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Mackenzie Phillips

 
Who2 Biography: Mackenzie Phillips, Actor

  • Born: 20 November 1959
  • Birthplace: Alexandria, Virginia
  • Best Known As: The troubled teen star of One Day at at Time

Name at birth: Laura Mackenzie Phillips

Mackenzie Phillps is the actress who starred as a troubled teenager in the sitcom One Day At a Time, then was fired from the show for being a troubled teenager in real life. Phillips was the daughter of musician John Phillips, the founder of The Mamas and The Papas, and socialite Suzy Adams. Mackenzie was cast at age 12 in the hit 1973 film American Graffiti as the gawky and annoying teen who connects with drag racer John Millner. That led to her role in One Day at a Time as Julie Cooper, the headstrong and boy-crazy daughter of a harried single mother. The show ran for 205 episodes from 1975-1984, but Phillips was arrested for cocaine possession in 1978, grew ever more erratic, and was fired from the show in 1980. She returned to the show in 1981 but, still having drug and alcohol problems, was again let go in 1983. After a lost decade of sorts, she entered long-term drug rehab in 1992. She returned to acting a few years later, most notably playing a rocker-turned-mother in the Disney series So Weird (1999-2001). She was again arrested for cocaine possession in 2008. The next year she published a memoir, High on Arrival, in which she claimed that her father got her hooked on drugs as a teen and began a sexual relationship with her in 1979. Her films include Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins (1975), More American Graffiti (1979), True Friends (1998) and The Jacket (2005).

Phillips married Jeff Sessler, a crew member for The Rolling Stones, in 1979. They were divorced in 1981. She married the musician Michael Barakan in 1996. They had one son, Shane, and divorced in 2000. She married the film and theater composer Keith Levenson in 2005... She is named for Scott Mackenzie, who co-wrote with John Phillips the singles "Kokomo" and "San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)"... He half-sister Bijou Phillips is also an actress. Another half-sister, Chynna Phillips, fronted the 1990s pop group Wilson Phillips.

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Actor: Mackenzie Phillips
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  • Born: Nov 10, 1959 in Alexandria, Virginia
  • Occupation: Actor
  • Active: '70s-'80s, 2000s
  • Major Genres: Drama, Comedy
  • Career Highlights: More American Graffiti, Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins, Love Child
  • First Major Screen Credit: Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins (1975)

Biography

MacKenzie Phillips is the daughter of "The Mamas & the Papas" lead singer John Phillips, the stepdaughter of actress Michelle Phillips,and the half-sister of another film performer, Chynna Phillips. MacKenzie was 13 years old when she essayed her first film role as underaged "cruiser" Carol in American Graffiti (1973). She then essayed a series of juvenile-delinquent TV guest spots, which ended in 1975 upon her being cast as Julie Cooper on the popular sitcom One Day at a Time. During the run of this series, MacKenzie accepted a few outside assignments, notably a cameo as Lillian Gish (whom she closely resembled) in the made-for-TV The Silent Lovers (1980). Drug problems and run-ins with the law compromised MacKenzie's ability to function on One Day at a Time, culminating in her being fired during the 1979-80 season. After going "cold turkey," MacKenzie Phillips briefly returned to the series in 1981, but her previous self-destructive lifestyle had taken its toll on her physical and emotional makeup; she left One Day for good in 1983, and has worked but little since. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Wikipedia: Mackenzie Phillips
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Mackenzie Phillips
Born Laura Mackenzie Phillips
November 10, 1959 (1959-11-10) (age 50)
Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
Other name(s) Mackinzie Phillips
Occupation Actress
Years active 1973 – present
Spouse(s) Jeff Sessler (m. 1979–1981) «start: (1979)–end+1: (1982)»"Marriage: Jeff Sessler to Mackenzie Phillips" Location: (linkback:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackenzie_Phillips)
Michael Barakan (m. 1996–2000) «start: (1996)–end+1: (2001)»"Marriage: Michael Barakan to Mackenzie Phillips" Location: (linkback:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackenzie_Phillips)
Keith Levenson (m. 2005–present) «start: (2005)»"Marriage: Keith Levenson to Mackenzie Phillips" Location: (linkback:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackenzie_Phillips)

Laura Mackenzie Phillips (born November 10, 1959) is an American actress and singer best known for her roles in American Graffiti and as rebellious teenager Julie Cooper Horvath on the sitcom One Day at a Time.

Contents

Early life

Born in Alexandria, Virginia, Mackenzie Phillips is the daughter of John Phillips, lead singer of the The Mamas & the Papas, and his first wife, Susan Adams. She is the sister of Jeffrey Phillips and a half-sister of Tamerlane Phillips, actress Bijou Phillips and singer Chynna Phillips.

At age twelve, Phillips formed a band with three of her classmates and was spotted by a casting agent during one of their performances.[1] She was given an audition for a role in the 1973 hit film American Graffiti, which she won.

Career

Phillips was 12 when the filming of American Graffiti began, and 14 when the movie was released. She was cast as Carol Morrison, a young girl accidentally picked up by hot rodding teenager John Milner. Because of California state law, producer Gary Kurtz became Phillips' legal guardian during the filming.[2]

Phillips gained stardom in the 1970s, when she played the boy-crazy teenager Julie Cooper Horvath on the long-running television show One Day at a Time. She earned $50,000 a week.[1] During the show's third season in 1977, Phillips was arrested for public drunkenness and possession of cocaine. Because of her drug and alcohol abuse, Phillips began arriving late and was even incoherent for rehearsals. The producers ordered her to take a six week break to overcome her addiction. In 1980, she was fired from the show.[1]

After two nearly fatal overdoses, Phillips entered Fair Oaks Hospital to undergo treatment. In 1981, the producers of One Day at a Time invited her back to the show.[1] However, she resumed using cocaine in 1982 and collapsed on the show's set. When she refused to take a drug test, she was fired and her character was written out of the series. In 1992, she entered a long-term drug rehabilitation program and underwent intensive treatment for nine months.[1]

In 1999, Phillips co-starred with Cara DeLizia in the Disney Channel series So Weird, playing a fictional rock star. She sang original songs written by Jon Cooksey and Ann Marie Montade. In 2002, she appeared in the Disney Channel original movie Double Teamed. Phillips has since guest starred on episodes of ER, Without a Trace, 7th Heaven, and Cold Case.

Personal life

Phillips has been married three times: to rock-group manager Jeffrey Sessler (1979-1981); to rock guitarist Michael Barakan – now known professionally as Shane Fontayne – (1996-2000); and to actor-composer Keith Levenson (2005-present). She has one child, a son, Shane Barakan (born 1987), who is a musician.

Phillips has had a lifetime troubled by drug abuse. On August 27, 2008, she was arrested by the Los Angeles Airport Police on charges of possession of cocaine and heroin after she went through airport security screening. [3] On October 31, 2008, she pleaded guilty to one felony count of cocaine possession, and was sentenced to a drug rehabilitation program.[4]

Relationship with father

In September 2009, Phillips' memoir High on Arrival was released. Phillips appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show for an hour-long interview. She told Winfrey that she first tried cocaine when she was 11 years old, and that her father did drugs with her and injected her with cocaine.

During the interview, Phillips read excerpts from her book. She said that at the age of 19, on the night before her first wedding, "I woke up that night from a blackout to find myself having sex with my own father." Both reportedly were under the influence of drugs at the time. Phillips then told Winfrey, "It became a consensual relationship,"[5][6] describing her participation as "sort of Stockholm Syndrome, where you begin to love your captor."[6]

Phillips said the incestuous relationship had happened gradually for ten years,[7] and that she ended it when she became pregnant and did not know who had fathered the child. She stated that her father paid for her to have an abortion, "and I never let him touch me again." [8][9]

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
1973 American Graffiti Carol
1975 Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins Rita Sykes Alternative title: Rafferty and the Highway Hustlers
1979 More American Graffiti Carol/Rainbow
1982 Love Child J.J.
1998 True Friends Connie
1999 When Catherine Brown
2005 The Jacket Nurse Harding
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1973 Go Ask Alice Doris Television movie
1974 Movin' On Chessie 1 episode
1975 Miles to Go Before I Sleep Robin Williams Television movie
Baretta Mindy 1 episode
The Mary Tyler Moore Show Frannie 1 episode
1975-1983 One Day at a Time Julie Cooper Horvath 123 episodes
1976 Eleanor and Franklin Eleanor Roosevelt, age 14 Television movie
1978-1982 The Love Boat Allison Scott
Rachel Johnson
2 episodes
1979 Fast Friends Susan Television movie
The Incredible Hulk Lisa Swan 1 episode
1980 The Silent Lovers Lillian Gish Television movie
1985 Murder, She Wrote Carol Needom 1 episode
1986 Kate's Secret Deyna Television movie
1994 Beverly Hills, 90210 Counselor Ellen Marks 1 episode
1995 Melrose Place Maureen Dodd 2 episodes
1996 Guiding Light Rachel Sullivan Unknown episodes
1996-2004 NYPD Blue Mary Donaldson
Lorraine Stuval
2 episodes
1997 Caroline in the City Donna Spadaro 1 episode
Walker, Texas Ranger Ellen Simms 2 episodes
1998 Chicago Hope Valerie Boyd 1 episode
Viper Heidi Rosen 1 episode
1999-2001 So Weird Molly Phillips 63 episodes
2000 The Outer Limits Boo Weston 1 episode
2001 Kate Brasher Tracy Del Rey 1 episode
Crossing Jordan Elaine Stahler 1 episode
2002 Double Teamed Mary Burge Television movie
ER Leslie Miller 1 episode
2003 The Division Carol Johnson 1 episode
2004 Without a Trace Theresa Caldwell 1 episode
7th Heaven Allison Davies 1 episode
2007 Cold Case Sheila Swett 1 episode
2009 Radio Needles Tonya Taylor Television movie

References

External links



 
 

 

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Who2 Biography. Copyright © 1998-2008 by Who2, LLC. All rights reserved. See the Mackenzie Phillips biography from Who2.  Read more
Actor. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Mackenzie Phillips" Read more