Alison La Placa
Alison La Placa | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1983–2019 |
| Spouse | |
Alison La Placa is an American actress best known for playing the recurring role of Joanna, Rachel’s boss who also dated Chandler on the show Friends.
Biography[edit]
Early life and career[edit]
La Placa is a graduate of Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.[1]
Shortly after moving to Hollywood,[citation needed] La Placa landed the part of Elyse in television sitcom version of Barry Levinson's film Diner.[2] That pilot did not get picked up, and soon thereafter La Placa got a part in the made-for-TV movie Listen to Your Heart (1983).[3]
Later career[edit]
The following year La Placa earned a regular spot on Suzanne Pleshette Is Maggie Briggs (1984).[3] She had a small part in Fletch (1985),[4] and subsequently played the starring role of Linda Phillips on the series Duet (from 1987 to 1989) and Open House (from 1989 to 1990).[5] La Placa also played opposite Kirstie Alley in the 1990 movie Madhouse, with co-star John Larroquette.[6]
La Placa has guest-starred on series including ER, Cheers, Family Ties, and Desperate Housewives. She was a regular on Stat (1991), The Jackie Thomas Show (1992), Tom (1994), and the NBC sitcom The John Larroquette Show (from 1994 to 1996).[3][7] La Placa has also guest-starred on animated series such as Johnny Bravo.
She also played the character of Andrea in the TV series Boston Legal in two episodes in season 4 ("Glow in the Dark" and "Rescue Me"). She also appeared in Malcolm in the Middle as Barbara in the episode "Convention" and in a recurring role on ’Til Death as Beth, Joy's coworker.[citation needed] More recently she guest starred in the show “Mom”.
Personal life[edit]
She has been married to TV actor/director Philip Charles MacKenzie (her co-star on Open House) since 1992.[8]
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Voyage of the Rock Aliens | Diane | Credited as Alison Laplaca |
| 1985 | Fletch | Pan Am Clerk | |
| 1990 | Madhouse | Claudia |
Television[edit]
| 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" |
| 1987-1989 | Duet | Linda Phillips | Main role (seasons 1-3) |
| 1989-1990 | Open House | Linda Phillips | Main role (season 1) |
| 1991 | Stat | Dr. Elizabeth Newberry | Main role (season 1) |
| 1991 | In The Nick of Time | Susan Rosewell | Television film |
| 1992-1993 | The Jackie Thomas Show | Laura Miller | Main role (season 1) |
| 1994 | Batman: The Animated Series | Baby-Doll / Mary Louise Dahl | Voice, episode: "Baby-Doll" (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 1994 | Tom | Dorothy Graham | Main role (season 1) |
| 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 | Recurring role; 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 | Recurring role; 2 episodes (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 2008 | Boston Legal | Andrea Michele | Recurring role; 2 episodes (credited as Alison LaPlaca) |
| 2008-2010 | 'Til Death | Beth | Recurring role; 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[edit]
- ^ Nenni, Pete. "Stevenson grads make a name for themselves in television roles", Daily Herald (Arlington Heights), May 13, 2003.
- ^ Terrace, Vincent (2020). Encyclopedia of Television Pilots: 2,470 Films Broadcast 1937-2019 (Second ed.). McFarland. p. 62. ISBN 9781476638102.
- ^ a b c "Alison LaPlaca Biography". Turner Classic Movies.
- ^ 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 LaPlaca), whose husband, Richard (Chris Lemmon)..
- ^ Maslin, Janet (17 February 1990). "Review/Film; The Bothersome Relatives Who Pay Visits and Stay". The New York Times.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Castro, Peter (May 15, 1995). "A Place to Call Home". People. Vol. 43, no. 19. Archived from the original on June 2, 2009.