Lucy Lee Flippin

Last updated

Lucy Lee Flippin
Born
OccupationActress
Years active1971–2008
Spouse
Thomas Francis Tarpey
(m. 1975)

Lucy Lee Flippin is an American actress.

Education and early life

Flippin is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Harrison Fitzgerald Flippin. [1] She was born in Philadelphia and raised in Douglassville, Pennsylvania. She attended Northwestern University and spent a year performing with Holiday on Ice before pursuing a career in acting. [2] Later she studied acting under Uta Hagen. [3] Her attempt to work in Hollywood was rebuffed when an executive at Warner Bros. told her that she would not succeed as an actress because she was not pretty enough and was too tall. She returned to New York and worked there for 10 years. [4]

Contents

Career

She initially began her career in New York City where she eventually got several TV commercials and off-Broadway theatre work, most notably opposite Richard Gere in a Lincoln Center production of A Midsummer Night's Dream . [2] At the advice of her agent, she relocated to Los Angeles where she would get roles in television series and films. [2]

She played Eliza Jane Wilder on the TV series Little House on the Prairie . She played Fran Castleberry, the younger sister of Polly Holliday's character on the show Flo . [2] [3] After Little House on the Prairie stopped production, she appeared in many different television shows and movies, and has performed onstage at Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. [5] She retired in 2008.

Personal life

Flippin married actor Thomas Francis Tarpey on October 26, 1975, in Douglassville, Pennsylvania. [1]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1971The Telephone BookObscene Phone Caller Three
1976 The Front Nurse
1977 Slap Shot Game Show Contestant (uncredited)
Annie Hall Waitress at Health Food Restaurant
1978 The One and Only Agatha Franklen
Goin' South Diane Haber
1983 Flashdance Secretary
1984Young Lust
1985 Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment Mom in Mercedes
Private Resort Wanda
1987 Summer School Ms. Cura
1988 Bulletproof Sister Mary
Lady in White Grace La Della
Hero and the Terror Media Person
Earth Girls Are Easy Receptionist
1989My Mom's a WerewolfMurse Mammosa
1993 A Perfect World Lucy
1995MotherChloeVideo
1996 Ladykiller (Scene of the Crime)Mrs. Morlock
Shoot the MoonMiss Fellman
1997Venus EnvyMary
1999 Soccer Dog: The Movie  [ es; fr; hy; ru; uk ]Mrs. Kale
2001 Rat Race Feed the Earth Spokeswoman
2002The KingGrandmaShort film
2004 Little Black Book Daughter
2005WhigmaleerieLili Dubois
2007 Urban Decay Wam Lady
2008 Prairie Fever FaithVideo

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1976 The Bob Newhart Show DarvaEpisode: "The Slammer"
The Edge of Night Miranda Price
1977 Mary Jane Harper Cried Last Night Mother in ParkTV movie
1978Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery
1979 The Ropers HildaEpisode: "The Family Planning"
Portrait of a StripperLoriTV movie
1979–1982 Little House on the Prairie Eliza Jane WilderRecurring role
1980–1981 Flo Fran CastleberryMain role
1983 Philip Marlowe, Private Eye Mrs. YeagerEpisode: "The Pencil"
1984 Newhart Bassett Hound LadyEpisode: "Vermont Today"
Alice DottyEpisode: "Space Sharples"
1985 Scarecrow and Mrs. King Inez FaberEpisode: "A Lovely Little Affair"
Amazing Stories LibrarianEpisode: "Mummy Daddy"
1986 The Last Precinct Officer Rina Starland8 episodes
Mr. Belvedere WilmadeanEpisode: "Halloween"
Moonlighting JulieEpisode: "It's a Wonderful Job"
1987 Santa Barbara MarthaEpisode: "1.803"
Small Wonder Cynthia JenningsEpisode: "Bride and Groom"
1988 The Golden Girls NancyEpisode: "Grab That Dough"
Small Wonder Cynthia JenningsEpisode: "When You Hear the Beep"
1989 Small Wonder Cynthia JenningsEpisode: "Vicki Doolittle"
Full House Ms. AgbabianEpisode: "Back to School Blues"
Billy Crystal: Midnight Train to MoscowTV movie
Mr. Belvedere Doris PutnamEpisode: "A Happy Guy's Christmas"
1990 Adam-12 Woman at Pet StoreEpisode: "A Gang of Two"
Return to Green Acres Flo DawsonTV movie
The Hogan Family Ms. PalmerEpisode: "The Play's the Thing"
The Munsters Today Natasha JonesEpisode: "Kiss Kiss"
1991 Babes BeckyEpisode: "Hello, Dolly"
Eerie, Indiana Nurse NancyEpisode "Just Say No Fun"
1996 Beverly Hills, 90210 Library ManagerEpisode: "Remember the Alamo"
1999 ER Woman with roach in earEpisode: "Responsible Parties"
2000 Charmed HelenEpisode: "How to Make a Quilt Out of Americans"
2001 Black Scorpion Female JurorEpisode: "Crime Time"
The Mind of the Married Man Episode: "The God of Marriage"
2002 Judging Amy FloEpisode: "Boston Terriers from France"
2005 Still Standing BettyEpisode: "Still Not the One"

References

  1. 1 2 "Thomas Tarpey Marries Lucy Flippin" . The New York Times. October 26, 1975. p. 68. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Hatza, George (February 15, 1981). "Lucy Lee Has Dual Role As Flo's Kid Sister And Real-Life Mom". Reading Eagle. pp. 82–83. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Witbeck, Charles (August 8, 1980). "Leaving 'Prairie' for a roadhouse". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  4. Kleiner, Dick (December 24, 1980). "'Flo' sister role gives actress her big break". Syracuse Herald-Journal. p. A 7. Retrieved March 29, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  5. Holland, Jack. "A CurtainUp los AngelesReview: Merton of the Movies". curtainup.com. Retrieved May 11, 2025.