| Birth date | December 16, 1959 (age 66) |
|---|---|
| Birth place | Lincolnshire, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1983–2014 |
| Spouse | Philip Charles MacKenzie (m. 1992) |
Alison La Placa (born December 16, 1959)[1] is an American retired actress best known for playing Linda Phillips on the sitcom Duet and its spin-off Open House, playing Catherine Merrick in 49 episodes of The John Larroquette Show and the recurring role of Joanna, Rachel Green's boss who dated Chandler Bing on the sitcom Friends. Her last credit was in 2014.
Biography
Early life and career
Born in Lincolnshire, Illinois,[2] a suburb of Chicago,[3] La Placa is a graduate of Stevenson High School.[4]
Shortly after moving to Hollywood, La Placa landed the role of Elyse in the sitcom version of Barry Levinson's dramedy film Diner (1982).[5][6] That pilot did not get picked up, and soon thereafter La Placa got a role in the made-for-TV film Listen to Your Heart (1983).[7]
Later career
The following year, La Placa earned a regular spot on the short-lived sitcom Suzanne Pleshette Is Maggie Briggs (1984).[7] She had a small role in the movie Fletch (1985),[8] and subsequently played the starring role of Linda Phillips on the sitcoms Duet (from 1987 to 1989) and Open House (from 1989 to 1990).[9] La Placa played opposite Kirstie Alley in the comedy movie Madhouse (1990), with co-star John Larroquette.[10]
La Placa has guest-starred on series including Family Ties, Cheers, ER and Desperate Housewives. She was a regular on Stat (1991), The Jackie Thomas Show (1992), Tom (1994),[11] and the NBC sitcom The John Larroquette Show (from 1994 to 1996).[7][12][13]
La Placa guest-starred on animated series such as Batman: The Animated Series and Johnny Bravo. She played the character Andrea in the television series Boston Legal in two episodes in season 4 ("Glow in the Dark" and "Rescue Me"). She appeared in Malcolm in the Middle as Barbara in the episode "Convention" and in a recurring role in 'Til Death as Beth, Joy's co-worker. She guest-starred in the CBS sitcom Mom.
Personal life
LaPlaca has been married to television actor/director Philip Charles MacKenzie (her co-star on Open House) since 1992.[14]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Voyage of the Rock Aliens | Diane | Credited as Alison Laplaca |
| 1985 | Fletch | Pan Am Clerk | |
| 1990 | Madhouse | Claudia |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Listen to Your Heart | Lynn | Television film |
| 1984 | Diner | Elyse | Television short |
| 1984 | Maggie Briggs | Melanie Bitterman | Episode: "A New Leaf" |
| 1984 | Family Ties | Barbara | Episode: "Fabric Smarts" |
| 1985 | Cheers | Paula Nelson | Episode: "Behind Every Great Man" |
| 1985 | Brothers | Annie Todson | Episode: "The Shoop Shoop Shop" |
| 1985 | Murder: By Reason of Insanity | Janet Landry | Television film (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 1986 | Remington Steele | Joan Kendall | Episode: "Steele in the Running" |
| 1986 | Second Serve | Nightclub Singer | Television film |
| 1987 | Our House | Ann Tollfeson | Episode: "The Best Intentions" |
| 1987 | Fame | Ms. Audrey Fleming | Episode: "The Crimson Blade" |
| 1987 | The $25,000 Pyramid | Herself | Aired November 23, 1987 to November 27, 1987 |
| 1987-1989 | Duet | Linda Phillips | Main role |
| 1989-1990 | Open House | Linda Phillips | Main role |
| 1991 | Stat | Dr. Elizabeth Newberry | Main role |
| 1991 | In The Nick of Time | Susan Rosewell | Television film |
| 1992-1993 | The Jackie Thomas Show | Laura Miller | Main role |
| 1994 | Batman: The Animated Series | Baby-Doll / Mary Louise Dahl | Voice, episode: "Baby-Doll" (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 1994 | Tom | Dorothy Graham | Main role |
| 1994-1996 | The John Larroquette Show | Catherine Merrick | Recurring role; 49 episodes |
| 1997 | Duckman | Marion | Voice, episode: "With Friends Like These" |
| 1997 | Temporarily Yours | Lily Greer | Episode: "By Design" |
| 1997 | Johnny Bravo | Lois/Brunette | Voice, episode: "Going Batty/Berry the Butler/Red Faced in the White House" (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 1997 | Friends | Joanna | 3 episodes (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 1998 | 7th Heaven | Carolyn Fulton | Episode: "...And a Nice Chianti" |
| 1999 | Hercules | Additional voices | Episode: "Hercules and the Odyssey Experience" |
| 2000 | Malcolm in the Middle | Barbara | Episode: "Convention" (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 2001 | Nathan's Choice | Pilot | Television short |
| 2002 | ER | Female Lawyer | Episode: "Lockdown" |
| 2006 | Desperate Housewives | Rita Patterson | Episode: "The Miracle Song" (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 2007 | The O.C. | Dr. James | Episode: "The Groundhog Day" (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 2007 | Grey's Anatomy | Mrs. Nolston | 2 episodes (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 2008 | Boston Legal | Andrea Michele | 2 episodes (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 2008-2010 | 'Til Death | Beth | 3 episodes (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 2009 | Lie to Me | Diane Ktretschmer | Episode: "Do No Harm" (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 2009 | Without a Trace | Mary Whitman | Episode: "Voir Dire" (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 2010 | 15 Minutes | Goldie | Television short |
| 2011 | Man Up! | Caroll | Episode: "Acceptance" |
| 2012 | Up All Night | Gail Reinhold | Episode: "Preschool Auction" (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 2014 | Mom | Louanne | Episode: "Forged Resumes and the Recommended Dosage" (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
References
- ^ Last, Eugenia (December 16, 2005). "Horoscope: Celebrities Born on This Day". Daily Record. p. E3.
Hallee Hirsh, 18; Michael McCrary, 34; Sam Robards, 44; Alison La Placa, 46.
See also: *Hart, Steven (December 16, 1997). "Tuesday People: Today's Birthdays". Home News Tribune. p. A2.Actress Alison LaPlaca is 38. Actor Benjamin Bratt is 34. Rhythm and Blues singer Michael McCrary (Boyz II Men) is 26.
- ^ Editors of Chase's (2018). Chase's Calendar of Events 2019: The Ultimate Go-to Guide for Special Days. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 601. ISBN 978-1-64143-263-4.
- ^ Post, Douglas (September 2009). "From Across the Country: National Reports: Chicago". The Dramatist. p. 61.
Synopsis: The Marriot Theatre in Lincolnshire, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago) is highlighted.
- ^ Nenni, Pete. "Stevenson grads make a name for themselves in television roles", Daily Herald (Arlington Heights), May 13, 2003.
- ^ Barbato, Joan (April 15, 1984). "'Maggie Briggs' TV Series Break for Former Parsippany Resident". Daily Record. p. E12.
I'd moved to Chicago by then, and realized eventually I'd have to go out to Hollywood, but that's such an incredible move. My agent felt there were some things I had to accomplish first, but before I knew it, she was saying, 'Let's go to L.A.' She took some friends she was also representing and me out to Los Angeles for six weeks for the pilot-season auditions. I went out with two suitcases, not even knowing where I was staying, an on March 16 last year, the day I was supposed to be going back, got a pilot for 'The Diner,' a TV series based on the movie.
- ^ Terrace, Vincent (2020). Encyclopedia of Television Pilots: 2,470 Films Broadcast 1937-2019. Second ed. McFarland. p. 62. ISBN 9781476638102.
- ^ "Alison LaPlaca Biography". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on April 11, 2019.
- ^ John A., Willis (1986). Screen World, Volume 37. Crown Publishers. p. 118. ISBN 9780517562574.
- ^ Lowe, Denise (1999). Women and American Television: An Encyclopedia. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 249. ISBN 9780874369700.
Open House (1989-1990): This series took the female leads of the romantic sitcom Duet (1987-1989) and placed them on their own, reversing their starring positions. Linda (Alison La Placa), whose husband, Richard (Chris Lemmon)...
- ^ Maslin, Janet (17 February 1990). "Review/Film; The Bothersome Relatives Who Pay Visits and Stay". The New York Times
- ^ Fretts, Bruce (March 11, 1994). "Alison Laplaca of 'Tom'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ Hornaday, Ann (20 March 1994). "UP AND COMING: Alison LaPlaca; What's a Woman Like You Doing in a Barn Like This?". The New York Times
- ^ "NEWEST 'LARROQUETTE' STAR LIKES FEEL OF GROWN-UP SHOW". Greensboro News & Record. October 14, 1994. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ Castro, Peter (May 15, 1995). "A Place to Call Home". People. Vol. 43, no. 19. Archived from the original on June 2, 2009.