Bitty Schram

Last updated
Bitty Schram
Born
Elizabeth Natalie Schram

(1968-07-17) July 17, 1968 (age 55)
Alma mater University of Maryland
OccupationActress
Years active1992–2016

Elizabeth Natalie Schram (born July 17, 1968) is an American actress best known for playing Sharona Fleming in the television series Monk and for playing Evelyn Gardner in the film A League of Their Own (1992).

Contents

Early life

Born in Mountainside, New Jersey, Schram attended Jonathan Dayton High School, where she was a competitive athlete. [1] She studied at the University of Maryland on a tennis scholarship and graduated with a degree in advertising design. Having known for a number of years that she wanted to act, she pursued roles in both film and television as well as Broadway theater.[ citation needed ] Bitty was a nickname she decided to use when she became an actress. [2] Schram adheres to Judaism. [3] [4]

Career

The role that initially brought her note was that of Evelyn Gardner, the Rockford Peaches' right fielder, in the Penny Marshall film A League of Their Own . Her character was the recipient of the classic admonition by manager Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks), "There's no crying in baseball!" [5]

During 1993-95, she appeared in the original Broadway production of Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor . [6]

In 2002, Schram landed a major role opposite Tony Shalhoub on the USA Network series Monk . She was released midway through the show's third season. The network stated it had "decided to go in a different creative direction with some of its characters." The Hollywood Reporter reported that "some members of the series' supporting cast, including Schram, Ted Levine and Jason Gray-Stanford, attempted to renegotiate the terms of their contract[s]" and cited Schram's departure as evidence of the industry's "hard line against raise-seeking actors who aren't absolutely essential to the show." Levine and Gray-Stanford remained on the show. [7] Natalie Teeger, played by Traylor Howard, replaced her character as Monk's assistant. Schram made a guest appearance on one episode of the show's eighth and final season, titled "Mr. Monk and Sharona". [8]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1992 Fathers & Sons Terry
1992 A League of Their Own Evelyn Gardner [9]
1993 The Night We Never Met Pharmacy Clerk
1993My Family TreasureYoung Alexandra
1994 Chasers Flo
1994Full CycleSofie
1996 Caught Amy
1996 The Pallbearer Lauren
1996 Marvin's Room Janine
1996 One Fine Day Marla
1998 Kissing a Fool Vicki Pelam
1998 Cleopatra's Second Husband Hallie Marrs
2001The TagGinaShort
2002 Unconditional Love Waitress
2004The Sure Hand of GodChristine Bigbee
2006A-ListSamantha
2016 Moments of Clarity Officer Lori [10] NominatedMaverick Movie Awards for Best Ensemble Acting (Feature)

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995Episode: Long Island FeverPennyTV film
1999 G vs E AniEpisode: "Gee Your Hair Smells Evil"
2001DestinyTV film
2001 Strong Medicine Juno BouvoirEpisode: "Fix"
2001 Roswell BunnyEpisode: "Secrets and Lies"
2001–2002 Felicity RitaEpisodes: "Moving On", "A Perfect Match", "The Paper Chase"
2002–2009 Monk Sharona FlemingRegular Seasons 1-3, Guest Season 8
NominatedGolden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series (Comedy or Musical)
2005 Kitchen Confidential Reese RyderEpisode: "Exile on Main Street"
2006 Thief Lila GranvilleTV miniseries
2007You've Got a FriendJackie NelsonTV film
2009 Ghost Whisperer JodyEpisode: "This Joint's Haunted"

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrian Monk</span> Fictional American private investigator

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<i>Monk</i> (season 1) Season of television series

The first season of Monk originally aired in the United States on USA Network from July 12 to October 18, 2002, which consisted of 13 episodes. Tony Shalhoub, Bitty Schram, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford were introduced as portraying the main characters. Tony Shalhoub portrayed Adrian Monk, the title character, an OCD homicide detective from San Francisco, who was removed from the force after the murder of his wife. A DVD of the season was released on June 15, 2003.

<i>Monk</i> (season 2) Season of television series

The second season of Monk originally aired in the United States on USA Network from June 20, 2003, to March 5, 2004. It consisted of 16 episodes. Tony Shalhoub, Bitty Schram, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford reprised their roles as the main characters. A DVD of the season was released on October 11, 2004.

<i>Monk</i> (season 3) Season of television series

The third season of Monk originally aired in the United States on USA Network from June 18, 2004, to March 4, 2005. It consists of 16 episodes. Tony Shalhoub, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford reprise their roles as the main characters, and Traylor Howard joins the cast. Bitty Schram left the show due to a contract dispute during the Winter hiatus. A DVD of the season was released on July 5, 2005.

<i>Monk</i> (season 6) Season of television series

The sixth season of Monk originally aired in the United States on USA Network from July 13, 2007, to February 22, 2008. It consisted of 16 episodes. Tony Shalhoub, Traylor Howard, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford reprised their roles as the main characters. A DVD of the season was released on July 8, 2008.

<i>Monk</i> (season 8) Season of television series

The eighth and final season of Monk originally aired in the United States on USA Network from August 7 to December 4, 2009. It consisted of 16 episodes. Tony Shalhoub, Traylor Howard, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford reprised their roles as the main characters. A DVD of the season was released on March 16, 2010.

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References

  1. Chollet, Laurence. "A shining bit between the stars", The Record , July 16, 1992. Accessed January 18, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "All that attention has elevated Schram, a 23-year-old from Mountainside in Union County, into what could be called a league of her own.... The sports part came pretty easily, as Schram has played competitive tennis since she was 10, starred at Jonathan Dayton High School in Springfield, and eventually won a tennis scholarship to the University of Maryland."
  2. Feitelberg, Amy (February 13, 2004). "Where Bitty Schram Wants to be in Five Years". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  3. Correspondent, J. (September 10, 2004). "Celebrity Jews".
  4. "September 10, 2004 - Image 95". The Detroit Jewish News Digital Archives via University of Michigan.
  5. Adam Thomlison, "Hollywood Q & A", (TV Tabloid/TV Media Inc.), March 24, 2018.
  6. Laughter on the 23rd Floor details, ibdb.com; accessed September 6, 2015.
  7. Wallenstein, Andrew (31 August 2004). "No Sharona — Bitty Schram leaves 'Monk'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  8. Summer TV sizzles with new shows and returning favorites Archived April 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine , Boston Herald ; accessed September 6, 2015.
  9. Laman, Allen (June 19, 2017). "Welcoming back 'A League Of Their Own'". Dubois County Herald. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
  10. Freedman, Richard (November 13, 2015). "Schram has a bit part in 'Moments of Clarity' at Napa Fest". Vallejo Times-Herald. Retrieved April 26, 2018.