Bitty Schram
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bitty Schram | |
| Birth name | Elizabeth Natalie Schram |
| Born | July 17, 1968 Mountainside, New Jersey |
| Notable roles | "Evelyn Gardner" in A League of Their Own and "Sharona Fleming" in Monk |
Elizabeth Natalie "Bitty" Schram is a Golden Globe nominated American actress.
She is best known for her role as Evelyn, the baseball-playing single mother who makes the mistake of crying in front of manager Tom Hanks during a baseball game in Penny Marshall's A League of Their Own (1992). She also played Sharona Fleming in the award-winning TV series Monk (2002–2004) for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe.[1] USA Network let her go during the show's third season stating they wanted to take the character in new directions. Some theorize, however, that her bid for a salary increase was met by termination.[citation needed]
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Career
Born in Mountainside, New Jersey, Bitty Schram is a critically acclaimed, award winning actress. Bitty (full name Elizabeth Natalie Schram) studied at the University of Maryland with a tennis scholarship and graduated with a degree in advertising design. Having known for numerous years that she wanted to act, she pursued roles in both film and television as well as broadway theater. The role that initially made her fame was Evelyn Gardner in Penny Marshall's directed film A League of Their Own. After bursting into tears Bitty's character was scolded with the now famous line, "There's no crying in baseball!"
In 2002 Bitty landed the lead role opposite Tony Shalhoub on the hit USA Comedy series Monk. In 2004 she was nominated for a Golden Globe for "Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series." Fans of the show fell in love with her sweet character mixed with a tough, no-nonsense New York exterior. With a knack for comedy, Bitty helped turn the show into a favorite for viewers. USA Network released her mid-way through the show's third season stating they wanted to take the character in new directions. Some theorize, however, that her bid for a salary increase was met by termination.[2] Fans have created petitions trying to get the character back on the show.[citation needed]
Sharona's character was replaced by Natalie Teeger, played by Traylor Howard.
Bitty is also an accomplished stage actress. She appeared as one of the original cast members in Neil Simon's hit Broadway production Laughter on the 23rd Floor with Nathan Lane. Bitty has worked with many household name actors such as Tom Hanks, Michelle Pfeiffer, George Clooney, Diane Keaton, and Kathy Bates.
[edit] Trivia
- She is left-handed.
[edit] Notes
- ^ "Monk" Boots Bitty by Bridget Byrne, E! Online, 31 August 2004, retrieved 04 March 2006.
- ^ MSNBC article on her departure from the show
