Joanna Cassidy

Joanna Cassidy
Joanna Cassidy in 2007.
Born	Joanna Virginia Caskey (1945-08-02) August 2, 1945 Haddonfield, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1965–present
Spouse	Dr. Kennard C. Kobrin (1964–1974; divorced)
Children	2

Joanna Cassidy (born August 2, 1945) is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her roles as the replicant Zhora in Ridley Scott's film Blade Runner (1982) and Dolores in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). She has won a Golden Globe Award, was nominated for three Emmy Awards and also was nominated for Saturn Award and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Cassidy also has starred in films such as Under Fire, The Fourth Protocol, The Package, Where the Heart Is, Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, Vampire in Brooklyn and Ghosts of Mars. From 2001 to 2005, she played Margaret Chenowith on the HBO drama series Six Feet Under. From 2011 to 2013, she played Joan Hunt on the ABC series Body of Proof.

Life and career

Early years

Cassidy was born Joanna Virginia Caskey in Haddonfield, New Jersey, the daughter of Virginia and Joe Caskey. She attended Haddonfield Memorial High School, and has described herself as being "a rowdy kid" there. She is known for her infectious, howling laugh which can be heard in the film The Laughing Policeman and on her appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Joanna Cassidy in 1974

Cassidy majored in art at Syracuse University. During her time there, she married Kennard C. Kobrin in 1964, a doctor in residency, and found work as a fashion model. The couple moved to San Francisco, where her husband set up a psychiatric practice while Cassidy continued modeling. In 1968, she landed a bit part in Bullitt. Following her divorce in 1974, Cassidy decided to move to Los Angeles.

Career

Cassidy's first film appearance was in The Outfit (1973). She appeared in a 1973 Smokey Bear public service announcement (PSA), and in such television series as Mission: Impossible, Starsky & Hutch and Taxi. She had a small role in Stay Hungry (1976), a film about bodybuilding which featured a young Arnold Schwarzenegger. Cassidy was considered for the role of Wonder Woman for a television series, but lost it to Lynda Carter. She co-starred in the 1978 film Our Winning Season. Her first regular role was as sheriff's pilot Morgan Wainwright in the action-adventure series 240-Robert (1979), although the series only lasted for two abbreviated seasons. Afterwards, Cassidy continued to appear in guest roles in series such as Dallas, Falcon Crest, as well as a regular role in the short-lived 1983 sitcom Buffalo Bill (for which she earned a Golden Globe Award). She starred in the short-lived 1985 NBC television series Code Name: Foxfire.

In 1982, Cassidy had her first major feature film role (what about Bank Shot?) as the replicant Zhora in Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. The following year, she co-starred in Under Fire with Gene Hackman and Nick Nolte. She continued to appear in both films and television; she co-starred in the television miniseries Hollywood Wives (1985), and appeared in The Fourth Protocol (1987), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), 1969(1988),The Package (1989), Where the Heart Is (1990), and Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991). In 1993, she co-starred with Dudley Moore in the sitcom Dudley, but the series only lasted for six episodes. She played the ex-wife of James Garner's lead character in the television movie, The Rockford Files: I Still Love L.A. (1994).

Other screen credits from this era include Barbarians at the Gate (1993), the 1993 miniseries adaptation of Stephen King's The Tommyknockers, and Wes Craven's Vampire in Brooklyn (1995). Cassidy also provided the voice of Inspector Maggie Sawyer in the WB's series Superman: The Animated Series, and had recurring guest roles on television shows such as L.A. Law, Melrose Place, Diagnosis: Murder and The District.

Since 2000, Cassidy has appeared in the 2001 film Ghosts of Mars directed by John Carpenter, and had a recurring role as Margaret Chenowith on the HBO drama series Six Feet Under, for which she received an Emmy Award nomination. In 2004, she guest-starred in two episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise as T'Les (the Vulcan mother of Enterprise crewmember T'Pol) and she had a recurring role as Beverly Bridge on the series Boston Legal in 2006. She voiced the villainess, Hecubah, in the computer game Nox (2000) as well as once again voicing the character of Maggie Sawyer in the 2002 video game Superman: Shadow of Apokolips.

In the spring of 2007, Cassidy donned Zhora's costume once more, 25 years after the release of Blade Runner, in order to recreate a climactic scene from the film for the fall 2007 Final Cut release of the film. In the original 1982 release, a stunt performer played out Zhora's death scene, with the physical differences between the performer and Cassidy very evident (including the stuntwoman wearing a different wig). For the Final Cut, Cassidy's head was digitally transposed onto footage of the stunt performer, making the death scene fit continuity. According to the DVD featurette, All Our Variant Futures, it was Cassidy herself who suggested this be done; she is captured on video making the suggestion during filming of a retrospective interview related to Blade Runner.

Joanna Cassidy in 1976

In the second season of the NBC series Heroes, she is seen in a photo of the twelve senior members of the show's mysterious company. Beyond appearances in photographs, the actress first appeared as Victoria Pratt in the tenth episode of season two, "Truth & Consequences", during which her character was killed.

In 2008–2009, Cassidy appeared in episodes of Ghost Whisperer, Desperate Housewives, Law & Order: UK, and was also seen in the recurring guest role of Amanda Hawthorne, the mother-in-law of Jada Pinkett Smith's eponymous character in the medical drama HawthoRNe.

In 2011, Cassidy began to appear in a recurring role on the ABC series Body of Proof as Judge Joan Hunt, the mother of Megan Hunt, Dana Delany's character in the show. The series was canceled by ABC after three seasons in May 2013.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1973	The Outfit	Rita Mailer
1973	The Laughing Policeman	Monica
1974	Bank Shot	Eleonora
1975	The Cursed Medallion	Joanna Morgan
1976	Stay Hungry	Zoe Miller
1977	American Raspberry	Lisa Allen
1977	The Late Show	Laura Birdwell
1977	Stunts	Patti Johnson
1978	Our Winning Season	Sheila
1979	The Glove	Sheila Michaels
1980	Night Games	Julie Miller	Sant Jordi Award for Best Foreign Actress
1982	Blade Runner	Zhora
1983	Under Fire	Claire	Nominated—National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress
1984	Invitation to Hell	Patricia "Pat" Winslow
1986	Club Paradise	Terry Hamlin
1987	The Fourth Protocol	Irina Vassilievna
1988	Who Framed Roger Rabbit	Dolores	Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress
1988	1969	Ev Karr
1989	The Package	Eileen Gallagher
1990	Where the Heart Is	Jean McBain
1991	Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead	Rose Lindsey
1991	Lonely Hearts	Erin Randall
1991	All-American Murder	Erica Darby	Video
1992	Landslide	Lucy Matterson
1995	Vampire in Brooklyn	Capt. Dewey
1996	Chain Reaction	Maggie McDermott
1997	Loved	Elenore Amerson
1998	Dangerous Beauty	Laura Venier
2000	Moonglow	Ginny
2000	The Right Temptation	Maryanne
2001	Ghosts of Mars	Whitlock
2001	Anthrax	Jackie Potter
2004	Intermission	Love	Short film
2005	Witches of the Caribbean	Prof. Avebury	Video
2006	The Virgin of Juarez	Eve
2006	Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector	Lily Micelli
2006	The Grudge 2	Mrs. Davis
2007	Kiss the Bride	Evelyn Golski
2008	The American Standards	Ann Jennings
2008	The Human Contract	Rose
2009	Stolen	Lea Adkins
2009	For Sale by Owner	Linda Flannery
2010	Flying Lessons	Totty Kuspert
2010	Anderson's Cross	Mrs. McCarthy
2011	Carjacked	Betty
2013	Zugzwang	Nancy Williams	Filming
2013	Too Late
2013	Heaven's Door	Ruth
2014	Night Vet	Kelly	Short film

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1972	Mission: Impossible	Model	1 episode
1973	Mission: Impossible	Stewardess	2 episodes
1976	McCoy	Unnamed role	Season 1, Episode 5 – "New Dollar Day"
1978	The Roller Girls	Selma "Books" Cassidy	4 episodes
1978	Taxi	Beverly	Episode: "High School Reunion"
1978	Starsky and Hutch	Harry / Monique	Episode: "The Avenger"
1979	The Love Boat	Joan Horner	Episode: "Gopher's Greatest Hits/The Vacation/One Rose a Day"
1979	Kaz	Unnamed role	Season 1, Episode 18 – "A Piece of Cake"
1979–1980	240-Robert	Deputy Morgan Wainwright	13 episodes
1980	Hagen	Eve	Season 1, Episode 7 – "The Rat Pack"
1980	Insight	Lucy	Episode: "Resurrection"
1980	Dallas	Sally Bullock	2 episodes
1980	Trapper John, M.D.	Dr. Carson Whitaker	Episode: "Warning: I May Be Hazardous to Your Health"
1980	Reunion	Peggy Sager	Television movie
1981	Trapper John, M.D.	Maggie Holtz	Episode: "C.O.D."
1981	Charlie's Angels	Stacy	Episode: "Hula Angels"
1981	Enos	Unnamed role	Season 1, Episode 10 – "The Head Hunter"
1981	Hart to Hart	Belle	Episode: "Slow Boat to Murder"
1981	Flo	Billy June	Episode: "Footsie"
1982	Strike Force	Eve Murphy	Episode: "Turnabout"
1982	The Love Boat	Dr. Lisa Lessing	Episode: "I Don't Play Anymore/Gopher's Roommate/Crazy for You"
1982	Lou Grant	Barbara Costigan	Episode: "Charlie"
1982	Falcon Crest	Katherine Demery	5 episodes
1983	The Family Tree	Elizabeth Nichols	Episode: "1.2"
1983	Fantasy Island	Christine Donovan	Episode: "Nurses Night Out"
1983–1984	Buffalo Bill	Jo Jo White	26 episodes Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
1985	Code Name: Foxfire	Elizabeth "Foxfire" Towne	8 episodes
1985	Hollywood Wives	Marilee Gray	2 episodes
1986	Pleasures	Lillian Benton	Television movie
1986	The Children of Times Square	Sue Roberts	Television movie
1988	Nightmare at Bittercreek	Allison Shapiro	Television movie
1990	A Girl of the Limberlost	Gene Stratton-Porter	Television movie
1990	Wheels of Terror	Laura	Television movie
1992	Northern Exposure	Solvang Planey	Episode: "The Three Amigos"
1992	The Ray Bradbury Theater	Lavinia	Episode: "The Lonely One"
1992	Live! From Death Row	Alana Powers	Television movie
1992	Taking Back My Life: The Nancy Ziegenmeyer Story	Geneva Overholser	Television movie
1993	Barbarians at the Gate	Linda Robinson	Television movie
1993	The Tommyknockers	Sheriff Ruth Merrill	Television movie
1993	Dudley	Laraine Bristol	5 episodes
1993	CBS Schoolbreak Special	Linda Jurgenson	Episode: "Other Mothers" Nominated—Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special
1993–1994	L.A. Law	Judge Carolyn Walker	4 episodes
1994	Burke's Law	Liz Charles	Episode: "Who Killed the Beauty Queen?"
1994	Murder, She Wrote	Willie Greenwood	Episode: "Roadkill"
1994	Hotel Malibu	Eleanor "Ellie" Mayfield	6 episodes
1995	Eye of the Stalker	Judge Martha Knowlton	Television movie
1997	Melrose Place	Kate Reilly	3 episodes
1997	The Second Civil War	Helena Newman	Television movie
1997–1998	Superman: The Animated Series	Maggie Sawyer (voice)	8 episodes
1998	Rude Awakening	Colleen Woods	Episode: "TV Mom"
1998	The Hunger	Grace Wallace	Episode: "The Other Woman"
1998	Circle of Deceit	Elaine Greer	Television movie
1999	Twice in a Lifetime	Christine Esposito	Episode: "Quality of Mercy"
1999–2000	Diagnosis: Murder	Madison Wesley	8 episodes
2000	Rude Awakening	Colleen Woods	Episode: "Star 80 Proof"
2001	Philly	Marian Marshall	Episode: "Pilot"
2001–2002	The District	Teddy Reed	5 episodes
2001–2005	Six Feet Under	Margaret Chenowith	21 episodes Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2003	Less Than Perfect	Norma	Season 1, Episode 12 – "Claude's Got a Secret"
2003	Hidden Hills	Carol	Season 1, Episode 11 – "The Visit"
2003	Everwood	Evelyn Rowser	Episode: "The Price of Fame"
2004	Star Trek: Enterprise	T'Les	2 episodes
2006	Boston Legal	Beverly Bridge	5 episodes
2005	The Reading Room	Diana Weston	Television movie
2007	Heroes	Victoria Pratt	Episode: "Truth & Consequences"
2008	In Plain Sight	Deandra Bevins	Episode: "Never the Bride"
2008	Ghost Whisperer	Faith Clancy	Episode: "Threshold"
2008	Criminal Minds	Mrs. Holden	Episode: "52 Pickup"
2009	Desperate Housewives	Melina Cominis	Episode: "Home Is the Place"
2009	Hawthorne	Amanda Hawthorne	4 episodes
2010	Notes from the Underbelly	Kay	Episode: "The Circle of Life"
2010–2012	Call Me Fitz	Elaine Fitzpatrick	7 episodes
2011–2013	Body of Proof	Joan Hunt	14 episodes
2012	Franklin & Bash	Captain Gina Vaughn	Episode: "Summer Girls"
2013	Bones	Marianne Booth	2 episodes
2013	Living the Dream	Claire	Television movie
2015	Odd Mom Out	Candace
2015	Married	Sharon	Episode: "The Cruise"
2016	The Odd Couple	Judy	Season 2, Episode 7 – "Make Room for Dani"
2016	Lady Dynamite	Barbara	Episode: "Jack and Diane"

External links

• Joanna Cassidy at IMDb
• Joanna Cassidy at the TCM Movie Database
• Joanna Cassidy at the American Film Institute Catalog
• Joanna Cassidy at AllMovie