Maria Pitillo | |
|---|---|
 Pitillo at the premiere of Bye Bye Love in 1995 | |
| Born | January 8, 1965 Elmira, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1986–2008 |
| Spouse | David R. Fortney (m. 2002) |
| Children | 1 |
Maria Pitillo (born January 8, 1965) [1] is an American former actress. She has starred in films and on television, most notably as Audrey Timmonds in Godzilla (1998). She also had a recurring role on the TV series Providence .
Pitillo was born on January 8, 1965, in Elmira, New York, and grew up in Mahwah, New Jersey. Her parents divorced and her father moved Maria and her sisters, Lisa and Gina, to Mahwah, New Jersey. She attended Mahwah High School, where she was on the track team, before transferring to Northern Highlands Regional High School. She was prevented from attending her high school graduation ceremony after an altercation with her English teacher. [2]
Pitillo was living in suburban New Jersey, and working as a department store clerk when a friend invited her to audition for a TV commercial. Her first job was an advertisement for Pepto Bismol. Subsequent commercial work included an ad for Bank of Boston, York Peppermint Pattie, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Chic Jeans, among others. In the fall of 1987, Pitillo was cast as Nancy Don (Lewis) on the ABC soap opera, Ryan's Hope , which lasted until that series ended its run in 1989. [3]
Pitillo later said that she did not consider acting as a serious career choice until after Chaplin (1992). [3]
Upon moving to Hollywood, Pitillo's work consisted primarily of television drama (South of Sunset), small parts in theatrical motion pictures, and included starring roles in several Made-For-TV movies. She earned critical praise for her roles in the following: Middle Ages , [4] Escape from Terror: The Teresa Stamper Story , [5] as well as Between Love and Honor. [6] [7] Pitillo's career breakthrough came with the 1995 FOX sitcom Partners. Cast as Alicia Sondergard, the comedy met with critical success for herself, [3] as well as for co-stars Jon Cryer, and Tate Donovan. Partners failed to gain traction with audiences, however, and was cancelled in the Spring of 1996. [8]
After completing Dear God in the summer of 1996, Pitillo was contacted by NBC President Warren Littlefield, who had taken notice of her performance in Partners . Littlefield then signed her to a development deal with the network. [9]
In early 1997, while trying to acquire a stake in DreamWorks Studios, NBC tried to leverage Pitillo, as well as director James Burrows, with a project titled Nearly Yours, which actress Parker Posey had dropped out of. DreamWorks and NBC could not come to an agreement, and the deal collapsed. [10] [11] The squabbling between NBC and DreamWorks left the network with a programming hole, and Pitillo without a television project for all of 1997. It wasn't until filming began on Something To Believe In (1997), and Godzilla (May 1997), that she returned to work. NBC continued to search for a suitable television project for Pitillo, and with input from Littlefield, [12] developed the sitcom House Rules , which aired as a mid-season replacement in March 1998. [13]
Pitillo starred as Audrey Timmonds in the TriStar Pictures film Godzilla, which opened in theaters on May 20, 1998. The film and Pitillo's performance were skewered by fans and critics alike:
"At its release, the film was much criticized by Godzilla fans the world over. Kenpachiro Satsuma, the actor who portrayed Godzilla in the second series of films (1984–1995) walked out of a Tokyo screening and told reporters that, 'It's not Godzilla, it does not have the spirit." [14]
Godzilla was nominated in several categories for Razzie awards, and Pitillo herself won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress in 1999. Pitillo is known to have commented once about her role in Godzilla:
"This movie isn't written for big performances from its actors," Pitillo says. "I don't expect a lot from it. It won't be like, 'Oh, Maria Pitillo is a great actress.' But it's an opportunity for people to see me." [2]
Pitillo, Matthew Broderick, and Jean Reno were each under contract for a total of three Godzilla films. The first installment, having earned $379 million during its theatrical run, ensured that a sequel would be considered. [15] Tri Star Pictures, which owned rights to the franchise, called on Centropolis to begin pre-production work on a sequel, which was tentatively titled Godzilla 2. Ultimately, there was little enthusiasm to move forward, and the rights to the franchise were allowed to expire. [15]
By 2000, Pitillo had starred in the indie film Dirk & Betty and the comedy-drama After Sex, and made guest appearances on several television shows. Her last film role was the made-for-TV movie The Christmas Secret , starring Richard Thomas and Beau Bridges. It originally aired on CBS, and later broadcast on the ABC Family network as part of their 25 Days of Christmas. She had a recurring role on Providence (2001–2002) as Tina Calcatera, a divorced mother, and love interest of Robbie, played by Seth Peterson, a role which lasted until the series ended in 2002.
In The Loop (1998)
People Who Fear People (1999) w/Jon Cryer, directed by James Burrows
Follow The Leeds (2003)
The Angriest Man in Suburbia (2006)
It's About This Guy (Date Unknown)
Pitillo married David R. Fortney in 2002, and lives in Ross, California. [22] She is of Italian and Irish descent. [23]
It is most often noted that Pitillo got into acting after a chance encounter with a friend, [3] while some publicity material suggests that participating in Summer stock theater provided Pitillo the impetus to act professionally. [24]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Wise Guys | Massuese | |
| 1988 | Bright Lights, Big City | Pony Tail Girl | |
| Spike of Bensonhurst | Angel | ||
| 1989 | She-Devil | Olivia Honey | |
| 1990 | White Palace | Janey | |
| 1992 | Chaplin | Mary Pickford | |
| 1993 | True Romance | Kandi | |
| 1994 | I'll Do Anything | Flight Attendant | |
| Natural Born Killers | Deborah | ||
| Frank and Jesse | Zee | ||
| 1995 | Bye Bye Love | Kim | |
| 1996 | Dear God | Gloria McKinney | |
| 1998 | Something to Believe In | Maggie | |
| Godzilla | Audrey Timmonds | Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress | |
| 2000 | After Sex | Vicki | |
| Dirk & Betty | Betty |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | CBS Schoolbreak Special | Vickie | Episode: "What If I'm Gay?" |
| 1989 | Ryan's Hope | Nancy Don Lewis | recurring role (5 episodes) |
| Miami Vice | Anna | Episode: "The Cell Within" | |
| 1990 | The Lost Capone | Annie | Television Movie |
| 1991 | Law & Order | Angel Greer | Episode: "Aria" |
| Saturday's | Chelsea | Television Movie | |
| 1992 | Middle Ages | Robin | Episode: "Night Moves" |
| 1993 | Cooperstown | Bridget | Television Movie |
| Mad About You | Mimi | Episode: "The Man Who Said Hello" | |
| South of Sunset | Gina Weston | series regular (7 episodes) | |
| 1995 | Escape from Terror: The Teresa Stamper Story | Teresa Walden Stamper | Television Movie |
| Between Love and Honor | Maria Caprefoli | ||
| 1995–1996 | Partners | Alicia Sundergard | series regular (22 episodes) |
| 1996 | Out of Order | unknown role | Television Short; episode: "Refracted" |
| 1998 | House Rules | Casey Farrell | series regular (7 episodes) |
| In the Loop | unknown role | unknown episode | |
| 1999 | Ally McBeal | Paula Hunt | Episode: "Civil War" |
| Early Edition | Rebecca Waters | Episode: "Weather Girl" | |
| 2000 | Will & Grace | Paula | Episode: "Love Plus One" |
| The Christmas Secret | Debbie McNeil | Television Movie | |
| 2001–2002 | Providence | Tina Calcatera | recurring role (31 episodes) |
| 2003 | Friends | Laura the adoption agent | Episode: "The One with the Home Study" |
| 2008 | Big Shots | Valerie Cerritas | Episode: "Sex Be Not Proud" |
Lisa Valerie Kudrow is an American actress. She rose to international fame for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the American television sitcom Friends, which aired from 1994 to 2004. The series earned her Primetime Emmy, Screen Actors Guild, Satellite, American Comedy and TV Guide awards. Phoebe has since been named one of the greatest television characters of all time and is considered to be Kudrow's breakout role, spawning her successful film career.
Susan Hallock Dey is an American retired actress, known for her television roles as Laurie Partridge on the sitcom The Partridge Family from 1970 to 1974, and as Grace Van Owen on the drama series L.A. Law from 1986 to 1992. A three-time Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee, she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series for L.A. Law in 1988.
Debra Lynn Messing is an American actress. After graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Messing starred in the television series Ned and Stacey on Fox (1995–1997) and Prey on ABC (1998). She achieved her breakthrough role as Grace Adler, an interior designer, on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, for which she received seven Golden Globe Award nominations and five Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, winning once, in 2003.
Parker Christian Posey is an American actress. She was labeled "Queen of the Indies" for her roles in a succession of independent films throughout the 1990s, such as Dazed and Confused (1993), Party Girl, The Doom Generation, Kicking and Screaming, The Daytrippers (1996), The House of Yes, Clockwatchers, and Henry Fool (1998). She is the recipient of nominations for an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Satellite Award, and two Independent Spirit Awards.
Sherry Stringfield is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Dr. Susan Lewis on the NBC medical drama ER, a role for which she received three Emmy Award nominations. Stringfield was a member of ER's original cast, but she quit the show during its third season, despite being contractually tied to appear in five. She returned to the role in 2001, and quit once again in 2005. She is also known for her regular roles on NYPD Blue and Guiding Light.
"The Pilot" is the pilot episode and series premiere of the American television sitcom Friends. The episode premiered on NBC on September 22, 1994. It was written by the show's creators, David Crane and Marta Kauffman, and directed by James Burrows. The pilot introduces six twenty-something friends who live and work in New York City: Monica Geller, a single sous chef in her mid 20s who is illegally subletting her grandmother's apartment; Ross Geller, Monica's older brother, a paleontologist whose marriage recently ended after he learned his wife, Carol, is a lesbian; Rachel Green, Monica's spoiled, self-centered, high-school best friend who has just left her fiancé at the altar and is financially cut off by her father; Chandler Bing, Ross's college roommate and best friend who lives across the hall from Monica; Joey Tribbiani, a struggling Italian-American actor and Chandler's roommate; and Phoebe Buffay, a laid-back, hippie-ish masseuse, singer and guitar player.
Wendy Moniz is an American television actress. Her roles include Dinah Marler in the CBS soap opera Guiding Light, as Rachel McCabe in Nash Bridges, and as Louisa Archer in The Guardian. From 2013 to 2014, Moniz starred as Elaine McAllister in ABC drama series Betrayal and from 2018 to 2024 as Governor Lynelle Perry in the Paramount Network neo-Western series, Yellowstone. Moniz also had a recurring role as Laura Moretti in House of Cards (2015–2016).
Hope Davis is an American actress. She is known for her performances on stage and screen earning various awards including nominations for a Tony Award, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards.
Patricia Anne Wettig is an American actress and playwright. She is best known for her role as Nancy Weston in the television series Thirtysomething (1987–1991), for which she received a Golden Globe Award and three Primetime Emmy Awards.
Lorraine Toussaint is a Trinidadian–born actress based in the United States. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Black Reel Award, a Critics' Choice Television Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Jane Moore Sibbett is an American actress. Her most notable roles include Heddy Newman on the Fox television series Herman's Head and Carol Willick on the television series Friends.
Godzilla: The Series is an animated television series developed by Jeff Kline and Richard Raynis. The series originally aired on Fox Kids in the United States between September 12, 1998 and April 22, 2000, and is a sequel to Godzilla (1998). Malcolm Danare, Frank Welker, Kevin Dunn and Michael Lerner reprise their roles from the film.
James Edward Burrows, sometimes known as Jim "Jimmy" Burrows, is an American television director. Burrows has received numerous accolades including 11 Primetime Emmy Awards and five Directors Guild of America Awards. He was honored with the Directors Guild of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 and NBC special Must See TV: An All-Star Tribute to James Burrows in 2016.
Lindy Booth is a Canadian actress. She played Riley Grant on the Disney Channel series The Famous Jett Jackson, Claudia on Relic Hunter, and A.J. Butterfield on the NBC series The Philanthropist. She then played Cassandra Cillian on the TNT series The Librarians (2014–2018).
Allene Damian "Ally" Walker is an American actress. She made her television debut in the NBC daytime soap opera Santa Barbara (1988) before landing the leading roles on the short-lived dramas True Blue (1989–1990), and Moon Over Miami (1993).
South of Sunset is an American crime drama television series that aired on CBS in 1993. The program starred Glenn Frey, Aries Spears, and Maria Pitillo and premiered on October 27, 1993. The premiere episode performed poorly in the ratings, causing the network to cancel the series shortly thereafter. Four additional episodes were produced but never aired on CBS; these would be shown on VH1 years later.
Bellamy Young is an American actress, producer and singer, best known for her role as Melody "Mellie" Grant in the ABC drama series Scandal (2012–2018). For her performance, she won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2014. She also starred in the Fox series Prodigal Son (2019–2021).
Abigail Leigh Spencer is an American actress. She began her career playing Rebecca Tyree on the ABC daytime television soap opera All My Children (1999–2001) before going on to star in the Lifetime crime drama series, Angela's Eyes (2006). From 2013 to 2016, Spencer starred as Amantha Holden in the SundanceTV drama series Rectify, for which she received a nomination for a Critics' Choice Television Award; she then starred as history professor Lucy Preston in the NBC science-fiction series Timeless.
The Trouble with Normal is an American television sitcom that originally aired on ABC from October 6 to November 3, 2000. The show starred David Krumholtz, Brad Raider, Jon Cryer, Larry Joe Campbell, and Paget Brewster.
The Bing Crosby Show is a 28-episode sitcom television program starring crooner, film star, iconic phenomenon, and businessman Bing Crosby and actress Beverly Garland as a married couple, Bing and Ellie Collins, rearing two teenaged daughters during the early 1960s. In the format, Crosby portrayed a former entertainer turned architectural designer with a penchant for singing, and each episode usually contained at least one song. Produced by Crosby's own company, affiliated with Desilu Studios and subsequently CBS Paramount Television, the series aired on ABC from September 14, 1964, to April 19, 1965. Rebroadcasts continued until June 14.
You could say that she went from Pepto-Bismol to Partners (9 p.m. Monday, Channel 29). The perky, adorable star, who is the best thing about the engaging new Fox comedy, essentially got into acting 10 years ago by accident.
Also impressive are Maria Pitillo as ambitious secretary Robin, who's quick to hook up with manipulative Brian...
Telepic's main trouble, though, is the familiarity of the territory, and being a true story doesn't add any gas. Pitillo and Storke, though, are totally believable...
Collura, limned splendidly by Grant Show, falls for Maria Caprefoli, Gambino's protected goddaughter who was raised by the don and is always under surveillance. Since he's OK with Gambino, Collura has the greenlight to pursue the radiant Maria, played exquisitely by Maria Pitillo, and it's their romance that's the telepic's draw.
So you don't remember 'Partners'. You never watched this delightful, funny show that was too good for the network it aired on. Fine. But looking at the current prime-time lineup it's clear network executives and casting directors took notice.
One of the three DreamWorks pilots, a comedy titled "Nearly Yours," was said to be offered to NBC by Dream-Works with indie film star Parker Posey attached. However, the Posey deal apparently fell through, and NBC offered some of its talent, including prolific producer and director James Burrows, who has a deal with the network..
NBC offered some of its talent, including prolific producer and director James Burrows, who has a deal with the network, and actress Maria Pitillo ("Partners").
Four new midseason shows share a concept: They're about triangles.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
