Tawny Kitaen
Tawny Kitaen | |
---|---|
Born | Julie E. Kitaen August 5, 1961 San Diego, California, US |
Occupation(s) | Actress, comedian |
Years active | 1979–present |
Spouse(s) | David Coverdale (1989–1991) Chuck Finley (1997–2002) |
Children | 2 |
Julie E. "Tawny" Kitaen (born August 5, 1961) is an American actress, comedian and media personality.
Early life
Tawny Kitaen was born in San Diego, California, in 1961, the daughter of Linda Kitaen (née Taylor), a housewife and a former beauty pageant participant, and Terry Kitaen, an employee of a neon sign company.[1] Julie began using the nickname "Tawny" at the age of 12 on her own initiative.[2]
Acting career
Kitaen began her acting career in 1983 with a minor role in the television movie Malibu. In 1984, she starred as the title character of the erotic-adventure movie The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik-Yak, also called Gwendoline. She also co-starred in the movie Bachelor Party as the bride-to-be of Tom Hanks’ character, and starred in the 1986 horror movie Witchboard.[3] She also starred in the 1997 movie "Dead Tides" with wrestler Roddy Piper.
Kitaen appeared in several videos in the 1980s for the band Whitesnake, including the hits "Here I Go Again", "Still of the Night", "Is This Love," and "The Deeper the Love". She was briefly married to Whitesnake's lead singer, David Coverdale.
Kitaen appeared in Seinfeld as Jerry’s girlfriend in the 1991 episode "The Nose Job".
She had recurring parts in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and co-hosted America's Funniest People from 1992 to 1994.
Kitaen was also in 19 episodes of the TV series The New WKRP in Cincinnati from 1991 to 1993 as a night-time DJ named Mona Loveland; in the show, her night-time program was called Mona Til Midnight.
Reality TV
Kitaen was one of the cast of the sixth edition of the VH1 reality television show The Surreal Life, which began airing in March 2006. Kitaen also appeared in the second season of the VH1 reality TV show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, which began in October 2008.[4][5][6]
Personal life
Kitaen dated Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby during and after high school. She followed the band to Los Angeles in the late 1970s to pursue a career of her own. Kitaen married Whitesnake singer David Coverdale in 1989. Coverdale and Kitaen divorced in 1991. Kitaen had an affair with O.J. Simpson.[7]
Kitaen was married to baseball player Chuck Finley from 1997 to 2002. In 2002, she was charged with domestic violence for an incident involving Finley, whom she had kicked in the face repeatedly with high-heeled shoes.[8] Three days later, Finley filed for divorce.[8] After a plea bargain, Kitaen agreed to "enter a spousal battery counseling program and avoid contact with Finley."[8] The couple had been married for five years and had two daughters together.[9]
In November 2006, prosecutors charged Kitaen with possessing 15 grams of cocaine in her San Juan Capistrano home in Orange County. The authorities said her two children were home at the time and Kitaen had given deputies permission for the search.[10] In December 2006, she entered a six-month rehabilitation program in exchange for the dismissal of a felony drug possession charge.[11][12][13]
On September 26, 2009, Kitaen was arrested for driving under the influence in Newport Beach, California.[14] The following July, she pleaded no contest to misdemeanor DUI and was sentenced to two days in jail, ordered to attend a first-offender alcohol program, and required to perform 64 hours of community service[15]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1984 | The Perils of Gwendoline in the Land of the Yik-Yak | Gwendoline | |
1984 | Bachelor Party | Debbie Thompson | |
1986 | Witchboard | Linda Brewster | |
1986 | Crystal Heart | Alley Daniels | |
1986 | Instant Justice | Virginia | |
1987 | Happy Hour | Misty Roberts | |
1989 | White Hot | Vanessa | |
1993 | Three of Hearts | Woman in Bar | |
1996 | Playback | Sara Burgess | |
1997 | Dead Tides | Nola | |
2002 | Happy Hour | Short film | |
2009 | Too Cool | ||
2011 | Here We Go Again | Short film | |
2014 | After Midnight | Rikki |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1976 | To Tell the Truth | Herself | Game show |
1983 | Malibu | Mahoney's girlfriend | TV film |
1985 | California Girls | Karen Malone | TV film |
1986-1987 | Capitol | Meredith Ross | TV series |
1987 | Glory Years | Melinda Murphy | TV film |
1989 | Santa Barbara | Lisa DiNapoli | Appeared between February 28, 1989 and July 21, 1989[16][17] |
1989 | Booker | Skylar Samperton | Episode: "Someone Stole Lucille" |
1991 | They Came From Outer Space | Monica Bates | Episode: "Sex, Lies & UFOs: Part 2" |
1991 | Shades of L.A. | Linda Makowski | Episodes: "Line of Fire: Parts 1 & 2" |
1991 | Veronica Clare | Episodes: "The Boxing Story", "Slow Violence" | |
1991 | Seinfeld | Isabel | Episode: "The Nose Job" |
1991-1993 | The New WKRP in Cincinnati | Mona Loveland | Main role (19 episodes) |
1992-1994 | America's Funniest People | Co-host | Succeeded Arleen Sorkin |
1992-1996 | Eek! The Cat | Annabelle (voice) | Main role (39 episodes) |
1994 | Married... with Children | Dominique | Episode: "Shoeway to Heaven" |
1994 | Hercules and the Circle of Fire | Deianeira | TV film |
1994 | Hercules in the Underworld | Deianeira | TV film |
1994 | Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur | Deianeira | TV film |
1995 | Burke's Law | Rhonda Dooley | Episode: "Who Killed Cock-a-Doodle Dooley?" |
1995 | Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | Deianeira | Episodes: "The Wrong Path", "The Other Side" |
1997 | Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | Deianeira | Episode: "When a Man Loves a Woman" |
2006 | The Surreal Life | Herself | |
2011 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Lydia Kole | Episode: "Father of the Bride" |
2012 | Life@Large | TV miniseries | |
2017 | Botched | Herself | Episode Boob Trains and Big Butts |
References
- ^ Seinfeld. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
- ^ "Celebrity Rehab 2 with Dr. Drew | Show Cast, Episodes, Guides, Trailers, Web Exclusives, Previews". VH1. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
- ^ James, Caryn (March 15, 1987). "LOVE TRIANGLE IN 'WITCHBOARD'". The New York Times.
- ^ "VH1 Heads Back to Rehab With Dr. Drew Pinsky for a Second Season of 'Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew'". EarthTimes.org. June 10, 2008.
- ^ TV Guide, June 23, 2008; Page 8
- ^ ""Celebs Check Into Rehab 2 With Dr. Drew"". VH1.com. June 10, 2008. Archived from the original on June 13, 2008.
- ^ Deutsch, Linda (13 January 1997). "Surprise letter: Nicole wrote O.J. Simpson 'beat holy hell' out of her". The Associated Press. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
- ^ a b c Silverman, Stephen M. (September 24, 2002). "Kitaen Files $12-Mil Lawsuit Against Ex". People.
- ^ "Wife accepts Chuck Finley plea bargain". cbcsports. September 18, 2002.
- ^ Faber, Judy (November 22, 2006). "Tawny Kitaen Faces Felony Drug Charges". CBS News. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
- ^ "MSN | Outlook, Office, Skype, Bing, Breaking News, and Latest Videos". www.msn.com.
- ^ Vyas, Sunil; 'Bachelor Party' actress Tawny Kitaen in cocaine possession row earthtimes.org; November 23, 2006
- ^ Reuters; Tawny Kitaen enters drug rehab for cocaine msnbc; December 18, 2006
- ^ Dinunno, Gina (September 28, 2009). "Actress Tawny Kitaen Arrested for DUI". TV Guide. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
- ^ Kalfus, Marilyn (4 November 2010). "Actress Tawny Kitaen sells homes at loss". The Orange County Register. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
- ^ "Lisa DiNapoli". santabarbara-online.com.
- ^ "Lisa DiNapoli - Santa Barbara". February 23, 2015. Archived from the original on February 23, 2015.
External links
- Tawny Kitaen at IMDb