Bess Armstrong

Bess Armstrong (born December 11, 1953) is an American film and television actress.

Biography

Armstrong was born Elizabeth Key Armstrong in Baltimore, Maryland. She attended the Bryn Mawr School for Girls and Brown University, from which she graduated with degrees in Latin and Theater (studying acting with Jim Barnhill and John Emigh). While at Bryn Mawr and Brown, Armstrong appeared in over one hundred stage plays. Armstrong's professional acting career began in 1975 with the Off-Off Broadway debut, Harmony House. In 1977, Armstrong made her television debut as Julia Peters on the CBS sitcom, On Our Own. In 1978 Armstrong starred opposite Richard Thomas in her first TV-movie Getting Married. This was followed by her first film on the big screen, The House of God in 1979. Armstrong continued to make several films for both the big and small screens in the 1980s, her highest profile movie in this era probably being Jaws 3-D. Notably, she appeared as the sympathetic new wife, Ginny Newley, in Alan Alda's comedy, The Four Seasons in 1981 and in 1984, she appeared in the hit TV miniseries Lace as Judy Hale, a magazine publisher and one of the three women whom Phoebe Cates rounds up in her quest for her mother. The 1990s brought Armstrong to her best-known role, playing Patty Chase on the critically acclaimed series My So-Called Life. In 2000, she appeared on the sitcom Frasier, in the episode "Mary Christmas." In 2008, Armstrong played Penelope Kendall on Boston Legal. She played a woman accused of murdering her high-profile husband, and was acquitted after being represented by her attorney, Denny Crane (William Shatner). Armstrong remains active in films, television, and the stage.^[1]

Filmography

• Criminal Minds (2009)
• Boston Legal (2009)
• Corporate Affairs (2008)
• Next of Kin (2008)
• One Tree Hill (2004)
• Frasier (2000-2004)
• Good Morning, Miami (2002)
• That Was Then (2002)
• Her Best Friend's Husband (2002)
• Diamond Men (2000)
• Forever Love (1998)
• Pecker (1998)
• When It Clicks (1998)
• That Darn Cat (1997)
• Christmas Every Day (1996)
• She Cried No (1996)
• The Perfect Daughter (1996)
• Forgotten Sins (1996)
• Mixed Blessings (1995)
• The Tailhook Scandal (1995)
• Stolen Innocence (1995)
• Take Me Home Again (1994)
• My So-Called Life (1994)
• Dream Lover (1994)
• The Nanny (TV series) as Sara Sheffield (1993-1998)
• The Skateboard Kid (1993)
• Married People (1990)
• Second Sight (1989)
• Mother, Mother (1989)
• Nothing in Common (1986)
• All Is Forgiven (1986)
• Lace (1984)
• The House of God (1984)
• This Girl for Hire (1983)
• Jaws 3-D (1983)
• High Road to China (1983)
• Jekyll and Hyde... Together Again (1982)
• The Four Seasons (1981)
• Barefoot in the Park (1981)
• 11th Victim (1979)
• Walking Through the Fire (1979)
• How to Pick Up Girls! (1978)
• Getting Married (1978)
• On Our Own (1977)

References

1. ^ Bess Armstrong - Yahoo! Movies

External links

• Bess Armstrong at the Internet Movie Database
• Bess Armstrong at Allmovie

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