Patricia Richardson

Patricia Richardson
Richardson after the 1994 Emmy Awards
Born	Patricia Castle Richardson February 23, 1951 (1951-02-23) (age 60) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1980–present
Spouse	Ray Baker (1982–1995; divorced)
Children	Henry (b. 1985) twins Roxanne and Joseph (b. 1991)

Patricia Castle Richardson (born February 23, 1951) is an American television and film actress best known for her portrayal of Jill Taylor on the sitcom Home Improvement.

Early life and education

Richardson was born in Bethesda, Maryland, and raised in Hagerstown, Maryland, the daughter of Mary Elizabeth (née Howard) and Lawrence Baxter Richardson, who was a corporate executive and retired naval officer. He also owned a restaurant in Hagerstown, Maryland, called Richardson's (which has since closed but other businesses keep the building where it is).^[1] Richardson attended the Holton-Arms School in Maryland and then The Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas.^[2] She is a 1973 graduate of Southern Methodist University, where she was friends with classmates Beth Henley and Stephen Tobolowsky, who was slated to be a cast member of Home Improvement but had other contractual commitments when the series began filming. Tobolowsky initially suggested to producers of Home Improvement that Richardson be considered for the role of Jill Taylor after Frances Fisher was deemed too serious for the role.

Personal life

Richardson is divorced from actor Ray Baker. They have three children together: Henry Baker (born on February 22, 1985), and twins Roxanne Baker and Joseph Baker (born on January 3, 1991). Richardson and Baker divorced in August 1995.

She has also served as a spokesperson for "Cure PSP", a website that tries to raise awareness of progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, and multiple system atrophy, as her father was a victim of PSP.^[3]

Career

Richardson began as an understudy in Angela Lansbury's Broadway production of Gypsy: A Musical Fable, eventually playing several parts. With early roles in programs such as Double Trouble, The Equalizer, and Quantum Leap. She appeared in one episode of The Cosby Show in the third season. Richardson appeared in the films C.H.U.D. and You Better Watch Out before landing her breakout role in 1991 on Home Improvement after Frances Fisher tested poorly in the role of Jill Taylor. Richardson received four Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations in this role.

After Home Improvement she appeared in several made-for-TV films and won an Independent Spirit nomination in 1997 for her first major theatrical film role in Ulee's Gold.

She also had a starring role in the Lifetime medical drama Strong Medicine, as Dr. Andy March-Campbell.

The final two seasons of The West Wing featured Richardson in a recurring role as Sheila Brooks, campaign director for Republican presidential candidate Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda).

Richardson also appeared in the first season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2010 she appeared in an NBC made for TV film, The Jensen Project, and in 2011 she appeared in the TV film Bringing Ashley Home. In 2011 she also finished taping the movie Beautiful Wave, and is currently (September 2011) filming the movie Avarice.

References

External links

• Patricia Richardson at the Internet Movie Database
• Patricia Richardson on Twitter