in the late 1980s, such as Welcome to 18
Welcome to 18
Welcome to 18 is a 1986 coming of age comedy-drama film starring Mariska Hargitay, Courtney Thorne-Smith, and JoAnn Willette.-Plot:...
(1986), Summer School
Summer School (film)
Summer School is a 1987 film directed by Carl Reiner about the travails of a high school gym teacher who is forced to teach a remedial English class for a bunch of maladjusted goof-off students. It stars Mark Harmon, Kirstie Alley, and Courtney Thorne-Smith. The original music score was composed by...
(1987), Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise
Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise
Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise is the 1987 sequel to the 1984 comedy Revenge of the Nerds. Its cast featured most of the main actors from the earlier film, including Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Curtis Armstrong, Larry B. Scott, Timothy Busfield, Donald Gibb, and Andrew Cassese....
(1987), and Side Out
Side Out
Side Out is a 1990 film about a beach volleyball competition, featuring C. Thomas Howell, Peter Horton and Courtney Thorne-Smith.The term “side-out” refers to an obsolete rule in volleyball under which the winning point could only be scored by the serving team...
(1990). In 1998, she starred in the box office flop Chairman of the Board
Chairman of the Board (film)
Chairman of the Board is a 1998 movie starring Courtney Thorne-Smith and Carrot Top in which a surfer/inventor inherits and runs a billionaire's company. It was poorly received by critics and moviegoers alike.-Plot:...
with Carrot Top
Carrot Top
Scott Thompson , better known by his stage name Carrot Top, is an American comedian known for his bright red hair, prop comedy, and self-deprecating humor.-Early years:...
. In 2009, she appeared in Sorority Wars
Sorority Wars
- External links :* on Lifetime Movies...
.
Television
She appeared on a few mid-1980s television shows such as Growing PainsGrowing Pains
Growing Pains is an American television sitcom about an affluent family, residing in Huntington, New York, with a working mother and a stay-at-home psychiatrist father raising three children together, which aired on ABC from September 24, 1985 to April 25, 1992.-Synopsis:The show's premise is based...
and the short-lived Fast Times
Fast Times
Fast Times is a seven-episode 1986 television sequel to the 1982 movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High that was produced by Amy Heckerling, who directed the original film. Cameron Crowe, who penned the original Fast Times novel and film screenplay, served as creative consultant. Moon Unit Zappa...
, as well as made-for-TV movies including The Thanksgiving Promise and Infidelity before landing a regular role in the short-lived sitcom Day by Day
Day by Day (TV series)
Day by Day is an American sitcom starring Douglas Sheehan, Linda Kelsey, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Courtney Thorne-Smith , and Thora Birch...
with Douglas Sheehan
Douglas Sheehan
Douglas Sheehan is an American actor who played Ben Gibson throughout four seasons of the prime-time drama Knots Landing from 1983 to 1987...
, Linda Kelsey
Linda Kelsey
Linda Kelsey is an American television actress.Kelsey's professional career began with stage appearances in her home of Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her good looks and striking mane of red hair winning her success that ultimately landed her in Los Angeles in 1972, with appearances in small roles...
and Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus is an American actress and comedienne, widely known for her sitcom roles in Seinfeld and The New Adventures of Old Christine....
. In 1990, she was featured in six episodes of the popular TV series LA Law as Kimberly Dugan.
Her first notable starring television role was as Alison Parker on Melrose Place from 1992–1997. 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". Following this, she went on to play Georgia Thomas on Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal is an American legal comedy-drama series which aired on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia...
from 1997–2000. Thorne-Smith had originally auditioned for the title role in the show, which ultimately went to Calista Flockhart
Calista Flockhart
Calista Kay Flockhart is an American actress who is primarily recognized for her work in television. She is best known for playing the title character in the Fox comedy-drama series Ally McBeal for which she won a Golden Globe Award...
. In 1999, she became a spokeswoman for Almay
Almay
Almay is a cosmetics brand owned by Revlon, along with other brands including Revlon, Ultima II, ColorStay, Flex, New Complexion, Revlon Age Defying, and Charlie.- History :...
cosmetics, being the face of their new "Skin Stays Clean" line of make-up. Her character was written out of Ally McBeal at the beginning of the fourth season in 2000, though she returned for occasional guest appearances afterwards.
From 2001 to 2009, Thorne-Smith starred as Cheryl on the sitcom According to Jim
According to Jim
According to Jim is an American sitcom television series starring Jim Belushi in the title role as a suburban father of three children. It originally ran on ABC from October 3, 2001 to June 2, 2009.-Synopsis:Jim is an abrasive but lovable suburban father...
. In 2007, her real-life pregnancy was hidden on the show at first, but was then written into the plot.
On February 18, 2010, Courtney signed on to play Alan Harper
Alan Harper (Two and a Half Men)
Dr. Alan Jerome Harper, DC, is a fictional character from the CBS situation comedy Two and a Half Men. Jon Cryer has played the role since the series began in 2003; after being nominated for an Emmy Award for his depiction of the character in 2006, 2007, and 2008, Cryer received an Emmy in 2009 for...
's girlfriend, Lyndsey McElroy, in the seventh season
Two and a Half Men (Season 7)
The seventh season of Two and a Half Men began airing on September 21, 2009 in the United States and on September 28, 2009 in Australia.-Main:*Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper *Jon Cryer as Alan Harper *Angus T...
of Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
. She appeared in two episodes of season 7 and several more in season 8.
Writing
On September 18, 2007, Thorne-Smith's novel, Outside In, was published by Broadway Books in New York.Personal life
Thorne-Smith dated on-screen lover from Melrose Place, Andrew ShueAndrew Shue
Andrew Eppley Shue is an American actor, known for his role as Billy Campbell on the television series Melrose Place . He is currently on the Board of Directors for Do Something and is the co-founder of the social networking website CafeMom.-Early life:Shue was born in Wilmington, Delaware...
, in the early 1990s. In 2000, the actress married genetic scientist
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
Andrew Conrad, but they divorced in January 2001. She married Roger Fishman on January 1, 2007. On January 11, 2008, she gave birth to their first child, Jacob 'Jake' Emerson Fishman.
Awards
Screen Actors Guild Award- 1999: Won, "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series" - Ally McBealAlly McBealAlly McBeal is an American legal comedy-drama series which aired on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia...
- 1998: Nominated, "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series" - Ally McBeal
- 2000: Nominated, "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series" - Ally McBeal