Jump to content

Gail O'Grady

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gail O'Grady
O'Grady at the 46th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1994
Born
Gail Ann O'Grady

(1963-01-23) January 23, 1963 (age 61)[1]
OccupationActress
Years active1986–present
Spouses
Richard Dasko
(m. 1981; div. 1983)
(m. 1990; div. 1991)
Severin Wunderman
(m. 1991; div. 1992)
Steve Fenton
(m. 1995; div. 1996)
Anthony J. Pellegrino
(m. 1998; div. 2000)
John Stamatakis
(m. 2004; div. 2008)

Gail Ann O'Grady (born January 23, 1963) is an American actress and producer, best known for her roles on television. Her roles include Donna Abandando in the ABC police drama NYPD Blue, and Helen Pryor in the NBC drama series American Dreams. O'Grady is also well known for her lead roles in a number of television movies. She has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award three times.

Early life

[edit]

O'Grady was born in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of Jim and Jan O'Grady. She was raised in Wheaton, Illinois, and graduated from Wheaton North High School in 1981. She appeared in a few commercials before moving to Los Angeles in 1986.[2]

Career

[edit]

O'Grady began her career as a model for Montgomery Ward and as an actor in several commercials.[3] In one commercial, she played the neighbor for whom Michael J. Fox's character chases down a Diet Pepsi. In time, she began making guest appearances, often as a villain.[4] She made her big screen debut in the 1988 romantic comedy She's Having a Baby, and later was cast for two episodes on the ABC drama China Beach. She also guest starred on several other shows, and appeared in made for television and independent movies.

Her first major role was as Donna Abandando on the ABC police drama NYPD Blue. O'Grady played the big-haired squad secretary from 1993 to 1996, and for each year received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.[3] Along with the cast, she won Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 1995.[3] O'Grady left the series in 1996, and made a pilot for her own sitcom, The Gail O'Grady Project, but the show was not picked up by any of the networks.[5]

After leaving NYPD Blue, O'Grady began starring in numerous television movies for Lifetime and other networks, including The Three Lives of Karen (1997), Two Voices (1997), Every 9 Seconds (1997), Two of Hearts (1999), Another Woman's Husband (2000), Lip Service (2000), Hostage Negotiator (2001), Hope Ranch (2002), Lucky 7 (2003), Sex and the Single Mom (2003), and More Sex & the Single Mom (2005).[6] Her big screen credits include Celtic Pride (1996), That Old Feeling (1997), Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999) and Walking Across Egypt (1999).

From 2002 to 2005, O'Grady starred as Helen Pryor in the NBC television series American Dreams, which depicted an all-American family living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the 1960s. The series was canceled after three seasons. In Fall 2005, O'Grady was lead actress in the ABC comedy series Hot Properties, which was canceled after 13 episodes. In 2006, she guest starred on Two and a Half Men, and in 2007 had a recurring role on Boston Legal as Gloria Weldon, a judge in a personal relationship with attorney Alan Shore. Also in 2007, she starred in the Hallmark Channel movie All I Want for Christmas.[7]

O'Grady had regular roles on the short-lived CW series Hidden Palms as Karen Hardy in 2007, and on Hellcats, playing Wanda Perkins, the mother of the main character, from 2010 to 2011. In 2008, she had a recurring role on the ABC series Desperate Housewives as Anne Schilling, a woman who is having an affair with the character Porter Scavo (at that point a teenager).[8] She appeared on Monk, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Mentalist, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Drop Dead Diva, Hawaii Five-0, and Castle.[9][10] From 2014 to 2015, she had a major recurring role as Conrad's first wife on ABC primetime soap opera Revenge, opposite Madeleine Stowe.[11]

In 2019, O'Grady starred in the Lifetime film Identity Theft of a Cheerleader (which was inspired by the identity theft committed by Wendy Brown) as Angie Patterson, the mother of Maiara Walsh's character Vicky Patterson.[12]

Personal life

[edit]

O'Grady has been married and divorced six times.[5]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1988 She's Having a Baby Laura
1988 Blackout Caroline Boyle
1988 Spellcaster Jackie
1990 Nobody's Perfect Shelly
1996 Celtic Pride Carol O'Hara
1997 That Old Feeling Rowena
1999 Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo Claire
1999 Walking Across Egypt Elaine Rigsbee
2004 The Sure Hand of God Molly Bowser
2004 Tricks Jane Also producer
2004 Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes Olivia Wise
2008 An American Carol Jane Wagstaffe
2009 The House That Jack Built Hannah
2010 Circle Dr. Green
2011 ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2 Nancy
2014 Mothers of the Bride Debra Wolf
2015 Justice Served Dr. Helen Florentine
2017 Lycan Ms. Fields
2019 Deviant Love Marlene
2019 Manipulated D.A. Diane Conrad
2021 The Baby Pact Robin Pyle
2023 Deadly Draw Melody Anne Stutz
2024 Boneyard Special Agent Womack

Television films

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1987 Billionaire Boys Club Judy NBC Television Movie
1990 People Like Us Rebecca Bailey NBC Television Movie
1990 Parker Kane Cindy Ellis NBC Television Movie
1991 The Hit Man Sara ABC Television Movie
1995 She Stood Alone: The Tailhook Scandal Lt. Paula Coughlin ABC Television Movie
1995 Trial by Fire Paulette Gill ABC Television Movie
1995 Nothing Lasts Forever Dr. Page Taylor CBS Television Movie
1997 The Three Lives of Karen Karen Winthrop / Emily Riggs / Cindy Last USA Network Television Movie
1997 Two Voices Kathleen Anneken Lifetime Television Movie
1997 Every 9 Seconds Janet NBC Television Movie
1997 Medusa's Child Vivian Henry ABC Television Movie
1999 Two of Hearts Molly Saunders Fox Family Channel Television Movie
2000 Another Woman's Husband Susan Miller Lifetime Television Movie
2000 Out of Sync Maggie Stanley VH1 Television Movie
2001 Hostage Negotiator Theresa Foley USA Network Television Movie
2002 Hope Ranch June Andersen Animal Planet Television Movie
2003 Lucky 7 Rachel Myer ABC Family Television Movie
2003 Sex and the Single Mom Jess Gradwell Lifetime Television Movie
2005 More Sex & the Single Mom Jess Gradwell Lifetime Television Movie
2005 Mayday Anne Metz CBS Television Movie
2007 While the Children Sleep Meghan Eastman Lifetime Television Movie
2007 All I Want for Christmas Sara Armstrong Hallmark Channel Movie
2009 Living Out Loud Emily Marshall Hallmark Channel Movie
2010 After the Fall Dr. Susan Miles Hallmark Channel Movie
2013 Shadow on the Mesa Mona Eastman Hallmark Channel Movie
2013 The Minister's Wife (a.k.a. Sins of the Preacher) Susan Parker Lifetime Television Movie
2013 The Mystery Cruise Alvirah Meehan Hallmark Channel Movie
2015 The Right Girl Martha Howard Hallmark Channel Movie
2017 Love on Ice Mia Lee Hallmark Channel Movie
2019 Identity Theft of a Cheerleader Angie Patterson Lifetime Television Movie
2022 Heart of the Matter Gladys Hallmark Channel Movie

Television series

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1986–1990 Matlock Julia McCullough 2 episodes
1987 Werewolf Victim in VW Episode: "Werewolf"
1988 In the Heat of the Night Pauline Slade Episode: "Road Kill"
1988 China Beach Georgia Lee Episodes: "Pilot" and "Chao Ong"
1989 Superboy Victoria Letour Episode: "Hollywood"
1990 Cheers Laura Walton Episode: "Finally!: Part 1"
1990 Anything But Love Episode: "Three Men on a Match"
1990 Hardball Episode: "Prescription for Murder"
1992 Murder, She Wrote Robin Dishman Episode: "Badge of Honor"
1993 Time Trax Kristen Episode: "Fire and Ice "
1993 Designing Women Kiki Kearney 2 episodes
1993 Silk Stalkings Betty Whitburn-Marks Episode: "Crime of Love"
1993–1996, 1999 NYPD Blue Donna Abandando 58 episodes
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1994–96)
Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (1996–97)
Nominated—Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Drama Series
1994 Burke's Law Patricia Stone Episode: "Who Killed the Anchorman?"
1996 Promised Land Pam Riley Episode: "The Prodigy"
1996 Space: Above and Beyond Colonel Klingman (uncredited cameo) Episode: "Stardust"
1996 The Gail O'Grady Show Gail Unsold TV pilot
2001 Ally McBeal Helena Fisher Episode: "Home Again"
2002–2005 American Dreams Helen Pryor 61 episodes
Nominated — Young Artist Award for Most Popular Mom in a Television Series (2004)
2002 Monk Miranda St. Claire 2 episodes
2005 Hot Properties Ava Summerlin 13 episodes
2006 Two and a Half Men Mandi 2 episodes
2007 Hidden Palms Karen Hardy 8 episodes
2007 Monk Lovely Rita Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Birds and the Bees"
2007 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Mrs. Towne Episode: "The Case of the Cross-Dressing Carp "
2007 Las Vegas Erin Hudson Episode: "It's Not Easy Being Green"
2007 Boston Legal Judge Gloria Weldon 7 episodes
2007 Cane Senator Finch Episode: "The Exile"
2008 The Mentalist Juniper Tolliver Episode: "Pilot"
2008 CSI: Miami Dr. Rachel Marsh Episode: "And How Does That Make You Kill?"
2008 Desperate Housewives Anne Schilling 4 episodes
2009 Empire State Laurel Cochrane Unsold TV pilot
2009 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Ruth Walker Episode: "Selfish"
2009 Ghost Whisperer Karen Westen Episode: "Endless Love"
2009 True Jackson, VP Sophie Girard Episode: "Back to School"
2009 CSI: NY Millie Taylor Episode: "Blacklist"
2010 The Forgotten Kerry Denver Episode: "My John"
2010 Drop Dead Diva Mrs. Thomas Episode: "Bad Girls"
2010 The Deep End Susan Oppenheim Unsold TV pilot
2010–2011 Hellcats Wanda Perkins 18 episodes
2011 Memphis Beat Chloe Archer Episode: "Ten Little Memphians"
2011 Necessary Roughness Anne Marie Episode: "Baggage Claim"
2011 Hawaii Five-0 Sharon Archer Episode: "Alaheo Pau'ole"
2013 Castle Margo Gower Episode: "Reality Star Struck"
2013 Rules of Engagement Joan Episode: "Cupcake"
2013 Major Crimes Anne Brand Episode: "Boys Will Be Boys"
2013 The Crazy Ones Hannah Sharples Episode: "Pilot"
2014–2015 Revenge Stevie Grayson 11 episodes
2015 Code Black Margaret O'Brien Episode: "Pre-Existing Conditions"
2016 Fresh Off the Boat Herself Episode: "The Taming of the Dads"
2017 Training Day Claire Millstone Episode: "Quid Pro Quo"
2017 His Wives and Daughters Donna Banks Unsold TV pilot
2018–2023 Criminal Minds Krystall Richards 7 episodes
TBA Duster Charlotte Dean-Ellis Upcoming series

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Gail O'Grady | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos". AllMovie.
  2. ^ Dan Snierson, A Siren of Substance; Entertainment Weekly, October 7, 1994.
  3. ^ a b c "Gail O'Grady Biography". Tvguide.com. Retrieved 2013-12-11.
  4. ^ Dan Snierson, A Siren of Substance, Entertainment Weekly, October 7, 1994.
  5. ^ a b "Gail O'Grady Biography". Buddytv.com. 1963-01-23. Retrieved 2013-12-11.
  6. ^ "Shows A-Z - more sex and the single mom on lifetime". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved 2013-12-11.
  7. ^ "Trio gets 'Christmas' wish". The Hollywood Reporter. 2007-09-25. Retrieved 2013-12-11.
  8. ^ September 04, Michael Ausiello Updated; EDT, 2008 at 11:20 PM. "Exclusive: 'Desperate Housewives' Welcomes Gail O'Grady!". EW.com. Archived from the original on 2022-05-22. Retrieved 2022-04-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Matt Richenthal (2012-12-13). "Gail O'Grady to Play Wife of Wall Street on Castle". TV Fanatic. Retrieved 2013-12-11.
  10. ^ Laurel Brown (2013-02-11). "'Castle' interview: Gail O'Grady talks about going full-'Housewives' in 'Reality Star Struck' - Zap2it". Blog.zap2it.com. Archived from the original on 2013-12-13. Retrieved 2013-12-11.
  11. ^ "Revenge Casting Scoop: NYPD Blue Star to Play Conrad's First Wife With Secrets That Will Blow You Away | E! Online UK". Eonline.com. 11 December 2013. Retrieved 2013-12-11.
  12. ^ Curry Reyes, Traciy. "'Identity Theft Of A Cheerleader': Lifetime Movie Based On What True Story?—Wendy Brown Cheerleading Mom Scandal". TV News. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
[edit]