Andrea Elson | |
---|---|
Born | Andrea Hope Elson March 6, 1969 New York City, New York, U. S. |
Nationality | American |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1983–1998 |
Known for | ALF Whiz Kids |
Spouse | Scott Hopper (m. 1993) |
Children | 2 |
Andrea Hope Elson (born March 6, 1969) is an American retired actress. Beginning her professional career as a child actress and model, Elson is perhaps best known for her television roles as Alice Tyler on the CBS science-fiction adventure series Whiz Kids and as Lynn Tanner on the NBC comedy series ALF , which garnered the teenage actress two Youth in Film Award nominations in 1986 and 1989.
Elson was born in New York City on March 6, 1969. [1] [2] She grew up in New York City with her parents and an older sister named Samantha (born circa 1966). [1] [2] While Elson was still a child, the family moved to San Diego, California for a period of four years before returning to Westchester County, New York. [2]
Elson began her professional career as a child actress and model, appearing in a number of commercials and print advertisements. She also appeared in several community theatre productions as a child while living in San Diego. [2]
In 1983, after relocating with her family to Los Angeles, Elson made her television debut at the age of 14 with a co-starring role on the CBS mystery-adventure series, Whiz Kids . [1] [2] On the series, Elson portrayed Alice Tyler, co-starring with Matthew Laborteaux, Todd Porter, and Jeffrey Jacquet as a group of teenage detectives who solve crimes and bring perpetrators to justice with the help of a talking computer. [3]
Although Whiz Kids lasted only one season, Elson's role as Alice established the 14-year-old and her teenage co-stars as prominent fixtures in the various teen magazines of the era, including 16 magazine , Bop and Teen Beat , among others. [1] [2] [4] The role also led to Elson and the rest of the teenage Whiz Kids cast to make a crossover appearance on the 1983 episode of Simon & Simon titled "Fly the Alibi Skies". [5]
In 1986, Elson landed a co-starring role on the NBC science-fiction situation comedy ALF . On the series, Elson portrayed Lynn Tanner, the teenage daughter in a typical middle-class suburban family who adopt a friendly extraterrestrial, performed by puppeteer Paul Fusco. [6] The series lasted four seasons and Elson's portrayal earned the teenage actress two Youth in Film Award nominations before the series' cancellation in 1990. [7] [8]
After the cancellation of ALF, Elson continued to appear in a variety of television roles, guest starring on a number of television series of the time, including Who's the Boss? , Parker Lewis Can't Lose , ABC Afterschool Special , Married... with Children , Mad About You , Step by Step , and The Young and the Restless , as well as appearing in the television films Class Cruise and Frankenstein: The College Years. [9]
Elson married former ALF set manager Scott Hopper in 1993. Their daughter Claire was born in 1997 and their son Dean was born in 2001. [10] As of 2016, Elson was working as the owner/director of a yoga studio. [11]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | Simon & Simon | Alice Tyler | Episode: "Fly the Alibi Skies" |
1983-1984 | Whiz Kids | Alice Tyler | 18 episodes |
1985 | Silver Spoons | Kimberley | Episode: "Promises, Promises" |
1986-1990 | ALF | Lynn Tanner | 100 episodes |
1987 | Wordplay | Self - Celebrity Panelist | 3 episodes |
1989 | The New Hollywood Squares | Self - Panelist | 1 episode |
Class Cruise | Staci Poston | Television film | |
1990 | Who's the Boss | Melinda | Episode: "One Flew Over the Empty Nest" |
Parker Lewis Can't Lose | Denise | Episode: "Musso & Frank" | |
They Came from Outer Space | Julie Carter | Episode: "Trading Faces" | |
1991 | ABC Afterschool Special | Liz | Episode: "The Less Than Perfect Daughter" |
Married People | Madeline | Episode: "Dance Ten, Friends Zero" | |
Frankenstein: The College Years | Andi Richmond | Television film | |
1993 | Married... with Children | Heidi | Episode: "Wedding Show" |
1994 | Mad About You | Joanne | Episode: "Cold Feet" |
1996 | Step by Step | Bonnie | Episode: "Forever Young" |
Kirk | Episode: "Baby, You Can Drive My Car" | ||
1997 | Men Behaving Badly | Girl #1 | Episode: "It's Good to Be Dead" |
1998 | The Young and the Restless | Debbie Thompson | |
2001 | E! True Hollywood Story | Herself | Episode: "The Young and the Restless" |
2002 | I Love the '80s | Herself | TV Miniseries |
2020 | Forgotten TV | Herself | Episode: "The Whiz Kid Stars Speak" Podcast series |
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1994 | Surgical Strike | Co-Pilot |
Year | Production | Notes |
---|---|---|
1986-1987 | ALF | TV Series Episode: "A.L.F." performer: "Proud Mary" |
TV Series Episode: "On the Road Again" performer: "99 Bottles of Beer" (uncredited) | ||
Episode: "Try to Remember: Part 2" performer: "Proud Mary" (uncredited) |
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1986 | Youth in Film Award (now known as the Young Artist Award) | Exceptional Young Actress in a New Television Comedy Series | ALF | Nominated [7] |
1989 | Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Comedy Series | ALF | Nominated [8] | |
1989 | Bravo Otto Award | Best Female TV Star | ALF | 3rd place |
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