Kirstie Alley
Kirstie Alley | |
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![]() Alley in 1994 | |
Born |
Kirstie Louise Alley January 12, 1951 Wichita, Kansas, United States |
Occupation | Actress, comedian |
Years active | 1979–present |
Religion | Scientology |
Spouse(s) |
Bob Alley (m. 1970–77) Parker Stevenson (m. 1983–97) |
Children | 2 |
Website | |
www.kirstiealley.com |
Kirstie Louise Alley (born January 12, 1951) is an American actress and comedian known for her role in the TV series Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987 to 1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991. She is also known for her role in the thriller Shoot to Kill and the Look Who's Talking film series as Mollie Ubriacco. More recently, Alley has appeared in reality shows revolving around her life.
Early life
Kirstie Alley was born in Wichita, Kansas, the daughter of Lillian Mickie (née Heaton), a homemaker, and Robert Deal Alley, who owned a lumber company.[1][2] She has two siblings, Colette and Craig. Alley attended Wichita Southeast High School, graduating in 1969.[3] She attended college at Kansas State University in 1969.[3] After moving to Los Angeles to pursue Scientology and work as an interior designer, she appeared as a contestant on the popular game show Match Game in 1979, where she won multiple games.[4] She also appeared on the game show Password Plus in 1980. In 1981, a car accident caused by a drunk driver killed her mother and left her father seriously injured. Her father eventually recovered.[3]
Career
Alley made her movie debut in 1982 in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, playing the Vulcan Starfleet officer Lieutenant Saavik. In 1987, she joined the cast of Cheers, replacing Shelley Long and remaining on the show until its eleventh and final season.[4] In 1989, Alley starred with John Travolta in Look Who's Talking, the film grossed over $295,000,000 worldwide. They then went on to make two other films centered around the same theme, Look Who's Talking Too and Look Who's Talking Now![5]
Alley has won two Emmy Awards[6] during her career. Her first two nominations for her work on Cheers did not earn her the award, but her third, in 1991, garnered her the statuette for that series. In her speech, she thanked then-husband Parker Stevenson, calling him "the man who has given me the big one for the last eight years."[7]
For contributions to the motion picture industry, Alley was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Boulevard.[8]
Alley played the title character in the NBC sitcom Veronica's Closet, as well as serving as executive producers on the show. She served as the spokesperson for Pier One from 2000–04 and for Jenny Craig from 2005–08.
TV Land aired a sitcom that centered on Alley as a Broadway star and a new parent. It was titled Kirstie, and reunited her with former Cheers co-star Rhea Perlman and Seinfeld star Michael Richards. The series premiered on December 4, 2013,[9] and ran for one season before it was canceled, five months after ending its freshman run.[10]
Dancing with the Stars
In February 2011, Alley was announced as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy. Their first dance, a cha-cha-cha, earned them the second-highest score, 23 points of a possible 30. On May 2011, Alley and Chmerkovskiy performed their final dance, also a cha-cha-cha, which earned them a perfect score of 30 out of 30. Alley finished the competition in second place, behind NFL Super Bowl champion Hines Ward. She also took part in the 15th season of Dancing with the Stars for a second chance to win the mirrorball trophy[11] again with Maksim Chmerkovskiy. They were the seventh couple eliminated from the competition.
Personal life
Alley met and dated a distant cousin, Bob Alley, in high school. They married in 1970. Her husband had the same name as her father.,[12] but they divorced seven years later as their career paths diverged.[13] Alley was married to her second husband, Parker Stevenson (Richard Stevenson Parker, Jr.) on December 22, 1983. They divorced in 1997. Alley and Stevenson share custody of their two children, William True and Lillie Price.[14]
Weight gain
On September 17, 2012, Alley appeared on The Dr. Oz Show where she admitted that she started gaining weight in late 2003. Alley claimed she spent her whole life eating obsessively without gaining weight, and only noticed a change in her body after she went into early menopause in 1992.[15]
Weight loss
In March 2010, Alley launched Organic Liaison, which includes Rescue Me, the first USDA-certified organic weight loss product. She announced that she lost 100 pounds (45 kg) using the program in September 2011.[16]
Scientology
Alley was raised as a Methodist, but has been a member of the Church of Scientology since 1979.[17] At the time she became a Scientologist, Alley admitted to having had a cocaine addiction and went through Narconon, a Scientology-affiliated drug treatment program,[18] to end her dependency.[19] She has continued her Scientology training and, as of 2007, had attained the level of OT VII (Operating Thetan level 7).[20]
In May 2000 she purchased a 5,200 sq ft (480 m2) waterfront mansion from fellow Scientologist Lisa Marie Presley for $1.5 million. The house is in Clearwater, Florida, the spiritual headquarters of the Church of Scientology. In 2007 Alley gave $5 million to the Church.[21]
After celebrity Leah Remini left the Church of Scientology in 2013, Alley publicly denounced Remini as a "a repulsive bigot" and declared her former friend was now "my enemy".[22]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1982 | Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan | Lt. Saavik | Nominee—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress |
1983 | One More Chance | Sheila | |
1983 | Champions | Barbara | |
1984 | Blind Date[23] | Claire Simpson | |
1984 | Runaway | Jackie Rogers | Nominee—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress |
1987 | Summer School | Ms. Robin Bishop | |
1988 | Shoot to Kill | Sarah Renell | 1988
Deadly Pursuit (1988 film) Deadly Pursuit |
1989 | Look Who's Talking | Mollie Jensen | |
1989 | Loverboy | Dr. Joyce Palmer | |
1990 | Madhouse | Jessie Bannister | |
1990 | Look Who's Talking Too | Mollie Ubriacco | |
1990 | Sibling Rivalry | Marjorie Turner | |
1993 | Look Who's Talking Now | Mollie Ubriacco | |
1994 | 3 Chains o' Gold | Vanessa Bartholomew | |
1995 | Village of the Damned | Dr. Susan Verner | |
1995 | It Takes Two | Diane Barrows | |
1997 | Deconstructing Harry | Joan | |
1997 | Toothless | Dr.Katherine Lewis | |
1997 | For Richer or Poorer | Caroline Sexton | |
1999 | Drop-Dead Gorgeous | Gladys Leeman | |
2002 | Back by Midnight | Gloria Beaumont | |
2004 | Family Sins | Brenda Geck | |
2013 | Syrup | Herself | |
2013 | Baby Sellers | Carla Huxley | |
2015 | Accidental Love | Aunt Rita | |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1979 | Match Game | Self (contestant) | |
1980 | Password Plus | Self (contestant) | |
1983 | Masquerade | Casey Collins | (2 episodes) |
1984 | Sins of the Past | Patrice Cantwell | |
1985 | Bunny's Tale, AA Bunny's Tale | Gloria Steinem | |
1985 | Hitchhiker, TheThe Hitchhiker | Angelica | Episode "Out of the Night" Nominee—CableACE Award for Actress in a Dramatic Series |
1985 | North and South | Virgilia Hazard | (miniseries) |
1986 | North and South II | Virgilia Hazard | (miniseries) |
1986 | Stark: Mirror Image | Maggie Carter | |
1986 | Prince of Bel Air | Jamie Harrison | |
1987 | Hitchhiker, TheThe Hitchhiker | Jane L. | Episode "The Legendary Billy B." |
1987 | Infidelity | Eliot 'Ellie' Denato | |
1987–1993 | Cheers | Rebecca Howe | Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Comedy Series (1991) Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1991) Nominated—Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Comedy Series (1988, 1990, 1992, 1993) Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1990, 1992, 1993) |
1990 | The Earth Day Special | Rebecca Howe | |
1991–1993 | Saturday Night Live | Herself (Host) | |
1994 | David's Mother | Sally Goodson | Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Miniseries or a Movie Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film |
1996 | Peter and the Wolf | Annie / Bird / Duck / Cat | |
1996 | Radiant City | Gloria Goodman | |
1996 | Suddenly | Marty Doyle | |
1997 | Last Don, TheThe Last Don | Rose Marie Clericuzio | (miniseries) Nominated—Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Miniseries or a Movie |
1997 | Toothless | Dr. Katherine Lewis | (TV movie) |
1997–2000 | Veronica's Closet | Veronica Chase | (also producer) Nominated—Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress – Comedy Series (1998) Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (1998) Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series |
1998 | Last Don II, TheThe Last Don II | Rose Marie Clericuzio | (miniseries) |
2001 | Blonde | Elsie | (miniseries) |
2002 | Salem Witch Trials | Ann Putnam | (miniseries) |
2003 | Profoundly Normal | Donna Lee Shelby Thornton | (also executive producer) |
2004 | Family Sins | Brenda Geck | |
2004 | While I Was Gone | Jo Beckett | |
2004 | Without a Trace | Noreen Raab | Episode "Risen" |
2005 | Fat Actress | Self | (also joint creator and co-writer w/Brenda Hampton) (7 episodes) |
2006 | The King of Queens | Self | Episode "Apartment Complex" |
2007 | Write & Wrong | Byrdie Langdon | |
2007 | The Minister of Divine | Sydney Hudson | Pilot based on the British series "The Vicar of Dibley". |
2010 | Marriage Ref, TheThe Marriage Ref | Self (guest judge) | |
2010 | Kirstie Alley's Big Life | Self (documentee) | Reality television |
2011–2012 | Dancing with the Stars | Self (contestant) | Season 12 & Season 15: All-Stars Reality Television |
2012 | The Manzanis | Angela | Pilot |
2013–2014 | Kirstie[24] | Maddie Banks | |
2014 | Hot in Cleveland | Maddie Banks | Episode "Bucket: We're Going to New York" |
2015 | The Middle | Pam Staggs | Episode "Pam Freakin' Staggs" |
References
- ↑ "Kirstie Alley". Soylent Communications. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
- ↑ "Kirstie Alley Recharged". Good Housekeeping. May 2007. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Paul Zahn Now, April 15, 2005.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Interview with Kirstie Alley, The Howard Stern Show, December 4, 2013.
- ↑ "Look Who's Talking (1989)". Box Office Mojo. 1990-03-06. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
- ↑ "Kirstie Alley | Academy of Television Arts & Sciences". Emmys.com. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
- ↑ "43rd Annual Emmys - Kirstie Alley". YouTube. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
- ↑ "Hollywood Walk of Fame database". HWOF.com.
- ↑ "TV Land greenlights Kirstie Alley comedy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
- ↑ "TV Land cancels 'Kirstie'". Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
- ↑ Shira, Dahvi (2012-07-27). "Dancing with the Stars: Joey Fatone, Bristol Palin in All-Star Cast". People.com. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
- ↑ "All about Kirstie Alley's first marriage and love affairs". starcasm.net. 2012-11-07. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
- ↑ "Star Magazine Uncovers Dancing With The Stars Celebs’ Secret Pasts". KRTH. Retrieved April 5, 2011.
- ↑ "'Gal-imony': Celeb Women Who Pay in the Divorce". ABC News. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
- ↑ "Kirstie Alley opens up about weight gain on 'Dr. Oz'". OTRC. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
- ↑ "Kirstie Alley's New Life 100 Lbs. Lighter!". People. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
- ↑ "'I thought she was my friend... f*** her': Staunch Scientologist Kirstie Alley posts cryptic tweet as Leah Remini makes dramatic exit from Church". Daily Mail. 15 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
- ↑ "Narconon Exposed: Is Narconon safe?". Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science. November 5, 2002.
- ↑ Huus, Kari (July 5, 2005). "Scientology’s love affair with Hollywood". MSNBC. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
- ↑ "Scientology and Me". Panorama. May 14, 2007. BBC One.
- ↑ Associated Press. "Scientologists' big donations," ABC Action News, Scripps TV Station Group, January 30, 2008. Retrieved on January 31, 2008.
- ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2519060/Kirstie-Alley-slams-Leah-Remini-Howard-Stern.html
- ↑ The end credits of this film promoted a sequel, to have been titled Run, Stumble, Fall, which was not known to have been produced or released as of the middle of May of 2012.
- ↑ "TV Land Greenlights Original Sitcom ‘Kirstie’s New Show’ Starring Kirstie Alley - Ratings | TVbytheNumbers". Tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
External links
- Official website
- Kirstie Alley at the Internet Movie Database
- Kirstie Alley at the TCM Movie Database
- Kirstie Alley at AllMovie
- Kirstie Alley at Emmys.com
Awards and achievements | ||
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Preceded by Kyle Massey & Lacey Schwimmer |
Dancing with the Stars (US) runner up Season 12 (Spring 2011 with Maksim Chmerkovskiy) |
Succeeded by Rob Kardashian & Cheryl Burke |
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