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Home , Babes in Arms, Bouvier Beale, Christine Ebersole, Christopher Lloyd, Chris Noth, Dylan McDermott

CHRISTINE EBERSOLE

Christine grew up in Winnetka, , where she discovered her passion for acting in high school. Upon graduation, Christine attended MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois, before moving to to study acting for another two years at the famed American Academy of Dramatic Arts. In 1976, she appeared in her first Broadway play, Angel Street. She went on to star in such Broadway hits as with and James Naughton; Hal Prince’s On the 20th Century with and comic legend Imogene Coca and put her indelible imprint on the role of Ado Annie, the girl who “Cain’t Say No,” in Agnes de Mille’s revival of Oklahoma! She starred opposite and in ’s non-musical mystery, Getting Away With Murder, as well as The ’s production of “Paper Moon.” Off-Broadway, she starred in a critically acclaimed production of Chekhov’s with and Sam Waterson. At a time when a single critic’s bad review could close a show, that was exactly what befell the ill-fated Harrigan n’ Hart, which closed after three days and propelled Christine to to pursue her burgeoning and television career full-time. Christine’s feature film credits include the Academy Award-winning Best Picture of 1984, Amadeus, , Thief of Hearts, ’s Ghost Dad, Dead Again with Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson, Folks! with and Don Ameche, My Girl 2, Richie Rich with Macauley Culkin, Black Sheep with Chris Farley and David Spade, the romantic comedy ‘Til There Was You with Jeanne Tripplehorn and Dylan McDermott, and Disney’s My Favorite Martian, opposite and Christopher Lloyd. Christine was a cast member of the 1981-82 season of NBC’s , with fellow Not Ready For Prime Time Players , Joe Piscopo and Mary Gross. She received an Emmy Award nomination during her one-year stint as Maxie McDermott on the ABC daytime drama and her television credits also include starring roles in the CBS series The Cavanaughs, Rachel Gunn, R.N. and Valerie. She co-starred on the CBS comedy, Ink, opposite and Mary Steenburgen, playing terminally chic “On the Town” columnist, Belinda Carhardt. She has made guest-starring appearances in such series as Will and Grace, Madigan Men and Ally McBeal. Her television movie credits include CBS’ remake of the musical with (playing irrepressible “Gotta Have a Gimmick” stripper Tessie Tura) and Dying to Love You, also for CBS. She co- starred with in the critically-acclaimed The Dollmaker and opposite in the USA Network’s An Unexpected Family and its sequel. Recent televison have included the highly-anticipated reunion of Mary and Rhoda and Double Platinum with Diana Ross and Brandy Norwood. She appeared on the television special, “Ira Gershwin at 100: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall,” part of the PBS Great Performances series (earning a performer’s ultimate kudo — “show-stopping” — from USA Today). She earned more plaudits in PBS’ broadcast of “The Rodgers & Hart Story: , Thou Witty,” performing “” from the 1937 musical . In 1997, Christine triumphed in her first appearance on the cabaret stage in 17 years. Her two standing-room-only engagements at The Hollywood Roosevelt’s Cinegrill in led to the recording of her first solo CD, : Live at the Cinegrill. The CD tells of Christine’s personal journey as a performer, wife and mother, employing an eclectic array of musical styles, including ballads, jazz, pop, opera, torch, swing and even country. Her unique repertoire covers songs originally recorded by a diverse group of vocalists, ranging from to Joni Mitchell and Jeannette MacDonald. After 14 years in Los Angeles, Christine returned to the East Coast two years ago – having never quite abandoned the siren’s call of the Broadway stage – and she has hasn’t stopped working since. While continuing her film and television career, she was invited to play the title role in The Paper Mill Playhouse’s production of , after producers saw her onstage in the Encores! Series production of Ziegfeld Follies of 1936. She performed in a musical tribute to Arthur Schwartz in the American Songbook Series at Lincoln Center and segued into David Marshall Grant’s Current Events and ’s all-star (with , Chris Noth, Spalding Gray, Michael Learned and Elizabeth Ashley) before bringing the house down with her rendition of “” in the Encores! Series concert presentation of the musical A Yankee. In , Broadway welcomed her back with open arms. The critics were unanimous in their praise: New York Times critic proclaimed that “the droll Ms. Ebersole [has] a sophisticated feel for the vocal styles of the period and an enjoyable relish for her character’s nastiness.” New York ’s Linda Winer said, “Christine Ebersole is delicious as the diva, a musical-comedy treasure who can color bitchy tones with melancholy,” citing the star’s “torchy virtuosity.” ’s Clive Barnes called her Dorothy Brock a “comedy riot act” and ’ Howard Kissel puts it simply, but succinctly: “Christine Ebersole is smashing…her great voice too long absent from Broadway musicals.” Her performance was reward with the Tony award for Best Actress in 2002. She followed that up in 2004 with the Broadway revival production of in the role of M’Lynn. Christine most recently starred on Broadway in at the Walter Kerr . She has drawn unanimous praise from critics and audiences alike for her groundbreaking performance in the dual roles of Edith and “Little” Edie Beale. While Grey Gardens was in its Off Broadway run Christine won the Outer Critics Circle Award, The and for Best Actress in a Musical and was given a special citation from the New York Drama Critics and Drama League for Performance of the Year. Christine won the Tony for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for the role, as well. Christine currently resides in New Jersey (“honey, they don’t call it The Garden State for nothing,” says the newly-reformed ‘New York snob’) with her husband, William, and their three children, two dogs and two cats.