Kate McNeil

Last updated
Kate McNeil
Born (1958-08-07) August 7, 1958 (age 66)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1981–present
Spouse
Roy Friedland
(m. 1987)
Children2

Kate McNeil (born August 7, 1958) is an American actress. [1] She starred in the CBS daytime soap opera As the World Turns from 1981 to 1984, and in 1983 had the leading role in the slasher film The House on Sorority Row . McNeil was also the female lead in the 1988 horror film Monkey Shines .

Contents

Early years

The daughter of the president of the U.S. Cocoa Corporation, McNeil grew up in Gladwyne, a suburb in Lower Merion Township, of Montgomery County, west of Philadelphia, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. [2] In high school, she said, "I was in a lot of plays, and I was a bit wild." [3] She went on to study theater further at Ithaca College, in Ithaca, New York. [3]

Career

McNeil began her acting career on the daytime soap opera As the World Turns in 1981. The following year of 1982, she appeared in the low-budget comedy Beach House. The next year, she starred in the slasher / horror film The House on Sorority Row . [4] 1985, saw Kate McNeil appearing in the TV miniseries Kane & Abel and afterwards in 1986 she was featured in another miniseries, the historical epic about the American Civil War (1861-1865), the sequel / second of three in the series, North and South Book II, based on the thick three-volumes set of historical fiction books North and South by acclaimed author John Jakes (1932-2023). She later co-starred in director George A. Romero's horror film Monkey Shines two years afterwards in 1988. In the 1990s, Kate McNeil appeared as Janet Gilchrist, fiance and then wedded wife of famous TV teen-ager character of the 1970s, now older and more mature main character "John Boy" Walton (Richard Thomas, born 1951), in the final three of subsequent six sequel / reunion made-for-TV films aired in the 1990s (1993, 1995 and 1997), following the long-running The Waltons TV series of 1971/1972 to 1981.

Also in the early 1990s, McNeil was a cast member of two television shows, WIOU and Bodies of Evidence . McNeil has also made numerous individual television episodes with guest appearances. She has appeared on Amazing Stories (1985), Simon & Simon , Designing Women , Midnight Caller , Quantum Leap (1989), The X-Files , Murder, She Wrote , Babylon 5 , Diagnosis Murder , Veronica Mars , Bones , The Mentalist , and Mad Men .

Personal life

McNeil has been married to Roy Friedland, a director and script writer, [3] since 1987. They have two children.[ citation needed ]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1982Beach HouseCindy
1983 The House on Sorority Row Katherine 'Katey' Rose
1988 Monkey Shines Melanie Parker
1994 I'll Do Anything Stacy
1995 Sudden Death Kathi
1997Shadow DancerDet. Frances Hayes
2000 Space Cowboys Female Astronaut #1
2001 The Caveman's Valentine Betty
2001 Glitter Karen Diana
2002Until MorningGillian Scott

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1981–1984 As the World Turns Karen Haines Stenbeck DixonTV series
1985 Kane and Abel Florentyna RosnovskiTV miniseries
1986Vital SignsKristiTV film
1986 North and South Augusta BarclayTV miniseries
1987 Amazing Stories Patty O'NeilEpisode: "Blue Man Down"
1988 Simon & Simon Trish Van AlderEpisode: "The Richer They Are the Harder They Fall"
1988, 1993 Murder, She Wrote Carrie Palmer, Kate WaldenEpisodes: "Harbinger of Death", "A Virtual Murder"
1989 Designing Women Libby CokerEpisode: "The Junies"
1989–90 Anything but Love GailEpisodes: "Hearts and Bones", "Partying Is Such Sweet Sorrow"
1990 Midnight Caller Rev. SummerEpisode: "Planes"
1990The BakeryDana BuchananTV film
1990–91 WIOU Taylor YoungMain role
1991 Dear John CarolEpisode: "Kirk's Ex-Wife"
1992–93 Bodies of Evidence Det. Nora HoughtonMain role
1993 Quantum Leap Olivia Barrett CovingtonEpisode: "The Leap Between States"
1993 A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion Janet GilchristTV film
1994 Babylon 5 Janice RosenEpisode: "The Quality of Mercy"
1995 A Walton Wedding Janet GilchristTV film
1995Best DefenseMichelle BestTV film
1996 Diagnosis: Murder Jennifer Stratton / JoanEpisode: "Murder Murder"
1996 Escape Clause Sarah RamsayTV film
1997 A Walton Easter Janet Gilchrist WaltonTV film
1997 Sleeping with the Devil LizTV film
1997 Promised Land Laura DunbarEpisode: "To Everything a Season"
1998–99 Love Boat: The Next Wave Pat KennedyEpisodes: "Smooth Sailing", "Getting to Know You", "Love Floats: The St. Valentine's Day Massacre"
1999 Providence RandiEpisode: "Pig in Providence"
1999 Ally McBeal Marianne HarperEpisode: "Let's Dance"
1999 Half a Dozen Babies Lynda SmirzTV film
2000 The X-Files Nan WiederEpisode: "Theef"
2000 Nash Bridges Rose TorryEpisode: "Hard Cell"
2000One KillMaj. Leslie NesbittTV film
2000 American Tragedy Dr. ClarksonTV film
2001 Family Law JennyTV series
2001 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Sharon WoodburyEpisode: "Chaos Theory"
2001 ER Mrs. PendryEpisode: "Partly Cloudy, Chance of Rain"
2002 Touched by an Angel Sarah BerringtonEpisode: "For All the Tea in China"
2003–04 American Dreams Doris MasonEpisodes: "The Long Goodbye", "Chasing the Past", "No Way Out"
2004 NCIS Comm. Margaret GreenEpisode: "The Good Samaritan"
2004 Without a Trace Atty. Marian CostelloEpisode: "Two Families"
2005 Cold Case Beth AdamsEpisode: "Blank Generation"
2005 Star Trek: Enterprise Cmdr. CollinsEpisode: "Affliction"
2005 Veronica Mars Betina CasablancasEpisode: "Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner"
2005 Bones Audrey SchillingEpisode: "The Girl in the Fridge"
2008 The Mentalist Katherine BlakelyEpisode: "The Thin Red Line"
2010Proposition 8 Trial Re-EnactmentChristine Van AkenTV documentary
2010 Law & Order: LA Patricia NelsonEpisode: "Pasadena"
2011 Big Love Sister MaryEpisodes: "A Seat at the Table", "Certain Poor Shepherds"
2012 Mad Men Edith HuffEpisode: "Dark Shadows"
2012 Longmire Maureen MaceEpisode: "An Incredibly Beautiful Thing"
2012 NCIS: Los Angeles Carol AdamsEpisode: "Recruit"
2016 Code Black Anne StringerEpisode: "Blood Sport"
2016 Grey's Anatomy Tess' MomEpisode: "I Am Not Waiting Anymore"
2021 Them Dr. Frances MoynihanEpisodes: "Day 9", "Day 10"

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Delaney</span> American actress (born 1961)

Kim Delaney is an American actress known for her starring role as Detective Diane Russell on the ABC drama television series NYPD Blue, for which she won an Emmy Award. Early in her career, she played the role of Jenny Gardner in the ABC daytime television drama All My Children. She later had leading roles in the short lived TV drama Philly, part of the first season of CSI: Miami, and the first six seasons of Army Wives. She also appeared in Tour of Duty, Season 2 and the first two episodes of Season 3, as reporter Alex Devlin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eileen Davidson</span> American actress, author and television personality

Eileen Marie Davidson is an American actress, author, television personality and former model. Davidson is best known for her roles in soap operas as Kristen DiMera and Susan Banks on NBC's Days of Our Lives and Ashley Abbott on CBS's The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesley-Anne Down</span> British actress (born 1954)

Lesley-Anne Down is a British actress and singer. She made her motion picture debut in the 1969 drama film The Smashing Bird I Used to Know and later appeared in films Assault (1971), Countess Dracula (1971) and Pope Joan (1972). She achieved fame as Georgina Worsley in the ITV period drama series, Upstairs, Downstairs (1973–75).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donna Mills</span> American actress

Donna Mills is an American actress. She began her television career in 1966 with a recurring role on The Secret Storm, and in the same year appeared on Broadway in Woody Allen's comedy Don't Drink the Water. She made her film debut the next year in The Incident. She then starred for three years on the soap opera Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (1967–70), before starring as Tobie Williams, the girlfriend of Clint Eastwood's character in the 1971 cult thriller Play Misty for Me. Mills played the female lead in the heist film Murph the Surf (1975), and had starring roles in a number of made-for-television movies during the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megan Ward</span> American actress

Megan Ward is an American actress. She is best known for her numerous credits in science fiction and horror movies and television series. In 2007, she joined the cast of the American daytime drama General Hospital as Kate Howard. She also appeared in the 1990s comedies Encino Man, Freaked, PCU, The Brady Bunch Movie, and Joe's Apartment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellen Corby</span> American actress (1911–1999)

Ellen Hansen Corby was an American actress and screenwriter. She played the role of Esther "Grandma" Walton on the CBS television series The Waltons, for which she won three Emmy Awards. She was also nominated for an Academy Award and won a Golden Globe Award for her performance as Aunt Trina in I Remember Mama (1948).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harley Jane Kozak</span> American actress and author

Harley Jane Kozak is an American actress and author. She made her film debut in the slasher film The House on Sorority Row (1982), and had a recurring role as Mary Duvall on the soap opera Santa Barbara between 1985 and 1989. She later had supporting parts in Clean and Sober (1988) and When Harry Met Sally... (1989), before starring in the major studio films Parenthood (1989) and Arachnophobia (1990).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margo Harshman</span> American actress (born 1986)

Margo Cathleen Harshman is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Tawny Dean on Even Stevens, Alex Jensen on The Big Bang Theory, and Delilah Fielding-McGee on NCIS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Elizabeth McDonough</span> American actress

Mary Elizabeth McDonough, sometimes credited as Mary Beth McDonough, is an American actress and writer, best known for her role as Erin Walton on The Waltons from 1972 to 1981, and several subsequent made-for-television reunion films in later decades.

Jess Walton is a Canadian-American actress, best known for her role as Kelly Harper in CBS soap opera Capitol and as Jill Abbott on the CBS soap opera, The Young and the Restless.

Lauren-Marie Taylor is an American film and television actress. She is regarded as a "scream queen" for her roles in several horror films. Born and raised in the Bronx, Taylor was scouted by a talent agent while performing in a high school production of Oklahoma! with classmate Ally Sheedy, and began pursuing acting in commercials. Her first major role was as Vickie in the slasher film Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981).

<i>Monkey Shines</i> (film) 1988 film by George A. Romero

Monkey Shines is a 1988 American science fiction psychological horror film written and directed by George A. Romero and starring Jason Beghe, Kate McNeil, John Pankow, and Joyce Van Patten. Its plot follows a young athlete who becomes a paralyzed quadriplegic, and develops a bond with an intelligent service monkey named "Ella" who becomes homicidal after she is injected with an experimental serum of human brain tissue. It is based on the 1983 British novel of the same title by Michael Stewart.

Alice Hirson is an American actress best known for her roles on television. She began her career on stage, before roles on daytime soap operas. She is best known for her roles as Mavis Anderson in the CBS prime time soap opera Dallas and as Lois Morgan, the mother of the title character on the ABC sitcom Ellen.

<i>The House on Sorority Row</i> 1982 American slasher film by Mark Rosman

The House on Sorority Row is a 1982 American slasher film written and directed by Mark Rosman, produced by John G. Clark, and starring Eileen Davidson and Kathryn McNeil. The plot follows a group of sorority sisters being stalked and murdered during their graduation party after they conceal a fatal prank against their house mother.

<i>Sorority Row</i> 2009 American film

Sorority Row is a 2009 American slasher film directed by Stewart Hendler and written by Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger. A remake of the 1982 film The House on Sorority Row, the film stars Briana Evigan, Leah Pipes, Rumer Willis, Jamie Chung, Margo Harshman, Audrina Patridge, and Carrie Fisher. It follows a group of sorority sisters who cover up the accidental death of a fellow sister after a prank goes horribly wrong. Eight months later, a masked killer begins stalking and murdering the girls on the night of their graduation for their role in the cover up.

J. Kenneth Campbell is an American film, stage, and television actor who has been cast in over 80 roles. He was born in Flushing, New York. Campbell studied acting under theatrical fight director Patrick Crean, and was an acting instructor himself at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.

Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film is a 2006 documentary film about slasher films. It makes reference to many popular horror and thriller films as well.

Katherine Kamhi is an American actress, best known for her role as Meg in the slasher film Sleepaway Camp, and as Pamela Kingsley on All My Children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lori Hallier</span> Canadian actress

Lori Hallier is a Canadian film, stage, and television actress. She made her film debut in 1981, starring as Sarah Mercer in George Mihalka's slasher film My Bloody Valentine (1981). She subsequently starred in Warning Sign (1985), Night of the Twisters (1996), My Name Is Tanino (2002), and Monte Walsh (2003). Hallier had a recurring role as Shannon Pressman in the television series Santa Barbara (1990). In 2017, Hallier portrayed Alice in the Netflix comedy film Christmas Inheritance.

Lauren Buglioli is an American actress. Her first notable role was in the 2020 psychological horror film Transference followed the title role in the horror-comedy Courtney Gets Possessed (2022). Buglioli also had supporting roles in films Horror Noire (2021), Vendetta (2022), A Jazzman's Blues (2022) and Cinnamon (2023). In 2023, she played Kaitlin Fox in the Netfix crime miniseries, Florida Man.

References

  1. Lavin, Cheryl. "Celebrity fastrack." Carlisle, Pennsylvania: The Sentinel, February 1, 1991, p. D3 (subscription required).
  2. Walstad, David. "From Gladwyne to prime time." Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 28, 1992, TV Week section, p. 4 (subscription required).
  3. 1 2 3 Hughes, Mike (October 31, 1990). "Kate McNeil's role reflection of real life". California, San Bernardino. The San Bernardino County Sun. p. 34. Retrieved November 2, 2015 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  4. Mannikka, Eleanor. "The House on Sorority Row (1983) - Mark Rosman,Paul Schiff - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie. Retrieved 20 June 2015.